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Anna Colbert ~ Chickasaw Freedwoman
Anna
Colbert was born in 1856 but does not know day or month of birth. She was
seventeen years of age when freed. Father, Edmond Colbert, and mother Jane
Colbert. They were in the removal from
Mississippi
.
Jane's mistress was Sina Colbert.
Anna Colbert's mistress was Miss Mary Colbert. Anna Colbert married Bill Colbert
or Bill Landon. Bill had belonged to Sam Colbert but was sold to Landon, so he
went by the name of Colbert or Landon. Sam Colbert owned a plantation near the
present town of
Antlers
.
He owned over one hundred slaves, and raised cotton, corn, and vegetables. He
also bought and sold slaves.
Anna Colbert's uncle, Howard Colbert, was sold on the auction block. She says
she has seen husbands and wives sold to separate families and that the husband
or wife who was sold, was given another husband or wife by the new master as
soon as they reached their new quarters.
Colbert's was the only plantation in that part of the country. The other Indians
lived in huts and tents and made their living by hunting and fishing.
Fort
Smith
was the nearest town to the plantation but
most everything needed on the plantation was made by the slaves.
Anna Colbert spun thread and wove clothing for the plantation. She was 17 years
old when freed. She has the cards she used to card cotton for thread on the
plantation. She claims that she is a half breed Chickasaw. She has land and a
roll number. She lives in the negro section of Atoka, east of the Katy railroad.
She has no education and is very superstitious. She believes there has been a
plantation in the east part of Atoka and that section of town is haunted by the
slaves who were abused or killed by mean masters.
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