More than three hundred covered wagons rumbled across the open plains of Illinois, through the mountains and streams of Colorado and onward toward the Utah territory. Braving the rigorous, 1,700 mile-journey were droves of Mormon pioneers…. and at least fifty Negro slaves.
One of them was Bridget “Biddy” Mason, a mother of three with her youngest, an infant, strapped to her back. For Mason, the hazardous trek was exhausting. She and the other slaves weren’t allowed to ride on the wagons and were forced to remain in the rear of the caravan, often doing 15-to-20 miles a day by foot. Mason bore the additional burden of tending to livestock, setting up and breaking down camp, cooking meals, cleaning up and taking care of migrants who fell sick on the trail.
Born a slave in 1818 in Hancock County, Georgia, the 30-year-old captive was used to hardship. At a young age, she was taken from her parents and sold to a distant plantation. And when she turned 18, she literally became a gift – a wedding present for Robert Smith and his bride, Rebecca. Because of her gardening skills and knowledge of medicinal herbs, she was a coveted prize.
Until fate stepped in. As the wagon train continued westward, its Mormon leader urged his followers to settle in California where slavery and human trafficking were crimes. Smith refused to oblige, instead making plans to hightail it to Texas. But again, fate intervened. During a stop in what is now San Bernadino, Mason encountered a free Black couple who alerted the local sheriff that they had met an illegally enslaved woman. A court battle ensued and Mason’s owners were forced to set her free.
Her next stop was Los Angeles. There, Mason found jobs as a nurse and midwife and saved enough money to buy a plot of land. Following the example of one of her employers, she invested in more property. As her resources grew, so did her real estate. Her ongoing purchases blossomed into a burgeoning community that later would become downtown Los Angeles and make Mason the wealthiest woman west of the Mississippi. Also, one of the most generous.
Mason rented out houses, fed the poor, donated to charities and opened a school for Black children. Her many contributions, which include being a founding member of the city’s first Black place of worship –The First African Methodist Episcopal Church — have not been forgotten. Visitors to Los Angeles can learn all about her legacy at a memorial park in her name. On Broadway between 3rd and 4th Ave, a marble wall bears her image and tells the remarkable story of Bridgett “Biddy” Mason – a slave who became an influential businesswoman and an urban hero.
Leave a Reply