2OLOTR - The Search for Elizabeth Freeman Known By The Name Mumbet - Part 1

Two Old Ladies on the Road traveled to Sheffield, Massachusetts on a beautiful Fall day

Teague had heard of the Ashley Farm and wanted to find out about an enslaved woman, Elizabeth Freeman known by the name of Mumbet. 

Inside this little cabin was Mumbet's story.

"During the Revolutionary War, Patriots spoke of "Freedom" and "Liberty" throughout the Commonwealth [ed: of Massachusetts] But those words meant something very different for enslaved people living in Massachusetts.

The commerce of slavery was deeply integrated into the Massachusetts economy in the 18th century. Many white colonists, including Colonel John Ashley, who owned this house and the surrounding fields in the 1700s, used enslaved laborers.

This story is about Elizabeth Freeman who was enslaved in Colonel Ashley's home. In 1781, during the American Revolution, Freeman and an enslaved man named Brom, sued Colonel Ashley for their freedom and won."

Enslaved men worked mostly in the fields. Enslaved women like Bett "worked in the house cooking, cleaning, spinning, sewing, hauling water and ash, and attending to visitors.

Even during her years in slavery, Bett was well-known in the community for her skills as a nurse and midwife giving her more independence than other enslaved people. This work connected her with other local families including the Sedgwicks, who later supported her suit for freedom"

"While working in the Ashley home, Bett educated herself by "keeping still and minding things" while prominent Sheffield men discussed politics in the study. In this way she heard the words of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, which declared that "all men are born free and equal."

"Bett understood what those words meant that she, too, had a right to be free and equal. In 1781, she met with lawyer Theodore Sedgwick and asked her to represent her in a lawsuit. Sedgwick agreed.

Brom, a man enslaved to Col. Ashley's son, also joined the suit. The higher legal and social status of men meant that the case was more likely to be taken seriously with Brom involved.

In May 1781, Brom and Bett sued for the right to own themselves in the case now known as Brom and Bett vs. Ashley. Sedgwick argued that Ashley did not own Bett and Brom because slavery was unlawful under the new [ed: state] Constitution.

On August 21, 1781, Bett and Brom won their suit and their freedom. Other enslaved individuals had won freedom by claiming abuse, but Bett's victory was special. It asserted that the entire practice of slavery - not just the abuse that accompanied it -  was not legal.

Bett's suit did not officially end slavery in Massachusetts, but it did make slavery impossible to defend in court. After the suit, many others were freed including all those enslaved with Col. Ashley. 

After the trial, Bett chose a new name for herself: ELIZABETH FREEMAN"

After the trial Ashley asked Bett to continue to work for him as a paid domestic. She refused and went to work for the lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick. After 20 years, she had saved up enough money to own her own farm. Sedgwick was also grateful for the care Elizabeth gave to his sick wife, that Elizabeth was buried in the Sedgwick family plot in the Stockbridge Cemetery

So we went on a Head Stoner's tour of the huge Stockbridge Cemetery. We drove around and around and somehow found ourselves outside of the cemetery 

overlooking

Naumkeag (I think)

We finally found our way back into the cemetery and got out to see if who we could find. I found this stone for Little Mark. 

We walked around some more and a man jogging through the cemetery noted we were lost and said are you looking for Rockwell? He's over here.

I love how people leave stones as a calling card. There were no stones on the ground so I left a pinecone.

We head to another section still looking for Elizabeth Freeman

This woman had an interesting occupation. Clairvoyant Curator. She was also born a few towns over from where I live now.

Lots of famous people are buried in this cemetery. Like Reinhold Niebuhr. He was a theologian, ethicist, and political commentator thought to be the author of The Serenity Prayer

We wandered into a copse where a family by the name of Hallowell was buried. Lots of fun and interesting carvings. Norwood was a thespian or at least loved the theater.

The sun was starting to go down and we still hadn't found the grave of Elizabeth Freeman.