“…Amanda belonged to Alec, David’s brother”

Deposition A Case of Amanda Cleage by Jerry Cleage

I am about 75 years old, I reckon. I live in Athens, Tennessee.

In slavery I belonged to David Cleage and Amanda belonged to Alec, David’s brother. I knew Amanda. In the time of the war she was married to Lou Deadrick and she got a divorce from him after the war. I knew Lou well; he went from here to Chattanooga several years ago.

After her separation from Lou Amanda did not marry again here; she soon afterward went away with a white family named Tucker, and I have never seen her since.

With the Tucker family also went a colored man named Abe Cleage, who had been a soldier – his name was Abram Cleage.

Abraham had no wife here; he had had no wife here – I knew him and his brothers well. All of his brothers are dead. Abe never came back home and I haven’t known whether he is alive or not of late.

Amanda and Abram were not married when they left here; I don’t know whether they married afterword or not. I think I hear they did. Amanda’s mother lived here and I use to hear about Amanda sometimes through her.

I have lived in this county all my life. Amanda had only one husband up to the time that she left here.

I have no interest in this claim for pension. I understood the foregoing as it was read and my statements are correctly recorded.   

Jerry Cleage (His Mark)

Attest

Florence Cleage
Celia Deadrick
Nellie Deadrick

Posts about Jerry Cleage

“…and a slave for life” Bill of sale
Jerry Cleage and Charlotte Bridgeman
He also testified in various other pension applications.