He relates his own history, that he was a native of Cape Mount, a member of the Vey nation, and the son of free, though non-Christian parents. After their death, he was placed by his uncle, an African merchant, with James Thompson of Monrovia and then with the Governor of the Colony, S. Ashmun, who sent him to school. Ashmun invited Basle (Basel) missionaries into the colony and he joined them when they were suffering from fever and, when one had to return to Europe because of sunstroke, he went with him to Basle (Basel). He was educated in the Bergen Institution and the Basle Missionary Institution from 1829 to 1842 and was now returning to the Akrapong Mission in the Aguapim Mountains in West Africa with Riis and Widman, having visited the West Indies in the hope of obtaining recruits and colonists. Lord Stanley had provided them with letters of introduction to the Governors there.

He also records the history of his new wife, who had been transported from Africa as a slave when a child, shipwrecked on the coast of Jamaica, seen by the Governor's lady and brought up by her, educated to be a teacher in Manchester, and returned to work in the Mico Institution in Jamaica. He thanks him again for his interest in his nation and blesses the African Civilization Society for the work it had carried out. He asks to be remembered to Lady Gurney of Norfolk [Anna Gurney], who had introduced him to one of Buxton's sons while they were passing through Switzerland. Appended is a note from John Miller of the Mico Institute recommending the letter to his attention and saying that he had suggested to Trew it might be printed in the Friend of Africa. (Original and copy.)