National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-11
EsTArE OF AN EscApEp SLAVE.

Claim Of Son who Never Saw his Father.
The New York Sun says that on the 18th OF
April, 1873, Anthony Smith commonly called
Anthony Jones, died in New York at the age Of
seventy years. He was possessed Of considerable
property, but left no will, and his estate was
taken in charge by the Public Administrator,
who has received several claims from persons
representing themselves TO be relatives, and the
case is now before the Surrogate for adjudication.
1t came up yesterday before Mr.. Stephen d. Van
Sehaick, referee, and was adjourned to the 18th
instant, when the argument on the remarkable
legal questions involved will begin.
Jones had been employed as assistant engineer
and in other capacities in the Asylum for the
Deaf and DunArst Fort Washington for about
thirty years, S1oydins to the testimony OF DR..
william Porter, superintendent Of the Blooming
dale Insane Asylum, who questioned him on his
death-bed concerning his family and estate. He
was known as q WIdoWer, having married widow
in New York who died two years before him,
leaving no issue. He had also an adopted daugh-
ter, EYelIne Smith, to whom he was engaged to
be married at the time Of bis death, but no rela-
tivss living in New York. Jones, when he real
lied that he was about to die, told DR.. Porter
that he came from Virginia; that he was for
merly the slave Of William Jones, who lived
near Orange Courthouse, In "the Wilderness"
Virginia.
He said that he had been writing letters at DIFF
ferent periods for several years to Virginia, en-.
deavoring to find out II his relatives were living.
but had not heard, excepting from one sister who
was separated from the rest, having made her es-
cape from slavery like himself. He said that he
had money in the Seanan's Savings Bank, and
some other property, amounting in all to about
$4,000, but had made no will. After the estate
had been taken in charge by the public admins
TRAITOR, the testimony Of his acquaintances In New
York was taken by the referee, together with the
claims Of Isaac Smith and Elizabeth Keaton Of
Virginia and Louisiana, respectively, preferred
through their counsel, Messrs. Alexander and
Green
The referee reported that the said Isaac Smith
and Elizabeth Keaton were the brother and sister
of the deceased, and were the only surviving next
Of kin; that the estate clear of debt, and con-
sisted Of IL, O52 q in the Harlem Savings Bank,
e. 100 In the Seamen's Savings Bank, S2,OE2.70 in
money, and q mortgage OF $1,000. The claims
which were preferred by the brother and sister
named were interesting even in their legal
phraseology. Stripped Of this they are as fol
lows: Their father was a colored preacher, named
Anthony Smith, and their mothers name was
Esther Smith, both being the slaves of William
Jones, esq, Of Elwood, Virginia Of their
marriage were born tve sons and three daugh-
tiers, all of whom are now dead except the two
claimants. That their brother Anthony ran away
from his master, the said William Jones, about
thirty or thirty-fVe years ago, but that they re-
manned in seryitude until they were freed under
to emancipation proclamation. That they have
since been employed as farm hands, and are in
great poverty, having large families dependent
upon them. Their claim is corroborated by their
former owner, Major ]. H. Lacy, by ]. R. Spots
Wsod, VIM. Jones' former attorney, and by seTe-
raj neighbors Of MAJOR Lacy.
EMaj. Lacy testified that he had married the
daughter Of Mr.. VIM. Jones in 1s4s, and became
thereby the owner Of Anthony Smith, ST., who
died in 1858, aged over ninety, (Ester, his wife,
having died before 1881 and his i've children,
two Of whom are the claimants. The other three
died without issue, leaving these two the only
surviving kin. Maj. Lacy said: "lsaac Smith
has not only remained loyal to me and my family
throughout the war, but has been ever since, and
still continues in my employ, residing on my
Woodville farm, in Orange county, Va. The
same is also true Of Elizabeth Keaton, who resides
on my plantation, recently sold, In the parish Of
Ouachita, La, and both are now worthy and re-
spected people. would also say that know, as
matter of common notoriety, that Anthony
Smith ran away from his former master, VIM.
Jones, many years ago, and was living some
where in the North. l do not know, Of my own
knowledge, that he was ever married or had
children.
A notice of the story, as told thus far, was pub
Iished in the New York papers some time ago,
and the following letter was lately received which
has prolonged the litigation, and has opened q
question of law which, 1t is thought, has never
been settled, and is as the referee says, "Ikely
to be more interesting than easy to SETTLE" The
| letter is dated at Home Park, YaZoO River Miss,
and reads as follows:
| s. D. Fan Sehdick, SUrro0dte's Court, NtIo York
| DEAR SIR: / see from an extract from the New
| named Anthony Smith, employed in the deaf
and dumb asylum, died In April, leaving about
$4,000, and that evidence had been taken before
you that he LEFT no wife, children or debts, and
| that bis nearest relatives are brother nsmed
| Isaac and sister Elizabeth. write to say that
he died leaving wife and son, and am his
| son, and will be In New York ct an early day
with proofs.
Respectfully, sc,
Formerly slave Of william Jones, SpOttsylva-
Shortly arerward the claim Of Patsy Minor as
| the widow Of Anthony Jones or Smith was also
received. She related she was about seventy
years Of age; that she had lived In Orange
county, Va, since the war, but prior to the end Of
the war she had lived In the Wilderness, In Spott-
sylyania county, Va, nearly all her life. Prior
| to the emancipation proclamation she was the
| slave OF Mr.. Nat Gordon, OF that place. She
| continues: Mr.. VIM. Jones married Miss Lu-
| cirda Gordon, my masters daughter. Upon this
[ marrisee first met and became asquslnted with
Anthony Jones, who was the slave Of the said
VIM. Jones, who died before the war. have
known Anthony Jones nearly all my life, and
when he was young man he paid good deal
| Of attention to me, and visited me frequently.
He asked me to marry him and consented.
| His master and my master consented. 1 was
| then living on Dir. Jsnes' place, having gone
there as my young mistress servant, but was
| still the slave Of Mr.. Gordon. After obtaining
| the consent of our masters we were married. We
lived together for twelve or thirteen years, dur
ing which time we were recognised as husband
and wife by our masters and by all the people in
the neIghborhood. During this twelve or thir-
teen years Anthony Jones had no other wife but
me and l had no other husband but him. He
was never married to anybody but me, and We
had four children, Isaac, Aaron, Lucy and An
| thony. All Of them are now dead except An
thony They died young, unmarried and child
less. Anthony, the youngest was born two
months and four days after his father had left
here The children were recognized by my hus
band as his as we'll as by eur masters and all the
people in the neghborhood. During the year:
that we lived together as man and wife wa:
faithful to him and believe he was faithful and
true to me.
We lived in a little house called the Laundry
on Mr.. William Jones' place. The master wa
living with Mr.. Jones all this time. The Laundry
was a little house, with two rooms in 1t, sbou
threequarters Of mile from Mr.. William Jones
great house We lived there by ourselves. W.
were separated very little during the twelve Of
thirteen years. Part Of the time he was hired
out at the gold mines, in the neighbOrhOod, b!
Mr. Jack Chancellor, and he came home eVerI
night and stayed with me. think Betsy Cor
don, Mr.. Nat Gordon's wife, died the year wa
married. Ny husband tried to run away, anC
was caught at Spotted farm, in Stafford county
Va, and was brought back to Fredericksburg
| and put in Jail. The Jail was called Ellis jail
and was owned by q negro trader named Johr
Ellis. NV husbands master then sold him to Mr.
Ellis, who kept him injaIl three months.
Il was summer time, and they were afraid 4
send him South. BY my masters permission
came down from Fredericksburg and stayed fl
iail with him every night for three months.
| ...irnA A.,rinrr Aha hau for nIrs GhnrRa E.llis