Uncle Jeff’s Horse Selling

Uncle Jeff Ware was married to Reba Dorris for nearly fifty years before his death in the 1950’s. Aunt Reba was a younger sister of my mother, Maude May Dorris. Uncle Jeff and Aunt Reba were farming in the Mississippi Delta during the depression. Since he came out at the end of each year owing money, he concluded that he could do anything and beat the situation he was in. Even fishing would beat farming at a loss.

He proceeded to move from the farm to the Sunflower River between Ruleville and Cleveland, Mississippi where he and the family would engage in commercial fishing. As he moved he began to try to sell a horse that was surplus to his need. The horse was sound, that is he wasn’t blind or deaf, short winded, nor suffering from other injuries that prevents a horse from being of full expected value; and therefore was worth about seventy-five dollars. Uncle Jeff wanted to ensure a quick sale so he decided to ask only fifty dollars for the horse.

It was in the fall of the year and the time that people would most likely have some money in the pocket to buy a horse. That coupled with the fact of the low price should allow him to cash that horse in without any delay. As he moved along the road through the countryside he was passing through many black settlements. He came to the first, stopped, and a group of black men gathered around the wagon looking at the horse for sale. After a few minutes one of the men asked him what he wanted for the horse. Uncle Jeff replied loud and clear, “Fifty dollars!” The prospect took another look and said he didn’t want him.

Down the road a few miles he came to another settlement. This group of men looked the horse over and asked how much he wanted for him. Uncle Jeff said, “Forty dollars.” Again the individual inquiring said he didn’t want the horse.

As Uncle Jeff moved on down the road he vowed that he would sell the horse. Soon he came upon another settlement. The men gathered around to look at the horse for sale. One man looked the horse over good and asked how much he wanted for the animal. Uncle Jeff replied, “Twenty-five dollars.” The prospective buyer looked the horse over again very closely. Then he asked, “Boss, what’s wrong with this horse!” Uncle Jeff said he suddenly realized what he was doing. He was underpricing the horse and scaring the would-be buyers away.

At the next settlement after the group looked the horse over and asked how much he wanted, Uncle Jeff answered forcefully, “Seventy-five dollars.” The inquirer reached into his back pocket, pulled out his billfold, and counted out seventy-five cash dollars.

Uncle Jeff said he resolved to never again underprice things that he had for sale. Uncle Jeff’s fishing paid off much better than farming and no doubt the lessen learned from underpricing the horse was one that made him a better businessman.

This was written by Roy C. Watson on January 25, 1987 at Jackson, Mississippi.