Death of An Old Colored Man

Last Monday forenoon, Simon Lester, of color, who had been a resident of Columbia for more than fifty years, died at his late home. He was a victim of heart trouble, and was about 78 years old. He was born and reared on the Cumberland river, Russell County, and became the property of Milton P. Wheat, of this place, during slavery.

* Milton Paradise Wheat (Pg. 5, Row 1) owned 6 slaves according to the 1850 census schedule. Simon Lester was probably born about 1828 and would have been age 22 in 1850. The only Black, male listed in the schedule, is given the age of 27 so Simon Lester may not have been owned by Wheat at this time.