Mark Messer searching for his father Americus Valentine and his family
Richmond Planet (Richmond, VA)
January 30, 1897
Do You Know Them?
I desire to know the whereabouts of
my father's people. He was born in
Currytuck County, N C and was sold
in Richmond at Lumpkins Jail forty
or fifty years ago.
His father's name was Americus
Valentine and my mother's name was
Barbara and they belonged to Brancen
Bell and lived at a place called Bull
Yard.
My brothers are all dead, but one
and his name is Abel Gray. My sis-
ter's name is Katy and her husband's
name is Cator My other sister's name
is Tamer and her husband's name is
Harry, and sisters names Herick, Ju-
dy and Nelly.
My brother Abel Gray belonged to
John Gray and I belonged to the same
man. He gave me to his daughter,
Mary Gray. When she married a man
named Thomas Messer and he sold me
to a man in Alabama, and I lived 32
miles from Norfolk, Va
I belonged to the Presbyterian
Church (white) on the East Ridge. The
preacher was Rev. Sam Ferrabee at
that time.
Any information concerning them
will be thankfully received by
MARK MESSER,
931 Monument St.
Danville, Va.
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