The Man Who Sold His Wife Traditional Cache

William O’Neal was born a slave in 1827. He was ambitious from an early age and trained as a carpenter, a cooper and an engineer. He quietly amassed money to purchase his freedom, which he did by selling his wife.

In March of 1850 he married Ellen. However no much later her owner considered moving part of his family to Tennessee taking Ellen with them. O’Neal was able to borrow $1000 at 10-¹/₂% interest in which he was able to purchase Ellen.

Later Alonzo Roberts, O’Neal’s owner, wanted to buy a plantation and offered O’Neal to buy his freedom. O’Neal sold Ellen for $1000 to Mrs. Johnson with the provision that he could buy her back at any time. He used that money to help pay for his own freedom.

The story is told in the book “Life and History of William O’Neal; or The Man Who Sold His Wife”, by William O’Neal. 

This cache is located in Cheneyville not far from William O’Neal’s old home site (#20 on Cheneyville tour).