The Society of Friends at this time, however, with commendable sympathy for the oppressed and abused colored residents of Cincinnati, and with their proverbial liberality, raised a sum of money sufficient to purchase eight hundred acres of land of the Canada Company for the benefit of the colony.  The funds were placed in the hands of one of their number, Frederick Stover, who went to Canada as their agent, purchased the land, and settled colored people upon it, which comprised nearly all of the Wilberforce settlement.  This occurred before I settled in Canada, and the consequence was, when I desired to purchase land, none could be obtained.  At the time, however, of which I am speaking, the Canada Company were constructing a road through their possessions, some seventy miles in length, and the principal contractor, Mr. Ingersoll, had agreed to take land in part payment for his services on the road.  In accordance with this agreement, he accepted one lot of land situated within the Wilberforce settlement, which he agreed to sell to Mr. Lewis for twenty-five dollars.  Mr. Lewis, knowing that I was anxious to purchase, accepted the offer, and then came and showed the contract, offering it to me on condition that I paid him the twenty-five dollars which he had just paid Mr. Ingersoll.  This I was glad to do; I paid the demand; took an assignment on the back of the receipt, and passed into immediate possession of the land.  He at the same time requested me to take up a note of twenty-five dollars for him; which I did, on his promising to refund the money in a short time.

I commenced laboring on the wild land I had purchased; cleared some ten acres, which in consequence of its being so heavily timbered, cost me at least twenty-five dollars per acre; built a house and barn—­supposing myself its legal possessor,—­until I chanced to meet Mr. Ingersoll, who informed me that Mr. Jones had refused to sell him the land to be disposed of to a colored person; that he had duly informed Lewis of the fact, and had returned to him the twenty-five dollars received.  Not a word of this, had Lewis communicated to me, though he knew I was making expensive improvements, in the faith that I was its only owner.  Instead of atoning for the wrong already done me, he made it the basis of a deeper injury.

After one year’s residence in Wilberforce, I found it necessary to return to Rochester to settle some unfinished business; and when on my way thither I stopped at London, where I found Lewis, who had not only preceded me but had taken out a capias, for forty pounds currency.  I was therefore obliged to get bail for my appearance at court, after which I pursued my journey.

On my arrival in Rochester, I found business at a stand; and the community in a state of excitement and alarm, on account of that fell destroyer, the cholera.  This was its first visit to the United States, and the fearful havoc it was making, spread terror and consternation throughout the land.  I returned to Canada; but found on my arrival at London, that “the pestilence that walketh at noon-day,” had preceded me, and taken from that village my friend, Mr. Ingersoll, with several others.  So great had been the alarm, that instead of my appearing at court as I expected to do, I found it adjourned, and the judge returned to his home.