Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1907-12-12
ROMANCE OF A SLAVA.
Advanced Money for Education Oh
Former Masters Children.

Former Masters Children.
Permitted by his white owner to
purchase his own freedom and that
Of his wife with money he had accu-
mulated through his industry, Will
liam. O'Neal, remarkable negro who
has just died at Cheneyville La, years
afterward educated son and daugh-
ter Of his former master and cared for
them with the greatest solicitude posi-.
BILE, says the New Orleans Picayune.
This incident was recalled yesterday
by gentlemen in New Orleans who knew
O'Neal and the white family which at
drst owned him and then were the ben
eficlaries Of his affection. The owner
was John Johnson, prominent sugar
planter Of Rapides parish. Before the
civil war johnson was the owner Of
large plantation and Of many slaves.
Among the slaves was mulatto, Will
liam O'Neal, who, like many Of the
more intelligent slaves, had been taught
q trade. O'Neal was trained as a
cooper, and proved not only skillful
mechanic but steady worker, faithful
and economical.
Belonging to an indulgent owner,
O'Neal was given many liberties not
usually accorded slaves, but instead of
wasting his time he worked for him
self and laid aside his earnings. When
he had saved sufficient sum he ar
10 ba nf
wife. He was advised that 1t would
be better for him to purchase his own
freedom, SO that every cent he there
after made could be devoted to the
purchase of his wife and other rela
tives But O'Neal had early deter
mined that his first earnings should
free his wife, and the suggestions were
disregarded. 1t was not until after
the purchase had been effected that
be realized his mistake and sought to
-epair it.
Again the indulgence Of Mr.. johnson
was shown. He permitted O'Neal and
his wife to arrange the matter SO as
to apply the money on O'Neal's free
dom, the wife returning to bondage.
A free man, able to work for whom
he pleased and to apply his earnings
Is he pleased, O'Neal soon saved enough
to buy his wifes freedom second
time, and then that Of his mother.
Freedom did not 'spoil' ONeal, as
s said to have been the case with
many negroes. He continued at his
trade until he had accumulated small
sum, and then opened a general mer-
,handise store at Cheneyvile. His
business was a success, and he soon
bought small farm for his mother.
giving 1t to her for life. He next bought
, place for himself-a small residence
md sixty acres Of the best land.
O'Neal continued to prosper after the
var, which had practically stripped his
'ormer master Of his wealth. An un-
'ortunate shooting affray, in which Mr..
Johnson was killed, added to the. fam
dependent upon others. O'Neal was the
irst one to offer assistance, and the
lelp he proposed to give was not mere
y temporary. He agreed to support
he son and daughter Of his former
master, paying their expenses until
hey had acquired an education.
This act Of O'Neal's won for him the
ldmiration and respect Of the entire
community, which had formerly re-
,arded him merely as a good negro.
The two children he educated grew
o maturity, married and moved to
Texas, while O'Neal continued to re-
ide in Cheneyville, conducting his busi-
less When his mother died he insist
d upon the property he had given her
eing distributed among her other heirs,
declaring that he had enough.
O'Neal was known in New Orleans
n business way. His credit was good
t all the wholesale houses with which
lie did business, and he was regarded
8 good business man