John Thompson (b. 1812 - d.)
MSA SC 5496 - 8789
Fled from Slavery, Southern Maryland, circa 1835
Biography:
John Thompson was born in 1812 in Maryland. Whne he was born, Thompson
belonged to Mrs. Wager. By the time Mrs. Wager’s son
James reached the age of forty-five, all of Mrs. Wager’s slaves
belonged to him. Thompson’s mother and father were both field hands.
Thompson had seven siblings, five brothers and two sisters.
Thompson’s first recollection of slavery was his sister's sale. Thompson recalled that he and his mother walked for three miles to visit his beloved sister who was to be sold. Thompson recalls the tears that ran down his mother’s face as she pleaded with his sister’s master for one last visit with her child. The master agreed. As Thompson and his mother walked through the holding cell, Thompson looked on as he watched all the slaves shackled together. Once his sister spotted them, she ran to her mother with tears of joy. Watching this sad reunion her master agreed to let her and her mother leave the plantation, but his sister had to return before sun down so that he would not have any complaints in the holding cell. This was one of the many scenes that stuck with Thompson for the rest of his life. On Wager's plantation, slaves received one peck of corn, two dozens of herrings, and four pounds of meat per week. Children under eight would receive no provisions and the older children were forced to take care of the younger. Once a child reached four months of age he or she would be taken from his or her mother. As a child, Thompson would often be whipped for no apparent reason. Upon his mother’s return from work she would find her son with lacerations from the lashing all over his body. Thompson recalled his mother would cry as she bathed and dressed his wounds.
By the time Thompson reached the age of fourteen he had belonged to three different masters, and this number would triple as his age progressed. Thompson stated that he received his education from his first master’s son, John Wager. One of his favorite articles, written by John Quincy Adams in favor of abolition, came from an old newspaper he found in 1830. Unfortunately, Thompson revealed that he was literate and, as a result, he was sold. Once sold, Thompson was forbidden to enter other plantations for fear that he would teach others to read. Thompson would leave his plantation anyway, for there were pretty girls on other particular plantations. Although the constable’s many attempts to catch Thompson failed, he ordered Thompson to appear before a magistrate. Thompson was sentenced to five “floggings.”
Thompson did not plan his escape, but rather intuited that he should leave the plantation. Thompson’s master heard that Thompson wrote the free passes for the local runaway slaves. At first, Thompson’s master ignored it. But after receiving several other tips, Thompson’s master decided to punish Thompson. That particular day, Thompson was walking home when he began to feel sick. He wasn't sure what had caused his sudden illness and decided that it was a sign from God. Thompson was sure that there was trouble waiting for him at home. Thompson followed his instincts and hid out for almost a week. At the end of that week, John sent word to a fellow slave asking him to help him escape. The slave replied that Thompson should meet him at his house, where he stayed until they had planned their escape route. The two went to Washington D. C. where Thompson met another slave he knew and asked him where they should go. On the road they met Mrs.R, a free woman who told them what path led to freedom. When they reached Columbia, Pennsylvania, Thompson and his mate sang songs of rejoice to celebrate their freedom. Thompson later married and resumed his education.
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