University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1911-04-21

Stephen that a great many OF tn,
names and history OF these slaves Were
Iobtained. He fits we'll the description
THAT is generally given the old time
Southern 1arkey. Standing somewhere
near feet. he takes off his hat. greet:
lyOu with bow and a smile that char
acterizes that beloved old race so soOr
Ito pass into history.
Uncle Stephen vas born in Howard
tcounty, Mo-, August %, 1926. He came
TO Boone county when he was years
old. With the exception OF TWO Years
he was in the army, he mas lived in
Boone cOunty all his life He was own
ed by Judge David Todd and when the
war broke out ne enlisted in the
Fourth Mis- 0uri Regiment, Company
X, remaining with his company until
the close of the war.
A striking coincidence in connection
with the lif1 OF Uncle Stephen is that
OF Jack Goats. Jack also fought in the
Civil War, but on the Confederate side,
under General Beauregard. 1t was at
the Battle OF Mobile that Jack Coats
first met Stephen Wilkins and. al
| hOugh fighting on different sides, these
old negroes became fast friends Jack
came TO Boone county after the war
and for the last few years has made
his home with Wilkin-. He is known
in Columbia as the honliny man." as
selling hOminy is his chief occupation
Jack has not been in Columbia for
some time. being CT a rowing dispOsi-
however. he will be back some time if
he don't die. for he left his best clothes
and wagon with me-"
Julia. the wife of stephen. va also
4 slave. she was owned by Robin Aus
tin. who lived about six miles south Of
Columbia. Aunt Julia and Uncle Stepn.
IN were married July I, 1861 az Mr
Austin's home. Uncle Stephen says h
has five children living and three dead.
Two of his children are married.
Another ne gro born and raised in Co
lumbia is Bart Acres. tart does not Do
any work NJ all nowadays. and it int
because he = not able. even if he is o.
years old. But contrary 10 tle habits
of the majority of negroes OF the later
generation. Bart worked hard when he
was young. saving all the money that
he could get hold of. Now he owns
three blocks in Columbia and pasture
in the northwestern part of town. He
doesn't do anything much now. he says.
but zee that the hands he has hired do
their work right. End lives off the IN
tereSt of MS money. He was owned
by Lewis Robinson.
Aunt Susan Shields has had a much
more exciting experience than have
some of the ether slaves. according to
her statement. She was born in South
Carolina, the date not known. and
when but a small child was taken TO
New Orleans. Aunt Susan says that
she had so many different "massas"
that she doesn't remember them all. |
From New Orleans she was taken to
Missouri with her nine brothers ard |
sisters. They were sold on the court |
house steps at Danville. Montgomery
Mo.
Il had nine brothers and sisters.
said Aunt Susan. "and | don't know |
where a one of them is. They might
all be dead for all know"
She says she hasn't seen any of them
s.nce they were sold at Danville.. Aunt |
Susan came here ten years ago and |
shortly afterward married Henry
Henry was aT,O a slave owned
by man named Shields. lie was born
IN Columbia on the site now occupied
Dy the Boone County Milling Company.
Aunt Susan wa married twice and is
ne mother Of seven children.
A man who stands unique among all
he rest of cider negroes of Columbia
S W. H. Turner. Turner, like Uncle /
stephen. fought in the Civil War. His
experiences as a soldier were many. He
vas born in Boone county and when
,nly boy-he does not know at what
,ge-he enlisted in the Northern ar
ny as drummer boy. His company at
hat time was Company X. One Hun
Ired and Thirteenth Kentucky Volun.
GERS. He enlisted in ST. Louis in 1863
md says that he did most of his fight
ng in Virginia. In 1866 ne was dis
harged from the army and re-enlist-
d in the Tenth L. S. Cavalry. Turn
RS regiment was sent West to fight
he Indians and in 1869 while in con-
let with the red men at Fort Sill, l. r.,
e was tOmahawkel in the upper mus ,
les of his right arm. On the tenth ,
ay of December. 1877. while fighting +
he Anachp Indians along thp Rio -