Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-09-16

A Ccntenarian Negro Whose Father
was Emancipated by General
Washington and Who Escaped
From slavery in Delaware.

Washington and Who Escaped
From slavery in Delaware.
New York Herald septembera
The oldest human being in Westminster
county, and perhaps in the State OF New
York, is Uncle Lew Brady, as he is called,
negro who began life in the latter half
of the last century, and who, according to
his best recollection, is now l07 years of
age. The old man lives in modest cot
tage in the village OF Sparta, a suburb OF
Sing Sing, and when Herald reporter
called upon him yesterday he was down in
the garden hoeing beans. Brady is quite
character. He has lived in Sparta over
80 years, and OWLS the little house which
he occupies. His correct name is Noah
Brady, but since a little misunderstanding
he had with his master about 60 years ago
he has been known as Lew Brady. He
is tall intelligent looking negro, and in
ali his dealings since his residence in West
chester county he has been strictly and
scrupulously fair and honest. His head is
as white as snow, his shoulders are a little
rounded, and he walks with lettering
gait He says he is aitl cted with rheum-
ausm in one of his ankles wnicn makes
| him a little lanei otherwise he could run
short foot race with any man half his age.
BORN SLAVE.
Brady was born in Kent county. Nd,
a slave His father one of General Wash.
4 ingtou's slaves, VINO along with Bill Cook,
Abe Rodwell, Daddy Pompey and others
were emaucipaled by tine President after
the death Of Lady Washington. His
poth.r vas - sIav. ovped hv ColoraI
David | Z.eri.ki who owned a farm or
plantation mostly Wing in M. D,str,ct nj
rnIuu,hia rn- anni.1tof nc ar,,cl. u,.-
fr,au.n,Iy a visitor At Mount Vernon anr-
mo General Wa-hipston's hf.tine aud
Wa we'll ACQUAINTED win him md Nj.
Washington. He remembers the death Of
the Father of his Country, aud was at the
plantation on the day the latter died The
funeral OF General Washington is fresh in
his memory. lie says that his father
attended the obSequles, but he dld not go
himself, although he saw the procession
at the tomb. Brady claims that at the
time OF General Washlngton's death he
was 2G years cid, and as Washington died
In lI9' he must now be In his 10Th year.
After the emancipation Of Washington
slaves Brady's mother bought her
freedom, but Brady still remained with
Colonel X4briski and during the war of
, lSl2-l4 WAS the Coloneps body servant
attached to the First Maryland regiment,
and took partin the battle Of Bladensburg.
Soon after the close of the war his master
died leaving him the property of his
nephew and niece, Jacob and Betsey Keys.
: Betsey married Thomas Reese. large
grist mill owner at Dover, Del., and
Brady was sent to work in the mill
-, After few years, the latter says, Reese
a began to brandy up pretty strongly, AND
q that he sold his slaves one after another
o to Georgia planters. Jacob Bidwel kept
/, a slave depot and tavern not far from
I. the mill, aud there Reese used to spenC
o most of his time arranging the sales.
ID M. r.cspr rno,1 sIAvrpv
NJ
" ole oay Tue eu I nl.'e ol Tue ul'ii
q "uo3g Lauie was nlu i' 'Uiu plauN
a .iia' Liis ih1a'el was soluE " ecu nun qua
NJ uay WIEN ne wen up WIN loau OF hou
~ that Aau osth otuefs'i lof me tavern
a Hi,er Jung tue hour IN hfauy wa
n orlereo u ~ 'n.o tnt aaleSrooLh' "aere
10 arg cIo~i . vi s.aye buyers hao gatnetecl
" ne "aiKeu tnroush tue room the siaV
N uealeis iooAeu Sharply a' nun shu ne wa
u orueteu u ~ paCk nou4e' lhat hlBut
~ sa'u nleoy' III ou' anu never wen
NJ pach AGAIN erheE' ne tfaVeieu aDou
no iour miles 10 the mouse OF white man
50 haliieu jacob 9anuets' VINO hau irequenti
10 worked iof reese, toln MN what ma
10 Tansplrea Anu sskea ms ADVICE ABOUT tn
o. oe9t way 70 Ret OUT Oh the STATE lie wa
o1 tnen ABOUT 20 years OH ne was toi
% 10 start Ior tne State OF New ! ORR a
o. soou az possipie ana ne Drought up
v" Che7ter county, "a, where ne "ihtere
"a WIN an ora 'euaher preacher named jess
htsey' ~ tne spring ne went 10 bucR
,no county Hll1 "ofhtu al summer ior ma
wv rnnneT startad tor NJ vi, IL W.