Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-02-21
OVER ACENTURY OLD
DANIEL ROYAL CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN
BORN IN WASHINcToN's DAY.
Hs Gives m Intelligent History Of His Life,
which Flo Says begun In
Amelia In 1910.

Born in the days OF washington, and
lust two weeks prior to the Declaration
OF Independence OF the United States.
Such Is the claim OF Daniel Royal. who
resides ut No 6l2 north Seventeenth
street, In this city.
ROYAL Is an old colored man. of stalwart
frame, and typical representative OF
the race of Ham. He was visited by
Dispatch reporter last evening, and talked
freely concerning the past He appar-
emily has an exceedingly retentive MEM
DRY. and as he sat, with bowed head and
stopped shoulders, he presented an inter-
esting spectacle. He gave complete
history Of his life. and positively stated
that he Is In his 1sth year.
BORN IN 177e.
'I was born" said he, June %, 10e,
on the plantation OF Colonel Joseph
RoyaII. In Amelia county. i was reared
by Colonel Royal, and, when old enough,
was employed I'm the white folks house
al errand-boy. / distinctly remember the
Revolution and hearing my old master
| talk OF the war, and day after day they
| would discuss among themselves the news
from the battle-felds. Many times did l
hear the booming OF the guns, and In the
seclusIon OF our cabins We 'niggers
would talk about the war, and General
washington. When we'd hear the report
NJ a gun some ono would sing out, Oar
now. mother raccoon done fell
~ staid with Master Royal until lIs3.
| I was then sold by him TO Lawyer John
Lane. OF Culpeper. j was taken by MN
| TO his home and was employed uh'ii
grown as a dining-room servant.
| learned the carpenters trahe' anu lo'
sixty years lived with Master LAM
doing the carpentering around the planta-
| ton. Soon after Master Lane aled ms
daughter. Miss Frances, married Mr.
Armistead Lee. OF Amelia county. son OF
Mr.. Jack Lee. who was LOT many year
| clerk of Amelia court.
| SOLD A SECOND TINE.
| "Mr. Lee then sold me to Mr.. Albert
| Hancock. of Chesterfield county, "no
| lived on a large plantation near the row,
batan coal pits. Mr.. Hancock paid Fi''
for me. I staid with him nVe Year,
st,u following the carpenters trade. He
| en- hroupbt me TO Richmond and i was
rut ON the block down here on Franklin
l street To DE Soii. ''oS"
| would not pay enough for me SO i wa
| taken down. I was sold that same day,
however. to Mr.. Joe Drinkard, who kep'
baker's-sfop. on Seventeenth street.
| across from the vegetable market ne
naid s25s for me, and took me out u
| his farm I'm Henrico, about hve miles
| from, Richmond. Here l was occupied N
| hauling wood TO Richmond. l ilved WIN
Mr. Drinkard sixteen years until the eihan
cInation. Mr.. Drinkard came TO me or
The dav that Mr.. Lincoln freed the slaves
and told me that / was free to go whe.
| I chose. / didn't know what to DO VIII
myself so / stald on there for weeh
Tben | started in business FOR myseh d.
a carpenter. -
LICENSED AS A DOCTOR
81 got too old 10 do hard WORK III aDou
ton years" the old negro continued am an,
| Md 10 give that up. l haven't done muct
for the last twenty years. l was hcensc.
ar the Hastings Court some years ago a.
a Thonpsonian doctor, and nave peel
making my living since In adiniiiis'e. ~.
herbs to the sick colored foihs Ill ''''
neighborhood.' -, ,a Z. almost
Tbe old man Is very deaf ana Is alilos
totally blind. He Is still active NOVEL; aI
Ia daily walks around the nelghporhoo..
t.toh he resides. He Is well known IL