The Narrative of Lunsford Lane, Formerly of Raleigh, N.C. | Page 8

labor to obtain the
freedom of the children afterwards as we were able. But that idea was
abandoned, when her master, Mr. Smith, refused to sell her to me for
less than one thousand dollars, a sum which then appeared too much
for me to raise.
Afterwards, however, I conceived the idea of purchasing at once the
entire family. I went to Mr. Smith to learn his price, which he put at
three thousand dollars for my wife and six children, the number we
then had. This seemed a large sum, both because it was a great deal for
me to raise; and also because Mr. Smith, when he bought my wife and
two children, had actually paid but five hundred and sixty dollars for
them, and had received, ever since, their labor, while I had almost
entirely supported them, both as to food and clothing. Altogether,
therefore, the case seemed a hard one, but as I was entirely in his power
I must do the best I could. At length he concluded, perhaps partly of his
own motion, and partly through the persuasion of a friend, to sell the
family for $2,500, as I wished to free them, though he contended still
that they were worth three thousand dollars. Perhaps they would at that
time have brought this larger sum, if sold for the Southern market. The
arrangement with Mr. Smith was made in December, 1838. I gave him
five notes of five hundred dollars each, the first due in January, 1840,
and one in January each succeeding year; for which he transferred my
family into my own possession, with a bond to give me a bill of sale
when I should pay the notes. With this arrangement, we found
ourselves living in our own house--a house which I had previously
purchased--in January, 1839.

After moving my family, my wife was for a short time sick, in
consequence of her labor and the excitement in moving, and her
excessive joy. I told her that it reminded me of a poor shoemaker in the
neighborhood who purchased a ticket in a lottery; but not expecting to
draw, the fact of his purchasing it had passed out of his mind. But one
day as he was at work on his last, he was informed that his ticket had
drawn the liberal prize of ten thousand dollars; and the poor man was
so overjoyed, that he fell back on his seat, and immediately expired.
In this new and joyful situation, we found ourselves getting along very
well, until September, 1840, when to my surprise, as I was passing the
street one day, engaged in my business, the following note was handed
me. "Read it," said the officer, "or if you cannot read, get some white
man to read it to you." Here it is, verbatim:
To Lunsford Lane, a free man of Colour
Take notice that whereas complaint has been made to us two Justices of
the Peace for the county of Wake and state of North Carolina that you
are a free negro from another state who has migrated into this state
contrary to the provisions of the act of assembly concerning free negros
and mulattoes now notice is given you that unless you leave and
remove out of this state within twenty days that you will be proceeded
against for the penalty porscribed by said act of assembly and be
otherwise dealt with as the law directs given under our hands and seals
this the 5th Sept 1840
WILLIS SCOTT JP (Seal)
JORDAN WOMBLE JP (Seal)
This was a terrible blow to me; for it prostrated at once all my hopes in
my cherished object of obtaining the freedom of my family, and led me
to expect nothing but a separation from them forever.
In order that the reader may understand the full force of the foregoing
notice, I will copy the Law of the State under which it was issued:

SEC. 65. It shall not be lawful for any free negro or mulatto to migrate
into this State: and if he or she shall do so, contrary to the provisions of
this act, and being thereof informed, shall not, within twenty days
thereafter, remove out of the State, he or she being thereof convicted in
the manner hereafter directed, shall be liable to a penalty of five
hundred dollars; and upon failure to pay the same, within the time
prescribed in the judgment awarded against such person or persons, he
or she shall be liable to be held in servitude and at labor for a term of
time not exceeding ten years, in such manner and upon such terms as
may be provided by the court awarding such sentence, and the proceeds
arising therefrom shall be paid over to the county