Slave Life in Georgia - African American History

Slave Life in Georgia 3
and to promote the success of the project John Brown has formed, to advance
himself by his own exertions, and to set an example to others of his "race." If by
the little the Editor has done to render the volume interesting, he should secure
for it a fair meed of popular favour, these two objects will be certainly
accomplished, and his labour will not have been expended in vain.
27, New Broad Street,
London, January, 1855.
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CHAPTER I.
MY CHILDHOOD AND FIRST TROUBLES.
My name is John Brown. How I came to take it, I will explain in due time.
When in Slavery, I was called Fed. Why I was so named, I cannot tell. I never
knew myself by any other name, nor always by that; for it is common for slaves
to answer to any name, as it may suit the humour of the master. I do not know
how old I am, but think I may be any age between thirty-five and forty. I fancy I
must be about thirty-seven or eight; as nearly as I can guess. I was raised on
Betty Moore's estate, in Southampton County, Virginia, about three miles from
Jerusalem Court house and the little Nottoway river. My mother belonged to
Betty Moore. Her name was Nancy; but she was called Nanny. My father's
name was Joe. He was owned by a planter named Benford, who lived at
Northampton, in the same State. I believe my father and his family were bred on
Benford's plantation. His father had been stolen from Africa. He was
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of the Eboe tribe. I remember seeing him once, when he came to visit my
mother. He was very black. I never saw him but that one time, and though I was
quite small, I have a distinct recollection of him. He and my mother were
separated, in consequence of his master's going further off, and then my mother
was forced to take another husband. She had three children by my father;
myself, and a brother and sister, twins. My brother's name was Silas, and my
sister's Lucy. My mother's second husband's name was Lamb. He was the
property of a neighbouring planter and miller named Collier. By him she had
three children; two boys, Curtis and Cain, and a girl between them called IrÆne.
24.03.2006