This past summer I visited Boston, Massachusetts for the first time. During this trip, I went on an Underground Railroad walking tour, and it was very informative. Our tour guide was great and gave great details to different sites. I took down the names of many of the figures and stories heard to store in my collection of American history. Today I would like to honor Elizabeth Freeman.
Ms. Freeman was someone who changed slavery in America when she filed suit for her freedom. Elizabeth was born into slavery in New York in 1744. Her owner was a man name Peter Hogeboom. During this time her name was Elizabeth Bett. At a young age, Elizabeth and her sister were sent to live with Peter’s daughter Hannah in Sheffield, Massachusetts. Here, the girls worked heavily and were under abusive conditions because of Hannah’s temper.
Hannah’s husband was John Ashley, and he was a prominent local figure. He was a war hero, landowner, judge, and involved in local politics. In the year 1765, Elizabeth gave birth to a daughter with whom she gave the same name, but she never revealed the name of her father. Unfortunately, her daughter was too born into slavery. This was not the scenario she dreamed of.
John Ashley’s involvement in politics led to him joining other local figures to create the Sheffield Declaration of Independence which came as a lead up to the American Revolution. They published this work in the Massachusetts Spy paper on January 12th, 1773. In it they declared that “mankind in a state of nature are equal, free, and independent of each other.” The meetings that were held to create this document often took place in the Ashley home and Elizabeth would overhear the discussions. She took in the words ‘equal’ and ‘free.’ Three years later, this statement was listed in the Declaration of Independence.
Finally, seven years later, June 15th, 1780, Massachusetts adopted a state constitution that stated, “all men are born free and equal.” This was law and Elizabeth wanted to make it law for herself and her child. She asked a young lawyer Theodore Sedgwick to represent her in court where she was to fight for her freedom. Sedgwick decided to ask a man named Brom, her was enslaved on the Ashley’s land to join. This was to give more merit to the case as Elizabeth was a woman. At the conclusion of the case, the courts sided with Elizabeth and Brom awarding them their freedom and a payment of thirty Shilling by John Ashley to pay their court fees.
Soon after, Elizabeth changed her and her daughter’s name to Elizabeth Freeman. After this, Elizabeth took a job as a free woman in the home of her lawyer Mr. Sedgwick. Here, he gave her the nickname of Mum Bet or “Mother Beth.” Elizabeth worked there until she saved up enough money to buy her own home. She lived in this home until her passing on December 28th, 1829. She was buried on the Sedgwick’s family land and given a marble tombstone.