SOUTH FLORENCE ALL 6
Augest 1851
Mr WILLIAM STILL No
31 North Fifth street Philadelphia
Sir a few days sinc mr Lewis Tharenton of Tuscumbia Ala
showed me a letter dated 6 June 51 from cincinnati signd samuel Lewis in behalf
of a Negro man by the name of peter Gist who informed the writer of the Letter
that you ware his brother and wished an answer to be directed to you as he
peter would be in philadelphi. the object of the letter was to purchis from me
4 Negros that is peters wife & 3 children 2 sons & 1 Girl the Name of
said Negros are the woman Viney the (mother) Eldest son peter 21 or 2 years old
second son Leven 19 or 20 years 1 Girl about 13 or 14 years old. the Husband
& Father of these people once Belonged to a relation of mine by the name of
Gist now Decest & some few years since he peter was sold to a man by the
Name of Freedman who removed to cincinnati ohio & Tuck peter with him of
course peter became free by the volentary act of the master some time last
march a white man by the name of Miller apperd in the nabourhood & abducted
the bove negroes was caut at vincanes Indi with said negroes & was thare
convicted of steling & remanded back to Ala to Abide the penalty of the law
& on his return met his Just reward by Getting drownded at the month of
cumberland River on the ohio in attempting to make his escape I recovered &
Braught Back said 4 negroes or as You would say coulard people under the Belief
that peter the Husband was accessery to the offence thareby putting me to much
Expense & Truble to the amt $1000 which if he gets them he or his Friends
must refund these 4 negroes are worth in the market about 4000 for thea are
Extraordinary fine & likely & but for the fact of Elopement I would not
take 8000 Dollars for them but as the thing now stands you can say to peter
& his new discovered Relations in philadelphia I will take 5000 for the 4
culerd people & if this will suite him & he can raise the money I will
delever to him or his agent at paduca at month of Tennessee river said negroes
but the money must be Deposeted in the Hands of some respectabl person at
paduca before I remove the property it wold not be safe for peter to come to
this countery write me a line on recpt of this & let me Know peters views
on the above
I am Yours &c
B. MCKIEBNON
N B say to peter to write & let me Know his viewes
amediately as I am determined to act in a way if he dont take this offer he
will never have an other opportunity
B MCKIERNON
SOURCE: William Still, The Underground Railroad: A
Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters &c., p. 34-5
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