The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-05-31
READS LIKE A NOVEL.
Tho Story ''PromIucnt Citizen" Told nH
Atlanta Reporter.
from tic Atlanta (Ga.> Constitation.l

from tic Atlanta (Ga.( C0nstitwtion.l
'In ant2-war times there lived ir
MCrlwcthcr County u don't-carc sort of n
negro named Jack Wilson, who could
neither read nor wlitc. lie had gained
his freedom i'll sOm2 way or other, and
gained his livelihood by acting as q sort
of Encouragement to famous horses in
his nci8hbOrhOod. jack became attached
to u servant girl who WAS owned by n
man named Gates, one Of the wealthiCSt
men in Georgia, who owned thousands of
acres of land, and with his family lived
IN lortlly style.
"Thc servant girl was q bright mulat-
TO, md Jack was II SHADE darker. They
made n match of it, and were married
under the order Of things that existed in
war times. 1t the samo timo Jack had
II slavc-witC in Virginia, but she was as
black rs coal. When the war closed
and the slaves were declared free Jack
took his Georgia wife to be his partner
for life, aud by living with her for n
stated period she became his wife accord.
ing to law.
''As soon rs he was married Jack
showed Il sudden spirit of Industry that
astonishcd cyrryhody. Ills careless hub-
its wCro thrown aside and he went t.
work with n WILL The wealthy Gates,
his master, died, and the broad acres fell
to the possession of the heirs. Jack
still worked on the place, aid was saving
ana careful.
"Thc Gates family had lost everything
except their lnnd. Hundreds of slaves
were freed by the now order of THINGS,
and the vast and priurcly fortumc was
;5onc. Tho heirs could not adapt them
selves to the situation. Finally pressed,
they sold so acres Of land to jack; then
they wanted more money, and jack
stood their security ut the La Grange
Sank, and when they were unable to Dav
he would take up the notes ut bank and
trade tor piece of the Gates plantation.
ilc worked with q vengeance and all his
family worked. Old man Jack became
II noted and honGrr1 citizen OF the coun-
~. lie WAS Industrious and prospcrcd
In the meantime his. old masters chill.
drcn continued to sell him parts of the
old homestead. Finally he owned il all
and was rich.
"IhrCc years ago he decided that il
WIS. his duty 10 provide for his old
Virginia wltr, SO he sent for her, ana
Shc, with key chj!ircu. came to him.
She WIS given Il honsr on the plantation,
"''i ~ "tl ltNNIitu lOr Jack OWLS
nov the magnificent place of about
100 acr"s III three miles OF White Sui
phur Springs, in Mcrlw"thcr County.
lie Is 50 wears OH, aud his children are
settled around him. ard all are contcntcd
and happy and indus tYiuHS. He owns Is
or l6 mules, and IS noted for Keeping the
best stock III the county. His credit nj
the La Grange BnMli is good. and hc can
borrow all the money he wants on his
simple note of hand"
"lioW much is he worth :"
81 should say about $$3O, ,O0G, and
every cent Of it has been made since The
War. 1t is n r,mavhablc story Of how :.
slave succeeds his Inast~r in the owlcr.
ship OF Il vast landed estate. passed
the place Il few months ago and the
Georgia wife came to the door to give me
drink OF water. Everything Was neat
and clean about the place, the yard wns
newly swept, tn" barns appeared filled,
and i'll the lots L saw piles upon piles Of
manure carefully sheltered. 1t is a moltl
plantation. Why, | have seen on Jacks
place $50 acres of corn under one fence, =
us he educating his children ?"
"Ycs. although he cannot read and
write, he secs the advantage of au cducn.
tlon, and is giving his children the bcnc.
fit of schooling. The story is true one,
and shows what can be done right here
IN Georgia by pluck and industry. The
old ada9c is true: There is more IN the
man thnn tbcrn &c -, tl,o l,,, ! -,