Frederick Douglass, the Orator - Monroe County Library System

Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County · Historic Monographs Collection
2OO LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLASS.
loss and a severe trial, for she was a good mother
and a faithful wife.
Annie, the youngest child, died in Rochester
when eleven years of age. John Brown, in his
visits to Mr. Douglass' house, became attached
to her, and she grew very fond of him. It is
thought that her death was caused by the shock
which she received on hearing of his execution
at Charlestown, Virginia. Annie must have
been a lovable child, for Mr. Douglass speaks of
her as the " light and life of my house."
Frederick Douglass, Jr., the second son, was
born in New Bedford, Mass., March 3, 1842. He
with the other children was educated in the
public schools of Rochester, New York. At an
early age Frederick with his brothers Lewis and
Charles aided in piloting runaway slaves to
Canada through the underground railroad. During
the war he was employed as recruiting agent
for the state of Massachusetts and was engaged
in business of like nature in Mississippi and surrounding
states. He served as bailiff of the
courts in the District of Columbia under two
marshals.
In the year 1871 he married Miss Virginia L.
Hewlett, daughter of Mr. Hewlett of Cambridge,
Mass., whose son, E. M. Hewlett, Esq., is a successful
lawyer of Washington. Mr. Douglass
resembled his father in persona] appearance, He