Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-04
JEFFERSON DAVIs's OLD SLAVE.
He Is Now Probably the Wealthiest COIored
Man in the South.

| He Is Now Probably the WealthieSt COl0red
Man in the South.
The wealthiest coIored man in the
south since the war, who was born slave
and set. free by the Emancipation Proc
lamatioD, was Ben Montgomery of Miss
issippi. He belong to Mr.. Joseph Davis
| first, and then to Mr.. Jefferson Davis.
For years before the war he was the sec
rotary of tine Hon. Joseph Davis, Mr.. JEFF
ferson Dayis's elder brother. The Dav
| iees were large planters and Owned the
Hurricanes" estate, consisting of three
great cotton plantations at the extreme
lower end of Warren County, Miss, and
about eighteen or twenty miles below
Vicksburg. There were between 10000
and II, 900 acres of the finest land on the
Mississippi river in these plantations and
$50 slaves. All the letters rep Getting the
business of these places for thirty years
were written by Ben Montgomery. He
frequently went to New Orleans on bust
ness for the Davises and carried with him
once 100000 in money. He travelled
with Mr.. Davis all over the North, and
could have run away fifty times had he
wished. Bat he remained faithful and
loyal to the last. The Davises were noted
for their kindness to their slaves. They
had finer Quarters" on their plantations,
probably, than any planter in the South,
exc. pting the Ham ptons. They kept d
physician always on the places and in
every way cared for their ''colored PEG
ple,'' as slaves we're frequently called.
When Jefferson Davis aud his brother
Joseph left their home, one as
the President of the Southern Con
federaoy, and the other as
a gadier-general, they put everything
under Ben Montgomery's charge. He
made the crops of 1861-62 and 1923,
about 5000 bales of cotton, and shipped
it to New Orleans and sold it to foreign
buyers for gold. This money he care
fully sent to Mr.. Davis. In 1888, when
the slaves were emanci pated, Mr.. Davis
sold the "Harricanes" to Ben Montgom-
cry for $500 900 in gold. 1t has been said
that this sale was only ruse to save
these splendid estates from confscation.
Whether this was true or not, when the
Federal 'agents for the protection of
abandoned property and lands" came to
take possession of the Hurricanes they
found Ben Montgomery with title so
strong and valid that it could not be up.
set, and they lett him alone in peaceabIe
poss ession.
AItef Gle war ne cOuIlnueQ 20 plant
these places with great success, making
every year from LOO to 1920 bales OF
cotton, besides an abundance of corn and
hay. In 1874 or 1875, there still being a
balance due on the payments. Mr.. Davis
took the property back, bat left Ben
Montgomery in full charge. These places
yield very handsome annual income
now to Mr.. Dsvis, who, though he prefers
to live on the Mississippi seashore at
Beauvior, yet visits his old home once a
year and spends few weeks with bis
friends of fifty yeas ago. AS 1 have said,
he WAS very kind master, and, therefore,
whenever he goes back to his residence
ell the old time Davis negroes within fifty
miles around come to see cold Marse
JEFF" and have great time. Wheu Ben
Montgomery died in 1881, Mr.. Davis went
up TO his funeral, and there was no sin
cerer mourner than he who once had the
fate of a people upon his shoulders at
the grave of his old and life long friend,
though his slave.