Freedmen's Bureau Records: John M. Huff to J. H.
Hall, June 14, 1868
Summary:
Huff, the Justice of the Peace in Churchville, details what he knows about a
dispute between a Mary Minor and a Mr. Coleman. He describes Minor's personal
situation, as well as her demeanor, characterizing her as a woman "of high
temper."
J. H. Hall
Woodstock Va.
June 14th, 1868
Churchville, Va.
Sir,
I received your note of the 22nd Dec. 1867 on last
evening 13th instant. Mary Minor came to me and made a statement of the threat
that Mr. Coleman had made, which was a breach of the peace. I told her if she
made oath to her complaint I would give her a warrant and have Coleman arrested.
she declared she would swear to nothing and got very angry and went off. I have
not heard of it till I received your note. Mary Minor has always claimed to be
an Indian. She was free born & some twenty years ago took up with a
black Negro who was free born and having been living together since She is a
woman of very high temper lives close to the public Ward & has several
times gathered up stones & threatened to knock persons brains out. I
have been told that she stopped Coleman in the public road and threatened
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him & he told her if she struck him he would shoot her, her
husband has since told me he did not wish her to have any warrant & told
her not to stop Coleman.
Yours with Respect
J.M. Huff
