Part 3

She was born a slave, and continued a slave till she was about thirty-two years of age, and I about twenty-eight years old; and having paid for myself, and got a little money beforehand, I was provoked to purpose buying of her. Before this, she and her master had fallen out, and he purposed to send her, and our first daughter, about three months old, away to the back countries; and how to do I did not know: to go with her I knew not where, or buy her at his price, brought me to a stand: and while I was perplexed, there came a messenger to me, who said her master had carried the negro buyer with him from court, in order to sell her to him; but when they were about to count out the money, his daughter broke out and cried in such a distressing manner, for my little daughter, that it caused him to recant at that time; but he made two more attempts, but was misput most providentially. At the same time, her master and I were both on one class-paper, which made it very trying to me, to keep up true love and unity between him and me, in the sight of God: this was a cause of wrestling in my mind; but that scripture abode with me, “He that loveth father or mother, wife or children, more than me, is not worthy of me;” then I saw it became me to hate the sin with all my heart, but still the sinner love: but I should have fainted, if I had not looked to Jesus, the author of my faith: but I would remark, that at the very moment I was about to give up, the Lord appeared for my help, to my great surprise. It pleased almighty goodness, to give my wife’s mistress that power which cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon; and she spoke with such concern of mind and said, “Oh do let Solomon have her; I have been afraid to speak, but I want him to have her, he appears to want to have her;” and these words, with a few more I omit, were attended with such force to her master’s mind, that he gave up with a whining tone, and said “He may have her;” so I hired her, and took her away the same day. After the year was out I went to pay him his money for her hire, and it being on a meeting day, some friends there who saw me pay the money, said to me, “you had better buy your wife at once;” her master answered, “I want him to buy her:” then they insisted on knowing his price; he said, “a hundred dollars, and give in all the hire;” which was fifty dollars less than ever he had mentioned before: I then said I would undertake it: then they insisted we should have it in writing, and we had it so. Thus I entered purchase of my wife, one hundred and three dollars and a third, which is thirty one pounds Virginia money. When the articles were drawn, I desired the writer to put down what was paid, and what was due; and then went on working and paying, until I had paid all but forty dollars and four-pence.

But here I will mention a remarkable circumstance: I grew uneasy about my wife and me living together without being married; and while I was studying how to bring it about, a tradition arose in the methodist church, to turn out all free members, that lived together as man and wife without being married: at the same time, preaching being held at her master’s house, the day came round for meeting; after public meeting, the class was called, when to my great surprise, the preacher asked me if I was free? I answered “yes:” he asked “if I had a wife?” I said “yes:” he asked, “are you married?” I answered “no:” he asked “if my wife was free?” I said “no, not properly so:” he asked “who had any claim on her?” the class leader said “Brother Melson:” the preacher asked me “if I was willing to be married?” I answered “yes,” and added, “I had been concerned about it, but did not know how to bring it to pass:” the preacher said, “it is easy driving when we are willing;” and then, before the society, added his reason as above, and said, “I suppose Brother Melson will have no objection.” Melson, her master, answered, “they may be married, and welcome, for what I care:” then said the preacher, “you can just give him an instrument to the clerk of the court, and he can get a licence and be married, and finish your business afterwards:” he then wrote to the same effect, and I went and got a licence, and we were married according to law.

Now the reader may take notice, that when we bargained, her master agreed to free her upon my paying him his money, or give me a bill of sale to empower me to free her; but after I had paid him about sixty-three dollars, he then took pet, and said “he would take her away, without I paid him all,” which was forty dollars and four-pence due: now he had given me receipts for all the money I had paid him, but no bill of sale or freedom. By this time my wife had one child after we bargained: he said he “would have the negroes or money;” but we being married, according to law, it made her mine; and the Judge of the court told me, “that her master could not get her, nor any more money:” but I felt easiest to do according to bargain, if he would fulfil according to agreement: but it was with great difficulty I got him to fix the business; when done, then I paid him, and then she was manumitted free, and I desired rest.

But I had one child in bondage, my only son, my first-born son; and having worked through the purchase of myself and wife, I thought I would give up my son, to the ordering of divine providence. So we worked on and got to farming, and were favoured, so that we did not fall through in twelve or thirteen years, renting land, and paying up, and keeping clear of the world.

Now the reader may take notice, that as I was going on thus, my son’s master died; and his property had to be sold, and my son had to be sold, as the other property, at public sale: the back-woods-men being come over, and giving such large prices for slaves, it occasioned a great concern to come over my mind; and I began to tell my concern to some friends, white and coloured, rich and poor; and they all with one accord persuaded me to buy him, that is, my son: I answered I could have no heart, because he was appraised at the death of his master at four hundred dollars; it being the latter end of the war in America, 1813, and the times dark and dull, I was much afraid to attempt to buy him: but I told my friends what was like to befal me, that when my son was nine months old, then I was sent away from him, as I told the reader in the beginning of my journal, and then I went through a fit of distress, and now he is like to be sent away from me, and then I shall have to go through another fit, and it will seem like double trouble: but my friends and neighbours continued pressing it on me, to meet the day of sale, and buy him; and finally I concluded to do it, and met the day of sale.

Then the crier made a noise in the court yard, before the court house door, and said, “a likely young negro fellow for sale,” and then asked for a bid; the second time he asked for a bid, I bid two hundred dollars, which was half what he was appraised to, at the death of his master. As soon as ever I had bid two hundred dollars, the man, I feared would buy and sell him to the back-country men, bid three hundred and thirty three dollars and a third, which was thirty-three dollars and a third more than I had intended to bid, which beat down all my courage. But a thought struck me, don’t give out so, so don’t; so I bid a shilling: then the same man bid twenty dollars, which was three hundred and fifty-four dollars: at that I sighed, and thought I must give him up, and let him go; but a thought came into my mind, to bid one time more, and not bid any more, if he went to the West Indies: so I bid a cent; but the crier said, no Solomon, not a cent, a shilling: well says I, let it go. As soon as my bid was confirmed, the same man went on, and I gave up then. My son had chosen a master, a justice of peace in town, said to be a good master, who had promised me before the sale began, that if he saw me give up, he would try and buy him; so he began and moved him up to three hundred and fifty-seven dollars, then he gave up. Then three great men, who had agreed to be my securities, were standing by; one of them was a methodist preacher, very rich; he looked at me as if he pitied me, and when he saw my son was likely to go off the wrong way, he says, “three shillings;” and when he spoke I cried, and turned off, and went and leaned against the court house, under a weight of concern; and as I was considering, that word came into my mind, “this is their hour and the power of darkness,” so I gave him up then. Now it did appear, the very moment I gave him up, and hope left me, then help came; for it pleased the Most High, who pitieth every sorrowful soul, in the riches of his mercy, to look on two young men that were acquainted with me, and to touch their hearts with such a sense of sympathy and pity towards my case, that they could not endure; and the dear young neighbour man, a great man’s son, says to my young master, who were both standing in the ring looking on, he says, “I had rather give twenty dollars out of my own pocket, than Solomon should not get him; but if Solomon will bid once more, I will give him four dollars:” my young master answered, “if you will give him five dollars, I will give him five dollars,” and says, “let us go and tell him;” so they both came to me, as I was leaning against the court house wall, and said in a moving tone, “Solomon, if you will bid one more bid, we will give you five dollars a piece;” I turned round and says, “a shilling,” which was a shilling upon three hundred and sixty dollars. Then a great man said, “there, let the old man have him, he is his son, he wants him, he can get security;” they kept at that till the switch went down; so he was knocked off to me at three hundred and sixty dollars and a shilling. Then the tender-hearted young man, that first proposed to my young master, went into the store, and brought five round silver dollars, and gave to me in the office, where I went to sign the bond; then three of my securities agreed upon the spot, to make me up twenty dollars at the day of payment.

By this time I got raised up from my sadness, and went out after I had signed the bond, so much revived and clothed with such a spirit of faith and courage, believing a way would be opened for me to get through, though I could not tell how; but as I came out of the office, I met the executor and administrator who said to me, “well, Solomon, you have got Spence after all;” I said, “yes, master George, but I gave up, and if it had not been for those men who pitied me, and who did as they did, I never should have got him, and now what will you give me?” He put his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a round silver dollar and gave me, which caused me to rejoice more for that one dollar, than for the twenty dollars promised me just before in the office: and now I will give the reader my reason why I rejoiced more for the one than for the twenty dollars; because two days before the sale, he, the executor and administrator, offered a challenge to me and to them I trusted in, touching the sale of my son; now as he was the first that put me in heart to try to buy my son, I thought it right, two days before the sale, to go to him and hear what he had to say to me; and when I got there, he says, “well Solomon, where are you going?” I said, “I am come down to meet the day of sale;” he said, “well, what are you going to do?” I answered, I want to buy my son if I can; he says, “you do?” and added, “you will have a hard time of it;” I answered, “I have been thinking so;” he says, “Solomon, there are four men who say they will give four hundred dollars for your son;” then says I “they will get him;” he says, “Solomon what are you willing to give?” I answered, “not more than two hundred and fifty dollars;” he says, “you will not get him for that, but I suppose you are so much in favour with the people, nobody will bid against you; but if nobody will bid against you, I will; you need not think you are going to get him for nothing,” and he seemed angry; then I was very sad at that saying, and says, “master George, you was the very first man that put me in heart, and now you seem to put me out of heart;” then he, in an angry gust of manner, said, “well Solomon, try your faith, and added, you remember the birds, and how you exercised faith, and was delivered; now try your faith;” as though he felt as if he could defy the armies of the living God: but when he gave me the dollar, then I thought of the challenge “now try your faith.” I then believed, that God could work and none could hinder him: although it appeared this man had done what he could, to bring me into that difficulty, yet, when through the goodness of the Highest I was encouraged, as above described, and being brought down as it were to nothing before the Lord, I was enabled to ask him in such a way that his hand and heart appeared to be opened, so that he gave me that dollar, for which I rejoiced more than for the twenty dollars promised me just before, as above stated: then was I enabled to sing aloud the praises of our king in spirit and in truth, who ever sits above, till all his foes submit and bow to his command, and fall beneath his feet: I confess the eyes of my mind appeared to be dazzled, as I was let into a sight of the great goodness of the Highest in undertaking for me: but Oh! reader, I felt a fear, lest my behaviour should not be suitable to the kindness and favour shewed towards me.

Now there was an impression on my mind, that the Father of Mercy would do greater things for me, for his own honour and praise, and my everlasting advantage, if my behaviour was right before him: it was impressed on my mind, that he was unchangeable in his purposes and designs, which are to set the captive souls at liberty, if they will follow him in the path of obedience; and no degrees of grace will destroy man’s capability of choosing, whether he will do right or wrong; doing right gives a secret satisfaction to the mind; but doing wrong is followed by a secret uneasiness, because God will be a swift witness against the wrong, and will justify what is right in man’s words and deeds, when done with right views. Oh! that all men would study the end of their creation, and act accordingly; then they would walk in the light of his countenance indeed, and “in his name they would rejoice all the day, and in his righteousness for ever be exalted;”

“Then should their sun in smiles decline, “And bring a peaceful night;”

which, may all who read these lines, desire, seek, and obtain, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, and Amen.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO R. H.;

_dated, Cambden, 1st of 2nd month, 1824_.

“ESTEEMED FRIEND,

“I received thy[1] book and pens, with a letter unsealed, yesterday, dated 1st month, 17th, 1824, requesting some account of my deceased mother and daughters. Dear Robert, thy letter discovered a sign of generosity, or concern, for the good of all people; and this concern enables thee to be condescending to men of low estate; wherefore I pray, that the condescending grace of God, that has begun with thee, may continue with thee, all the days of thy life; and that through the all-sufficient merits of Christ, both thee and thy family, all may be brought to Sion’s hill; and that you may be enabled to join the blessed company, to sing redeeming love, for ever and ever, Amen.

“If thou go home to England, then I shall see thee no more; but I trust to see you in the land of rest, where partings are no more, * * * * * the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, be with your spirits. Amen.

“SOLOMON BAYLEY.”

I now proceed to give some brief account of the nativity, life, and death, of my mother. She was born of a Guinea Woman, who was brought from Guinea about the year 1690, as near as I can guess; and said to be about eleven years old when brought to America. But oh! how different is the situation of things, towards the coloured people since that day; the Lord certainly is at work in the rising generations, to have more pity and compassion than in ages past. My Grandmother was bought into one of the most barbarous families of that day; and although treated hard, was said to have fifteen sons and daughters: she lived to a great age, until she appeared weary of life.

My mother had thirteen sons and daughters; she served the same cruel family, until they died. Then great distress and dispersion took place: our young mistress married, and brought our family, out of the state of Virginia, into the state of Delaware. After some years, her husband removed back into Virginia: after that law took place against moving slaves, which entitled all of us to freedom; we made a move to recover it by that law, but we soon were all sold and scattered very wide apart, some to the east, and some west, north, and south. My father and mother they pretended to set free, to stop a trial in court, and after they had been free about eleven months, they came upon them unawares; my father Abner, sister Margaret, and brother Abner, were taken in the night, and carried to Long Island, one of the West India Islands, and sold to Abner Stephen; he has sent two letters here, or we never should have known what had become of them.

On the same night as above cited, my mother being in the house, they meant to take her; but she made an excuse to go out at the door, and ran and left her sucking child, and her two other children, and her husband my father: now it being winter time, the child cried; they therefore left it and carried away my father and the other two children. Then some friend took the child and carried it to mother; then mother took her son about eleven months old, and travelled near a hundred miles from the State of Virginia to Dover in Kent County, State of Delaware; and from thence to New Jersey.

In this time she testified she experienced great affliction both of body and mind; but at length, like Hagar, she was enabled to see Him who had seen her in all her affliction, and not only to see him in the works of creation, but also in the works of his providence; and her mind was enlightened to see into the nature and largeness of her sins. She also testified, that the view of eternity and of eternal consequences, so distressed her mind, that it swallowed up her present distress, and so she was induced to give up the lesser, and attend to the greater; namely, to find peace and rest in the life to come: she was enabled to go on in search after truth, until she experienced peace of mind, and evidence of pardon for all her sins, which was her greatest concern till death.

Now the number of years that we were parted, mother and I, was about eighteen; except that once in a great hurry, I travelled more than a hundred miles to see her; at the same time I left keeping of a saw mill, my wife, and young child about a mouth old, and taking with me seventeen or eighteen dollars, which all became a sacrifice with my time, to the relief of my mother; but I was favoured to find that satisfaction, which I esteemed more than time or money.

Now it came to pass after eighteen years, my mind was visited with a concern to go to Africa, after that Paul Cuffee had been there, and brought good tidings from that place;[2] therefore I thought it good to put out my children in good families, where they could get some schooling, and learn how to work, and then get my wife in with some good sort of people; and being advised to wait till it should seem proper to recommend me to that service, I thought it right to engage in some profitable business, and was hired to attend a mill; in which time the case of my mother came before me, and I sent for her to the State of Delaware from New Jersey; and when brought together, it was indeed like heaven on earth begun; we could sit and tell of the dangers and difficulties we had been brought through; so my mother was favoured to end her days with me: she, like my grandmother lived to a great age, and appeared weary of affliction, and of this troublesome world; her mind became disordered; she desired a short illness, which was granted; she died the third day after she was taken sick, with very little complaint or struggle; but was thought to have fallen asleep.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The reader will observe, that Solomon frequently makes use of the pronoun “thee,” when addressing an individual; this occurs simply from the circumstance, that it is a mode of speech not unusual in some parts of America, with people of different denominations; and does not arise from any connexion that he has ever had with the society of friends.

R. H.

[2] This concern was doubtless of a religious character: the death of the pious and enterprising Paul Cuffee, was the probable cause of the visit being relinquished.

R. H.

A BRIEF ACCOUNT

OF MY

ELDEST DAUGHTER, MARGARET BAYLEY,

_Who died in the twenty-fourth year of her age_.

She was a pleasant child in her manners and behaviour, yet fond of gay dress and new fashions; yet her mind was much inclined to her book, and to read good lessons.

And it pleased the Father of mercy to open her understanding, to see excellent things out of his law, and to convince her that it was his will she should be holy here and happy hereafter; but custom, habit, and shame, seemed to chain her down, so that she appeared like one that was halting between two opinions.

But about a month before she was taken for death, she went to Meeting under a concern about her future state; and the Meeting appeared to be favoured with the out pouring of the spirit of love, and of power: Margaret came home under great concern of mind, and manifested a wonderful change in her manners and behaviour; I believe the whole family were affected at the sight of the alteration, which indeed appeared like that of the prodigal son coming home to his father; for my own part I felt fear and great joy; such was her delight to read the Bible, and ask the meaning of certain texts of Scripture, which evidenced a concern to make sure work for eternity.

In this frame of mind she was taken for death; she appeared very desirous to live for the first four weeks, but was very patient, and of a sweet temper and disposition all the time: I recollect but one instance when she was known to give way to peevish fretfulness; then I, feeling the evil spirit striving to get the advantage of her, very tenderly and earnestly admonished her not to regard trifles, but to look to that power which was able to save her; and from that time she became passive and resigned.

The following two weeks her pain was great, and baffled all the force of medicine: a few days before her departure, she was urged with much brokenness of heart to make confession; when she was let into a view of the vanity of the world, with all its glittering snares; and said, she could not rest till her hair was cut off; for she said, “I was persuaded to plait my hair against my father’s advice, and I used to tie up my head when father would come to see me, and hide ruffles and gay dress from him, and now I cannot rest till my hair is cut off.” I said, “no, my daughter, let it be till thee gets well:” she answered, “Oh! no, cut it now:” so I to pacify her took and cropped it.

After this she appeared filled with raptures of joy, and talked of going, as if death had lost its sting; this was about three days before her departure; she seemed to have her senses as long as she could speak: a little before her speech left her, she called us all, one by one, held out her hand, bade us farewell, and looked as if she felt that assurance and peace that destroyed the fear of death; and while she held out her hands, she earnestly charged us to meet her in heaven.