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Danville Va March 22 1869
General OBrown
General
The lots upon which the freedmans school, teachers residences appertenant are situated in this town, belong to the orphan children of William H. Funstall late a citizen of a distant state.  The lots were imperfect, the houses erected by the Confederate authorities sometime in 1862 or 3.  Since the surrender, the property has been held by Government officials of different professions, but principally by Bureau offices.  The buildings have been used as residences for teachers where suitable, and the large Hospital building converted into a schoolhouse and church.  The lots upon which these buildings stand are large & valuable, and yet no compensation so far as we can learn has ever been made to the owners of the property (now in straitened circumstances) for the rise of the same.  The late guardian states that there was an understanding between himself & some government official that the government should retain possession until 1st Jany 1870 at which time the property with all improvements therein was to be turned over to the Guardian of the aforementioned children.  The Gdn just alluded to has been removed from his position as Gdn & is insolvent.  As atty for the present Guardian we called upon Maj. A.R.Egbert late military Comr here to know in what way the Government held and proposed to hold possession of the property belonging to minors who were orphans when the gov't got possession. Maj. Egbert could give us but little information & kindly referred us to you, as the only official perhaps in Virginia from whom we could get a definite idea of the matter.  The pecuniary condition of these children under if necessary that all their property should be made available.  They have need not one farthing we are told from

Transcription Notes:
Gdn = Guardian