William was about fifty years of age, of usual size, of good address,
and intelligent. He was born the property of a slaveholder, by the name
of Daniel Minne, residing in Alexandria in Virginia. His master was
about eighty-four years of age, and was regarded as kind, though he had
sold some of his slaves and was in favor of slavery. He had two sons,
Robert and Albert, "both dissipated, would layabout the tippling
taverns, and keep low company, so much so that they were not calculated
to do any business for their father." William had to be a kind of a
right hand man to his master. The sons seeing that the "property" was
trusted instead of themselves, very naturally hated it, so the young men
resolved that at the death of their father, William should be sent as
far south as possible. Knowing that the old man could not stand it much
longer, William saw that it was his policy to get away as fast as he
could. He was the husband of a free wife, who had come on in advance of
him.
For thirty years William had been foreman on his old master's
plantation, and but for the apprehension caused by the ill-will of his
prospective young masters, he would doubtless have remained in servitude
at least until the death of the old man. But when William reflected, and
saw what he had been deprived of all his life by being held in bondage,
and when he began to breathe free air, with the prospect of ending his
days on free land, he rejoiced that his eyes had been opened to see his
danger, and that he had been moved to make a start for liberty.
* * * * *