1870s yes. reporter: so soon after the end of slavery get the money to buy 23 acres. absolutely. and the thing of it is that i would question that he said that he was free-born. reporter: for answers we have to go back more than 300 years to my great great great great great great great grandmother mary. she arrived a ship in north umberton county in 1812, and her mother, my eight-time grandmother bess was uncovered in a deposition. at that time, she was about 13 years old, and witnesses said they apparently looked like indians. researchers said they were