OLD SLAVE IS DEAD AT OXFORD DEPOT
1911
Oxford Depot, April 21-Died, April 20th, John Green, aged eighty years. John Green was a slave of African descent, and was brought for a bagful of gold. John Green was born in North Carolina; a slave, and worked "away down in Georgia." He and his wife escaped from the Southern confederacy, coming North in 1862 and their first home was with, Ebenezer Bull, at the old stone house at Hamptonburgh. He came to Oxford Depot a few years afterwards and has lived about here all the following years.
For many years he was with Joseph W. Youngs and occupied one of his cottages, and at Charles R. Bull's, living in Mr. Bull's cottage at Bull Hill, until the infirmities of age unfitted him for a farmer's man. He occupied the cottage at, Bull Hill through the kindness of Mr. Bull free of any rent. Mr. Crawford took a kindly interest in the old man and John found a good place for some years as a handy helper with Mr. Crawford, until the weight of many years lay the old man aside, worn out.
"Bowed by the weight of centuries he leans
Upon his hoe, and gazes on the ground,
The emptiness of ages on his face.
And on his back the burden of the world."
The old man has for a year past been afflicted with asthma and dropsy, but about the hamlet, and after being confined to, his, bed for two weeks dropped gently away, on Thursday morning.
John had many friends, and was much respected by all. He was a great worker all his life. Almost fifty years he has been a standby with the farmers.
He is survived by four sons: Joseph, of Washingtonville; Edward, of Brooklyn; Charles, of Goshen, and Henry, of Oxford Depot, where he died.
