Young girl writes about slavery; her memoir written by Lydia Huntley Sigourney
Author
Recipient
Date Written
Oct. 5, 1829
Margaret Flower was 10 years old when this was written.
Margaret Flower died 4 years, 4 months, 19 days after writing it.
It was written 193 years, 11 months, 28 days ago.
It was a Monday.
Quincy October 5, 1829
Dear Mother,
I take this opportunity to write you a letter. I have written to Cousin Harriet Kirby. I attended a lecture lately on the subject of slavery by Mr. Plumley. He related several facts. One of them was to prove that even slaves who have kind masters are not happy. He said that a woman whose name was Margery came to him and said that her master had given her, her liberty, on condition of her paying him a hundred dollars and she wanted him to take her into his service. He said that he told her that she was old and could not be expected to live long and that she had better be contented as she was, but she said, no, she wanted to die "free slave." She persevered and the last time he heard from her she had laid up 40 dollars. I went lately to the House of Corrections and saw Mrs. Wells and her daughters. She said that she was very sorry she did not see you when you were in Boston. Give my love to Henrietta and tell her that I will write her a letter. I want to see my Father very much. Tell Francis Bruce and Mary Goodwin to write to me soon. Do write me a letter by my father. This is quite a long letter from me.
Your affectionate daughter
Margaret P. Flower
Quincy October 12, 1829
Scans of Letter
