John Bolding: Difference between revisions
m S0091 moved page Draft:John A. Bolding (Freed Slave) to John Bolding: Publishing accepted Articles for creation submission (AFCH 0.9.1) |
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{{Short description|American slave}} |
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{{AFC comment|1=This is on its way to being ready to accept, but there are still a few issues. First is that some of the language is a little glowing and [[WP:PUFF|puffed up]]. We try to be dry and neutral in our articles about people, so words like "remarkable", "tragically", etc. are meant to invoke a reaction from the reader rather than educate in a neutral manner. I was going to comment on the sources added, but in looking through the references it looks like at least one of them is an in-depth chapter on Bolding, so it is on the right track. Wikipedia focuses more on secondary sources than [[WP:PRIMARY|primary sources]], so keep that in mind as you are putting these articles together. [[User:Bkissin|Bkissin]] ([[User talk:Bkissin|talk]]) 17:42, 8 August 2023 (UTC)}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:Fugitive American slaves]] |
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[[Category:American former slaves]] |
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[[Category:19th-century American slaves]] |
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[[Category:American tailors]] |
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[[Category:Year of birth missing]] |
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Revision as of 16:23, 6 November 2023
John A. Bolding | |
|---|---|
 Bronze memorial stone marking the grave of John A. Bolding in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. | |
| Born | Approximately 1824 South Carolina |
| Died | April 30, 1876 (aged 51–52) Poughkeepsie, New York (if accurate) |
| Resting place | Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Tailor |
| Known for | Escape from slavery, establishing a successful tailoring business, activism against slavery |
| Spouse(s) | Henrietta; Nellie |
John A. Bolding (approximately 1824 – April 30, 1876) was an affluent black tailor and former slave who became an influential figure in Poughkeepsie, New York. His story is an example of community support and the fight against the injustices of slavery during a critical period in American history.
Early life
John A. Bolding was born into slavery in approximately 1824 in South Carolina, as slaves were not allowed to know the exact day or month they were born. With the aid of the Underground Railroad, he arrived in Poughkeepsie, New York, around 1840, where he began working as a tailor at 4 Liberty Street alongside fellow black tailor Francis J. Moore. His skills and work ethic earned him a reputation in the town, and locals patronized his shop for their tailoring needs.[1]
Marriage and abduction
In 1851, Bolding married a woman named Henrietta and intended to start a family. However, he was recognized by a fellow South Carolinian woman who informed his owner, Barnet Anderson, leading to Bolding's arrest. U.S. Marshal Benjamin Tallmadge, a local, promptly seized Bolding. According the New York Herald, news of John Bolding's abduction spread rapidly. A group of black protesters, fueled by urgency and determination to recuse Brother Bolding, raced to intercept him and Tallmadge at the train station. Regrettably, they arrived just moments too late. By then, Bolding had been swiftly moved to a prisoner compartment on a train destined for New York City, where he was to await his trial.[1][2]
The court ruled that Bolding was indeed a slave, and he was returned to Anderson's custody.[3]
Community response
As outlined in a journal kept by John S. Grubb; at least 178 individual citizens and families of Poughkeepsie, outraged by Bolding's arrest, raised funds to secure his release. A committee was formed, and the locals raised over $1,000, with additional funds coming from Albany and New York City. Within a week, Anderson's demands were met, and John Bolding returned to Poughkeepsie as a free man.[2]
Later life
According to notes taken from Grubb's notebook, John Bolding remarried a woman named Nellie at some point. Bolding continued to work as a tailor until his death on April 30, 1876, at the age of 52. Mrs. Nellie Bolding lived at 129 Pine Street until at least 1883, when she was last mentioned as having moved to 8 North Bridge Street.
Bolding died on April 30, 1976 and was buried in the Poughkeespie Rural Cemetery, in a plot for which he paid $11.25.[4] His grave was unmarked, a common practice at the time.[5]
Legacy
Citizens of Poughkeepsie memorialized his life and odyssey with a bronze memorial, unveiled on May 16, 1998.[4]
References
- ^ a b Kraaij, Dr Fred P. M. van der (2019-02-28). "A trip back in history: the United States, 1851". Retrieved 2023-08-07.
- ^ a b Rosenblatt, Albert M. (2023-04-01). The Eight: The Lemmon Slave Case and the Fight for Freedom. State University of New York Press. ISBN 978-1-4384-9266-7.
- ^ Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2015-03-26). The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations. Routledge. p. 63. ISBN 978-1-317-45416-8.
- ^ a b Hayden, Eileen Mylod. Lewis, Candace J. (ed.). The Civil War and Dutchess County, New York (PDF). Part 1. Vol. 94, Page 50. p. 49.
- ^ "African American Burial Grounds in Dutchess County - Dutchess County Historical Society". 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2023-08-07.