National Republican., 1888-03-25
ALMOST A CENTENARIAN,
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF OLD UNCLE
ROBERT GuNNETl..
His Early Slave Days-Longing for
Freedom and Buying His Liberty
waiting on Lafayette ana Thomas
Jefferson--Old- Fashioned Dinners.

\ remarkable case Of longevity can be
found at No sls 22d street northwest In
this city. Robert Gunncll, colored, has
been there for the past four months spend
ing the winter with his niece, Mrs. VIM.
Thompson. He is nearly century old, he
ing now in the 09th year of his age, and
while he has gone far beyond what is con
sidered the allotted period Of life, three
score and ten. lie is still remarkably active,
possesses most retentive memory,
and delights in entertaining those who
gather about him with stories of
rccollections Of his early days, time proba-
bly, many years before most of his listeners
knew much of the world. lie is generally
and more familiarly known as "Uncle
Robert by which name both the whites
and colorcd people kindly address him.
According To his statement, and there Is no
reason to doubt the truth Of it, he was born
near Langley, Fairfax county, Va, Oct. 2,
1850, and now owns there his little home
and few acres Of ground around 1t. On
that spot he will spend the remainder of his
days surrounded by his children and chill
dren's children, of whom there is sufficient
in number almost TO constitute Il
battalion. or course, he was a slave
and In early life belonged to Samuel Adams,
honest, faithful, and industrious, and Us
consequence was allowed privileges some of
the other slaves failed TO enjoy. His master
generally put his people where It paid him
best, but in Gunnclls case an exception was
made, and lie was permittedtO hire himself
out as soon as he was grown, exercising his
own choice Of masters. Every Christmas
he returned to Mr. Adams with the price OF
his hire for the year Just passed. aud, placing
N m
fled with 1t.
1t was as far back as 1915 that "Unce
Robert felt that he would like to I've free,
and thoughts Of liberty chased each other
through his noddlc on many occasions. As
the years rolled on he considered his Cundi-
tion more and more, and with these rellec-
tiODs came the longing to bc his own master,
independent and u man.
Determined to try and accomplish his
emancipation IN 1856 he spoke to his master
| on the subject. After q few conversations
| the bargain was agreed upon, and later con-
| sunmatcd. "Unclc Robert was free man.
and had paid 500 to secure his release from
| hondage. \ few years later he purchased
| his wife and two grandchildren. FOR whom
he paid $50 'fOr the lot" The last
| daughter that he bought was purchased on
! Saturday night, at which time most of
the money was paid to prevent his old
| master changing his mind before the en-
suing Monday morning, at which time the
| girl was to have been taken away
| His wife belonged TO the Custis family,
! and he assisted her on many occasions when
! great dinners were given by that house. lie
| told of the visit Of Lafayette to this country,
! the dinner given him in Alexandria and the
1 nOtables who attended IL, aud of his assisting
! TO wait on them. When the old man first
came to this city To sell his products the
! route was by the way of Georgetown and
| the market just east of the capitol, while
! the roads were not in the best condition
! possible. Speaking OF the early days of
! national independence, he said that when
/ Thomas Jefferson started from Monticello
| to he sworn in rs President of the United
I States lie stopped over night with Mr.. Cant,
! n friend, In Fairfax county, and was given 4
! great dinner, to which the country gentry
were invited. II was gala occasion, and
the old mans "reminiscences of the dongs
| and sayings nj tha, time showed the remark
| able changes which have taken place since
''Uncle Robert" also had Il ride on the
first locomotive ever built, which WAS III
Baltimore, and the trip cost him 30 cents
which amount was regarded in that day a.
considerable money. lie thought II an eas,
way of going through the world, hat un
comfortable, because he was all the timl
fearing some mishap might take place. II,
speaks very proudly of his little farm and
| lHe cndIcl IOCNlCu on one corner Dl IL,
known MS Gunnclls Chapel, and says
that it cost him 1900 10 build
| the house, but contents himself
for the outlay with the rood that has beer
| accomplished there. His family has in
creased in wonderful degree, ami whei
the last census was taken numbered, chill
dren, grand, and great grand children, iO'
| IN all. SevcntS-two of these are now living
and so good is Uncle Roberts eye
sight and recollection that he knows then
al, and never fails to call each one by name
NOlhing delights the almost ccn,cnariaI
more than to have gathered about him til,
young and middle aged and tell them o
happenings seventy and eighty years ago
| lie warns up rs the story progresses ant
has no trouble in holding the attention %
his hearers His health is excellent, he ap
pears quite vigorous, and there is 10 reason
10 think that he will not live to score one
hundred years and more.