The Washington bee., 1896-01-25

Y
Fountain Peyton, the subjec
of this sketch, was born Jan
25th, 1851 at Brooks Station
near Fredericksburg, Stafford
County, Va, and is the SECOND
of five sons born to Wingfeli
and Mary Peyton, all of whom
except Fountain died in early
infancy. Fountain was horn g
slave, and was among the mum
ber style by Gen. Butler "Con
trabands of war" His mother
Mary Whitley, was born anG
reared in the family Of the Cliffs
and Montcures, wealthy plan.
ters. When she was about
twenty years Of age, death in
family of her owners necessi-
tated a sale of the estate and
Mary was put upon the auction
block and sold like horses and
cattle to the highest bidder.
She was bought by a slave
trader named George Ailler and
| was taken from her home and
relations to the slave pen at
Richmond, preparatory to being
shipped to the Red River coun-
try by way Of New Orleans. But
fortune seemed to favor her, and
while she was weeping and be-
moaning her sad misfortune,
the good news came to her that
she had been purchased by
Benjamin Walmsley, a rich
planter, who lived in the i'm
mediate vicinity of the place
where she had grown up. She
was then taken back to Stafford
and reunited with her family |
and friends, and about a year
afterwards was married to Win
field Peyton. 1t was ON Vain
sley's plantation that Fountain
was born. 1t is said that Foun-
tain was an interesting infant,
and spent most of his time at
the great house in the arms of
his young mjstress,w who admired
him for his intelligence and the
many cunning thing he would
10. Though scarcely two years
I'D he would stop his play to
listen to the roaring cannons in
3urnside's attack On the con-
ederate works near Fredericks-
)urg and seemed to wonder at
he cause of such noise. In
pring of 1868 his father was
ent south in front of the con-
ederate army, but his mother
eized her opportunity to escape
o Washington. Having arrived
lere, they endured all the hard
hips that fell to the lot of other
'contrabands" who came here
lnder like circumstances.
At the age Of six years he en-
cred the public schools Of
Washington, and though a mis- F
hievous lad, he was bright
tudent and was generally called 4
lpon to recite when visitors ap-
,eared at the school. Miss Jen-
lie Fleet, now Mrs. Greener,
Who taught young Peyton for a
lumber of years, often declared
hat there was something in him
nd predicted that some day he
would fill a high station in life.
He partly supported himself
While getting his education, by
elling newspapers; and his am F
'ition from childhood was to
'ecome a lawyer.
Having completed the eighth
rade in the public schools, he
the academic depart :
1ent in Wayland Seminary and
aid his way by acting as in !
tructor of grammar and mathe- y
1atics in the normal depart
1ent Of said institution. Think
ng himself prepared for college,
e applied for admission as a
reshment in the college depart 4
lent of Howard University.
While he was well up in English
nd mathematics, he had otsuf-
cient acquaintance with the
cad languages. He then de- r
ided to begin the battle of life 7
'ith what he had on hand and
as appointed teacher in a pub
&c school, at Leonard Town,
which position he
ED for about five years. Bent
q acquiring his chosen profess
ion, he resigned his school,
anne to Washington, secured a
lace as letter carrier in the city
uk-o o4U