▁who ▁research ed ▁the ▁topic , ▁ex - s la ves , ▁William , ▁Thomas ▁and ▁John ▁McC la ugh ry ▁achieved ▁their ▁own ▁impossible ▁dream . ▁In ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁sh rew d ▁transactions , ▁they ▁not ▁only ▁acquired ▁large ▁real ▁estate ▁hold ings ▁- ▁almost ▁ 5 0 0 ▁acres ▁of ▁fert ile ▁far ml and ▁in ▁Walk ill ▁and ▁Orange ▁County ▁- ▁but ▁also ▁won ▁the ▁respect ▁and ▁adm iration ▁of ▁their ▁White ▁neighb ors . ▁ ▁The ▁McC la ugh rys ▁called ▁their ▁land ▁" Gu inea " ▁which ▁in ▁their ▁native ▁language ▁means ▁" A frica ". ▁ ▁Black ▁historian ▁D . ▁Kevin ▁Bar rett ▁Bil ali ▁of ▁nearby ▁New burgh , ▁N . Y ., ▁who ▁conducted ▁a ▁year ▁long ▁research ▁of ▁Orange ▁County ▁arch ives ▁for ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁McC la ugh ry ▁family ▁notes ▁however ▁that ▁the ▁three ▁Black ▁McC la ugh rys ▁had ▁some ▁unexpected ▁help . ▁ ▁It ▁came ▁from ▁their ▁conscience ▁str icken ▁slave ▁owner , ▁James ▁McC la ugh ry , ▁a ▁popular ▁resident ▁and ▁an ▁officer ▁in ▁George ▁Washington ' s ▁Cont inental ▁Army . ▁▁ ▁Bil ali ▁says ▁James ▁McC la ugh ry ▁granted ▁them ▁their ▁freedom . ▁ ▁A ▁team ▁of ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 ▁historical ▁writers ▁in ▁Orange ▁County , ▁R ut ten ver ▁and ▁Clark , ▁reached ▁the ▁same ▁conclusion . 1 ▁ ▁Probably ▁none ▁of ▁it ▁would ▁have ▁occurred ▁if ▁Col . ▁McC la ugh ry ▁himself ▁had ▁not ▁been ▁wounded ▁and ▁captured