Harriet Tubman is known for her proactive role in the Underground Railroad. However, most people don 't know much detail about her life. Her childhood, head injury, escape, and actions during the Civil War are also important aspects of her life. She was born under the name Araminta "Minty" Ross. Both of her parents were slaves. Her mother, Harriet "Rit" Green, was owned by Mary Pattison Brodess, and later on by her son Edward. Anthony Thompson owned Araminta 's father, Ben Ross. Mr. Thompson lived near Blackwater River in Madison, Maryland. Anthony became Mary 's second husband. The year of Minty 's birth is unknown. It is estimated to be near 1820-1822. She was one of nine siblings. Linah, Mariah, Soph, Robert, Ben, Rachel,
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This marriage gave her new motivation to escape. John, however, was strongly against her going north. At one point, he threatened to tell her master if she attempted to escape. In 1849, she became ill once again. Her value as a slave had diminished over the years. Brodess, after many attempts, was unsuccessful in trading her. However, he didn 't give up. "I prayed all night long for my master," she later said, "till the first of March; and all the time he was bringing people to look at me, and trying to sell me." When the sale was looking official, she changed her praying tactic. "I changed my prayer," she said. "First of March I began to pray, 'Oh Lord, if you ain 't never going to change that man 's heart, kill him, Lord, and take him out of the way." One week later Brodess died. On September 17, 1849, Tubman and her two brothers escaped. During their escape both brothers had second thoughts and all three returned to slavery. Soon after that Tubman escaped by herself. She was given a paper from a white abolitionist. This paper gave her two names and details of how to get to the first safe house. At the first house, she was put in the back of a wagon, covered with a sack, and taken to her next destination. From there she hitched a ride with a woman and man who were passing by. They took her to Philadelphia. Tubman heard word of her niece and two children being traded. …show more content…
Her petition was supported by a number of prominent people, including William H. Seward. Despite the support, her request was denied. A number of people began to raise money to help her. author Sarah H. Bradford wrote a biography called Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman and gave the money to Harriet. Through the years other fundraisers were put in place for her and Bradford wrote another book about Tubman. In 1895, Congress gave her an eight dollar pension as a widow of a Union soldier. Her husband died in 1888. She was also given $500 in compensation for the five years that her pension claim was pending. Congress finally agreed to give her a $12 per month compensation for her work as a Union nurse. She became ill and died on March 10, 1913. She was buried in Auburn with full military honors. Until this day, her name is associated with self-sacrifice, persistence, and
This marriage gave her new motivation to escape. John, however, was strongly against her going north. At one point, he threatened to tell her master if she attempted to escape. In 1849, she became ill once again. Her value as a slave had diminished over the years. Brodess, after many attempts, was unsuccessful in trading her. However, he didn 't give up. "I prayed all night long for my master," she later said, "till the first of March; and all the time he was bringing people to look at me, and trying to sell me." When the sale was looking official, she changed her praying tactic. "I changed my prayer," she said. "First of March I began to pray, 'Oh Lord, if you ain 't never going to change that man 's heart, kill him, Lord, and take him out of the way." One week later Brodess died. On September 17, 1849, Tubman and her two brothers escaped. During their escape both brothers had second thoughts and all three returned to slavery. Soon after that Tubman escaped by herself. She was given a paper from a white abolitionist. This paper gave her two names and details of how to get to the first safe house. At the first house, she was put in the back of a wagon, covered with a sack, and taken to her next destination. From there she hitched a ride with a woman and man who were passing by. They took her to Philadelphia. Tubman heard word of her niece and two children being traded. …show more content…
Her petition was supported by a number of prominent people, including William H. Seward. Despite the support, her request was denied. A number of people began to raise money to help her. author Sarah H. Bradford wrote a biography called Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman and gave the money to Harriet. Through the years other fundraisers were put in place for her and Bradford wrote another book about Tubman. In 1895, Congress gave her an eight dollar pension as a widow of a Union soldier. Her husband died in 1888. She was also given $500 in compensation for the five years that her pension claim was pending. Congress finally agreed to give her a $12 per month compensation for her work as a Union nurse. She became ill and died on March 10, 1913. She was buried in Auburn with full military honors. Until this day, her name is associated with self-sacrifice, persistence, and