Father Henson's Story of His Own Life Truth Stranger Than Fiction

I now felt comparatively at home. Before entering the town I hid my wife and children in the woods, and then walked on alone in search of my friends. They welcomed me warmly, an...

A SHOWER OF STARS.--KENTUCKIANS.--A STRATAGEM.--A PROVIDENCE.--CONDUCTED ACROSS THE MIAMI RIVER BY A COW.--ARRIVAL AT CINCINNATI.--ONE OF THE PARTY TAKEN ILL.--WE LEAVE HIM TO D...

MY MARRIAGE.--MARRIAGE OF MY MASTER.--HIS RUIN.--COMES TO ME FOR AID.--A GREAT ENTERPRISE UNDERTAKEN.--LONG AND SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY.--INCIDENTS BY THE WAY.--STRUGGLE BETWEEN INCL...

SOLITARY MUSINGS.--PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT.--A LONG GOOD NIGHT TO MASTER.--A DARK NIGHT ON THE RIVER.--NIGHT JOURNEYS IN INDIANA.--ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION.--A KIND WOMAN.--A...

TAKING CARE OF MY DRUNKEN MASTER.--HIS FIGHT WITH AN OVERSEER.--RESCUE HIM.--AM TERRIBLY BEATEN BY THE OVERSEER.--MY MASTER SEEKS REDRESS AT LAW, BUT FAILS.--SUFFERINGS THEN AND...

I arrived at Davis county, Kentucky, about the middle of April, 1825, and delivered myself and my companions to Mr. Amos Riley, the brother of my owner, who had a large plantati...

A POOR MAN IN A STRANGE LAND.--BEGIN TO ACQUIRE PROPERTY.--RESUME PREACHING.--BOYS GO TO SCHOOL.--WHAT GAVE ME A DESIRE TO LEARN TO READ.--A DAY OF PRAYER IN THE WOODS.

My earliest employments were, to carry buckets of water to the men at work, and to hold a horse-plough, used for weeding between the rows of corn. As I grew older and taller, I...

OFFERED FOR SALE.--EXAMINED BY PURCHASERS.--PLEAD WITH MY YOUNG MASTER IN VAIN.--MAN'S EXTREMITY, GOD'S OPPORTUNITY.--GOOD FOR EVIL.--RETURN NORTH.--MY INCREASED VALUE.--RESOLVE...

Before I left Ohio and set my face towards Montgomery County, I was master of two hundred and seventy-five dollars, besides my horse and clothes. Proud of my success, I enjoyed...

I did not find that our prosperity increased with our numbers. The mere delight the slave took in his freedom, rendered him, at first, contented with a lot far inferior to that...

ORIGIN OF MY NAME.--A KIND MASTER.--HE IS DROWNED.--MY MOTHER'S PRAYERS.--A SLAVE AUCTION.--TORN FROM MY MOTHER.--SEVERE SICKNESS.--A CRUEL MASTER.--SOLD AGAIN AND RESTORED TO M...

While in England I was frequently called upon to speak at public meetings of various kinds. I was deeply interested in the Ragged School enterprise, and frequently addressed the...

My interest in the Manual Labor School in Dawn, was the means of my visiting England. No one who has never engaged in such business can have any idea of the many difficulties co...

Things went on in this way about a year. From time to time Master Amos joked me about the six hundred and fifty dollars, and said his brother kept writing to know why I did not...

Now all outward nature seemed to feed my gloomy thoughts. I know not what most men see in voyaging down the Mississippi. If gay and hopeful, probably much of beauty and interest...

I have already mentioned that the first idea which suggested to me the plan of going to England, was to exhibit, at the Great World's Fair, in London, some of the best specimens...

EARLIEST MEMORIES.--BORN IN MARYLAND.--MY FATHER'S FIRST APPEARANCE.--ATTEMPTED OUTRAGE ON MY MOTHER.--MY FATHER'S FIGHT WITH AN OVERSEER.--ONE HUNDRED STRIPES AND HIS EAR CUT O...

After about three years had passed, I improved my condition again by taking service with a gentleman by the name of Riseley, whose residence was only a few miles distant, and wh...

My heart exults with gratitude when I mention the name of a good man who first taught me the blessedness of religion. His name was John McKenny. He lived at Georgetown, a few mi...

MY NARRATIVE PUBLISHED.--LETTER FROM HOME APPRISING ME OF THE SICKNESS OF MY WIFE.--DEPARTURE FROM LONDON.--ARRIVAL AT HOME.--MEETING WITH MY FAMILY.--THE GREAT SORROW OF MY LIF...

The land on which we settled in Canada was covered with a beautiful forest of noble trees of various kinds. Our people were accustomed to cut them down and burn them on the grou...

The degraded and hopeless condition of a slave, can never be properly felt by him while he remains in such a position. After I had tasted the blessings of freedom, my mind rever...

place. I contrived however to quiet her fears on this score. "But how are you going to raise enough to pay the remainder of the thousand dollars?" "What thousand dollars?" "The...

I have been requested by many friends in this country to devote a chapter of my book to the fugitive slaves in Canada; to a statement of their present numbers, condition, prospe...

A shower of stars.--Kentuckians.--A stratagem.--A providence.--Conducted across the Miami River by a cow.--Arrival at Cincinnati.--One of the party taken ill.--We leave him to d...

Earliest memories.--Born in Maryland.--My father's first appearance.--Attempted outrage on my mother.--My father's fight with an overseer.--One hundred stripes and his ear cut o...

My narrative published.--Letter from home apprising me of the sickness of my wife.--Departure from London.--Arrival at home.--Meeting with my family.--The great sorrow of my lif...

Taking care of my drunken master.--His fight with an overseer.--Rescue him.--Am terribly beaten by the overseer.--My master seeks redress at law, but fails.--Sufferings then and...

Solitary Musings.--Preparations for flight.--A long good-night to master.--A dark night on the river.--Night journeys in Indiana.--On the brink of starvation.--A kind woman.--A...

A poor man in a strange land.--Begin to acquire property.--Resume preaching.--Boys go to school.--What gave me a desire to learn to read.--A day of prayer in the woods, 128

Origin of my name.--A kind master.--He is drowned.--My mother's prayers.--A slave auction.--Torn from my mother.--Severe sickness.--A cruel master.--Sold again and restored to m...

My marriage.--Marriage of my master.--His ruin.--Comes to me for aid.--A great enterprise undertaken.--Long and successful journey.--Incidents by the way.--Struggle between incl...

Offered for sale.--Examined by purchasers.--Plead with my young master in vain.--Man's extremity, God's opportunity.--Good for evil.--Return North.--My increased value.--Resolve...