[seal of Virginia] Commonwealth of Virginia Bureau of Vital Statistics State Board of Health Richmond Ennion G. Williams, M.D., Commissioner W. A. Plecker, M. D., Registrar of Vital Statistics Sept., 9th, 1924. Dr. Arthur H. Estabrook, Hyden, Ky. Dear Dr. Estabrook: We have your favor of September 5th, the date on which the case was heard in an effort to compel the Clerk to grant a license to [obscured] to marry [obscured]. I appeared there myself with all of our old Amherst records, with which you are familiar. Mr. Silas Coleman of Amherst who is doubtless known to you, made a splendid witness. The only witness the other side put up was [obscured]. We had some trouble at first to get him to admit he had any other name but [obscured] finally succeeded. We then learned from him that he was the son of [obscured] and grand-son of [obscured] and [obscured]. As soon as I got this information I knew that we had the case won, as they are recorded in our old records as colored. After hearing him the Court adjourned for lunch, during which time I looked up the family tree in the old records and marked the places. I was then put on the stand and pointed out these old records to the Court. This was all corroborated by Mr. Coleman and the other side had no case whatsoever. The only attempt which they made was to prove that colored might mean Indian, but this was over-ruled by the Judge. There were some twenty-five of these people out to the Court and I have never seen a sorrier looking set. I really felt sorry for them. Their only hope of advancement seemed to be to pass themselves off as white, which we have effectually stopped. A group of them gathered around me and I warned them very positively that they could not call themselves white. One in particular, [obscured], born in 1858 is registered as the son of "Free in Rockbridge Negroes". I showed him the record and told him that he would be classed as such in the future. As he signed one of the new registration cards certifying that he was white, he has really made himself liable to penitentiary. I told him that we would not press it, if he stayed in his place. I think we will have no further trouble with either the Rockbridge or Amherst tribe. I thank you very much for your readiness to assist. [end]