Narrative of the Life of J.D. Green, a Runaway Slave, from Kentucky

Jacob was born into slavery with 113 other slaves on a plantation in Kentucky with only his mother as family. Judge Charles Earle put Jacob to work at age eight running chores and giving water to the other slaves. When Jacob was twelve his mother was sold to a trader passing through Kentucky, all he said about his mother was that she was a good slave. Similar to Mr. Cobb’s saying, she said if you did what you’re told and stay out of trouble your master would treat you well. . Five years later he caught a white boy stealing from him and when they got into a fight, a man by the name of Mr. Burmey came in and broke up the fight beating Jacob and threatening to cut off his hands for hitting a white boy.