STATE OF MINNESOTA
Hennepin County
ELIZA WINSTON, being duly sworn, deposes and says:
My name is ELIZA WINSTON, am 30 years old.
I was held as the slave of Mr. Gholson
of Memphis, Tennessee, having been raised
my Mr. Macklemo, father in law of Mr.
Gohlson. I married a free man of color
who hired my time of my master, who
promised me my freedom upon pay-
ment of $1,000. My husband and myself
worked hard and he invested our savings
in a house and lot in Memphis, which was
held for us in Mr. Gholson's name. This
house was rented for $8 per month. My
husband by request, went out with a com-
pany of emancipated slaves to Liberia, and
was to stay two years. He went out with
them because he was used to travelling, and
it was necessary to have some one to assist
and take care of them. When he return-
ed, my master was to take our house and
give me my free papers, my husband pay-
ing the balance due, in money. My hus-
band died in Liberia, and my master Mr.
Gohlson got badly broken up in money mat-
ters, and having pawned me to Col. Christ-
mas for $800, died before he could redeem
me. I was never sold. I have always been
faithful and no master that I have ever had
has found fault with me. Mr. Macklemo
my first master always treated me kindly
and has tried to buy me of Col. Christmas,
a good many times. When Mr. Gholson
married Mr. Macklemo's daughter, I went
with my young mistress. I became the
slave of Mr. Christmas seven years ago last
March. They have often told me I should
have my freedom and they at last promised
me that I should have my free papers when
their child was seven years old. This time
came soon after we left home to come to
Minnesota. I had not much confidence that
they would keep their promise for my mis-
tress has always been feeble and she would
not be willing to let me go. But I had
heard that I should be free by coming to
the North, and I had with my colored
friends made all the preparations which we
thought necessary, I had got a little money
and spent it in clothes, my colored friends
gave me some good clothing, and I came
away with a good supply of clothing in my
trunk, sufficient to last me two years and of
a kind suitable to what we supposed
this climate would be. The trunk containing
this clothing was left at the Winslow House
when we went to Mrs. Thornton's, I taking
only one calico dress, besides and old wash-
ing dress. After I got to St. Anthony, I
got acquainted with a colored person and
asked her if there were any persons who
would help me in getting my freedom. I
told her my whole story and she promised
to speak with some persons about it. She
did so and a white lady living near met me
at the residence of my colored friend, I also
told her my story and she told me there
were those who would receive me and pro-
tect me. I thought I had a right to my
clothes because they did not come from
my master or mistress and I purposed to
carry away at different times when I should
not be suspected, some portion of them.
I fixed upon the coming Sunday when I
would leave my master, but before the time
came Col. Christmas and his family went
out to Mrs. Thornton's and as I understood
were not coming back to the Winslow
House to stay any more, I thought some
one of the servants had made my master
suspicious and that he went away on
that account. On the day I was taken by
the officer, some men came out to Mrs.
Thornton's, and I heard them tell them that
persons were coming out to carry me off.
So whenever any one was seen coming, my
mistress would send me into the woods at
the back of the house, I minded her, but I
did not go very far hoping they would find
me. I was sent into the woods several
times during the day, as was the case at
the time when the party came who took me
away. I had on my washing dress and I
went into change it before going with the
officer. My mistress asked me why I went
off in this way, she said she would give me
free papers, I asked her why she did not
in St. Louis. She said over again and
again that I must not go in this way but
that they would give me my free papers.
I told her I had rather go now.
When my master came into the court room he came
up to me and gave me ten dollars. When I
was told I was free my master asked me if
I would go with him, told me not to do
wrong. I told him I was not going to do
wrong, but that I did not wish to go with
him. I have been Col. Christmas' slave
for more than seven years, and I have al-
ways been faithful to him and done my best to
please him and my mistress. The latter
has always been feeble and I have waited
upon her and taken care of her and the
child. During all this time, owing to the
poor health of my mistress, I have been
closely confined, have had scarcely any
time to myself or to see the other slaves, as
as most house servants can have, but I have
never fretted or complained because I
thought if I did my very best, they would
perhaps give me my freedom. Since my
husband died I might have married very
happily with a free colored person, but
Col. Christmas would not let me marry
any one but one of his plantation hands,
and I would not marry any one but a free
person, I thought if I could not better my-
self by marrying I would not marry at all,
and I knew it would be worse for me if I
married a slave. I wanted my master to
give me free papers so that I could go back
to Memphis where I could get employment
as a nurse girl, and could earn from ten to
fifteen dollars a month, and could marry
there as I desire to do, but I despaired of
getting my freedom in this way and al-
though I am sorry I must sacrifice so much
still I feel that if I cannot have my freedom
without, I am ready to make the sacrifice.
I will say also that I have never received
one cent from my property at Memphis
since my husband died.
It was my own free choice and purpose
to obtain my freedom, and I applied to my
colored friend in St. Anthony, without
solicitation on the part of any other per-
son. I have nursed and taken care of the
child of my mistress from her birth till the
present, and am so attached to the child
that I would be willing to serve Col. Chris-
tmas, if I could be assured of my freedom
eventually, but with all my attachment to
the child, I prefer freedom in Minnesota,
to life long slavery in Mississippi.

ELIZA {X} WINSTON
her mark

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 24th day of Aug. A.D. 1860.
J.F. Bradley, Justice of the Peace.