native american records

Pleasant Poindexter
EXAMINATION BY SPECIAL COMMISSIONER:

Q.  Was it Sizemore?  
A.  I cannot remember.

Q.  Ever hear of his being spoken of as old Dr Johnny Gourd?
A.  I cannot remember.

Q.  Are you acquainted with the Sizemore family?
A.  No, sir; I have studied about that.

Q.  Are you acquainted with that family in the county?
A.  No, sir; I never remember but one and he pretended to be a doctor.  There was some that I did not know.

Q.  Do you know a colored man that goes by the name of Poindexter that runs the ferry at Donnoha?
A.  Yes, sir; I am acquainted with him.

Q.  Do you know his parents?
A.  Yes, sir;

Q.  What was their names?
A.  His grandfather was a slave of this old Uncle Jack Poindexter, and a free person, but I do not know the name --Sawyers.

Q.  The mother was Sawyers?
A.  Yes, sir; and his grandmother -- he took his name after this slave-- slave of old Uncle Lewis.

Q.  Do you know anything about the great grandmother, who you say was a free woman?
A.  I have heard of her and known of her since I was a child; I don't know as I ever seen her face.

Q.  You have spoke of Thomas Poindexter and his wife, Elizabeth.  Did you ever heard whether or not they took up any land in this vicinity?  And if so, how much?
A.  Yes sir; I cannnot tell you only the one survey and that is the bend of the river.  That was 640 acres.

Q.  Taken in what year?  1760?
A.  Let's see; as well as I remember, in 1760.

Q.  It was then that Thomas Poindexter took up this section of land?
A.  Yes, sir

Q.  Did you ever hear of this Thomas Poindexter's having a brother named John?
A.  Yes, sir

Q.  What was his profession?
A.  He was a preacher and County Clerk

Q.  Where?
A.  Louisa County, Virginia.  One of my relations in Missouri wrote that Thomas Poindexter was born on the banks of the Rapahannock River in 1733.  I got that through a letter.

Q.  That Thomas Poindexter was the husband of Betty Pledge Poindexter?
A.  Yes, sir; that is the way I can tell you.

SIGNED: Pleasant H Poindexter (copy), East Bend, N.C. Mar 25, 1908