About two years ago I visited once again the homestead of my ancestor in
Albemarle County. The circa early 1800 brick house still stands along with
several small shacks in neat rows behind the house. I remember visiting this
same house as a college student in the late 1970's. At that time, my father
told me that the small shacks were part of the remaining slave quarters. He
said some of the shacks were not original and had benn rebuilt, but he
showed me some of the original foundations of the slave quarters. A remember
getting a very chilling feeling looking at the homes of former slaves.  A
few days ago I stumbled upon the 1850 slave census of my ancestor, and hoped
to find the names of those he had held in bondage. Unfortunaltely only the
sex and ages were given. It saddened me to learn that their names were of no
importants on this document. I wondered who they were and where they went in
1865. Did they remain on with my ancestors family or move on to somewhere
else? I'll probably never know what happened to them.

Lonny J. Watro

To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html