The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-06-09
A WHITE NEGRO.
One of the Most Remarkable Cases
Of tho Ago.
An Aged African Who Gradually Changed
from a Deep Elack to Deadly
white-A I'uzzlc to tho
Doctors.

For many years one OF the most ia
miliar and wcll-lznown figures on the
streets of Westminster, Md, has been
Abraham ireland, farniliarly known to
both old and young as ''Uncle Abram,"
a Woodworking, Industrious colored
man, kind and genial in disposition and
unobtrusive in manner, says special
from Westminster to the Baltimore Sun.
Until recently he enjoyed excellent
health. After short illness of pneu-
monia, following an attack OF the grip,
he died the other morning at o'clock,
in the eighty-third year of his age To
the younger generation of Westminster
he was probably not SO great curiosity
as to the older ones, who remember hlm
in his younger days as having shiny,
Jet black skin, with every indi alton OF
his pure African lineage, and his grad
ual change to pure white has been
constant source of speculation and Curl
osity. The change was not sudden
one, but very gradual, and no change in
his feelings or health was the least no
ticeablc He was born at soldiers
Delight" Baltimore county, Md, on
IllIn ounutty, low, VI O'tbFN l'siiShc9s
and was the property of Nicholas Lowe,
who sold him to Amos Lowe, with whom
he moved to Finlsburg, Carroll county.
When fifteen years old his master sold
him to Mr.. Andrew Powder, of West
Minister, with whom he learned the tan
ners trade and lived until he was forty
five years old. lie worked at his trade
until 1870, but did not think the tan had
any effect on his color, as other colorcd
men worked in the same yard without
any change of complexion.
Both his parents were full-blooded
Africans, very black, as are all Of his
children, his son David, one of the most
prominent colored men in the town,
having rich mahogany complexion.
The first change noticeable in Abraham
was white spot which appeared on his
cheek about thirty years ago, then on
his forehead and one wrist, the white
spots appearing on different parts Of his
body and gaining for him the title of
Leopard" The spots then increased
rapidly, finally coming together, until
his entire body was of siclxly white,
aptly described by Huck Finn in Mark
Twain's famous book, as "fsh-belly
white" The change was complete and
permanent, no fading from black to
white nor shading of color, but pure,
unmistakable white. His head is per-
fectly bald, and of the same deadly
white as the rest of his body. A few
spots of color have appeared in recent
years upon his face and these he at
tributes to sunburn, as his life has been
spent principally out of doors. His body
was whittier than his face or hands.
There has never appeared to be any
skin disease or unpleasant itching SEN
sation, and the old man at last sue
cumbed to the hand of death, as SC
many others have done in the last year
from cold and the prevailing grip, his
bodily health in every way being still
unimpaired. While puzzling the med
ical fraternity Abraham attracted the
attention Of the public and received sev-
eral offers to place himself on exhibition
in dime museums, and also received 9
very nattering offer from the veteran
Snowman, P. 7. Barnum, but these hi
declined, prcferring quiet life with hi.
son, never caring for notoriety. A few
years ago Mrs. Jacob Eldridge, O.
Howell, Mich, q similar freak, died II
that state and attracted considerable
attention. She was also of full African
blood, her grandfather having conn
from Guinea, and her experience Of thu
change from colored to white per
son was similar to that of "Uncl'
Abram," suffering no inconvenience no
showing any signs OF skin disease
She was the only other case known II
the public up to the present time.