Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-11-04
OLE Virginny's Slave.

Olt in Rlchelieu, Bs0saleni township.
Bucks county, Ps ,thers 9 Ill Ives quaint o!o
aeeres.. Jane Robinson, whose memory can
not run back to her birthday, but who was
born boicro the pseseut century began, and
who was oought and sold 10 slavery Ia "O!e'
Vi,g!nuy" long Before the Mexican war.
She has parsed through many distresses and
hardships. but is enjoying her fematnlng
years surrounded by host OF grandchild-
rem, on 28.aore farm, which ehe herself
purchased for her soD-in-lsw.
Jane is now very nearly, II not really, lOO
years old. When she was born her mother
wes slave upon the plantation OF Charles
Garter, In Facqu:er county. We. Before she
bad reaohed the age OF Eve gears hed been
spsnt in ned, from which she arose an In
cnraole cripple. Her father. J osoph Naidep,
was free negro, and W hen her mcther was
sfterward sold to Ls~s Armsiead. son of
the General, he purchased her freedom.
Garter allowed the little girl to live with
he. perep.s, and while there she met Samp-
son Robinson, slave of Petet Hartman's.
Tbey married, aud little girl was born TO
thsm. hut Garter wac drowned, and as ne
was In debt, parcel OF bis slaves were sod,
and smoug them ths iiitio Jane.
"Masea Wm Ash5y bought me" declares
she, In telling the story Of her life. He
married nv young Mlssos, Msses Carter's
daughter, Hebe, snd che implcrad him to
buy me, for she ustd 20 pley win me when
she was little girl. Oh. but che used to
make me awful sassy, though He wss
very kidd, was Massa Ashby, but he was 10
debt, Too, spd so he cold me to Dutch Jew
named Abraham Rheinsburg, storekseper
at Watrenton. he wssn's nsed to colored
people nohow, and the Missus wes always
wanting to nave me whipped. l never had
licking 10 my life. Massa Ashby told
Rheinsburg: IT II thought you would lick
her, I'd never let you have her. He had
paid $50 for my baby and me, and sold as
| for $500. My other babies had been sold
away into slavery.
"Msssa Rhensburg offered 10 get mo free
i'll would leave my little girl. Said I: 1
brought her here and will take her away
With me- He saw it was no use, SO he gave
me q note to 90 and earn my freedom, set.
ting the price st $3.50. My husband Yves
etsll working on Massa Hartman's panta-
ii N and drawing his flour to Alexandria.
| For while I worked for some railroad Ia.
borers, sewing AID washing, but l con dot
make anything that way. Igot place at
Samuel Janney's board!ng-house at Spring
dale In Loudoun county, ct So week. be-
sides all needed. Then, too, Maess jan
ney he lee me bake cakes and sell them TO
the young misses. nsed to cit up all night
| baking sometimes.
"Finally one young lady from Philadelphia,
| Jane Robinson, sbe seen me working nights, and
when che went away she said she would ramem-
ber me. By and by she wrote to ask how much
money I needed, and George Trueman Che was
down in Springdale from Phi'sdelphia) wrote
back that 1 had $500 and needed $50 more.
| George Trueman lived on Callowhill street. Then
the young miss sent me $500. So I bought my
freedom and paid $75 for my husband, too, de
was nearly dead from typhoid fever, and Massa
Hartman was mighty glad to get that We work
ed together at school, and then, after MIR. True
man brought my daughter north and put her in
Charles Comley's Quaker echoo. at Bybu.y, my
husband and came north"
| After the war Jaue Robinson went South to
Richmond and brought both her venerable par
/ ents North. For long time she lived in little
stone house with red and green shutters near
her present larger home. In the old garden lie
the remains OF her husband, buried at his own re-
quest almost under the very windows.-Pailadel-
| phia Record.