ather sold the slaves.

According to Judge Mansfield the tract of land was laid out in
five-acre plots. A cabin was built on each and a family placed in
each cabin. The families were the married sons and daughters of
Nathaniel Beaufort who had been his master's "nigger driver," was the
way one of his granddaughters put it. The whole colony was under
Nathaniel Beaufort's control as long as he lived, during which time
it prospered. Two of the original colony, both women, are still
living and own their little tracts, one residing on her property and
the other in the infirmary. The descendants of the first settlers
owned most of the land but some of it has been lost. Whether they had
any teams and money to start with it is not known to Judge Mansfield,
but he thought that they did not. Both men and women had to "work
out" much of the time for means to go upon, the girls toiling as
servants in the community for twenty-five to fifty cents per week and
their keep, the men receiving forty to fifty cents per day often paid
in such provisions as meal and meat.

Judged by the management of their own plots they are not a success as
farmers, most of their soil being now practically worthless. "The
land which was bought for the slaves was never recorded in their
names," says Judge Mansfield. It was deeded to Benjamin Ladd as
trustee and so stands in the record now. Judge Mansfield's last words
were: "There has been no clash over that land because of its run down
condition, but if coal or oil should be found about there, I cannot
tell what will happen." The financial condition of the colony is no
better than it was seventy-five years ago, the physical condition is
far from being as good. Two or three of these Negroes, however,
showing evidence of thrift are very good farmers. They have increased
their holdings and built new cabins, although most of the old
dwellings are still there and are occupied by the descendants of the
original settlers. They have rapidly increased in numbers and have
extensively intermarried. From the first the people were religious,
regular church goers. They have two churches among them, one
Methodist and the other Baptist. Their morals have been good, having
seldom committed crime. Officers of the law have found very little to
do in this