In my book, Notes And Documents of Free Persons of Color, there is a chronicle of Ambrose and Charles Lewis. They were brothers born free in Virginia in the 1760's. I followed Charles and Ambrose, and their descendants until my ancestors left Fredericksburg around 1853. However, there was a migration away from Fredericksburg before my ancestors left. I am a direct descendant of Charles Lewis through his daughter, Nancy. I am now in contact with a descendant of Ambrose Lewis through his son William Berry Lewis.

William left Fredericksburg, and traveled the Underground Railroad to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and then to Canada. After settling in Canada, William would return to Fredericksburg to Visit, and that is where he met his wife. I believe William was returning as a Conductor on the Underground Railroad. His visits stopped after the Civil War, when the Underground Railroad was no longer needed.

When my Pinn ancestors left Fredericksburg, they settled in Columbia Pennsylvania right across the border. In the 1860 census, Robert and Elizabeth Pinn are listed with seven children. The ages ranged from fourteen to a baby of six months. Yet, in the 1870 census in Burlington New Jersey, several of the children are missing. In a biography of my ancestor, Reverend Robert Pinn (he was a Baptist Minister), it states that he left Columbia during an insurrection. I wonder if some of my ancestors children were not killed during that insurrection. In Robert Pinns Will of 1884, he states that only three of his children were still alive.

According to Ambrose Lewis descendant the white militia would raid northern cities, kidnap blacks, and sale them into slavery. If the person had papers they would tear the papers up. She said that William Berry Lewis was afraid to let his children play outside because black children were being kidnapped, and sold into slavery. This is the awful truth about slavery, and the greed of those who made a profit from it. I can see why the proponents of it will try to attack those who bring up the topic.

The Lewis line is the second line that I have traced to Canada. I found Bowden descendants there as well. They appear to have left Virginia around the same time as the Lewis line. This answers my question about where this particular line disappeared to.