I was about fourteen years of age when the change mentioned in the
last chapter, occurred. John Wagar claimed me by promise, as he
said my grandmother gave me to him; and, consequently, bade me keep
out of sight, when they came for my father’s family. This I did by
hiding myself until the rest were all gone. I did this willingly, as
I did not want to go to Mr. Thomas. Indeed, I had rather forego the
pleasure of being with my parents than live with him. So I remained
behind.
I had lived securely upon the old plantation about three months, when
one day I was sent on an errand, two or three miles from home. There
I met Mr. Thomas, who said to me, “where are you going?” I answered
his question, when he said, “You belong to me; come, go home with
me.” I told him I wished to return with my errand, but he said “No;
go right home to my house, where your father and mother are. Don’t
you want to see your mother?” I replied that I did, for I was afraid
to answer any other way.
This Mr. George Thomas had married my old Mistress’s daughter, and we
fell to him in right of his wife. I went home with him with a heavy
heart.
When John Wagar heard of this event, he said I belonged to him and
should come back; but he could not accomplish his purpose in this,
for being left to Mrs. Thomas, he could not hold me. He then tried to
buy me, but my new master would not sell me, to him.
Soon after my arrival in the family, Mr. Thomas let me to one of his
sons, named Henry, who was a doctor, to attend his horse. This son
was unmarried, lived a bachelor, and kept a cook and waiter. The cook
belonged neither to him nor his father, but was hired. She was a good
looking mulatto, and was married to a right smart, intelligent man,
who belonged to the doctor’s uncle. One night, coming home in haste,
and wishing to see his wife, he sent me up stairs to request her to
come down. Upon going up, I found she was in a room with the doctor,
the door of which was fast. This I thoughtlessly told her husband,
who, upon her coming down a moment after, upbraided her for it. She
denied it, and afterwards told the doctor, but not till I had gone to
my mother, sick, up to the old man’s plantation.
The doctor was a very intemperate man. As soon as his cook told him
her story, he came to his father with the complaint, that I had left
him without his consent; upon which his father told him to flog me.
He ordered me out to the barn, when I was scarcely able to hold up my
head, and had to be led by my brother.
Without saying what he wanted of me, he stripped off my clothes and
then whipped me, beating me over the head until I became senseless,
and life was nearly extinct. I was carried to my mother’s quarters,
where I lay five weeks, unable to move without assistance. When I
finally recovered, I did not return to him, as he did not wish it,
but remained with my mother four years.
My father was a very pious man, never complaining, but bearing every
thing patiently, and praying for grace and fortitude to help him to
overcome his trials, which he believed would one day be ended. He was
a good servant and an affectionate parent. But new trials and sorrows
soon broke upon this quiet family.
My sister, whose name I must not mention, as she is now in the
North, and like myself, not out of danger, was old Mistress’s house
maid. She possessed both grace and beauty, and to-day, thank God,
is a living monument in his temple. She was given to Mrs. Thomas as
her maid, and was much prized, because a gift from her mother; but
especially because she knew her to be a virtuous girl.
She had found it impossible to long keep a maid of this stamp, for
none could escape the licentious passions of her husband, who was the
father of about one-fourth of the slaves on his plantation, by his
slave women. Mrs. Thomas strove every way to shield my sister from
this monster, but he was determined to accomplish his brutal designs.
One day during his wife’s absence on a visit to her friends, being,
as he thought, a good opportunity, he tried to force my sister to
submit to his wishes. This she defeated by a resistance so obstinate,
that he, becoming enraged, ordered two of his men to take her to
the barn, where he generally whipped his slaves; there to strip off
her clothes and whip her, which was done, until the blood stood in
puddles under her feet.
Upon his wife’s return, Mr. Thomas told her that my sister had been
whipped for neglect of duty. Of this Mrs. Thomas did not complain,
as she had no objection to necessary floggings. But similar scenes
occurring quite often, our Mistress began to suspect that sister was
not in fault, especially as in her presence she never neglected her
business, and these complaints only came during her absence. Besides,
she knew well her husband’s former practices, and at last began to
suspect that these and my sister’s pretended faults, were in some way
connected. Accordingly, she began to question her maid concerning
her offences, who, fearing to tell her plainly, knowing it would be
certain death to her, answered in low and trembling terms, “I must
not tell you, but you may know what it is all for. If I have done
anything, Madam, contrary to your wishes, and do not suit you, please
sell me, but do not kill me without cause. Old Mistress, your mother,
who is dead, and I trust in heaven, took great pains to bring me up
a virtuous girl, and I will die before I will depart from her dying
counsel, given, as you well know, while we were standing by her
dying bed.”
These words so affected Mrs. Thomas, that she fainted and was carried
to her bed, to which she was confined by sickness five or six weeks.
Her husband’s conduct still persisted in, finally caused her death,
which occurred four years after.
Mistress told sister that she had best get married, and that if she
would, she would give her a wedding. Soon after, a very respectable
young man, belonging to Mr. Bowman, a wealthy planter, and reputed to
be a good master, began to court my sister. This very much pleased
Mistress, who wished to hasten the marriage. She determined that her
maid should be married, not as slaves usually are, but that with the
usual matrimonial ceremonies should be tied the knot to be broken
only by death.
The Sabbath was appointed for the marriage, which was to take place
at the Episcopal Church. I must here state that no slave can be
married lawfully, without a line from his or her owner. Mistress
and all the family, except the old man, went to church to witness
the marriage ceremony, which was to be performed by their minister,
parson Reynolds. The master of Josiah, my sister’s destined husband,
was also at the wedding, for he thought a great deal of his man.
Mistress returned delighted from the wedding, for she thought she had
accomplished a great piece of work. But the whole affair only enraged
her unfeeling husband, who, to be revenged upon the maid, proposed
to sell her. To this his wife refused consent. Although Mrs. T. had
never told him her suspicions, or what my sister had said, yet he
suspected the truth, and determined to be revenged. Accordingly,
during another absence of Mistress, he again cruelly whipped my
sister. A continued repetition of these things finally killed our
Mistress, who the doctor said, died of a broken heart.
After the death of this friend, sister ran away, leaving behind her
husband and one child, and finally found her way to the North. None
of our family ever heard from her afterwards, until I accidentally
met her in the streets in Philadelphia. My readers can imagine what a
meeting ours must have been. She is again married and in prosperity.