New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1871-11-23
From the African REPOSITORY, kCOIonizFtIVustJ
MEMOIR OF BENJAMIN BANhEKER

From the African Repository, (Colonizstionist)
MEMOIR OF BENJAMIN BANNEKER.
Read Before the Maryland Historical Society
at the Monthly Meeting, May L, 1s4o,
by John III. Lasrobe, Esq.
A few words may be necessary to explain
WHY q memoir of tree man of color, formerly
q resident of Maryland, is deemed of sufficient
interest to be presented TO the Historical 80
siety.
try of more interest than those connected With
her colored population an interest which has
been increasing, year after year, till it has &C
CURED its present absorbing character Time
and space prohibit an inquiry into the causes
of this. Ii lie sufficient TO state the TACT. The
presence OF this population IN the States where
slavery exists mod6es their institutions In I'm
portant particulars, and effects, in q greater OF
less degree, the character OF the dominant race
For this reason alone. the memoir oil a co'ored
man who has distinguished himself In an alb
struse science, by birth Maryiander, claims
consideration from those who have associated
to collect and preserve tscts and records re
lating to the men and deeds # the past. The
Historical s ciety of Peunsylvana has, no
doubt, carefully gathered all that could be OBJ
tanned TO illustrate the life and scienuhc char
acter of Rttenhouse. In presenting TO the
Historical Society of Maryland memoir OF
Banneker the little that is known OF one who
followed, under every disadvantage, in the foot
steps of the philosopher OF our sister State, l.
collected and preserved.
There is another reason why this memoir is
appropriate. Maryland is the only State in the
Union that has clearly indicated her policy in
regard to her colored population. She looks
IN thair grodual and Voluntary removal as the
only means Of solving the difficult problem
which their presence involves. To aid in this
removal she appropriated in 1881, the large
sum of 5000. 600; not in the expectation that
this sum would transport them all from this
country To Africa, but that, by means OF It, a
community of free men capable of self-suppor
and self government might be established there,
that would be so attractive ultimately TO the col
ored people here, as TO produce ali emigration Al
the proper cost of the emigrants themselves,
based on the sane motives, anu as great in amount.
as the emigr ition from Europe to America.
This policy Ind its results must enter largely
into the history of Maryland. Its success must
mainly de pend upon the ability and skill of the
emIgrants TO found such q nation as will &C
corDpiish the end m view; and this IN ITS turn
on the oftmooted question as to the compare
tive intellect OF the two races, the white and the
colored. To decide this, facts re Important (;
and not one more conclusive exists than the
abilities aud character of Benjamin Banneker.
Whether, therefore, a matter OF mere
curiosity only or fact from which import
ant inferences for present action are to be
drawn memoir of the individual In question
should possess interest for our association.
Benjamin Banneker was born in Baltimore
county, near the village OF ElIcotts Mills, In
the year 1892. HIS father was native African,
and mis- mother the child of natives OF Africa !;
90 that 70 no admixture of the b God of the white
man was he indebted for his peculiar and ex
trsordinary abilities. HIS father was slave
when he married but his wife, who was free
woman and possessed of great energy and IN
dustry, very soon afterwards purchased his
freedom. Banneker's mother was named Nor
ton before her marriage, and belonged to a
family remarkable for ITS intelligence. When
upwards OF 70;she was still very active and it
is remembered of her, that at this advanced age
she made nothing of catching her chickens when
wanted by running them Down. A nephew OF
hers, Greenbury Morton, was person of some
note, notwithstanding his complexion. Prior
to 1909, free people OF color possessed Of GER
taiR property qualification voted In Maryland.
In this year law was passed restricting the
right of voting to free white males. Morton
was ignorant of the law till he offered to vote
at the polls 10 Baltimore county and it is said
the crowd in a strain of true and passionate
eloquence, which kept the audience that the
election had assembled for him IN breathless
attention while he spoke.
The JOINT labor OF the elder Banneker and his
wife enabled them TO purchase u small farm,
which continued after their death in the pos
session of their son. The farm was u tract of
one hundred acres, the half OF a larger tract
called Stout" and was conveyed by Richard
Gist to Robert Bannaky. as the name was
then spelt, and Benjamin Bannaky, his son,
(who was then but five years DID, Oh the 10Th
March, 1877, for the consideration OF QUO los.
or tobacco. At the date OF Banneker's birth
his parents, although within ten IN les OF Bal.
timore, lived almost in wilderness. In lI21,
five years before, the site OF Baltimore Was tue
farm Of John Flemming, On which IN that year
the Legislature author zed town TO he LAID
out The view of this town In 1854 with which
we are still familiar, does not exhibit more
than twenty houses, struggling over the emil
nences on the right bank of Jones Falls ln
I740 Baltimore had been surrounded with
board fence to protect It against the Indians
All this is proper To be remembered In order
that the difficulties against which Banneker
bad to struggle may be fairly understood. In
1872 Elkridge Landing was OF more conse
quence than Baltimore.
When BENJAMIN Was old enough he was
employed to assist his parents In their labor.
This was at an early age, when has destiny
seemed nothing better than that OF child
of poor and ignorant free negroes, occupy
ing few acres Of land in q remote and
thiny peopled eighborhood-a destiny which,
at this day, IS not OF very brilliant
promise, and which at the time IN question
must have been gloomy enough. En- the inter
walls of toll, and when he was approaching or
had attained manhood. he was sent To sn oo-
scure and distant country school, which he
attended until he had acquired a knowledge OF
reading and writing, and had advanced In
arithmetic as far as Double Position" In
Ill matters beyond these raGIments OF learning
be was his own instructor. On leaving school
be Was obliged 10 labor for years, almost an
for his support. But his mem
Dry beu.g retentiye, he lost nothing oil the little
education be had acquired. On the contrary.
although utterly destitute OF books, be ampil-
led aud improved his stock OF arithmeticai
knowledge by the operation Of his mind alone.
He Was an acute observer of every thing that
he saw, OF which took place around hun IN the
natural world, and be sought with avidity in
ormation from all sources of what was gong
onward IN society; go that be became gradu |
iiy possessed OF . fand Of general knowledge, |
rbich il was difficult 70 End among those even |
rho were far more favored BY opportunity |
nd circumstance than he was. Al hrst has /
wss . subject OF remark and won
er among his iiliterste neighbors only; but /
' degrees the reputation OF it spread through
WIDER circle and Benjamin Bsnneker, sti,l
young man, came 60 DC thought OF ~ one
ho could NOT only perform all the operations