Mr. Editor - I wish to find my
father and mother, Jesse and Let-
tie Williams. I was about 15 years
of age when I saw them last. They
were living with Ned Holland who
owned a tobacco factory on Black-
water river in Virginia, on the
northeast side. There was a church
on the west side. Billie Dunn
raised me and sold my mother
when I was a small boy. I was
her oldest son, and she stooped
down and kissed me when she left.
I was raised near Franklin Court
House, on Snow Creek. Myself
and sisters Mary and Aggie were
left together. Mr. Dunn sold Ag-
gie to a trader, and Mary was mar-
ried to Burrell Rinkid. She had
three children, the oldest a girl.
Dunn sold me to a negro trader.
When I saw them writing out the
papers I ran away to my father
who hid me over the spring house
near the dwelling of Mr. Holland.
A heavy rain came up one night
and father had to go to the spring
for me. He carried me to the house
and put me in a little room on the
north side, the door opened outside;
he spread a pallet over some onions
and I remained until day, and he
went across the river to get a man
to buy me, but as the contract had
been signed there was no chance
for him to get me. Mother had 12
children. Sister Julia went to
Monrovia. Next brothers were
William and Pollock. I left father
on Sunday evening, returned to
Mr. Dunn, and a week after the
trader got me and carried me to
Richmond. He sold me to Silas
Mahunder, who bought me for his
sister, Jane Johnson. She brought
me to Texas. I was called Jessie.
Address me at Clarksville, Texas,
care of W.S. Thompson.

JESSIE JOHNSON.