Marvin, Julia E.R., letter, October 11, 1854, to Dr. Jno. [John] C. Lord, [Buffalo, N.Y.]

Transcription


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Dr. [John] C. Lord,
My Dear Pastor,

The bearer of this is Peter Still, a freeman, seeking aid, to obtain possession of his wife & children, slaves in Alabama. He himself was kidnapped when six years of age, taken from N.J. to Kentucky & there sold as a slave. From Ky. he was taken to Ala. There, after having worked faithfully 44 years, he, by the aid of a Jew, found means to buy himself. The hope of once more finding his home & friends had ever been most warmly, though secretly, cherished. By a series of most wonderful Providences, he found them, his mother & many brothers & sisters. He, then returned to Ala. on a pass from his Jew master (he being, in the South, supposed to be a slave) told his wife & children of his success & that he should now work for them.

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He went again to N.J. & there for more than a year worked sometimes at the rate of $10 pr. month, some of the time at $15 with the hope of earning enough to free his family. Some friends advised him to try to raise it by contributions. (The sum demanded is $5000) He did try & has succeeded in raising the entire sum. Now he needs $200 to bear their expenses here.

During my residence in the South I knew him well & always knew him as honest, faithful & industrious. I know him to be strictly truthful one upon whose word you may rely implicitly. You will, if you have time, be much interested in his simple story. You will see from a letter in his possession the necessity that seems to exist for his remaining as quiet as possible, this will account to you for his going so with letters of introduction to different individuals, rather than appearing in public. I know, my dear pastor, that your heart is ever

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touched with the sorrows of the afflicted & of the lowly, that your ear is ever open to a tale of suffering. For this reason I commend him to you, hoping that you may be able to assist him. From a recent accident, the dislocation of my ankle, I am closely confined at present but were it not so, my acquaintance in Buffalo is too limited to enable me to do him all the good I would.

Most truly Yours,

Julia E. R. Marvin.

Wed. Morn. Oct. 11th 1854

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Title

Marvin, Julia E.R., letter, October 11, 1854, to Dr. Jno. [John] C. Lord, [Buffalo, N.Y.]

Description

Letter of introduction for Peter Still, written by Julia (Reynolds) Marvin, which briefly recounts Still's life; notes that Still, whom Marvin knew in Alabama, has raised the entire sum for the release of his enslaved family members; and states that Still now seeks added money (200 dollars) to transport them from Alabama to the North.

Source

Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries

Date

1854-10-11

Rights

public domain

Format

3 p.

Identifier

rutgers-lib:26912
doi:10.7282/T35M65TZ

Citation

Marvin, Julia E. R. (Julia Reynolds), “Marvin, Julia E.R., letter, October 11, 1854, to Dr. Jno. [John] C. Lord, [Buffalo, N.Y.],” Peter Still Digital Edition, accessed March 29, 2024, https://stillpapers.org/items/show/36.

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