Daniel Bell (freedman)

**Daniel Bell** (ca. 1802 &#x2013; March 1877) na he be a formerly enslaved man wey gain ein freedom den then sought de freedom of ein wifey, Mary, den dema kiddies. Secof a series of unfortunate events, na e take decades for de Bell family to obtain dema freedom. Na dem san enslave Daniel den ein wifey after dem obtain dema freedom. Na dem enslave two of dema kiddies wey na dem born free.

Na Bell be an organizer den fundraiser for wat na dem call "de single largest known escape attempt by enslaved Americans", by Vincent DeFort, a Washington, D.C., resident of de National Park Service. Having been thwarted chaw times by de court system den dema slaveholder ein behavior, na dem prevent de Bells from attaining dema freedom. Na Bell help plan de use of a schooner, de *Pearl*, make dem transport ein family north from Washington, D.C., insyd 1848. Na de plan expand make e carry a total of 77 fugitive slaves on de schooner. Two days after dema flight, na dem overtake de schooner wey na dem take back Bell family members to de District of Columbia wey dem hold dem insyd a slave pen for sale. Na Bell be able to pay for de freedom of Mary den two of ein kiddies, before na dem spread out de kiddies wey remain across de slave-holding states, wey dey include Louisiana den Mississippi insyd de Deep South.

Na dem never find sam of ein kiddies children, na dem find sam after de Civil War, wey sam die by 1870. Na dem free a daughter den granddaughter by de Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 for residents of Washington, D.C. Na dem ratify de Emancipation Proclamation on December 6, 1865 wey make any remaining enslaved relatives free. Na Bell den ein wifey settle insyd Washington, D.C.

## Early years

Na dem born am about 1802 insyd Prince George's County, Maryland, Daniel Bell, de son of Lucy Bell (born ca. 1763 insyd Maryland), na dem born am into slavery. Na he den ein sistos initially be owned by Ann Greenfield, de widow of Gerrard Truman Greenfield. After Ann ein death insyd 1810, na Daniel den ein sisto Harriet go to Ann ein son Gabriel Greenfield, wey die insyd 1815. Na he fi live plus ein mommie den two sistos insyd de District of Columbia near de Navy Yard by 1820.

Na ein mommie, Lucy, obtain ein freedom by 1850. She die on June 8, 1862, wey na dem bury am insyd de Congressional Cemetery insyd Washington, D.C.

## Adulthood

Na dem loan am out to work give de government by ein slaveholder, na Bell work insyd de Navy Yard ein blacksmith shop casting den moulding heavy ironworks. Na he work der beginning about 1828 den thru at least til 1848. Na dem describe am as "robust, worthy, [den] industrious".

Na he marry Mary, wey na she be enslaved by Robert den Susannah (Susan) Armstead anaa Armistead. By 1835, Bell den Mary get six kiddies wey na dem be between de ages of eleven years old to de youngest wey na be three months old, in descending order by age: Andrew, Mary Ellen, Caroline, George W., Daniel, den Harriet. Na Mary den ein kiddies be owned by Armistead, wey na dem promise Mary by ein slaveholder say ein kiddies go achieve freedom wen na dem be 25 years of age.

## Bell family ein disposition

### Mary
On September 14, 1835, na Robert Armistead sign a deed of manumission make dem free Mary upon ein death, buh na he stipulate say make dem no free ein kiddies til dem be 30 to 40 years of age. Na Armistead die around two days later, wey na dem file de document at de court, buh na ein widow no honor de agreement. Na widow Susan Armistead provide a statement say she own de Bell kiddies for life. Na de deed of manumission be processed by a clerk of Washington County, Maryland wey na dem give Mary Bell ein freedom papers on September 21, 1835. Na Susan, however, contest ein husby ein manumission deed, dey state say na he be of unsound mind wey na dem coerce am into signing. Na Mary san for obtain ein freedom. Na Thomas Blagden purchase ein freedom, den dat of one kiddie, for $400 insyd about de spring of 1847, wey na abolitionists reimburse de amount. However, insyd December 1847, na de court decide against Mary ein petition for freedom.

### Daniel

Wen na Bell ein slaveholder hear say dem free Mary wey na dem go free ein kiddies by term slavery, na he anaa she make arrangements plus a slave trader wey seize Bell, dem take am to Seventh Avenue, wey na dem place am insyd a slave pen to wait make dem sell am. Na ein wifey, kiddies, den paddies be distressed. Thru ein lawyers, na Bell petition for freedom on September 24, 1835. Na Bell ein lawyer withdraw de petition after a colonel agree he go buy Bell, den receive payments in return for ein freedom. 

### De Bell kiddies
Na dem value Armistead ein estate at $1,299.25, of wich na $1,225 be de total value give de Bell kiddies. Based on Susan Armistead ein account of Bell ein family insyd 1839—na Andrew, Mary Ellen, den Caroline—de oldest kiddies, dem hire out. Na dem use dema wages take support de Armisteads. Na de oda Bell kiddies be George, Daniel, den Harriet. Of de kiddies, na dem say Caroline, George den Harriet live plus Susan. Eight years after Mary obtain ein freedom wey she bear two more kiddies, na Susan continue dey try make she obtain clear ownership of all of de Bell children. Na she accept de money wey dem earn, wey na she neglect dema care, wey she lef dem widout proper clothes. Na Susan take baby Eleanor, wey be born free, wey she keep am insyd an unknown location.

## Later years den death
Upon ein death insyd March 1877, na Bell lef ein estate to ein wifey, wey na he say na she be ein "well beloved den devoted wifey, Mary". Na she live insyd dema house insyd Washington, D.C., plus ein daughter Caroline den her son-in-law. Na Daniel Bell stipulate insyd ein will of 1875 dat after Mary die make dem lef de estate to dema kiddies Caroline, Daniel, den Mary Ellen den dema grandkiddies Harriet den Elenora. Mary die insyd 1884.

## References


## Read further
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## External links
* ''Slaves Suing for their Freedom'', C-Span