Rev. J. Preston Watson reunited with friend Thomas Gannon

NEGRO FINDS MAN HE
SERVED IN WAR
Search of Nearly Fifty Years Ends
Successfully for Old Negro.
Pueblo, Col.––A revival of old mem-
ories [memories], harking back to the ante-bellum
days, when he as a boy was sold many
times on the auction block as a chat-
tel [chattel], and finally at the age of 17, learn-
ed [learned] of the war to free the negroes, he
escaped from his master and found
refuge in a camp of Federal soldiers,
was occasioned to the mind of Rev.
J. Preston Watson by the receipt of a
letter from Thomas Gannon, an old
soldier now residing at Monte Vista,
Colo.
It was Gannon, then a First Lieu-
tenant [Lieutenant] in the Ninth Missouri Cavalry
and later promoted to Captain, 54
years ago, who formed a liking for the
fugitive colored boy and took him in.
Throughout the war until the close
four years later, Watson remained
with Gannon. Then they separated,
with the understanding that Watson
was to go to Gannon's home and un-
der [under] his instructions. learn the tinner's
trade.
But alternating circumstances inter-
vened [intervened]. Although in the intervening
years each frequently tried to find a
trace of the other, their efforts prov-
ed [proved] in vain until two years ago Wat-
son [Watson], then a veteran pastor, who had
done nearly 40 years' service for the
African Methodist church, learned
that Capt. Gannon was living near
Leadville. This being in the district
which Watson toured as presiding el-
der [elder], he renewed his search, and fin-
ally [finally] found Capt. Gannon, a feeble,
gray haired man.