River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-03-08
An ex-Slave Owner of His Mas
ter,S Estate.


| has attained a competency, and who can
afford to take life leisurely, settled him
self into an easy chair in his office and
remarked; 81 can tell you story of
real life that is full of romance. 1t IL
illustrates the truth of the old saying that
truth is stranger than felton,
The reporter became attentive, and
| the prominent citizen proceeded:
SIN ante-war times there lived in
Meriwether County don't-ca-e sert of
a negro named Jack Wilson, who could
| neither read nor write. He had gained
his freedom in some way or other, and
gained his livelihood by acting as a sort
| of director-general to famous horses in
his neighborhood. Jack became at
| tached to servant girl who was owned
by a man named Cages, one
Of the wealthiest men in Georgia, who
owned thousands of acres of land, and
with his family lived in lordly style.
The servant girl was a bright mulatto,
and Jack was a shade darker. They
made match of it and were married
under the order of things that existed in
war times. At the same time Jack had
Il
was as black as coal. When the war
closed and the slaves were declared free,
Jack took his Georgia wife to be his
partner for life, and by living with him
| for d stated period she became his wife
according to law. As soon as he was
married Jack showed a sudden spirit OF
industry that astonished everybody.
His careless habits were thrown aside,
and he went to work with will. The
wealthy Gage, once bis master, died,
and his acres fell to the possession OF
the heirs. Jack still worked on the
I place, and was saving and careful. The
Gage family had lost everything except
their land. Hundreds of slaves were
freed and the vast fortune was gone.
The heirs could not adapt them
selves tothe situation. Finally pressed,
they sold fifty acres OF land to
Jack; then they wanted more money,
and Jack stood their security at the La
Grange Bank. and when they lwere I'M
able to pay he would take up the notes
at the bank and trade for piece OF the
Cages plantation He worked with a
vengeance, and all his family worked.
Old man ]. ok became noted and hon
ored citizen of the county. lie was IN
dustrious and prospered. In the mean
time his old masters children continued
to sell him parts of the old homestead.
Finally he owned it al and was rich.
Three years ago he decided that 1t was
his duty to provide for his old Virginia
wife: so he sent for her, and she, with
her chi dren came 10 him. She was
given a house on the plantation, and Is
we'll provided for. Jack owns now the
magnificent place of about | 800 acres III
three miles of White Sulphur Springs,
in Meriwether County. He is sixty years
old, and bis children are settled around
him, and all are contented and happy
and industrious. He owns fifteen or SIX
teen mules, and noted for keeping the
best stock in the county. His c'edlt at
the Ia Grange Bank is good, ana
he can borrow all the money he wants
on his simple note OF hand.
''How much is he worth?"
~ should say about $4,000, and ev-
ery cent of it has been made since the
war. IT is remarkable story of low a
slave succeeds his master in the own
ership of a vast landed estate. l passed
the place a few mouths ago, and the
Georgia wife came to the door to give
me a drink of water. Everything was
neat and clean ABOUT the place, the
yard was newly swept, the barns APP
reared full. and in the lots saw piles
upon piles Of manure carefully sheltered.
1t is a model plantation. Why, | have
seen on Jacks place $50 acres of corn
under one fence"
sis he educating his children"
eyes; although he can not read and
write, he sees the ad vantage Of an edu-
cation, and is giving his children the
benefit of schooling. The story is true
one, and shows what can be done right
h ere in Georgia by pluck and industry.
The old adage is true: There is more IN
t ie man than there is in the land. AT
lanta (Ga.l Constitution