Aged upwards of eighty-three years, related to Samuel Canby, of
Wilmington, Delaware, in 1825, the following circumstances of his
freedom from his master, the late Warner Mifflin, a Quaker: and it may
be observed, that he always supported an unblemished character:
That he was born a slave in the family of Daniel Mifflin, of Accomack
county, Virginia, with whom he lived until about twenty years of age;
about which period Warner Mifflin (son of Daniel) married a daughter
of John Kensey's, of West River, Maryland, and settled near Camden, in
the State of Delaware. Ezekiel, and five other slaves, were given him
by his father; there were also a number of slaves belonging to his wife
brought into the family.
He lived with Warner Mifflin about eighteen months, when he put him on
a plantation of his to work it, about six miles from his residence,
where he continued about four years a slave. At this period Ezekiel was
informed by his master that he had concluded to set his slaves free;
and very soon after his master came to his residence, and calling him
from the field where he was ploughing, they sat down together, when
he told Ezekiel his mind had long been uneasy with holding slaves, and
that he must let him go.
Ezekiel was so well satisfied with his present situation, that he told
his master he could not leave him. Their conversation on the subject
produced such feelings of tenderness that they _both wept much_.
Finally, as an inducement to comply, his master told him he might
remain on the farm, and they entered into a mutual engagement, which
was carried into effect, and Ezekiel continued to live on the farm
fourteen years, when his master gave him a piece of land, upon which he
built a house, where he remained until he came into the neighborhood
of Wilmington, where and in that town he has resided until the present
time.
After relating the foregoing narrative, he was inquired of respecting
the account entitled "The Good Master and his Faithful Slave"--a
circumstance which took place about the time of his being liberated,
and in the same family--to which he bore the following testimony,
shedding many tears while the reader was pursuing the theme, saying,
"It is just so, poor Jem and I lived together with master, and worked
together in harmony. How well I remember when Jem told me that Master
Mifflin had done the same by him as he had done for me.
"It is all true--mistress brought a number of slaves with her into the
family, after master married her--one of them was my wife--all the rest
of us, making, I suppose about thirty, were given by old master to
Master Warner, who is now an angel in heaven. Oh, how it comforts me
to believe that, after suffering a few more pains, I shall live with
him for ever in communion sweet! We were brought up children together,
slept together, eat at the same table, and never quarrelled."
The dear old man seems indeed like one waiting with Christian
resignation for an entrance into the heavenly kingdom. I have no doubt
of the correctness of his testimony. He appears to have as perfect
a recollection of the days of his childhood as though they had just
passed.