William Davis and his sister Mary reunited after forty years separation

Appeal: A National Afro-American Newspaper (St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN)

August 14, 1897

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SEPARATED FOR FORTY YEARS. Strange History of William Davis and His Sister, Once Slaves. Niles, Mich. Aug. 10. - Forty years ago William Davis and his sister Mary were slaves in the family of James Matlock, a rich Georgia planter. Just before the war Matlock died and William and Mary were sold to pay the debts of the estate. They were parted and for forty years neither heard of the other. After the war William took the name of Davis and came north to Niles. He began the dray business, amassing a small fortune. To-day he learned that his sister is still alive and was in San Francisco. She sought out her brother William that she might leave her fortune of $150 000 to him. When she was sold she was bought by a wealthy wom who took her to California. when this woman died she had no relatives to leave her money to, and so made Mary her heir. Mary is now 83 years old.

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Description

William Davis and his sister Mary were reunited after forty years separation. Both siblings were slaves of the family of James Matlock, a rich planter in Georgia.

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Newspaper

Appeal: A National Afro-American Newspaper (St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN)

Date

August 14, 1897

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Contributor

Daniel Runyon

Citation

"William Davis and his sister Mary reunited after forty years separation," Appeal: A National Afro-American Newspaper (St. Paul and Minneapolis, MN), August 14, 1897, Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery, accessed October 16, 2024, https://informationwanted.org/items/show/2322