It was the winter of 1887, and life in Mississippi had not changed much for the Negros living there since Abraham Lincoln declared the slaves to be freed with the passage of the Emancipation Proclamation some 30 plus years earlier. If slavery had ended, no one told the citizens of Mississippi. They were practicing business as usual and although, the slave did not have to work for free, they might as well have been for Sharecropping during that time was just as bad. It kept the slaves in poverty and never able to get out of debt with the White farm owners for whom they worked. My great grandmother, Illinois Williams, was one such Negro who endured many atrocities and hardships growing up in Bolton, Mississippi. She was born in 1883 and was the daughter of Girault “Bill” Williams and Nancy Balcum Williams both born in 1850 and 1851 respectively. She was the eldest of 7 siblings. 3 brothers 4 sisters.
It was a cold winter night and the snow was falling ever so lightly hitting Illinois on her face but the snow started melting as soon as it touched her face. Illinois’ was running as fast as she could through the woods. She did not know where she was going she just knew she had to get away, She kept running but also kept falling. She was tripping over fallen branches and rocks It was dark that night and she could not see. She wanted to find a hiding place and just as she turned a corner she saw a briar patch that was pretty thick and felt she could hide there. Already dirty from her running through the woods all night and falling and getting back up again. So she was sure they would not see her she hurriedly put some more dirt on her face closed her eyes, knelt down and prayed. Illinois was a Mullato. She was born to parents, one was white, her mother, Nancy and the other was a Negro her father, Girault. She was very easy on the eye and beautiful to gaze upon. She had long wavy black hair But she usually wore it in one long braid in the back. She had a very feminine girl, and had a thin and flattering figure, and she was admired by many. She had light brown hazel colored eyes and the pink lips that didn’t require any lipstick or and makeup at all. Just as she was crouching down and felt it was finally safe, her worst fears were imagined , two white men walked up and discovered her.