Three of George’s brothers escaped to Canada many years prior to his leaving—­there he hoped on his arrival to find them in the possession of good farms. $1,300 walked off in the person of George.

Randolph, physically, was a superior man.  He was thirty-one years of age and of a dark chestnut color.  Weary with bondage he came to the conclusion that he had served a master long enough “without privileges.”  Against his master, Richard Reed, he had no hard things to say, however.  He was not a “crabbed, cross man”—­had but “little to say,” but “didn’t believe in freedom.”

Three of his brothers had been sold South.  Left his father, two sisters and one brother.  Randolph was worth probably $1,700.

John was a well-made yellow man, twenty-two years of age, who had counted the cost of slavery thoroughly, besides having experienced the effects of it.  Accordingly he resolved to “be free or die,” “to kill or be killed, in trying to reach free land somewhere!”

Having “always been hired out amongst very hard white people,” he was “unhappy.”  His owner, George Coleman, lived near Fairfax, Va., and was a member of the Methodist Church, but in his ways was “very sly,” and “deadly against anything like Freedom.”  He held fifteen of his fellow-men in chains.

For John’s hire he received one hundred and fifty dollars a year.  He was, therefore, ranked with first-class “stock,” valued at $1,500.

William was about thirty-five years of age, neat, and pleasing in his manners.  He would be the first selected in a crowd by a gentleman or a lady, who might want a very neat-looking man to attend to household affairs.  Though he considered Captain Cunningham, his master, a “tolerable fair man,” he was not content to be robbed of his liberty and earnings.  As he felt that he “could take care of himself,” he decided to let the Captain have the same chance—­and so he steered his course straight for Canada.

* * * * *

ARRIVAL FROM UNIONVILLE, 1857.

ISRAEL TODD, AND BAZIL ALDRIDGE.

Israel was twenty-three years of age, yellow, tall, well made and intelligent.  He fled from Frederick county, Md.  Through the sweat of his brow, Dr. Greenberry Sappington and his family had been living at ease.  The doctor was a Catholic, owning only one other, and was said to be a man of “right disposition.”  His wife, however, was “so mean that nobody could stay with her.”  Israel was prompted to escape to save his wife, (had lately been married) and her brother from being sold south.  His detestation of slavery in every shape was very decided.  He was a valuable man, worth to a trader fifteen hundred dollars, perhaps.