Alex Roundtree's Deposition
1873 Deposition of Alexander Roundtree in the Southern Claims File of
Mary Lemons Buie
Lincoln County, Mississippi
October 1873
Transcribed by Linda Durr Rudd
Alex was a slave of the Buie family.
Testimony
Alex Roundtree (Colored) testifies: Age 38 years; Reside in Lincoln County, Miss., upon the Buie place near Caseyville. I was born and raised upon it - I was sick the morning that Grierson and his soldiers came to the place. I had been very sick but was able to be in the crib shelling corn - and when his soldiers came along I looked upon them and saw our mules. There was eight of them and our roam horse the soldiers were riding them - One of our mules came that same night - then the soldiers road by the house between 10 and 11 o’clock - they were driving a large lot of horses and mules with them. They got our stock out of the field where they were ploughing. The mules were all in good order. We had plenty of feed to feed them. We kept them fat - two of them were great large mules - and all of the others were big and two of them were small - some of them were black and as many as three were sorrell - and if I recollect rightly one was a bay. The horse was a good common sized horse and was a splendid saddle horse. They took the majority of our stock and had mighty little left after they went away. I saw them take old master’s saddle. It was newly covered and take it off...All of these things were taken spring during the war while we were preparing land for corn.
Federal Census for Alexander Roundtree
1870 - Lincoln County, Caseyville, MS - Page 101
Ellec, 35 - M., 25 - Thos, 4 - Ann, 2 - Herman, 26, V., 8 months - Martha, 17
All were born in Mississippi.
1880 - Lincoln County, Beat 5, MS - Page 127
Alexander Roundtree, 45 - Matilda, wife, 35 - Thomas, son, 14 - Ann, daughter, 12 - Ellen, daughter, 11
All were born in Mississippi as were their parents.
Alexander died August 11, 1913 in Caseyville, MS.
Sources
NARA - Record Group 123 - United States Court of Claims - Congressional Jurisdiction
Southern Claim File of Mary Buie - Case # 2568
Alexander Roundtree's Death Certificate - MS1913-14928
Southern Claims Case of Mary Buie
Remembering Their Names