The Story of Mattie J. Jackson

The Story of Mattie J. Jackson

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Title: The Story of Mattie J. Jackson Her Parentage--Experience of
Eighteen years in Slavery--Incidents during the War--Her Escape from
Slavery
Author: L. S. Thompson
Release Date: February 22, 2006 [EBook #17827]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
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STORY OF MATTIE J. JACKSON ***

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THE STORY
OF

MATTIE J. JACKSON;
HER PARENTAGE--EXPERIENCE OF EIGHTEEN YEARS IN
SLAVERY--INCIDENTS DURING THE WAR--HER ESCAPE
FROM SLAVERY.
A TRUE STORY.

WRITTEN AND ARRANGED BY
DR. L. S. THOMPSON,
(FORMERLY MRS. SCHUYLER,)
AS GIVEN BY MATTIE.

LAWRENCE: PRINTED AT SENTINEL OFFICE, 123 ESSEX
STREET. 1866.

PREFACE
The object in publishing this book is to gain sympathy from the earnest
friends of those who have been bound down by a dominant race in
circumstances over which they had no control--a butt of ridicule and a
mark of oppression; over whom weary ages of degradation have passed.
As the links have been broken and the shackles fallen from them
through the unwearied efforts of our beloved martyr President Lincoln,
as one I feel it a duty to improve the mind, and have ever had a thirst
for education to fill that vacuum for which the soul has ever yearned
since my earliest remembrance.
Thus I ask you to buy my little book to aid me in obtaining an
education, that I may be enabled to do some good in behalf of the
elevation of my emancipated brothers and sisters. I have now arrived at

the age of twenty. As the first dawn of morning has passed, and the
meridian of life is approaching, I know of no other way to speedily gain
my object than through the aid and patronage of the friends of
humanity.
* * * * *
NOTE: Miss Jackson sustains a high moral character--has been much
respected since she has been in Lawrence. She is from St. Louis,
Missouri, and arrived here on the 11th of April, 1866. To gain the wish
of the heart is utterly impossible without more means than she can
obtain otherwise. Her friends have borne her expenses to Lawrence,
and have and are still willing to render her aid as far their limited
means will allow. She was in the same condition of all the neglected
and oppressed. Her personal requirements are amply supplied. She now
only craves the means to clothe and qualify the intellect. My humble
prayer is that she may meet with unlimited success.
This young lady is highly worthy of all the aid our kind friends feel a
duty to bestow upon her. She purposes lecturing and relating her story;
and I trust she may render due satisfaction and bear some humble part
in removing doubts indulged by the prejudices against the natural
genius and talent of our race. May God give her grace and speed her on
her way.
Respectfully yours, L. S. T.

MATTIE'S STORY
My ancestors were transported from Africa to America at the time the
slave trade flourished in the Eastern States. I cannot give dates, as my
progenitors, being slaves, had no means of keeping them. By all
accounts my great grandfather was captured and brought from Africa.
His original name I never learned. His master's name was Jackson, and
he resided in the State of New York. My grandfather was born in the
same State, and also remained a slave for some length of time, when he

was emancipated, his master presenting him with quite an amount of
property. He was true, honest and responsible, and this present was
given him as a reward. He was much encouraged by the cheering
prospect of better days. A better condition of things now presented
itself. As he possessed a large share of confidence, he came to the
conclusion, as he was free, that he was capable of selecting his own
residence and manage his own affairs with prudence and economy. But,
alas, his hopes were soon blighted. More heart rending sorrow and
degradation awaited him. He was earnestly invited by a white decoyer
to relinquish his former design and accompany him to Missouri and
join him in speculation and become wealthy. As partners, they
embarked on board a schooner for St. Charles, Mo. On the passage, my
grandfather was seized with a fever, and for a while was totally
unconscious. When he regained