Near Gaithersburg in Montgomery County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Childhood and Slavery in Maryland

Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 13, 2022

1. Childhood and Slavery in Maryland Marker

Inscription.

Childhood and Slavery in Maryland. . , What was enslavement like for a young child of African descent? Only the men and women who endured slavery and lived to share their experiences either in published autobiographies or in recorded oral histories could answer that painful question. The following narratives are the recollections of formerly enslaved people who grew up in the State of Maryland.,

"Another evil of slavery that I felt severely about this time, was the tyranny and abuse of the overseers… they seem to take pleasure in torturing the children of slaves, long before they are large enough to be put at the hoe, and consequently under the whip." , James Pennington (1849) , Eastern Shore, MD, "Pick up that book," he [Isaac Riley, his master] cried, using an awful oath. At last I was obliged to do it, when he beat me across the head and back till my eyes were swollen and I became unconscious. My poor mother found me in this state, and it was some time before I was able to be about my work again. When my master saw me after I recovered, he said, sneeringly, "So you want to be a fine gentleman? Remember if you meddle with a book again I'll knock your brains out." The wonder to me is, why I still have brains left. I shall carry to my grave a scar my master made that day on my head. I did not open a book again till after I was forty-two years of age and out of the land of slavery." , Josiah Henson (1849) , Montgomery County, MD, I slept on a home-made bed or bunk, while my mother and sister slept in a bed made by father on which they had a mattress made by themselves and filled with some straw, while dad slept on a bench beside the bed and that he used in the day as a work bench, mending shoes for the slaves and others. I have seen mother going to the fields each day like other slaves to do her part of the farming. , Richard Mack (1937) , Charles County, MD, "…the fact remains, in all its glaring odiousness, that, by the laws of slavery, children, in all cases, are reduced to the condition of their mothers. My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant--before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age.", "The children unable to work in the field had neither shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers, given to them; their clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts per year. When these failed them, they went naked until the next allowance-day. Children from seven to ten years old, of both sexes, almost naked, might be seen at all seasons of the year…" , Frederick Douglass (1845) , Talbot County, MD, "I grew up like a neglected weed - ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it… everytime I saw a white man I was afraid of being carried away." , Harriet Tubman (1896) , Dorchester County, MD

, [Caption:] , 1856 Census of Magruder Plantation , By 1856, there were at least 15 boys and girls under the age of 13 enslaved by Otho Magruder on his plantation. There also were 4 identifiable mothers: Abigail (who could also be a grandmother), Sophy, Susan, and Sally.

What was enslavement like for a young child of African descent? Only the men and women who endured slavery and lived to share their experiences either in published autobiographies or in recorded oral histories could answer that painful question. The following narratives are the recollections of formerly enslaved people who grew up in the State of Maryland.

"Another evil of slavery that I felt severely about this time, was the tyranny and abuse of the overseers… they seem to take pleasure in torturing the children of slaves, long before they are large enough to be put at the hoe, and consequently under the whip."
James Pennington (1849)
Eastern Shore, MD

"Pick up that book," he [Isaac Riley, his master] cried, using an awful oath. At last I was obliged to do it, when he beat me across the head and back till my eyes were swollen and I became unconscious. My poor mother found me in this state, and it was some time before I was able to be about my work again. When my master saw me after I recovered, he said, sneeringly, "So you want to be a fine gentleman? Remember if you meddle with a book again I'll knock your brains out." The wonder to me is, why I still have brains left. I shall carry to my grave a scar my master made that day on my head. I did not open
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a book again till after I was forty-two years of age and out of the land of slavery."
Josiah Henson (1849)
Montgomery County, MD

I slept on a home-made bed or bunk, while my mother and sister slept in a bed made by father on which they had a mattress made by themselves and filled with some straw, while dad slept on a bench beside the bed and that he used in the day as a work bench, mending shoes for the slaves and others. I have seen mother going to the fields each day like other slaves to do her part of the farming.
Richard Mack (1937)
Charles County, MD

"…the fact remains, in all its glaring odiousness, that, by the laws of slavery, children, in all cases, are reduced to the condition of their mothers. My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant--before I knew her as my mother. It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age."

"The children unable to work in the field had neither shoes, stockings, jackets, nor trousers, given to them; their clothing consisted of two coarse linen shirts per year. When these failed them, they went naked until the next allowance-day. Children from seven to ten years old, of both sexes, almost naked, might be seen at all seasons of the year…"
Frederick
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), May 13, 2022

2. Childhood and Slavery in Maryland Marker
Douglass (1845)
Talbot County, MD

"I grew up like a neglected weed - ignorant of liberty, having no experience of it… everytime I saw a white man I was afraid of being carried away."
Harriet Tubman (1896)
Dorchester County, MD

[Caption:]
1856 Census of Magruder Plantation
By 1856, there were at least 15 boys and girls under the age of 13 enslaved by Otho Magruder on his plantation. There also were 4 identifiable mothers: Abigail (who could also be a grandmother), Sophy, Susan, and Sally.

Erected by Montgomery Parks.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Agriculture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1856.

Location. 39° 9.834′ N, 77° 7.879′ W. Marker is near Gaithersburg, Maryland, in Montgomery County. Marker is on Rock Creek Park Road, half a mile north of Muncaster Mill Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 18400 Muncaster Mill Rd, Derwood MD 20855, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Carriage Shed (a few steps from this marker); Bank Barn (a few steps from this marker); Granary (within shouting distance of this marker); Maintenance Shed

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(within shouting distance of this marker); Mike Roth (within shouting distance of this marker); Corn Crib (within shouting distance of this marker); Farming and Labor in Montgomery County (within shouting distance of this marker); Water Tank House (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gaithersburg.

Additional keywords. slavery, enslaved labor, human trafficking

Credits. This page was last revised on May 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on May 14, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 205 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 14, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.