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MR. EDITOR--I wish to inquire through the SOUTHWESTERN for my people who I have not seen for twenty seven years. I was born in Hilton county, Virginia, in the 1848 and belonged to a John Nears. In 1858 or 1860 I was sold to a man named Pace. My mother's name was Charity Nears and my sister's name was Lizzie. she belonged to Nears's brother and she had two children. There was George and Thomas Nears and DIck and Henry, they all belonged to the Nears the last time I knew of them. A John Gilliland bought me and I now sign my name J. J. Gilliland, Coldwater, Miss.