▁the ▁last ▁living ▁former ▁American ▁slave . ▁He ▁received ▁much ▁public ity ▁and ▁was ▁accepted ▁for ▁treatment ▁by ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁V eter ans ▁Hospital ▁as ▁a ▁veter an ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War . ▁If ▁this ▁claim ▁were ▁true , ▁M age e ▁would ▁also ▁have ▁been ▁the ▁last ▁surv iving ▁American ▁Civil ▁War ▁veter an . ▁ ▁Biography ▁M age e ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁born ▁in ▁North ▁Carolina ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 ▁to ▁slaves ▁E ph ra im ▁and ▁Jean ette , ▁who ▁were ▁held ▁and ▁worked ▁on ▁the ▁J . J . ▁Sh anks ▁plant ation . ▁He ▁said ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁purchased ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 9 , ▁just ▁before ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁by ▁plant ation ▁owner ▁Hugh ▁M age e ▁at ▁a ▁slave ▁market ▁in ▁Enter prise , ▁Mississippi . ▁Hugh ▁M age e ▁owned ▁the ▁L one ▁Star ▁Plant ation ▁in ▁Cov ington ▁County , ▁Mississippi . ▁Syl v ester ▁adopted ▁the ▁M age e ▁surname , ▁a ▁common ▁practice ▁among ▁ens la ved ▁people ▁at ▁the ▁time . ▁Short ly ▁after ward , ▁he ▁was ▁sold ▁again , ▁to ▁Victor ▁Ste en ▁of ▁Rank in ▁County , ▁Mississippi . ▁ ▁M age e ▁claimed ▁that ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 , ▁he ▁ran ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁Ste en ▁plant ation ▁and ▁en list ed ▁in ▁the ▁Union ▁Army , ▁taking ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁assault ▁on ▁V icks burg , ▁Mississippi . ▁▁ ▁M age e ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁been