who was mum bett's lawyer

Who was Mum Bett and what did she do?

Seeking freedom, Bett turned to Theodore Sedgwick, a prominent attorney who helped draft the Sheffield Declaration with Colonel Ashley. Bett, along with an enslaved man named Brom, began the process of fighting for their freedom.

Why did Mum Bett go to lawyer Theodore Sedgwick?

Aug 30, 2021 · It is unclear whether Bett heard a reading before or after voter approval. Shortly thereafter, Bett approached a neighbor, Theodore Sedgwick. A young lawyer, an early abolitionist, and a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Sedgwick had been among the drafters of the Sheffield Resolves.

How did mum Betts get free?

She declined, preferring to serve as the Sedgwicks' housekeeper. Theodore Sedgwick, her attorney, became a United States Senator and later a justice of the Supreme Judicial Court. "Mum Bett" chose the name Elizabeth Freeman, although most people continued to call her by her old name (also spelled "Mumbett" and "Mumbet)".

Where did Mum Bett and Brom win their freedom?

Mar 22, 2019 · A portrait of Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, on display by the Massachusetts legislature in observance of Black History Month. She was one of the first enslaved women set free under ...

Who did Mum Bett sue for her freedom?

When Ashley's wife attacked her, Betts appealed to a local abolitionist, who brought her case to the courts. Betts was granted her freedom and 30 shillings in damages in 1781, with the case Brom and Betts v. Ashley. Betts became a paid servant and raised a family on her wages.Apr 1, 2014

Why did Mum Bett sue?

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling, in Freeman's favor, found slavery to be inconsistent with the 1780 Massachusetts State Constitution. Her suit, Brom and Bett v. Ashley (1781), was cited in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court appellate review of Quock Walker's freedom suit.

Why did Mum Bett hire Theodore Sedgwick?

The hit left a bad wound that Mum Bett refused to cover, to give proof to conditions on the plantation. As a result, Mum Bett hired a lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick, to gain her freedom. A male slave named Brom was added to give light to the case during a time when women's rights were unheard.Nov 12, 2013

What did Mum Bett believe in?

Mum Bett learned about the Massachusetts Constitution that said all people should be allowed “life, liberty and happiness.” Mum Bett wanted those things and found an ally for this fight. Even though she feared what would happen if she lost, she asked the lawyer Theodore Sedgwick to help her win her freedom.

What were James forten's contributions to African American history?

James Forten was a powerful African American businessman and activist who used his influence to fight slavery in pre-civil war Philadelphia. Born free, Forten joined the Continental Army when he was fourteen and served on a ship named the Royal Lewis.Jun 16, 2015

Where is Elizabeth Freeman buried?

In every situation of domestic trial, she was the most efficient helper, and the tenderest friend. Good Mother, farewell.” Mumbet's grave is located in the Sedgwick Pie, in Stockbridge. Massachusetts as seen below on a winter's day.

What was the Quock Walker case?

The Quock Walker case was actually a series of judicial cases that successfully challenged the legality of slavery in Massachusetts, based on the 1780 state constitution.

What was the first American state to abolish slavery?

In 1780, Pennsylvania became the first state to abolish slavery when it adopted a statute that provided for the freedom of every slave born after its enactment (once that individual reached the age of majority). Massachusetts was the first to abolish slavery outright, doing so by judicial decree in 1783.Dec 20, 2012

When did slavery end in Massachusetts?

1783The End of Slavery in Massachusetts: How the Power of Law Fulfilled the Promise of Justice. In the same year that the American Revolution officially ended and the Treaty of Paris was signed — 1783 — the Commonwealth of Massachusetts effectively abolished the institution of slavery.Jun 18, 2021

Why did Elizabeth Freeman file a lawsuit?

Bett, along with an enslaved man named Brom, began the process of fighting for their freedom. Historians note that Sedgwick, along with many of the lawyers in the area, decided to use the case as a “test case” to determine if slavery was constitutional under the new Massachusetts Constitution.

Where is Elizabeth Freeman from?

Claverack, Claverack-Red Mills, NYElizabeth Freeman / Place of birthClaverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,021 at the 2010 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word “Klaverakker” for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach". In 1705, the first discovery of a mastodon tooth occurred here. Wikipedia

What happened to Mum Bett?

The attack left a permanent scar on Mum Bett's arm. More importantly, though, it propelled her to leave the Ashley home and seek the assistance of Theodore Sedgwick, an abolitionist, attorney, and future U.S. Senator, who lived in the nearby town of Stockbridge.

Where is Mum Bett buried?

Mum Bett lived until her mid 80s, passing away on December 28, 1829. She was buried in the Sedgwick family plot in Stockbridge with the following inscription on her tombstone: ELIZABETH FREEMAN, also known by the name of MUMBET died Dec. 28th 1829. Her supposed age was 85 Years.

When was the first case of Brom and Bett v. Ashley?

On August 21, 1781 , Brom and Bett v. Ashley was first argued before the Court of Common Pleas.

Did Betts have any rights?

Betts hadn't just fled out of fear, though. Through all the talk she'd heard around the Ashley home about the rights of the Colonies, Bett had come to believe she'd been guaranteed some rights of her own. To her ears, the new Massachusetts Constitution extended its protection to all people in the Commonwealth, even enslaved people.

Who was the first enslaved person in Massachusetts?

Mum Bet t. Mum Bett (Elizabeth Freeman) was among the first enslaved people in Massachusetts to successfully sue for her freedom, encouraging the state to abolish slavery.

Did Ashley have a temper?

Ashley, by all historical accounts, had an even temper. His wife, however, did not. As the story goes, Hannah became quite angry one day with Lizzie, and went to attack her with a fiery, hot kitchen shovel. But in an effort to save her sister, Mum Bett stepped in front of Lizzie and weathered the blow herself.

Who was the first woman to testify before the state legislature on the issue of rights for black people?

Sarah Moore Grimké. Abolitionist and feminist Sarah Moore Grimké and her sister Angelina were the first women to testify before a state legislature on the issue of rights for Black people. (1792–1873) Person.

What was the purpose of the Brom and Bett v. Ashley case?

Sedgwick and Reeve asserted that the constitutional provision that " all men are born free and equal " effectively abolished slavery in the state.

Who is Elizabeth Freeman's lawyer?

The story of Elizabeth Freeman was featured on Season 1, Episode 4, of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Freeman's lawyer, Theodore Sedgwick, is the fourth great-grandfather of Kyra Sedgwick, one of the guests of the episode.

How old was Elizabeth Freeman when she died?

ELIZABETH FREEMAN, also known by the name of MUMBET died Dec. 28th 1829. Her supposed age was 85 Years . She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years; She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal. She neither wasted time nor property.

What was the Ashley case?

Ashley (1781), was cited in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court appellate review of Quock Walker 's freedom suit. When the court upheld Walker's freedom under the state's constitution, the ruling was considered to have implicitly ended slavery in Massachusetts.

Who was Betsy Humphrey's daughter?

However, Freeman was 20 years senior to Burghardt, and no record of such a marriage has been found. It may have been Freeman's daughter, Betsy Humphrey, who married Burghardt after her first husband, Jonah Humphrey, left the area "around 1811", and after Burghardt's first wife died (c. 1810).

Who was Hogeboom's daughter?

When Hogeboom's daughter Hannah married John Ashley of Sheffield, Massachusetts, Hogeboom gave Bet, around seven years old, to Hannah and her husband. Freeman remained with them until 1781, during which time she had a child, Little Bet. She is said to have married, though no marriage record has been located.

Who shielded Hannah from hitting her with a shovel?

In 1780, Bet prevented Hannah from striking a servant girl with a heated shovel; Elizabeth shielded the girl and received a deep wound in her arm. As the wound healed, Bet left it uncovered as evidence of her harsh treatment. Catharine Maria Sedgwick quotes Elizabeth saying: "'Madam never again laid her hand on Lizzy.

Who won the freedom of Mum Bett and Brom?

In the spring of 1781, an enslaved man named Quok Walker had sued for his freedom in Worcester. Walker had run away.

Who was the woman who was a slave in the home of Colonel John Ashley?

August22.mp3. (696.73 KB) On this day in 1781, a jury in Great Barrington found in favor of "Mum Bett," a black woman who had been a slave in the home of Colonel John Ashley for at least 30 years.

What was the test case in the case of John Ashley?

Ashley a test case. Some of the most able members of the bar were involved on both sides of the case. On August 21, 1781, the plaintiffs' attorneys argued before the Court of Common Pleas that "Mum Bett" and Brom were not the property of John Ashley and should be freed. The following day, the jury decided in favor of Brom and Bett.

Who was the slave in Worcester County?

She found a young lawyer to represent her, and he persuaded a Berkshire County jury to declare her free. Two years later, in a case involving Quok Walker, a slave in Worcester County, the Chief Justice of the state's highest court declared that "slavery is inconsistent with our own conduct and Constitution.".

Who was Elizabeth Freeman?

Elizabeth Freeman, then known only as “Bett,” was an enslaved woman who understood the irony in the declaration right away. As she watched the men around her declare freedom from oppressive rule, it only stood to reason that she should do the same. Freeman marched, by some accounts immediately, to the house of Theodore Sedgwick, ...

Who did Freeman sue for her freedom?

Freeman marched, by some accounts immediately, to the house of Theodore Sedgwick, a prominent local lawyer, and demanded a dramatic accounting for the hypocrisy: she wanted to sue the state of Massachusetts for her freedom.

What was the jury that ruled in favor of Freeman?

It wasn’t just radical, it was effective. A jury of twelve local farmers, all men and all white according to Levinson, ruled in favor of Freeman in 1781, giving her freedom and awarding her 30 shillings in damages.

Who threw herself in front of Lizzie?

She ripped an iron shovel out of the oven and raised it above her head, poised to bring it crashing down upon Lizzie, who most historians believe was either Freeman’s daughter or her sister. Freeman threw herself in front of Lizzie, absorbing the blow.

Who was the first enslaved woman set free?

Abigail Higgins. pinterest-pin-it. A portrait of Elizabeth Freeman, also known as Mum Bett, on display by the Massachusetts legislature in observance of Black History Month. She was the first enslaved woman set free under the state constitution after she sued for her freedom in 1781. John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe/Getty Images.

Who was the first woman to lead a major political party?

Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic nomination, becoming first woman to lead a major U.S. political party. John Ashley’s wife had a reputation for extraordinary cruelty and one day, her anger at an enslaved girl named Lizzie boiled over.

Was Quock Walker an enslaved man?

While Freeman’s case was one of the most consequential, it certainly wasn’t the only case of an enslav ed person using the legal system to resist. One enslaved man, Quock Walker, was already in the throes of a legal battle when Freeman was gearing up for her suit.

What did Mum Bett think of the Patriots?

Mum Bett went out into the stifling summer day and thought of the Patriots who fought bloody battles for their small nation’s independence. Her freedom could only come from courage and the courthouse, not from cannons and bullets. This legal case was her Lexington, her Bunker Hill.

What is Mum Bett's Freedom Tale about?

Mum Bett’s Freedom Tale. Mum Bett hears the cries for American freedom from British tyranny and launches her own American Revolution against slavery in Massachusetts. Author.

What did a hawk cry at Mum Bett?

One fine spring day, while Mum Bett hung laundry on the line, a hawk’s throaty cry pierced the air and drew her eyes upward where the bird floated on an air current, utterly free. That hawk knows nothing of enslavers or enslaved, black or white, Mum Bett realized.

Who pushed Lizzie out of harm's way?

Mum Bett charged, and pushed Lizzie out of harm’s way. Her own arm took the shovel’s heat. Mum Bett’s skin sizzled. From that day on, Mum Bett rolled her sleeve up to display the ugly scar.

Who was the first freed slave woman in a free state?

Mum Bett had been called a lot of things in her life. Now it was her turn to name herself: Elizabeth Freeman. When the Patriots won their war in 1783, Elizabeth Freeman could say she was the first freed enslaved woman in a free state in a new, free nation. For Elizabeth, her family, for all citizens of Massachusetts:

Did Mum Bett scare her?

No matter how afraid she was, she desired freedom. Beatings didn’t scare Mum Bett, but her heart sank with dread that the Ashleys might punish her for the nerve of craving freedom by selling her daughter or sister away from her. Late at night, when her thoughts buzzed like angry hornets, Mum Bett wept.

What did Mum Bett do after the ruling?

After the ruling, despite pleas from Colonel Ashley that she return and work for him for wages, Mum Bett went to work for the Sedgewicks. She stayed with them as their housekeeper for years, eventually setting up house with her daughter. She became a much sought-after nurse and midwife.

Where is the tombstone of Elizabeth Freeman?

The tombstone of Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett), the African American woman whose suit for freedom helped bring about the end of slavery in Massachusetts, can still be seen in the old burial ground of Stockbridge. It reads: "She was born a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years.

Where was Elizabeth Freeman born?

Elizabeth Freeman was probably born in 1742, to enslaved African parents in Claverack, New York. At the age of six months she was purchased, along with her sister, by John Ashley of Sheffield, Massachusetts, whom she served until she was nearly forty.