Dangerfield Newby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dangerfield Newby
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | c. 1820 |
| Died | October 17, 1859 (aged 43–44) |
| Known for | Raid on Harpers Ferry |
| Spouse(s) | Harriet Vincent Newby |
| Children | 7 |
Dangerfield F. Newby (born around 1820 – died October 17, 1859) was an important person in American history. He was a tall man of mixed race and was the oldest of the brave people who joined John Brown in his famous raid. Dangerfield Newby was one of five African American raiders who took part in this event. He died during Brown's raid on the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
Contents
Dangerfield Newby's Early Life
Dangerfield Newby was born into slavery in Culpeper County, Virginia, around 1820. He was described as a tall and well-built man. His father, Henry Newby, was a white landowner. His mother, Elsey Newby, was an enslaved person owned by a neighbor named John Fox. Even though his parents lived together and had several children, they could not legally marry because his mother was enslaved.
Dangerfield was their first child. Later, his father helped Dangerfield, his mother, and his siblings gain their freedom. They moved across the Ohio River to Bridgeport, Ohio, which was a free state. John Fox, who owned Elsey, did not try to reclaim them after they moved.
Dangerfield Newby became a blacksmith in Ashtabula County, Ohio. There, he met John Brown, a famous abolitionist who fought against slavery. John Brown's oldest son, John Jr., also lived in the same county.
Newby's Family and Motivation
Dangerfield Newby's wife, Harriet Vincent Newby, and their seven children were still enslaved in Virginia. They were owned by Jesse Jennings in Arlington or Warrenton, Virginia. Dangerfield tried very hard to buy their freedom. He had saved $1,500, which was the price their owner had first agreed upon. However, the owner then raised the price, making it impossible for Dangerfield to free his family. Another report says he had saved $742 out of a $1,000 price, but this was only for one of their children.
Letters from his wife were found on Dangerfield's body after his death. These letters showed how desperate he was to free his family. Harriet wrote about her fear of being sold away from her children and husband. She begged him to buy her as soon as possible. These letters reveal that Dangerfield joined John Brown and his raid because he hoped to free his family by force. He had tried other ways, but they had not worked.
The Raid on Harpers Ferry
On October 17, 1859, John Brown and his raiders attacked the federal armory at Harpers Ferry. The local citizens quickly organized to fight back. Dangerfield Newby was one of the first raiders to be shot. He was killed instantly when a large spike, fired from a rifle, struck him in the throat.
After he died, his body remained in the street for more than 24 hours. People in Harpers Ferry, who were very angry, treated his body with great disrespect. They stabbed it many times and cut off his limbs. Some people even poked sticks into his wounds. One newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, wrote that "No one seemed to notice him particularly, more than any other dead animal." It was even reported that hogs were seen eating his body. This sad event is said to be how "Hog Alley" in Harpers Ferry got its name.
Dangerfield Newby's body, along with seven other raiders who were killed, was placed in a packing box. They were buried without a ceremony or a marker. The bodies of two other raiders were taken for study by medical students. Years later, in 1899, the bodies were dug up. They were then reburied in a single coffin on the former John Brown Farm in North Elba, New York.
Newby's Family After the Raid
Dangerfield's widow, Harriet, later married a man named William Robinson. He was from Berkeley County, West Virginia, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War. They raised three children together, along with Dangerfield's children. They settled near Mount Vernon, Virginia. Harriet died in 1884. As of 1991, Dangerfield's and Harriet's descendants still live in the Washington D.C. area and other places.
Dangerfield Newby also had a niece named Ida Newby. She graduated from Storer College in 1884.
Letter from Harriet Newby
A very important letter was found on Dangerfield Newby's body after the raid. It was from his wife, Harriet, and showed his strong desire to free his family:
BRENTVILLE, August 16, 1859
Dear Husband.
I want you to buy me as soon as possible for if you do not get me somebody else will. The servants are very disagreeable. They do all that they can to set my mistress against me. Dear Husband you are not the trouble I see these last two years. It has been like a troubled dream to me. It is said that the Master is in want of monney. If so I know not what time he may sell me. Then all my bright hopes of the future are blasted. For there has been one
bright hope to cheer me in all my troubles, that is to be with you. For if I thought I should never see you on this earth, life would have no charm for me. Do all you can for me which I have no doubt you will. I want to see you so much. The children are all well. The baby cannot walk yet. The baby can step around any thing by holding on to it, very much like Agnes. I must bring my letter to close as I have no news to write. You must write soon and say when you think you can come
Your affectionate Wife
Honors and Recognition
- In 2009, Dangerfield Newby was honored by the Library of Virginia. He was recognized as one of the "African American Trailblazers" for his contributions.
- The words from Harriet Newby's letters were used in a song called "Dear Husband." This song is an aria (a song for one voice) in an opera about John Brown, written by Kirke Mechem. It has also been performed separately.
See also
- John Brown's raiders#Black participation
Images for kids
-
A portrait of Dangerfield Newby.
