Thanks Doug. That's what I thought, and I don't yet know whether they were born free or manumitted. Karen E. Sutton ================================================================ In a message dated 10/18/2005 11:58:12 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 13:42:57 -0400 From: "J. Douglas Deal" <[log in to unmask]> Subject: Re: Carter Braxton the Signer > #2 Why would free persons of color born in Virginia be in Hannibal, > Missouri in 1850? And when would they have come there? > The answer to this question depends, in large measure, on one thing: whether the free persons of color you're wondering about were born free in Virginia or born slaves and later manumitted. The latter's movement from Virginia to points west (e.g., Missouri) is relatively easy to explain: they were taken there by their owners (and freed later). Remember Dred Scott, or the slaves (then ex-slaves) of Edward Coles. Doug Deal History/SUNY Oswego To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html