The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-28
BOUGHT HIMSELF TWICE.
Strange History of IA Slave Revealed
in u Law Court.

Boston Journal.
The will Of Nathan Springfield now on
trial in the Supreme Court, brings to light
incidents in career that was remarkable.
Nathan Springfield was born in Virginia
in 1872, slave. On Dec. 49, 1896, when
nearly eghty-five years of age he died.
leaving property valued at between So 60
and $4,000.
In his youth Nathan acquired the trade
OF blacksmith He was owned by a
Methodist minister. After attaining his
majority Nathan bargaincd with his master
to buy his own freedom for $50. The pledge
was given, and the youth went to work
with a will The young slave accumulated
the sum and gave it to his master as q
ransom for his freedom.
The clergyman took the money but failed
to keep his agreement. Nathan remained
a slave Later his master sold him to a
wealthy planter. Still nouTishing a. desire
to be liberated. Nathan made IL bargain
with his second master. this time offering
$500 as ransom. Consent was given, and
the young man. after much labor. procured
the money. But he was again destined to
disappointment. The second master also
kept both money and slave.
EXasperated by this treatment, Nathan
discarded arbitration and resolved to gain
his freedom by fight. At the age of thirty
five an opportunity was afforded and he
made his escape, coming to Boston He left
a wife behind him, but the wife of the sec
ond master, knowing of the previous nego-
tiations. INDUCED her husband to release
her husband in Boston.
Nathan worked at blacksmithing in and
about Boston for time, and later started
peddling straw. He was industrious and
saving, his business grew rapidly and with
in a comparatively short time he was the
proprietor of large and profitable hay
grain, straw and coal business. At his
death last December he owned real estate
in the West End, Cambridge and other
places. and had large deposits in various
Mr. Springfield was an active church
member, being one OF the founders of the
Twelfth Baptist Church. and he took a
to the advancement and uplifting of his
race. He was twice married. His first
wife died while he was a slave in Virginia,
and there he married the second, who
Joined him in this city. He had twelve chill
dren by his second wife, all save two of
whom died when quite young.
Theophilus Springfield, the only surviving
child, is now forty years of age. He is mar
ried, but is under guardianship as an IN
sane person. The second child, a daughter,
married Thomas Seman, but she died be-
fore her fathers death. She had two chill
dren, one of whom died before its grand
father. but Frederick. the second grand
child, IS living, and Is now ii young man
about twenty-three years Of age
Thus the only two heirs are TheOphilus
Springfield and Frederick Seman. the grand
son, who, with others, had entered protest
against the third codicil of the WILL upon
which the action of the present case hangs.
The Will originally drawn bears the
date of Sept. u. 1894 made by Nathan
Springfield when he was about eighty three
years of age. He bequeathed Il number of
legacleS 10 personal friends ana 10 inSti-
tutions and provided for those nearest in
kin. There is a provision The vii! " inch
states that upon the death of the son and
grandson the residue snail be divided
among their children, two-thirds u go TO
the sons children and ore-th.rd 10 the
children of the grandson. Should neither
have offspring the property shall be divid-
ed equally between the Twelfth Baptist
Church and the Home for Aged
Colored Women. both of which institutions
received legacies.
II Is upon the third codici that the
hitch comes. This was made July IL. 1886.