Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-16
THE STORY OF A PRINCESS.

Stolen from Madagascar and Sold as Slave
in New York-Why the Funeral eff Her
Daughter, Who was Aged 1O5 Years, was
Attended by Ex-senator Frelinghuysen
and His Family.
New York Sun.
Near the end of the last centuary Archi-
bald Mercer, the owner of mill property at
Milestone, New Jersey, bought slave girl in
this city. 1t is the legend about her that her
features were almost as clear cut as those of
Caucasian, and her complexion of light
copper hue. She was slender and shapeIy.
and her bearing was proud, almost naughty.
After she became somewhat reconciled to
Mr.. MERGERS service, and could speak Eng
lish, the beautiful young slave told sad
story of her life. She was, she said, Kings
daughter, and in her native land, Madagas-
car, she wore dress fashioned after the
plumage of the brightest hued birds Her
head-dress was also of feathers, and her
| neck, arms and ankles were encircled with
| bands of gold and strings of many colored
| beads. One day she wandered to the sea
shore to pick up shells for necklace. She
was alone, and intent upon her pastine. Sud
denly she felt herself grasped from behind
| by rude hands. She had been captured by
the crew of sla:e ship. The slavers tied a
handkerchief over her mouth and carried her
to their boat. Then they rowed swiftly to
their ship.
Dreading her fathers anger. the captain
ordered sail to be made at once. The cap
tive princess was forced to exchange her
costly attire for coarse cotton gown, and to
| herd with the slaves ironed between decks.
No manacles were put on her, because she
was passively obedient to every command.
| The slave ship entered a port of the United
States and the girl was brought to this city
| for sale.
Within few years the captive princess fell
in love with a fellow-slave, of lighter hue
than his comrades, and they were married,
Their first child, a daughter, was born about
1878. They called her Rachel. About this
time Mr.. Mercer, the girls owner, sold his
property and moved to Newark. There The
odore Frelinghuysen, one of the founders of
the well-known New Jersey family, of which
Senator Frelinghuysen is member, won the
hand of his daughter Charlotte Mr.. Mercer
gave the slave princess and her child, Rachel.
to his daughter on her wedding day. When
| Rachel grew to womanhood she was as beau
| tiful as her mother had been. She was mar
ried to Samuel Williamson, slave belong
ing to Mr.. Frederick Frelinghuysen. Six
children, two of whom are living, were the
fruit of this marriage.
KacheIs mother lived until she was fully
100 years of age. She was in her later years
an object of affectionate solicitude on the
part of the Frelinghuysens She was not
| allowed to do any work, and at II o'clock
every day glass of fine old wine was sent
to her, with her masters and mistress best
wishes. She was of incorruptible honesty,
| and jewels, plate and money of very large
value were left under her charge by the Ere
linghuysens.
Rachel, who has been lying for many years
in the household of Mr.. Dumont Freling-
huysen, brother of the Senator, and gen
| tlemen of independent means, in Somer-
vile, New Jersey, fell into her dotage about
a year ago, when she had attained her 1O4th
year. On Saturday, the 10th inst, Mr.. Ere
linghuysen determined to send her to her
daughters house, on the outskirts of Somer-
vile. Rachel seemed pleased with the change.
On Sunday her daughter, who is about
eighty years of age, had great mastering
of her friends to show off Rachel OF
"Mammy,' as she was generally called. On
Monday Rachel was in fine spirits, and ate
heartily. In the evening she was stricken
with paralysis of the right side and throat.
She fingered, without solid food, until Tues
day last, and then died. Her body was in
tered in the colored cemetery near Somer-
vile, by the side of colored woman who
died at the age of 1O3. The whole Freling-
huysen family, including the senator, at
tended the funeral in their carriages.
Mr.. Dumont Frelinghuysen said yesterday
that he does not doubt that Rachel William
son was about los years of age. She often
spoke of playing with the Mercer children,
who, if they were living, would be between
103 and 107 years of age.