Affectionately, Your Friend and Brother

Abstract

At about the same time that Tolbert and Austin Major, Agnes Harlan, and their families are starting over in Liberia, Ben Major and his wife and children are settling in Illinois. This chapter explores Ben’s complicated relationships with his brothers and brother-in-law. The men have different views on slavery and colonization, illustrating the range of attitudes other Americans had on these topics. Surprisingly, Ben remains closest to Joseph Major, his brother who continues to own slaves. Ben writes to Joseph, “You are well apprised of the sacrifices I made to secure myself and my family from the Curses of Slavery.”