Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1869-04-23
A Former sIave.-His Eventrul History.

Many of our villagers know eolored
man who has lived some three years in
this village, of the name of Lloyd john
SON; and know him TO be man of rare
mechanical genius, and very Uncle Tom
of honesty. Yet, there are few who would
guess his age within twenty years and
his life has been, under our great "free
country's former damnable system of
slavery, as eventful in many respects as
that of the Moor Othello. We recently be-
came much interested in the tale of his life,
though no more remarkable than that of
hundreds of other poor old slaves
Lloyd relates that he was born near
Annapolis, Md, in 1902. His parents were
owned by kind mistress, who married a.
man who proved to be q pirate captain,
who departed (and never returned) few
weeks after their marriage; the fruit
whereof was one daughter. After Lloyd's
parents had eight children their mistress
freed them, and executed papers emanci-
pating all the children as fast as they
should become of age. The daughter soon
after married DIR. Leo Fenwick, who in
herited the services of the eight slave
children, until they should become free.
The Fenwick preferred to inherit them
for all time; and so one fine morning load
ed all eight into a covered wagon and
started for his new-found home in the then
new country of Missouri. Lloyd says
that the last time he saw his father and
mother, the Legreeish Fenwick had rifle
in his hand and threatened to shoot them
if they attempted to come to the wagon to
bidtheir children goodbye. Lloyd peeked
through a small hole in the canvas.
and DR.. F. smote him q heavy blow on
the face with the butt of heavy whip, and
then come into the wagon and nigh fayed
him with it. This barbarity 80 enraged
the beholders that the doctor was pursued
by the Sheriff and required to give heavy
bonds for the faithful carrying out of the
emancipation they were entitled to under
the law, before he would be allowed to
proceed. -'414i 50
This was ffty-five years ago, when
Lloyd was fourteen years old. Well, since
then he has outlived seven masters seen
his brothers sold down river" and his
kin scattered as slavery was wont to do it;
passed through miraculous dangers and
hardships on land and water; his children
are he knows not where; and in 1868 he
breathed free air for the first time by es-
Gaping with Yankee troops from Arkan-
sas. Soon after he became recruiting
OIncer OF cOlOre0 troops at cape Glrar-
deau; enlisted all the force massacred at
Fort Pillow-all of which is well proven I;
and was during the remainder of the war
a faithful and efficient worker for the gov
ernment under whose laws he had so long
been slave.
Strange as it may appear, he has recent
ly received letter from brother, born
free, from whom he had not heard for long,
long years, informing him that his mother
is still living but few miles from where
he was kidnapped from her into perpetu-
al slavery fifty.five years ago. Lloyd,
being the fifth child, thinks she must be
one hundred years old or more. She
sends him word that she would like very
much to see him, and in few days he
will 60 tormeet her and his other kin in
Maryland Bara5oo { WSs.) Republic.