Valley of the Shadow

Summary

Slave Maria Perkins writes her husband "to let you know of my distress." Her son was recently sold and she fears that she will soon be sold to a slave trader. She asks her husband to beg his own master to buy her.

Charlottesville

Dear Husband

I write you a letter to let you know of my distress my master has sold albert to a trader on monday court day and myself and other child is for sale also and I want to you let hear from you very soon before next cort if you can I dont know when I dont want you to wait till christmas I want you to tell dr Hamelton or your master if either will buy me they can attend to it know and then I can go after wards I dont want a trader to get me they asked me if I had got any person to buy me and I told them no they took me to the court houste too & they never put me up a man buy the name of brady bought albert and is gone I dont kow whare they say he lives in Scottesville my things is in several places some is in staunton and if I should be sold I dont kow what will become of them I dont expect to meet with the luck to get that way till I am quite heart sick nothing more

I am and ever will be your kind Wife

Maria Perkins

To Richard Perkins

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