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Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen & Aband'd Lands. 
Head Quarters Asst. Commissioner State of Va. 
Richmond Va
Feb 9th 1866. 

Colonel O Brown,
Asst Commissioner &c. 

Colonel.

Having carefully examined the papers submitted to me in the case of Frank Martin colored (son of Jim Gray colored) vs - Mr Cornelius Campbell with reference to the ownership of 4 1/2 acres of land purchased of Mr Herbert Anderson, through Robt Hudgin agt & atty - in the year 1848 and 1849; I have arrived at the following conclusion,

Jim Gray nominally purchased this land paying therefor Ten dollars $10- in money - Mr Cornelius Campbell giving his due bill for the balance of the purchase money - Ninety dollars $90 - which he subsequently took up. The deed was made out to Mr Campbell. Gray occupied the property, remaining in possesion of it,- up to the time of his death. He could not at any time have owned the land - as the laws of Virginia prohibited him a slave from owning real estate. Mr Campbell was therefore the actual owner. 

Frank Martin has only claim as heir to the property as son of Jim Gray. There is no evidence to substantiate Martins claim but - simply his statement that his father Gray desired him to have the property - which so far as I can see the same Gray never owned, but only occupied 

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