Affadilla Deaver facts for kids
Affadilla Deaver (born February 1808, Lisbon, Maine; died March 11, 1876, York Township, Ohio) was an important helper on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.
Affadilla's Life Story
Affadilla Deaver was born Affadilla Moody in 1808. Her parents were Lyda and Nathan Moody. She was born in a town called Lisbon, in Maine. Some records say she was born on February 24th, and others say February 22nd.
When Affadilla was nine years old, her family moved. They left Maine and went to Morgan County, Ohio. This is the same county where a town called Deavertown is located.
In 1828, Affadilla married Reuben Deaver. Reuben and his brother Levi were the people who founded Deavertown. Reuben had left Deavertown for a while to work as a millwright, which is someone who builds or repairs mills. But he came back to Deavertown in 1825.
Affadilla Deaver passed away on March 11, 1876. She died in York Township, Ohio.
Helping on the Underground Railroad
After they got married, Affadilla and Reuben Deaver became very active. They joined the brave people who helped on the Underground Railroad. This was not a real railroad. It was a secret system of safe houses and routes. It helped enslaved African Americans escape to freedom in the North or Canada.
Affadilla was known for her courage. One time, she was traveling to Roseville. She was going down a place called Wigton's hill. Her wagon got stuck in the mud. Four local farmers came to help her. They helped to get her wagon unstuck.
What the farmers didn't know was that several enslaved people were hiding. They were hidden in the bottom of Affadilla's wagon. The farmers were people who supported slavery. But they never found out about the hidden passengers. Affadilla was able to continue her journey safely.
Later, a researcher named Wilbur Henry Siebert studied the history of the Underground Railroad. He collected a photo of Affadilla in the 1890s. This was part of his important work on abolitionists. Abolitionists were people who wanted to end slavery.
