Nelson Denson
From:
Texas
NELSEN DENSON, 90, was born near Hambirg, Arkansas, a slave of Jim
Nelson, who sold Nelsen and his family to Felix Grundy. Nelsen's
memory is poor, but he managed to recall a few incidents. He now
lives in Waco, Texas.
"I'll be ninety years old this December, (1937). I was born in Arkansas,
up in Ashley County, and it was the twenty-second day of December in
1847. My mammy was from Virginny and pappy was from old Kentucky, and I
was one of they eight chillen. Our owner, Marse Jim Densen, brung us to
Texas and settled near Marlin, but got in debt and sold as all to Marse
Felix Grundy, and he kep' us till freedom, and most of us worked for him
after that.
"Marse Jim Densen had a easy livin' in Arkansas, but folks everywhere
was comin' to Texas and he 'cides to throw in his fortunes. It wasn't so
long after that war with Mexico and folks come in a crowd to 'tect
theyselves 'gainst Indians and wild animals. The wolves was the worst to
smell cookin' and sneak into camp, but Indians come up and makes the
peace sign and has a pow wow with the white folks. Marse git beads or
cloth and trade for leather breeches and things.
"I want to tell how we crosses the Red River on de Red River Raft. Back
in them days the Red River was near closed up by dis timber raft and de
big boats couldn't git up de river at all. We gits a li'l boat, and a
Caddo Indian to guide us. Dis Red River raft dey say was centuries old.
De driftwood floatin' down de river stops in de still waters and makes a
bunch of trees and de dirt 'cumulates, and broomstraws and willows and
brush grows out dis rich dirt what cover de driftwood. Dis raft growed
'bout a mile a year and de oldes' timber rots and breaks away, but dis
not fast 'nough to keep de river clear. We found bee trees on de raft
and had honey.
"It was long time after us come to Texas when de gov'ment opens up de
channel. Dat am in 1873. 'Fore dat, a survey done been made and dey
found de raft am a hundred and twenty-eight miles long. When we was on
dat raft it am like a big swamp, with trees and thick brush and de
driftwood and logs all wedge up tight 'tween everything.
"'Fore Texas secedes, Marse Jensen done sell us all to Marse Felix
Grundy, and he goes to war in General Hardeman's Brigade and is with him
for bodyguard. When de battle of Mansfield come I'm sixteen years old.
We was camped on the Sabine River, on the Texas side, and the Yanks on
the other side a li'l ways. I 'member the night 'fore the battle, how
the campfires looked, and a quiet night and the whippoorwills callin' in
the weeds. We was 'spectin' a 'tack and sings to keep cheerful. The
Yanks sings the 'Battle Cry of Freedom' when they charges us. They come
on and on and, Lawd, how they fit! I stays clost to Marse Grundy and the
rebels wins and takes 'bout a thousand Yanks.
"Most the slaves was happy, the ones I knowed. They figgers the white
men fightin' for some principal, but lots of them didn't care nothin'
'bout bein' free. I s'pose some was with bad white folks, but not round
us. We had more to eat and now I'm so old I wouldn't feel bad if I had
old marse to look after me 'gain.
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Victor Duhon
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John Day
