With help from my friendly community my house has finally been constructed. My tanning work is so much easier now. This is due to having more advanced tools, but also having a storage barn. The storage barn lets me keep a lump sum of hides on hand. This way, whenever there is a customer, I have the perfect hide for them.

I have noticed that Celyndia has been having a tough time at school because of the color of her skin. Even though my family is well respected, we are constantly reminded that the white man is still better than us.

The town has established a new way to deal with poor families. Every week they auction off the poor children to different families, so that they can be better cared for.

I decided to buy a young sickly woman’s freedom. I can not stand to see young black souls die in slavery. Celyndia took it pretty hard when she passed, so I told her my reasoning for what I did.

Today I ran into an old friend, and he told me that he was about to be run out of town. He asked me for one favor, and I told him I would do whatever it was. He informed me that his child meant more to him than life, he wanted me to give his child a safe home. The papers were signed the next day, And Charlie became part of the Fortune family. Charlie became my apprentice as well.

I am beginning to reach the end of my years. I have thoroughly thought out my will, and have decided to give most of my fortune to my wife Violet. This is because this woman has been there for me since we first met. I will be giving one hundred dollars to the church, and two hundred to the school. This will most likely be the last time I will be writing so goodbye.

I am eyeing a piece of 25 acre land owned by an older man that lives in Jaffrey. I told Violet about this idea and she thought it was great. Today I was walking and I saw a black woman. This woman’s name was Louis Burdoo she had two boys that she could hardly care for. I wanted to help this woman, so I returned home.

I told Violet of this woman, and she seem opposed to helping her. Violet did not verbally express her feelings, but her body language told me everything.  I left to do some of my tanning work, and finally came upon a conclusion to help Louis.

I searched all throughout the house, but could not find the money that I had been putting towards buying the acreage. Finally tired from searching I gave up on it and decided to just keep saving for the acreage.

Our new household here in Jaffrey is really coming along. I have some equipment, but none compares to the tools I had back in Woburn. Most of the equipment that I use here is makeshift, so it takes a lot longer to do the work, but it is a lot more satisfying being here. I own a whole acre of land, and I intend to use it all.

Celyndia loves being free but she still doesn't really understand, so I explained that the world is hers, although we all must share it with each other. Celyndia loves picking strawberries, but she cries every time she eats them, so I have to remind her that she can pick more the next day. She gets along with the rest of the children really well, and after she helps me by stacking the bark that I strip, she runs up the hill to play with them nearly every day.

Violet is the only reason that my tannery works. She helps me with anything I need, and barely has time to do what she wants. She is the best wife any man could have. I even built her a loom that she never gets to use, due to helping me so much.

Traditional Hide Tanning. N.d. Photograph. Earth Tracks. Sticks and Stones Wilderness School. Web. 7 Feb. 2013

While I was selling my hides to a man, He had told me of a small town by the name of Jaffrey. This is where I am planning on traveling to, because i will open up my new tanning shop there. I have the wagon ready, and we are heading out today.Violet and Celyndia seem very excited for the trip, and I must admit I am too.

I've never noticed how beautiful the countryside is during the spring. There is always something going on with the plants and animals, but Celyndia hasn't noticed. She is too busy playing with the doll that I made her. I am beginning to become disappointed with my horse Cyclops, because Violet and I must get off the wagon every time we come upon a hill.

After the long trip, we've finally made it! I've never seen such a beautiful sight in my life, the mountain is astonishing. I am very excited to begin our new life in this great little town.

I was bought by Ichabod Richardson. He had owned slaves before so he knew how to treat me.  He even taught me his trade and paid me. My prayers have been answered when I was bought by him. Just like with the Copeland’s I became a normal part of the family.

                Mr. Richardson is dead and now Mrs. Richardson must sign my freedom bill.  Mrs. Richardson finished my bill of freedom and she even had the idea of letting me have control of the tannery. I have spotted  a beautiful woman that I would like to marry. She has a daughter, but I think with the money I will earn from selling these tanned hides; I can earn enough to buy both of their freedom.

 I sold the hides and I am returning to Woburn with money and some nice clothes. I bought Celyndia and Violet, Violet and I got married the next day.

Today I was bought by the Copeland family. They seem like promising people to me, but only time can tell me that.  They have a son and a daughter that are very bright children.

                Mrs. Copeland is beginning to teach me their language, I understand it, but I’m still not comfortable speaking with them. The Copeland’s are teaching me so much, like how to sleep in a bed and sit in a chair. They teach me how to eat with silverware, and they even let me worship with them.

                Today Roxanna was reading the bible to me, and I decided to read along. She was astonished since this was the first time I talked. I began to become just another member of the family.

I am much older now, at the age of 35, and I go by the name of Amos, but just because my life has changed, doesn't mean I have forgotten about my sister and my people back home.

Today is a sad day. My master and friend Caleb Copeland has passed on. Not only is this sad because I lost my friend, but because he did not sign my papers, so I can’t become a free man.

Today I am being sold. With Mr. Copeland gone, Mrs. Copeland began to become very poor. I am being sold along with other items at auction. My only prayer is that I can have as good of a master as Mr. Copeland was.

My name is At Mun I am the prince of the At-Mun-Shi tribe. I am 15 years old and I have a sister that is 12 years of age. My father is a well-respected chief that all the tribesmen and women look up to. I have to conduct myself in a very orderly manor because there are always someone’s eyes on me.

            Today we celebrated with mystic dance praying to the gods for a bountiful harvest. But all of this was interrupted when a group of white men fired their muskets killing my father. We were no match for them.  With their weapons aimed at us other slavers moved in to capture the strong and useful. They shackled us with bamboo cuffs and loaded us onto canoes where we were then taken to their boat.