Today’s post will include some of the stories which were included in Emma Field, Book Three.  They came from Rev. King’s autobiography, the biographies written by Victor Ullman or King’s niece Annie Straith Jamieson or the narratives recorded by AC Robbins and Benjamin Drew.

• Rev. King was adamant that the settlement at Buxton was not to be a re-creation of the slave quarters of the south. To that end he insisted on the dimensions of the houses and the distance they were to be located from the road. Each house was to have a flower garden.
• He established four post offices along the middle road. “As soon as the new offices were established the people began to write letters and to get newspapers, to read and know something of what was going on in the world around them.” (91)* (Carol’s note – I, at first over-looked what an important move this was.)
• The story about Henry Johnson and the Riley family came from both King and Drew. The story about Charles Watts came from Robbins.
• The settlement removed alcohol in the way described. (pg.93)*
• The settlement also decided they would accept the donation from Boston, but from that time forward would rely upon their own labours. (pg.93)*
• King’s trip to Pittsburgh took place and the settlement received “books and proper maps for our schools and…a beautiful bell, 500 lb. weight, cast in Pittsburgh…with the request that it should be rung night and morning proclaiming liberty to the Captive. That request was carefully obeyed. The bell was erected at my own house and one of the servants rang it every morning at 6:00 and in the evening at 9:00 while the mission lasted and when it was closed the bell was transferred to the Church where it now calls the people to worship on Sabbath.” (pg.97)*
• All of the details about the public dinner the settlement held for some 800 people came from King’s autobiography.
• The successes of King’s many students are completely true and came from Bryan Prince, author, farmer and descendant of some of the original settlers.

*Autobiography of Rev. William King