Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-05-28
Another Old Inhabitant.

Some time since one of the CHRoNICLEre-
porters interviewed an old colored woman,
said to be one of the oldest inhabitants, lv-
ing in North Knoxville, and gave the sub
stance of the interview. The next day we
were informed that another colored wO-
man was living in North Knoxville equal
Iy as old if not older. Yesterday we had
an interview with this old woman, and
found her to be very intelligent, with a
sharp memory as well as being able to get
about with as lively step as many who
are many years her Junior She gave as a
brief history of her early life as follows /:
While the revolutionary war was in pro-
gress, two Captains, named respectively
James Chisam and James Maughhorn,
came in possession of her parents as well
as herself, and brought them to this coun-
try, but by what means she does not re-
member, as she was rather young. After
the conclusion of the war, these two Cap
tains had falling out and went into law,
each claiming right to the slaves. After
some time the suit was decided in favor of
Capt. Jas. Manghhorn, who had to sell her
mother to pay the lawyers fee, and her
father not wishing to be parted from her
mother, Maughhorne was induced to sell
him to the same parties viz: Hale q Mof-
felt, at Bulls Gap, where they lived until
they died. The last time she saw her
mother she was only sixteen years old.
After residing some few years in this
place, Capt. 'Maughhorn removed into
Kentucky, where she remained until she
was purchased by John Biggs, of Greene
county, Tennessee and removed TO that
county. Mr.. Biggs sold her to Mr.. Thomas
Murphy, who afterwards traded her to his
cousin, a regular negro trader. He sold her
to Mr.. John Mynatt, then living about IS
miles from this city. Right then, she says,
she was made about ten years younger
than she really was, the negro trader
i'm l1n In . - n
when she was either 81 or 80 years of age.
According to that bill of sale she is now
lO5 years old but according to her own
counting, which is doubtless correct, she is
ll5 years of age next Christmas. She has
never made use of spectacles and can see
well enough to do her own garment mend
ing. She took walk out in the country
few days since of about three miles,
averaging mile an hour. She paid Greene
county visit during the past spring, visit
ing the scenes of her early life, and found
but one man alive who lived at the time
she was there, a nephew of her mistress,
who was when she last saw him, nothing
but boy, while she was an old woman.
He is now an old gray-haired man, totter-
ing on the verge of the grave, while she
looks as though she might live many years
yet. She says she had nineteen brothers
and sisters, but has never seen any of them.
She speaks in glowing terms ofthe goodness
OF Nou towards nef, ana says she has
never had any but good masters and mis-
tresses, never having been whipped by
any of them. She also spoke in high
terms of praise of General Washington,
and the deep mourning that existed over
his death. "Hhere never was such mourn
ing over any other man, to my recollec-
tionn
She is now living with Mr.. Nelson My
matt, the son of her old master and can do
a considerable amount of work yet about
the house. She thinks, however, she has
about done her share of work in this world
and is about ready to answer to the Mas
ter's call of Well doneSthou good and faith
full servant, &c. We could have listened
with pleasure for hours to her narrative of
days that are past, but Were forced to
break away, feeling, however, that she is
the sprightliest old woman we have ever
'had the pleasure Of meeting