ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, July 21, 1996 TAG: 9607220088
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: CHESTERTON, IND.
SOURCE: Associated Press
More than 200 descendants of slaves once owned by Gen. Robert E. Lee have gathered this weekend to celebrate their lives, their roots and their freedom.
Instead of focusing on how their ancestors were wronged, the descendants are concentrating on their families and finding missing relatives, said Magdalene Lee of Gary, president of the extended family's Illinois-Indiana Chapter.
``They want to know where they started. They want to know their roots and, whether they like it or not, the truth about that time in history,'' she said.
Slaves generally took on the last name of their master, said her husband, Willy Lee. His grandfather was born Syrus Buss in 1821, but took Lee as his last name when he was sold to the general.
The youngest of Syrus Lee's 22 children, Edd Lee, passed down stories told to him by his father. When Edd Lee died in 1984, his second youngest son, Arthur Lee of Gary, set out to preserve the family's history and began searching for lost relatives whose roots began at the Confederate leader's Virginia home.
``If you look at it that way, I am only one generation removed from slavery,'' Arthur Lee said.
Since it was common for family members to be sold and sent to different states, it took Arthur Lee almost two years to trace the family lineage and coordinate the first reunion.
The 10th reunion began Thursday, when more than 100 descendants of Lee's slaves arrived in this northwest Indiana city. Before the reunion ends today, organizers expect more than 200 relatives.
More than 1,000 relatives have been located, but a large portion separated during and after slavery have yet to be located. The search will go on, Arthur Lee said.
``We are planning to trace this as far as we can,'' he said.
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