Photograph and description of Omar ibn Said front

"Uncle Moro"(Omeroh), the African (or Arab) Prince whom Gen. Owens bought, and who lived in Wilmington N.C. for many years, and died in Bladen Co. in 1804, aged about 90 years. see other side This old man's history was extremely interesting. Born in the region around Timbuctoo [Timbuktu] and the son of a King or Chief, he was taught to read & write Arabic, & having committed some offence he was banished by his people who were named by some writers Malis, or Mell̬s, and, by Stanley, Malais. He was captured and sold into slavery to a ship which brought him to South Carolina, where he was purchased by a young up-country planter, who treated him harshly, and he ran away, wandered over the line into North Carolina, was found ill at a negro cabin, was arrested as a runaway slave, put in jail at Fayetteville, and, having attracted attention by writing on the walls in Arabic, was released by Gen. James Owen on bond, afterward bought by him from the S.C. planter, and treated as a pensioner and friend for the remainder of his life. Although a devout Mahometan [Mohammedan/Muslim] he became a devout Presbyterian, and lived befriended & respected by everybody until his death in 1804, at the age of about 90 years. He is buried in the family graveyard of the Owens in Bladen County N.C. It was said that he was a Free Mason. He was a short "mustee" colored man, polite, and dignified in his manners. I remember him very distinctly. A K Waddell. 1905