Pickens County, AL

PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA
Frank Stinson Tells of Days of Slavery


From the Pickens County Herald, Thursday, August 5, 1943.

Frank Stinson is probably the only living slave not in this county. He is known here as Uncle Frank, and everybody respects him, for he is indeed a good and worthy citizen. He was born March 12, 1848, on what is now the Ches McCulley place. His mother belonged to Billy Stinson and his father belonged to a Mr. Kelley of the community. Frank, of course, was the property of Billy Stinson. Billy Stinson and his wife both died before the end of the war, and Frank became the property of a daughter, Miss Sallie Stinson. Miss Sallie was a sister of Mrs. Andrew Henry, an early publisher of the West Alabamian, and Frank was with the Henry's when he was set free. He was hired out to Billy Johnson on the old Bonner place near Reform at the close of the war. He was working on the road north of Carrollton when he saw a group of Union soldiers riding down the road, so he followed them to town and saw the burning of the courthouse. He said there was a company of Confederate soldiers camped on the lot where the county barn now stands but they fled when they heard the Yankees coming. The Yankees set fire to the courthouse, burined a storehouse on a vacant lot behind the present Jones store, and went on their way south. A few days later another group of Yankees came by Eutaw and through Pickens county, taking such property and negroes as they wanted. Frank's brother, Alex, was carried away by the last group. Years later Alex wrote Frank from Knoxville, Tenn., but Frank never saw him after he went away with the Yankees.

After the war Frank worked for Dr. Hill, grandfather to Dr. Hugh W. Hill of Carrollton. He married and raised 11 children, had 44 grand and great grand children, and has one or more great, great grand children. Many of his children are living yet and all made good law abiding citizens. Frank said he fared well as a slave, and his white folks took good care of him. He said he was never mistreated by his master.


Last Updated on 27 June 2001


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