Though it doesn’t seem like we matter much today, in the mid to late 1800s, Worcester spent its time ensuring the freedoms of its Black residents. The above photo is part of another StoryMap. I hope you enjoy it. Aquene, Cher Continue reading Black Lives Really Did Matter in 19th Century Worcester
To view the above StoryMap, simply scroll down as you read each page. I am attempting to find a way to bring my StoryMaps to a larger audience (they now live on the Brown University server). Please let me know if this format works for you. Aquene, Cher Continue reading Joseph Aaron StoryMap
Slavery was a deeply divisive issue in the United States in 1850, with tensions between the North and South continuing to escalate in the years leading up to the Civil War. The country was divided over the issue of slavery, with the southern states depending heavily on it for their agricultural-based economy, while the northern states increasingly viewed it as a moral wrong. The Fugitive … Continue reading Black Anti-slavery Activists in 1850 Worcester, MA
The Hassanamesit Reservation is a special place for Indigenous people in Massachusetts, especially those belonging to the Nipmuc tribe and those with Nipmuc ancestry. It is the only place in Massachusetts that has never been owned or stewarded by anyone other than Indigenous people. In the Nipmuc language, or N & L-dialect Algonquin, Hassanamesit means “place of small stones” – named for its rocky soil. … Continue reading Hassanamesit
James was born Wawaus around 1640 in Hassanamesit, one of many Nipmuc villages that existed before contact with the English Puritans and still exists today. He was the son of Naoas, a leader at Hassanamisco during colonization. Even though Hassanamesit was a matriarchal society, the name of Wawaus’ mother was not recorded. At age 5, Wawaus went to live with an English family. In Indigenous … Continue reading James the Printer
On a recent trip to Fishkill, NY, we visited the Garret Storm house. Rumor has it that our ancestor, Primus Storms, was enslaved by the Storm family. There is even a “Storm Slave Cemetery” in Fiskkill said to contain about 100 free and enslaved African-Americans connected to the Storm family and their neighbors. You can read about our visit to the cemetery here. Garrit (the … Continue reading The House in which my Enslaved Ancestors Lived – maybe.
The beginnings of the known story about my 5th great-grandparents originates in Fishkill, NY. Fishkill is a town in the mid-Hudson River part of New York state. The records we have show that Primus and Parmelia Storms traveled to Vermont with Parmelia’s enslaver, Platt Rogers. Platt – with the help of Primus – founded the town of Basin Harbor, Vermont. But we don’t know much … Continue reading Fishkill, NY Trip – The Storm Slave Cemetery
Cheryll Toney Holley 