Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1881-01-27
From Bondage to Liberty.

The Late Archie Rurd-HOw He Became
a Free Man-Great Obstacles SurmOunt- |
ed-A Wife's Help and Devotion.
Our older citizens will remember well the |
eventful life of Archie Hurd, who died re- |
Gently, aged 80 years, having lived long
time in Garden street. He was born in
Richmond of slave parents, and was sold at
the age of 16 to MIR. Hurd, of Georgia.
and was called after his masters name. At
the age of 25 he married Harriet Hurd, a
slave girl of his master, with whom he lived
So years until his death. After he was mar
ried he and his wife went to work making
foot mats and horse collars, and often worked
nearly all night to get something they could
call their own.
They had desire to go to keeping house
and live by themselves, SO he went during
the night and cut poles, and they together
got up house and moved into it in three
days. Then they felt happy, being by them
selves in their own house In this way they
lived for eight years quite comfortably.
Then the master died and in the division of
the estate they both fell into the hands of a
daughter. He was then hired out for four
years, he and his wife still working nights to
lay up little money of their own. At this
period he thought he could do best to work
for himself entirely, and he hired his time
for 5000 year, payable on the list of jan
uary, which payment he always met prompt
ly. One of the young men in the family of
his former master loaned him money to start
in business.
With this money he bought six mules and
a large wagon, which he called the Washing
ton express. With this express he hauled
cotton bales to Augusta (5O miles) and load
ed back with merchandise, such as country
stores call for, there being no railroads in
that part of the State. He drove all his
mules himself on this one wagon, thus max.
ing his expenses light.
He made one trip in week, always bring
ing back for his weeks work from $50 to
$50, which he gave to his wife to keep, max
ing her his treasurer. After working in this
way for four years. his new mistress made
arrangements to take him, his wife and other
slave property and move to Alabama. This
was not pleasing to Mr.. Hurd's feelings. He
having worked for himself for four years
had become quite business man among his
townsmen, and being strong, able man in
body and mind felt that he had something to
say about his future destiny in life and told
his mistress that he would not go, but if she
would sell him he would buy his freedom.
The mistress concluding he would be too
much for her if she forced him against his
will, told him she would sell him for $3.50,
which he agreed to give. The mistress still
held his wife, intending to take her to Ala
| bama. The reader can readily see that the
husband and wife were now in great trouble.
He made every effort in his power to buy his
| wife, but the mistress would not sell her.
During the time he had done business for
| himself he had formed many acquaintance
and made many friends, by whom he was
| highly esteemed for his industry, honesty and
kindly disposition. They all felt it to be too
| hard for this man and wife to be separated,
| and by entreaties and persuasious finally
| persuaded the mistress to sell her. She told
Mrs. Hurd if her husband would pay her
price, 5000, he might have her. This joyful
news she carried quickly to her husband
He said at once, tell your mistress to set you
| down to me. Then she sent to him to in
| quire when she could have her money. He
said, tell her tomorrow morning.
The next morning he drew out of the bank
| 81, $50, and paid for the freedom of himself
! and wife. This money he had earned by
his own labor and deposited during the four
years he had hired his time, beside having
paid the borrowed money to buy his
express team Soon after this he bought his
daughter Ann a girl of eleven years (now
Mrs. Skinner living at No. 284 Elm street,
for 1926.
This daughter has shown true gratitude in
her assistance and great kindness to her pa
rents in their infrm age, and is now a great
help and comfort to her widowed and lonely
mother. He also bought his youngest son, a
lad of four years, for 5000.
The family now, many of them as were
free, got along finely until the year 1853,
when State law was passed that no free col
ored man should do business on his own &C.
count in the State. This brought him into
great trouble. In April of that year he and
all his family that were free were attached
and taken as State property.
He was now given the alternative of paying
300 clearance and leaving the State in thirty
days, or of being with his family sold bach
into slavery. He chose the former and sold
his property, which consisted of six mules
three horses, wagons, carriages and harnes.
to match, also COWS, calves, hogs, pigs, poul
try, etc., at great sacrifice, paid his clear
ance, and with his family came to New Ha
ven, arriving here about the first of May
1865, with $3.50 left.
The first of the next August he bought
house and lot No. 45 Garden street. He paic
for the lot $780, and with few years of hare
work and frugality he then again had HON.
free from debt.
When he left Georgia he left two daugh
tiers, their husbands and one son, and these
children in slavery scattered in various parts
of the South. President Lincoln's emanci
patton proclamation made them free. But
without money or comfortable clothes or any
means of support Mr.. Hurd felt that HI
must do something for them to enable then
to take care of themselves So he went tc
Atlanta, Georgia, found all his children and
grandchildren, sixteen in all, and brought
them to New Haven. 1t cost him 5000 il
cash. And the best of all, in his seventy
fifth year he found peace and comfort in be
ieving and trusting in his heavenly father