Introducing
Your new presentation assistant.
Refine, enhance, and tailor your content, source relevant images, and edit visuals quicker than ever before.
Trending searches
Josiah’s parents were form separate plantations and Josiah’s mother was used by McPherson to go and catch the children on other plantations and this is where she met Josiah’s father
When Josiah was just a small child the white overseer on his father’s plantation sexually assaulted his mother and his father beat the overseer and was punished for this, after this his father was beaten severely and later on sold as he became a liability and refused to do any work.
When Josiah was 5 years old Dr. McPherson died and after his death
all his land and slaves were sold. Josiah had five siblings and all of them
were scattered and sold off to different owners.
A man named Isaac Riley purchased Josiah’s mother, his mother begged him to purchase her youngest son Josiah but he would not give in. Eventually Josiah was purchased by another man and then he became sick and was then sold to Mr. Riley for a very cheap price due to his condition.
After Mr. Riley purchased Josiah he made a very quick recovery and became a very adept worker. In a short amount of time Josiah became Riley’s finest worker and from this Riley decided to make him the overseer of his plantation (usually the overseers were white). This resulted in a great increase in productivity doubling Mr. Riley profits
At the age of 18 Josiah became a Christian after seeing his first sermon. Later in his life he would become a preacher.
At the age of 21 in 1811, Henson married a woman named charlotte.
A common occurrence of all the farmers and other men of this time was on weekends they would all go out and drink and sometimes fights would break out. One night Josiah had to save his master from a fight and pushed a white man to the ground in his effort to get to his master.
The white man made it his personal vendetta to find Josiah and make him pay for knocking him to the ground. One day while Josiah was running an errand for Mr. Riley, the man ambushed him and broke his shoulder blade leaving him permanently crippled. From then on Josiah was never able to lift his hands above his head.
In the year the year 1825, Isaac went bankrupt after being sued by his brother in-law. After this he was forced to sell his farm. In order to maintain ownership of his slaves, he gave Josiah the responsibility to take all of his slaves to his brother Amos in Kentucky.
This journey was over 1000 miles and during this Josiah was given the opportunity to run for freedom when they passed through the free state of Ohio and being as noble and honorable as he was he kept his promise to Mr. Riley to take all the slaves to his brother.
During Josiahs time in Kentucky he preached even though he was illiterate. he was able to accomplish this all from memory
eventually Josiah met an anti-slavery preacher who inspired him to buy his own freedom. Josiah then requested that he be able to leave Amos estate and return back to Maryland to see Mr. Riley. he was granted permission and was given a pass that said he was aloud to be by himself in the country as he was on buisness. During his journey he preached all over and accumulated a horse some fine clothes and with these items value added to his money had a total sum of 350$
When Josiah finally got back to maryland he met Mr. Riley and Riley was astonished with how well off Josiah looked. Josiah then told him how he wanted to purchase his freedom. Riley agreed to a price of 400$ and that he would pay the remainder to Amos when he returned to Kentucky. first though he was to escort his son to New Orleans by boat.
During the journey down to New Orleans Josiah had a dark thought enter his mind and wanted to just escape being a slave right then. At night when everyone was asleep and he was the only one awake steering the boat he snuck into the sleeping quarters and with him he brought an axe. Just before he was about to swing the axe down, he stopped, realizing he could never be forgiven by god for this crime.
When they reached New Orleans Josiah realized that Riley was trying to sell him off then fortunately for Josiah Riley's son became sick and Josiah had to take care of him all the way back to Maryland when he got back he was not applauded with gratitude or thanked.
After this Josiah set off back to kentucky when he got back he discovered that he had been deceived by Isaac and that Isaac had told Amos that the 400$ was only a down payment of what was a total sum of 1000$ after this Josiah decided that he was running away to freedom in canada.
Josiah and his family waited until nightfall to make there run for it so they would have a lead if Amos sent anyone to pursue them. Josiah was still in possession of the pass that Amos had given him before, and used it to save his family from being captured on several occasions. At one point during there journey on the brink of death from starvation they encountered a group of native americans who helped them recover and be on there way with extra provisions.
On October 28, 1830 Josiah and his family finally reach Canada.
during his first few years in canada he worked as farm laboror and also preached. This was impressive as he was still illiterate at this time and he was around 40 years old at this time his son would eventually teach him how to read. During his time in Canada he was a part of the underground railroad and led over 200 slaves to freedom.
In 1834, Henson and several other men began to try and put together an african community and establish an industrial school. The school was not limited to only African slaves but also open to whites and aboriginals. This school helped to teach how to clear land for farming and also taught them how to support their families. On three different occasions Josiah met Queen Victoria to ask for solicit funds for the school.
In 1842 Josiah purchased 200 acres of land for his family to live on just outside of Dresden, Ontario. Now know as uncle Tom's cabin
•In the year 1849 Josiah published his biography The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada
In 1850 Josiah met Harriet Beecher Stowe who wrote uncle toms cabin a story inspired by Josiahs life and his hardships.
In 1852 Josiah's wife charolette died on May 5, 1883 Josiah Henson passed away