Researching Dutch American Ancestors

A Starter Pack for Dutch American Research!

I began researching my Dutch ancestry about 20 years ago. It is the line of my grandmother Eva Bradt. Her 6th great grandfather was the Norwegian  Albert Andreissen Bradt (1607-1686) who owned the mill on the Normanskil River in New Netherlands.He lived among the Dutch settlers and his children married within the Dutch community.He was a fur trapper and trader, a land owner,briefly a tobacco grower and by all accounts a tough as nails, litigious character. His brother Arent is the one who shines most brightly in historical accounts, however I find my line to be equally as intriguing.

The Memorandum Book of Anthony De Hooges has a translation online at  the New Netherlands Institute

As I began researching my Dutch ancestors it became clear that many had gone before me on this task.I have to say that I relied heavily on the meticulous work of some family historians who did the leg work of researching documents long before computer genealogy was one of the countries most popular hobbies.

 If you are researching your Dutch American ancestors, here are a few tips and links which my help you to develop your tree. Because this is such a well documented group of people, I recommend starting with Family Associations.

Here are some examples of Family Associations of my Dutch Ancestor Surnames:

Van Aken/ Van Auken  Association Website    

Bradt/ Brott/ Brat Family Association  

Fonda Family Society     

The Wynkoop Library  

The Swartwout Family Association   

Quakenbush Family Genealogy 

The Decker Family Association

Ostrander Family Association

Some Family Associations have added Facebook Pages such as these:

The Van Sickle Family Association

Depuy and Broadhead Family Association  

Once you find an association that relates to your family line, it is helpful to everyone if you make contact with them and give them the information of your branch of the tree. Some groups have reunions. historical tours and newsletters which can be a terrific source of networking. People who belong to these associations usually have a strong dedication to building and perpetuating the family  heritage and I have found them to be very helpful.

Books Online

There are numerous free book resources on the web  such as the National Archives and Google Books which can help with Dutch Genealogy Research. Primary resources are essential for accurate research, but books can bring ancestors to life via anecdotes, stories of adventures and maps or later photos of their homes and lands.Here are some examples of books that relate to Dutch research.

Baptismal and Marriage Records of The Old Dutch Church at Kingston by Roswell Randall Loes

Op Dyke  Genealogy by Charles Wilson Opdyke

A brief and true narrative of the hostile conduct of the barbarous Katives towards the Dutch nation Translated by E.B. O’Callahan

A History of The Schenectady Patent in the Dutch and English Times by Prof. J. Pearson

The Van Rensealler Family by  W.W. Spooner 

A History of the Van Sickle Family, in the United States of America  .By John Waddell Van Sickle  

A History of Deerpark In Orange New York by Peter E. Gumaer

Minisink Valley Reformed Dutch Church Records by the Genealogy Society of Sussex

A History of the Minisink Region by Charles Stickney

Photo from the book  Dutch Houses of the Hudson River Valley by [Helen Wilkinson Reynolds. Depicted are my Van Aken ancestors in the front yard of their home circa 1870 in Esopus,N.Y.

Search The Library of Congress Photo Archive and you may find a gem like this: A photo of the barn of my 8th great grandfather Johannes Decker.

Wallkill, Ulster, New York

Links

There are many free to view websites which are excellent sources for Dutch American research.
Hear Dutch Here

The Hudson River Valley Institute

The Genealogy Society of New Jersey

Rensselear County Website

Search able New Jersey State Archives

Schenectady Digital History Archive

The New Netherlands Institute

The Town Of Neversink

The Holland Society of New York

New York Public Library

The 1609 Exhibition features the "Distinctly Dutch" influence on culture, food, furnishings and more. See the online exhibit Here

Hudson River Historic View Flyover

I hope that this little starter pack of Dutch American genealogy inspires you to find out more about your heritage.



Thank you for stopping by! The Glamorous Genealogist!

A List of Ships & Passengers of William Penns' Fleet

A number of my ancestors were Quakers from Lancashire  and Yorkshire England. They came over to America with William Penn. Following is a list of Penn's Ships and the passengers who traveled on these vessels.

William Penn

Please be advised that this list could contain errors or may not be complete. 

The Freeman August, 1682, George Southern, master, one of Penn's fleet Thomas Brassey William Morton

Friends' Adventure September 1682, Thomas Wall, master, one of Penn's fleet 

Thomas Barrett ,William Beasy ,John Brearly ,Luke Brindley. Samuel Buckley, Thomas Buckley, John Brock, John Clows, Joseph Clows ,Sarah Clows ,Ralph Cowgill, Andrew Heath, Eliza Heaton ,John Heycock, Job Houle, Thomas Leister, Henry Lingart, Daniel Milnor, Joseph Milnor, James Morris, Ralph Nuttall, George and Eleanor Pownall and children: Reuben, Elizabeth, Sarah, Rachel and Abigail, Martha Worrall, William, and Jane Yardley and children: Enoch, Thomas and William Shadrach Walley, William and Elizabeth Barrett Venables and children: Joyce and Frances

The Hester and Hannah August, 1682, William East, master, 

one of Penn's fleet. William Guest

The Jeffries (or Jeffrey) 1st month, 20, 1686, Thomas Arnold, master 

Johannes Cassel and children: Arnold, Peter, Elizabeth, Mary, and Sarah. Joseph Ransted ,Sarah Shoemaker (widow) and children: George, Abraham, Barbary, Isaac, Susanna, Elizabeth and Benjamin

The Lamb October 22, 1682, John Tench, master, one of Penn's fleet Ellen Cowgill and children John, Ralph, Edmund, Jane and Jennet Thomas Croasdale, wife Agnes and children: William, John , Elizabeth, Mary, Bridget and Alice James Dilworth, wife Ann Waln, son Stephen Cuthbert and Mary Rudd Hayhurst and Children: Elizabeth, William, Margery, John, Cuthbert and Alice Charles Lee ,Stephen Sands, Robert and Alice Heaton and children: Grace, Robert, James, Agnes and Ephraim Thomas and Margery Stackhouse and nephews: John and Thomas Nicholas and Jane Turner Waln and children: Jane, Richard and Margaret Thomas and Alice Hayhurst Wigglesworth

The Lion August 13, 1682, John Compton, master

 Dr. Edward and Mary Wynne Jones and children Martha and Jonathan William ap Edward and 2nd wife Jane and daughters Katherine and Elizabeth (Williams) Edward ap Rees and wife Mably and children Rees and Catherine (Price)

The Liver (or Levee) of Liverpool July 1683, James Kilner, master, 

Thomas Brinket, Philip Englandm George Greenm Edward Jonesm Nicholas Newlin and sons John and Nathaniel ...wife Mary

The Morning Star November 1683, from Liverpool, Thomas Hayes, master,

 from Liverpool Henry Atherly, David Davies  Robert Davies  , wife and children George Edge , wife, Joan "of Barrow" Humphrey Edwards, servant to John ap Edwards, John ap Edwards and minor children Elizabeth, Sarah, Edward and Evan Mary Hughes, servant to John ap Edwards, William ap John (Jones), wife Ann Reynold and children John. Alice, Katherine and Gwen Gabriel Jones, servant to John ap Edwards, John Loftus,,William and Elizabeth Morgan, Thomas Oldham, Thomas Pritchard, Gainor Roberts,, sister of Hugh Roberts, married fellow passenger John Roberts,, Hugh Roberts, wife Jane and children Robert, Ellin, Owen, Edward and William ,John Roberts, Richard ap Thomas and son Richard, Jr.

The Providence 7th month, 29, 1682, Robert Hopper, master

 William Carter, John Lash

 Name ? 10th month, 1683, Robert Hopper, master 

Joshua and Isabel Hoopes and children: Dan, Margaret and Christian John and Christian Palmer

The Rebecca 8th month, 31, 1685, James Skinner, master

 Thomas Bates Richard and Margaret Cureton and children: William and Jane Edmund and Isabel Cutler and children: Elizabeth, Thomas and William, John Cutler, Ann Dugdale , Robert Hewit ,James Heyworth, James Holgate, Mathew Holdgate, and daughter Mary John Jennings,John and Ann Lathum and children: John, Aron, Moses and Ann, Richard Mather, James Molenex, James Myriall, Cornelius Netherwood, James, Mary, Richard, Edward, Rebecca and Rachell Ratcliffe, Hester Rothwell, James Rothwell ,James Scoles, John Scoles, William Wardle, Elizabeth Wingreene.

The Samuel September 18, 1682, John Adey, master, 

one of Penn's fleet Edward and Mercy Jefferson, Henry Paxson and wife and children: John, Henry and Elizabeth Thomas Paxson, Robert Young

The Amity August 8, 1682, arrived at Upland, Richard Dymond, master 

John Beckingham, servant to Joseph Richards,, William Beckingham, servant to Joseph Richards, Thomas Bowman, John Claypoole, John Fletcher, Daniel Hall, servant to Henry Waddy,Thomas Holme, Edmund McVeagh, John and Elizabeth (Sellat) Martin, of Edgcott, Buckinghamshire, James and Jane Paxson, and children Sarah and William, William and Mary Paxson and daughter Mary. Joseph and Jane Richards, Of Newgate in Witney, Oxfordshire, settled in Chichester. Henry Stacey, Thomas Seary (Cerey), Henry Waddy .

The Amity ,5th month, 15, 1686 at Philadelphia, Richard Dymond, master

David and Sarah Lloyd, Christopher and Barbara Sibthorp, and daughter Barbary William Pike.

The Lyon August 13, 1682, John Compton, master

 Dr. Edward and Mary Wynne Jones and children Martha and Jonathan (William ap Edward and 2nd wife Jane and daughters Katherine and Elizabeth (Williams) Edward ap Rees and wife Mably and children Rees and Catherine (Price).

The Samuel and Mary November 1683, Thomas Skeves, master 

Samuel Beakes, mother Mary, brothers William and Stephen, Henry Comly, wife Joan and son Henry, Jr. Joseph Kirle, Thomas Masters, James West ,Robert Young

The Society August, 1682, Thomas Jordan, master, of Bristol

 Joseph English, Giles and Mary (English) Knight and son Joseph. Ann Knigh,t Thomas and Joanna Paschall and children Thomas, William and Mary.

The Submission November 2, 1682, James Settle, master, one of Penn's fleet.

 Randall and Allis Blackshaw and family: Phebe, Sarah, Abraham, Jacob, Mary, Nehemiah and Martha Robert Bond Roger and Eleanor Bradbury and family: Jacob, Martha, Jospeh, Sarah and Roger Elizbaeth Breadbury James and Jane Clayton and children: James, John, Joshua, Sarah, Mary and Lydia Jane and Margery Maude Allis Dickenson James and Ann Harrison, Agness Harrison Ellis and Jane Jones and family: Barbary, Dorothy, Mary and Isaac Jane Lyon Joseph Mather Marjory Mede, Jane Mede Phineas and Phebe Pemberton and children: Abigail and Joseph Ralph Pemberton Richard Radcliffe Joseph Steward Lydia Wharmby
The Thomas and Anne October, 1681, at New Jersey, Thomas Singleton, master, Voyage 1 William Biddle Francis Collins Thomas Crundall (Crandall) Edward Ellis John Essington

The Unicorne 10th month, 1682, Thomas Cooper, master 

William Cloude and sons William, Jr, Jeremiah and Robert Anthony Elton, wife Susanna, children: Mary, Geroge, Anthony Jr., and Thomas

The Vine 7th month, 17, 1684, William Preeson, master

 Thomas Armes, Henry and Margaret Baker and children: Rachell, Rebecca, Phebe, Hester, Nathan and Samuel. John Bal,l Rebecca Barrow, Mary Becke,t Deborah Boothe, Thomas Canby, John Cowp, David Davis, Alexander and Margaret Edwards and children: Margaret, Martha, Alexander and Thomas, Edward Edwards, Lowry Edwards, Jane Evans (widow) and children: Sarah, Mary, Alice, Eliza and Joseph. Joseph Ferror, Thomas Fisher, Susan Griffith, Elinor Hall, Martha Hall, Mary Hall, Rebecca Hall, Thomas Harrison, Daniel Harris, (Harry) Hugh Harris (Harry,) William and Eliza Hatton, Charles Hues, Joseph Hurst, Anne Jones and daughter Anne Rees, and Hannah Jones and children Richard, Evan and Lowry, Joshua Lort ,Robert Lort ,Ann Owen, Griffith and Sarah Owen and children: Robert, Sarah and Elinor .Katherine Owen ,Robert and Jeane Owen and son Lewis. Lawrence Parker Rees and Ann Prees and children: Mary, Sarah, Phebe, Richard and John. John and Susan Richards and children: Hannah and Bridget. Henry Siddell. John Siddell, Elizabeth Stedman and children: Sarah, and Joseph. John Stedman, Katherine Tidey ,and daughter Mary Richard and Margaret Turner and daughter Rebecca. James Yates Jeanne, Bridget and Elizabeth Watt.

The Friendship August 14, 1682, Robert Crossman, master, one of Penn's fleet

 James Kennerly, Thomas and Margaret Minshall. John and Jane Sharpless and children: Phebe, John, Thomas (died on voyage), James, Caleb, Jane and Joseph. John Simcock and sons John and Jacob. William and Margaretta Taylor and children Joseph, Elizabeth and Mary. Peter Taylor, Randle Vernon, Robert Vernon, Thomas Vernon

 Name ? 8th month, 14, 1683, John Crumpton, master 

Benjamin Acton, Lemuel Bradshaw, Alice Cales, Benjamin Clift, Margaret Colvert (Calvert), William Conduit, Richard Curtis ,Edmund Doyle, Joseph and Elizabeth Fisher and children: Martha, Mary and Moses, Henry Furnace, Joseph Furnace ,Rachel Furnace ,Rowland Hambridge, Valentine Hollingsworth and son Henry, Elizabeth Johnson, Robert Kilcarth, Edward Lancaster, Robert Lloyd, Peter Long, William Long, Phillip Packer, John Reeves, William Robertson, Robert Selford ,Thomas Tearewood ,Mary Toole,

 Name ? November, 1683, Robert Crossman, master, from Liverpool George and Isabella Gleave, servants to Hough, and their son George Jonathan Hayes, wife Ann Williamson, and children Jonathan, Mary and Elizabeth John Hough, wife Hannah and son John Henry Maddock, Thomas Pemberton

 Name ?  8th month 31, 1683, Thomas Cooper, master 

George and Ellinor Painter and children: Susan and George Jannet Umphries

 Name ? 10th month, 16, 1685, Thomas Cooper, master 

Daniel Flower, Mary Bradwell, Sarah Bradwell, Joshua Chart, Samuel Chart, Jane Chart, Jane Chart, Jr. Philip Doling, Thomas Hopes, John Hopes, John Ironmonger, Henry Laking, Susanna Laking, Moses Laking ,Thomas Martin, Margery Martin, Mary Martin, Sarah Martin, Hannah Martin, Rachel Martin , Moses Mendenhall ,Thomas Mixon, Thomas Mixon, Jr. Anne Morgan, Joseph Morgan, Benjamin Morgan, Elizabeth Philpot, John Roberts, Hannah Smith, Mary Townsend, Thomas Tushin, Godden Walter, Faith Wotten.

Links for further research:
Philadelphia Neighborhood

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

William Penn

The William Penn Papers

The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania

 Thank You for Stopping By! The Glamorous Genealogist

Thomas Bond of Lancashire England : Quakers To America

Above : Lancaster Castle where numerous Quakers were imprisoned, including my 9th great grandfather Thomas Bond.

If you are researching Quaker ancestors, you are in luck. Generally speaking, this is an easier genealogical task than most because the Quakers kept excellent records of births , marriages/banns, deaths and misbehavior. Following is a brief history of some of my ancestors who were followers of the Quaker faith A  list of  free links are included so that you can research your Quaker ancestors as well.

Thomas Bond: The Bond Family and Quaker Origins

Thomas Bond , my 9th great grandfather ,was born in Woodacre, Lancashire, England in 1630. A wealthy iron monger**, he published some of the first Quaker writings in 1655. In 1673 he was imprisoned in Lancaster Castle . He had refused to take an oath in court when he was on trial for failure to pay tithes. Swearing an oath was contrary to Quaker teachings.As was the fate of many Quakers he was imprisoned, on this occasion  for 9 weeks. The wealthy fared better in prison than those with no means. Shackles of the legs and arms would be removed if money passed hands to the guards. A better room might be acquired for financial consideration.The incarceration would have been a hardship on anyone and meals would have seemed particularly spartan to Thomas Bond who would normally have had a sturdy diet of oatmeal, beef, bacon, mutton, potatoes and butter. Perhaps Thomas Bonds' incarceration was less grueling than the prison time of the less well healed Quaker leader George Fox .  George Fox mentions the trials of Thomas Bond in The Journal of George Fox: Being an Historical Account of the Life, Travels .

Thomas Bond

George Fox was summoned to the Lancaster Assizes on a number of occasions, the most famous of which was in September 1664 when he refused to take the oath and was remanded in custody until the next Assizes. He described his incarceration at Lancaster Castle prison:"Then I was put into a tower, where the smoke of the other rooms came up so thick, that it stood as dew upon the walls, and sometimes it was so thick that I could hardly see the candle when it burned; and I being locked under three locks, the under-jailer, when the smoke was great, would hardly be persuaded to come up to unlock one of the upper doors, for fear of the smoke, so that I was almost smothered. Besides, it rained in upon my bed; and many times, when I went to stop out the rain in the cold winter season, my shift would be as wet as muck with the rain that came in upon me. And the place being high and open to the wind, sometimes as fast as I stop it, the wind, being high and fierce, would blow it out again. In this manner did I lie all that long cold winter, till the next Assize; in which time I was so starved with cold and rain, that my body was greatly swelled, and my limbs much numbed. "

Two Images of  the Quaker Leader George Fox. The image on the right is in the possession of Swarthmore College, painted by Sir Peter Lely.

Thomas Bond lived another ten years after his release from Lancaster Castles prison. Today this same Castle holds the distinction of being the oldest working courtroom in England and the court which has passed the most death sentences. The room where the Quakers and the Lancashire witches were out on trial is now a jurors waiting room.
Thomas Bond may have had intentions to move to America. Two years before his death he acquired 1000 acres in the County of Bucks. Some of his children including his daughter Jane Bond accompanied other Quakers to Bucks Co, Pa. where she married John Scott. After John Scotts' death, John Whittacre Sr., who had also come to America with the Quakers from Lancashire England, announced at the Falls Monthly Meeting of 6 January 1702.,his intention to marry the widow Jane Bond Scott . The union was approved.

Burial Record of Thomas Bond from the Database "England and Wales, Quaker Birth Marriage and Death Record"s on Ancestry.com

Some of my ancestors arrived aboard "The Lamb" a ship in William Penns' fleet.

My descent from this line is as follows:
John Whitacre Sr (1678 – 1742) to Jane Bond (1664 – 1742)
John Whitacre Jr (1704 – 1775) to Naomi Hulme (1713 – 1797)
George Whitacre (1743 – 1785) to Ruth Wilson (1748 – 1806)
Joshua Whitacre (1768 – 1814) to Rachel Wilson (1768 – 1814)
Nancy Whitacre  (1793 – 1866) to Joseph Strickling (1790 – 1874)
Robison Strickling (1822 – 1902) to Louisa E. Baker (1825 – 1898)
Alexander Strickling (1857 – 1923) to Emma Jane Bigley (1856 – 1898)
John William Strickling (1879 – 1945) to Florence Ann Watson (1880 – 1944)
Vera Mae Strickling  (1901 – 1929)  to Harley E. Bowles (1902 – 1974)
Robert Heston Bowles
private


This line of my family is imarried in several places with the Hayhurst line. Cuthbert Hayhurst of Slaidburn, Yorkshire England. ThIS well known Quaker is my 1st cousin, 11 generations past. His grandmother Elizabeth Hayhurst was married to John Bond. John Bond is my 11th ggrandfather . In The History of the Society of Friends in America
 By James Bowden, Cuthbert Hayhurst is described as "one of the earliest of those who professed our principals" and that 'He came forth as a minister of the Gospel. As early as 1654 he suffered imprisonment for preaching the truths of the gospel". In 1682 he arrived in America with William Penn and his assistance and ministry to the new settlers was invaluable.

Timeline of Quaker Activity in Lancaster

1652 + John Lawson, Lancaster's first Quaker, is converted by George Fox. [His tombstone can be seen in the porch of the Meeting House on Meeting House Lane. 1652 or 3 P Quaker George Fox from Ulverston is summoned to the Court of Sessions in Lancaster on a blasphemy charge which is thrown out for lack of evidence. Dr. William Marshall, Vicar of Lancaster, and two priest's sons were witnesses against him.
1653  [approximately] Quaker George Fox is thrown out of Lancaster Priory and people throw stones at him along the street. He takes refuge in a shop..
1658  Oliver Cromwell dies.
1677  The Society of Friends (Quakers) build a Meeting House on the southern slopes of Castle Hill. [It is rebuilt in 1708.]
1681  Seth Bushell appointed Vicar. He was noted by Quaker William Stout, as a 'person of a moderate disposition' who 'much discouraged persecution for religion . . . and very courteous to Dissenters of all denominations'. . [See Note 3]
1682  Seth Bushell, Vicar of Lancaster. . [See Note 3] 
1702  Anne, sister of Queen Mary and second daughter of King James II is made Queen of Great Britain and Ireland. She remains a Protestant. [She is the last British sovereign of the house of Stuart.
1708  The Society of Friends (Quakers) rebuild their Meeting House on the southern slopes of Castle Hill. [On Meeting House Lane. The tombstone of John Lawson, Lancaster's first Quaker, can be seen in the porch.

** The earliest records suggest that the Ironmongers, then known as Ferroners, were an effective body in 1300, when they took action against the smiths of the Wealds of Kent and Sussex over the quality of iron supplied for the wheels of carts in the City of London. By 1328 they were regarded as a firmly established brotherhood, joining in the elections of the City officials and choosing four of their members to treat with the Mayor and Sheriffs.The Ironmongers' received a grant of arms in 1455, describing them as the "Honourable Crafte and Fellasship of Fraunchised Men of Iromongers", and a charter of incorporation from Edward IV in 1463, which was reconfirmed in 1558, 1560, 1604 and 1687 by various monarchs.

Quaker Sources  and Resources Online

Quaker History And Genealogy

Lancaster Castle

List of Early Quaker Monthly Meetings

The Quaker Corner

Lancaster Burials

Whitaker Family History

Allen County Public Library Genealogy Online

Quaker Meeting Houses

I am fascinated by a current research project which has commenced at Lancaster University spearheaded by Dr Hilary Hinds, Professor Alison Findlay,and Professor Emeritus Meg Twycross, who are  tracing the impact of George Fox on the environment from 1652-1653. Transcriptions and images of George Fox's journals, courtesy of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain are available to view. Below is a sample: View the project Here.

Thank you for stopping by. See you soon! The Glamorous Genealogist

Updated from and article I published in 2007

 Randi Bowles-Meentzen aka The Glamorous Genealogist

In Honor of Harriet Tubman: A Hero For All Generations

Harriet Tubman has been a hero of mine since childhood.
 As a student,I did several book reports on her life and achievements.
I wanted to refresh my memory about her and so I decided to approach the research 
in the same way I would if I wanted to learn more about my own relatives.

 I went to Ancestry.com and input her given name of Arminita Ross and 

her aka Harriet Tubman, and received zero search results. Next I looked for her in the 

public member tree section and found only a handful of rather barren trees. From 

those trees and several other sources online, I discovered that her father was Ben 

Ross and her mother was Harriet Greene and that they hailed from , 

Maryland. I learned that she was married twice, first to John Tubman and later to  

Nelson Davis, a Civil War soldier from Company G,8th U.S Colored Infantry.

Arminita Harriet Ross and First Husband John Tubman.

I then went to Genealogy Bank and did an newspaper and historical document search. 

This was a treasure trove of information and I learned many things about her that was 

"new to me".Although well known as the engineer of the Underground Railroad and Civil 

War spy, she was also a nurse in the Civil War and paraphrasing statements by 

officers who vouched for her in pension applications, did so at great risk as she 

personally saved mens' lives. In 1888, her spouse Nelson Charles Davis died and in 

1890, Harriet applied for a pension as his widow. She received the standard $8 per 

month. She applied for and received her nurses pension of $12 per month. In 1899, a 

petition was submitted in her behalf to make an exception and raise her monthly 

pension to a total of $25 per month. This was an unprecedented request. Illustrious 

individuals wrote letters of commendation including William Seward, General Rufus 

Saxton and Colonel James Montgomery. These letters described her as having worked for 

Govenor Andrew who sent her to the front where she worked as "nurse, cook and 

spy".She nursed men as the musket balls flew past. It is stated that she worked for 

Major General Hunter,General Stephens, and General Sherman.

In the newspaper section, I found fascinating articles about her work in helping to 

free slaves after she escaped her own slave master in 1849.She was said to be pure 

African and from the Ashantee tribe and was described by many as having a great 

physical strength and stamina.It was said that in rescuing slaves that she had gone 

hand to hand with some slave masters and was the victor. I read current articles 

which credit her with helping to free 70-80 slaves however that does not match up 

with the articles of that time which credit her with assisting as few as 300 or as 

many as 1000 slaves via the underground Railway. Rewards were offered for her capture 

"Dead or Alive" and the combined $40,000. bounty reward might lead one to believe in 

the higher number of escaped slaves.She was also an active committee member of The 

Canadian Fugitive Aid Society of St. Catherines' which offered assistance to sick or 

indigent slaves who had fled to Canada.

Amongst all of the adventures, intrigue and travels, there seems to have been a space 

of time when she lived a somewhat average life living on a farm and engaged in brick 

making with her husband Nelson and her parents whom she had bought from 

slavery.Although her life was more normal than it had been when she traversed swamps 

and rugged terrain helping slaves escape, she was now known around the world.Even 

Queen Victoria had read her book and sent her a commemorative medal.

After her husbands death in 1888, her philanthropy continued and she turned her own 

small home in Auburn N.Y,into the Harriet Tubman Home for Aged Negroes, where she 

ended her days at the age of 98 in 1913. She was said to be quick witted and with a 

healthy appetite even to her end days. She died a free woman and a land owner having 

purchased the house with the proceeds of a biography written about her by Mrs. Sarah H.

Bradford called Scenes From The Life of Harriet Tubman.

I am glad that the internet allows so many avenues for research and am amazed at the 

details I collected in one hours time. Having said that, my admiration for Harriet 

Tubman is again inflated beyond all measure.I see a picture of a woman who truly 

rolled up her sleeves and personally put herself in harms way for the sake of others on many occasions. 

Harriet Tubman far left with adopted Daughter Gerttie and husband Nelson Davis. The elderly people of the right are assumed to be her parents whom she bought out of slavery.
Photo from the Library of Congress

Here are some links if you would like to do further research on Black Soldiers in The Civil War.

Links:

Family Search United States Colored Troops in The Civil War

The Fight for Equal Rights: Black Soldiers in the Civil War

PBS African Soldiers in The Civil War

The Importance of African-American Soldiers in Civil War History

Sources:

Harriet Tubman. An Hour With Harriet Tubman

 Saturday, September 30, 1911 The Indianapolis Freeman  

Harriet Tubman Timeline 

http://www.math.buffalo.edu/~sww/0history/hwny-tubman.html

https://familysearch.org/african-american-genealogy

http://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/

http://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/bradford/menu.html

Thanks for stopping by!