Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-08-25

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The followingis genuine document Itwas
dictated by the old servant and contains his ideas
and forms OfexpressiOn.-CinciRnG CONNER
Cidl:
| DAYTON ONO, Aug. I, 1865.
To my old Master Colonel p. H. Anderson
| Big Springs, Tennessee:
| SIR got your letter and was glad to find
that you had not forgotten Jordan, and that you
wanted me to come back and live with you again
| promising to do better for me than any body
else can. thought the Yankees would have
hung you long before this for harbOring rebs
they found at your house. Isuppose they new
er heard about your going to Colonel Martin S
| TO kill the Union solder that was left by his
company in their stable. Although you shot
at me twice before j left you, / did not want TO
hear of you being hurt, and am glad you are
| still living. 1t would done me good to 90 back
TO the dear old home again and see Miss Mary
and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green and
Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them
l hope we will meet in the better world, if not
in this. | would have gone back TO see you all
when was working in the Nashville Hospital,
but one of the neghbors told me Henry intend.
ed to shoot me if he ever got the chance
want to know particularly what the good
chance is you purpose to give me- | am doing
tolerably well here; l get 25 dollars month.
home for Mandy (the folks here call her Mrs.
Anderson,) and the children, Milly Jane and
Grundy, 20 to school and are learning well; the
teacher says Grundy has head for preacher
They go to Sunday school and Mandy and me
attend church regularly. We are kindly treat
ed; sometimes we overhesr others saying ''them
cOlOred people were slaves" down IN Tennessee
The children feel hurt when they hear such re-
marks, but tell them it was no disgrace in
Tennessee TO belong to Colonel Anderson
Many darkies would have been proud, as | u.s.
ed to was to call you master. Now If you will
write and say what wages you will give me,
viii be better able to decide whether it would
be to my advantage to move back again
AS to my freedom, which you say / can have
there is nothing to be gained on that score, as
got my free-papers in 1864 from the Provost
Marshal General of the Department at Nashville.
Mandy says she would be afraid to go back
without some proof that you are sincerely dis
posed TO treat us Justly and kindly-and we have
concluded TO test your sincerity by asking you,
to send us our wages for the time we served you.
This viii make us forget and forgive old sores
and rely on your justice and friendship in the
future. l served you faithfully for thirty two
years, and Mandy twenty years at $25 month
for me and 50 week for Mandy Our earnings
would amount to $ll, $50. Add to this the
lHJSf6oI IOT tnc tliuS Ouf WdbeS ndO Dee0 Kept
back and deduct what you paid for our clothing
and three Doctors visit to me, and pulling
tooth for Mandy and the balance will show
what we are in Justice entitled to. Please send
the money by Adams Express, in care of "
Winters, Esq, Dayton, Ohio. HyOu fail to pay
us for faithful labor in the past we can have lit
tie faith in your promise in the future. We
trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to /
the wrongs which you and your fathers have
done to me and my fathers iu making US toll
for you for generations without Teeompense-
Here draw my wages every Saturday night,
but in Tennessee there was never any pay day
for the negroes any more than for the horse and
COWS. Surely there will be day of reckoning
for those who defraud the labOrer of his hire.
In answering this letter please state if there
would be any safety for my Milly and Jane,
who are now grown up and both good looking
girls. You know how it was with poor Matilda |
and Catharine. l would rather stay here and |
starve and die if it come to that than have my |
girls brought TO shame by the violence and |
of their young masters. You will |
also please state if there has been any schools |
opened for the cOlered children in your neigh |
1OrhOod, the great desire of my life now is to |
rive my children an education, and have them |
orm virtuOus habits.
From your old servant
JORDAN ANDERSON |
p. M.-Say howdy to George Carter and |
hank him for taking the pistol from you when |
Il.