The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1899-03-01
AFTER FIFTY YEARS
An old darkey is put in touch
with his friends.


Que Of the Fairfax darkies Of Preston
county is found down south BIZ LieuS.
Buckuer Fairfax Scott-The old fell
low delighted to hear of his early
home and friends and infepds to pay
them visit.
The following story that savors
somewhat of romance is from the
Kingwood Argus and no doubt will
be read with interest by number of
people.
The Kingwood boys who were in
the First Regiment at Columbus,
Georgia, are telling about one old
Darkey they found down there, or,
rather he found them, who was born
and raised in this county aud belong
ed to Miss Elizabeth L. Fairfax, who
inherited him from her father, one OF
the pioneers Of this section.
The old darkey's name is Norvell
Harris and he is brother to the late
Tom Harris, of Kingwood, whose
widow, Mrs. Ann Harris, lives over
near the depot.
The old fellow came into camp
hunting among the West Virginia SOL
diers for anyone from Preston county
and when he found the boys from
Kingwoo1 who could tell him all about
his people whom he had not heard
from for fifty years, he was tickled
nearly to death and especially was he
pleased when he found Lieut.. Buck
ner Fairfax Scott, from Terra Alta,
whose mother, Miss Betty Fairfax,
was a granddaughter of Col. Johr
Fairfax, the darkey's old master. III,
| was so proud Of finding member 0
the old family that used to own h u
that he would come up to camp neall
every day and inquire for ''Kunre
Scott sah.n He has wife dow
there and a family grown and is very
anxious TO come back TO the scenes o.
his childhood and see some OF his peo-
pie before he dies. The old fellow
said he often tried to get back to eCl,
Vfrginnys but never could make t.
He is sc years old and was born II
this county.
When Col. John Fairfax died u
es43 and willed him, among a lot d
other colored folks to his daughter.
Elizabeth, he was ten years old. In
ls49 when Harris was l6 years old, h,
was taken TO Richmond Va. by Col.
John Martin and sold to a planter from
Georgia for $500 and was taken Soutl
and never heard from again till the
boys came home last week from Camp
Conrad.
He and Jim Graham, (brother of
Lee, of this place. were the only ones
of "Aunt Betsey" Fairfax's darkeys
she ever allowed sold, and she would
not have sold them, only Harris was
afflicted with some kind of moon struck
spells that would cause him to get off
when the moon was full and run off
and hide and cause a good deal of
trouble, so the old folks relate, and
Col. Martin who was grandson OF
Col. John Fairfax and was named for
him, and attended to business for
Miss Betsey, and sold Harris, so he
says.
Graham was sold because he ran
away several times, and took a horse
the last time, but was captured and
brought back and kept in Jail here I'M
Til Capt. Sam Brady, the celebrated
slave buyer from the South Branch,
came here after him.
Harris was likely looking chap
and was valued ct $500 by Col. Fair
fax in his will, when the boy was but
ten years old.
The poor fellow is almost crazy to
come back to his old home to die
among his friends and ''Kunneln
Scott, as the old fellow persisted in
calling him, promised to bring him
back in some way, so the boys say,
and if he does it will complete a very
pretty little story, that reads like
piece of fiction.