Excerpted from The Search for FreeJoe by Earnest Edward Lacey. Copyright © 1999. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved

Chapter One, The Trip to Memphis.

"Before I forget to ask, can you please tell me why you didn't come down here last month for the family reunion?" Suvella asked with a stern look on her face. "Reunion! What reunion? I didn't know anything about a reunion," I said surprised. "We sent out notices and I'm sure we sent one to Bernice," Suvella said." Well.......I never got one and mother never said anything to me about a reunion," I said. " You really missed out on a nice affair. They gave out information on the family and I bet you didn't know that you have a great, great..........wait a minute, let me count. Two greats for me.........and three for you. You have a great, great, great grandfather that was never a slave," Survella said.

"Oh yeah! What was his name?", I asked eagerly. "FreeJoe Harris," Suvella replied calmly. "FreeJoe Harris!", I replied excitely. " That's right. FreeJoe Harris, " Ethyl said smiling. " And he was never a slave," Suvella repeated.

"Wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense. Where in the world would he get a name like that?" I asked stunned. "I don't know. That's what they told us," Suvella said. "His real name was Joseph Harris and they called him FreeJoe," Ethyl interjected. "That still doesn't make sense. That name FreeJoe implies that he was locked up somewhere. If you were always free, why would you use an adjective like free?" I asked. " Well, he's buried in Gray's Creek Cemetery," Suvella said. "I'm going to the cemetery early tomorrow morning. "Do you know where he's buried?" I asked not quite believing this story. " I have no idea. I was told that he's buried somewhere in the cemetery. That's all I know," Suvella said.

For a moment, no one said anything.

"I think I know where he's buried," I murmured. "What! Now aren't you something! A few minutes ago you never heard of the man, didn't know where he was buried, and now all of a sudden you do," Suvella said in a surprised voice. "I'll be at Gray's Creek at 8:30 a.m. and I'll show you his final resting place," I said walking toward the car. "I'll be there. I want to see this," Suvella said giving everyone a farewell hug.

We said goodnight. Suvella and Ethyl went into the house as I backed the car out of the driveway.

"Do you really think you know where he's buried?", Elaine asked. "I know. Don't ask me how I know, but I know," I said.