Woolford Harrisville Road - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Woolford Harrisville Road - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Woolford Harrisville Road Woolford Mace Cemetery Harriet Tubman was probably born nearby on Anthony Thompson’s plantation in 1822. Her father, Ben Ross, was a skilled timber foreman, married to Rit Green, who belonged to Thompson’s young stepson, Edward Brodess. Sometime after Brodessa reached adulthood, he moved Green and five of her children, including baby Araminta (Harriet Tubman) to his farm in Bucktown, but by 1840 Green was back living on Thompson’s farm (currently privately owned), where she and Ross remained until 1847. A large community of enslaved and free black families lived and worked between Harrisville and Whitemarsh Roads, creating an important social world for Tubman and her family.

Woolford Harrisville Road - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland

Sandtown Rd. Choptank River - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Sandtown Delaware - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Harriet Tubman crossed over the Maryland Delaware border in to Sandtown Delaware on the Choptank River after following it from her birth home in Dorchester County Md. on her way North to freedom.  Sandtown Delaware is located on the border between Maryland and Delaware in Delaware. Freedom seekers reaching Sandtown still risked recapture, but they were well on their way to freedom.  Until the fugitive Slave Act People were free once they crossed in to Delaware. This is also the Mason Dixon Line between Maryland and Delaware.

Sandtown Rd. Choptank River - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland

Sandtown Delaware - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Sandtown Rd. Choptank River - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Harriet Tubman sought refuge here on her way north here in Sandtown.  An Important safe house stop on her way north.   Sandtown Delaware is located on the border between Maryland and Delaware in Delaware. Freedom seekers reaching Sandtown still risked recapture, but they were well on their way to freedom.  Until the fugitive Slave Act People were free once they crossed in to Delaware. 

Sandtown Delaware - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland

Tobacco Stick Maryland now Madison - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Tobacco Stick Maryland now Madison

Teenaged Harriet was hired out to John T. Stewart, who owned farms, businesses here, and a shipyard here in Tobacco Stick Maryland now Madison, Md. Her father, Ben Ross, also worked for Stewart after he was freed in 1840.  It was near here that Harriet met and married freeman John Tubman in 1844.In December 1854 Harriet Tubman sent a coded letter to Jacob Jackson, a free black farmer who lived west of Madison.   The postmaster read the letter and confronted Jackson, and he denied understanding what it meant. Soon, however, Jackson notified Tubman’s three brothers of her plans to lead them north from their parent’s home at Poplar Neck in Caroline County.

A large community of enslaved african americans families lived and worked between Harrisville Whitemarsh Roads, creating an important social world for Harriet Tubman and her family.

Tobacco Stick Maryland now Madison - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland

Stewarts Canal 2 - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Stewarts Canal 

Around 1850, John Stewart had his slaves, along with some free laborers, build a canal from the woods to his mill near the Bay to transport lumber there more quickly.  Free and enslaved African American People dug this canal by hand.  It was dug between 1810 and 1830.

Harriet Tubman worked here with her father Ben Ross and dug this canal. She Learned important skills that would later become useful during her trips back to the Eastern Shore and in South Carolina as a union spy and scout in the Combahee River Raid near Beaufort SC.

I got chased back to my car by horseflies, after this shot. Imagine how difficult it was to work in the Horse Fly snake and Snapping turtle infested marsh

Stewarts Canal 2 - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland

Stewarts Canal - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Stewarts Canal 

Around 1850, John Stewart had his slaves, along with some free laborers, build a canal from the woods to his mill near the Bay to transport lumber there more quickly.  Free and enslaved African American People dug this canal by hand.  It was dug between 1810 and 1830.

Harriet Tubman worked here with her father Ben Ross and dug this canal. She Learned important skills that would later become useful during her trips back to the Eastern Shore and in South Carolina as a union spy and scout in the Combahee River Raid near Beaufort SC.

When I walked down to photograph this Pano a snake swam right at me.  Black head horseflies, green head horseflies and red head horseflies (from the Blood when they bite you) attacked me as well. And it’s only may. This is a horribly buggy, snake infested, and worst of all are the snapper turtles that will bite a hand off everywhere .

Stewarts Canal - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland in usa

Bestpitch Ferry Bridge 2 - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

Bestpitch Ferry Bridge 2 - Harriet Tubman's Eastern Shore of Maryland

“Marshland Secrets to Escape” 

View 2

This historic wooden bridge over the Transquaking River provides a view of Dorchester County marshlands. In this countryside, knowledgeable local people could hide for days, even weeks, and follow the waterways north toward Caroline County and freedom. Bestpitch Ferry Bridge is located at the site of a former ferry.

The Blackwater and Transquaking Rivers and their estuaries provided opportunities for local residents to hunt, fish and gather food for survival. Abundant fish and fowl live and breed in these waters, and many small and larger animals, including muskrats, rabbits, squirrels and deer live in nearby marshes and woods. Nuts, berries and a variety of roots and herbs round out the possible food and medicinal supplements available to 19th century residents. 
Waterways were also home to many free and enslaved African-American watermen

Bestpitch Ferry Bridge 2 - Harriet Tubman’s Eastern Shore of Maryland