SUBMITTED BY: James Jarrell
I was born in Guilford County. My grandfather was a slave in the Guilford area of Pleasant Garden which is not very far from James Haley’s roots in Alamance County. I did not grow up hearing a lot of stories and related memories of Civil War times or the circumstances of slave life. There were probably many reasons for not sharing those stories. I assume that my grandfather took the last name of his owner at the time he was freed.
One interesting fact that I am aware of is that my grandfather was not only freed but was given deeded land at the time of emancipation. I discovered that fact when it was time to sell the family property.