Lear Green facts for kids

Lear Green (1839—1860) was an African American woman who was enslaved. She bravely escaped to freedom from her enslaver, James Noble. She did this by hiding inside an old sailor's chest! The chest was shipped from Baltimore to Philadelphia.

Lear Green's Story

Her Early Life

When Lear was eighteen, she met William Adams. He was a free African American man who worked as a barber. William asked Lear to marry him.

At first, Lear said no. She did not want to have children who would be born into slavery. She worried her enslaver, James Noble, might sell them away from her. After William asked her many times, Lear agreed to marry him. But she had one condition: she would only marry him as a free person.

The Daring Escape

In 1850, James Noble put an advertisement in The Sun newspaper. He described Lear as a "NEGRO GIRL... about 18 years of age [with] black complexion, round featured, good looking and of ordinary size." He also mentioned what she was wearing.

Noble knew Lear and William Adams were in a relationship. He also knew William planned to marry Lear. Noble thought they had run away together. He described William as "black, quiet spoken, 5 by 10 inches high, a scar on one side of his face." Noble offered a reward for Lear's return.

William Adams and his mother came up with a clever plan. William's mother, Mrs. Adams, was a free African American woman. She traveled to Baltimore to visit her son. After her visit, she prepared to go home to New York. She planned to travel on the Erricson line of steamers.

Mrs. Adams brought an old sailor's chest with her. It was tied with strong ropes. Inside the chest were a quilt, a pillow, some clothes, a little food, a bottle of water, and Lear Green. Even though Mrs. Adams was free, she had to stay on the ship's deck. This was lucky for Lear. It meant Mrs. Adams was close to the chest.

During the night, Mrs. Adams would quietly untie the ropes. She would lift the lid of the chest. This let Lear get some fresh air. Mrs. Adams also checked on Lear, who was feeling claustrophobic inside the small space.

Eighteen hours later, they arrived in Philadelphia. No one questioned the chest. It was then put onto a bumpy carriage. Lear was still inside. The carriage went to the American Anti-Slavery Society Office.

When they arrived, William Still was there. He was the chairman of the Vigilance Committee. He untied the chest, and Lear came out alive! Lear stayed at William Still's home for a short time. Then, she traveled to her final destination in south central New York. Her fiancé, William, was waiting for her there.

Life in Freedom

Lear, now a free woman, traveled to Elmira, New York. William Adams was waiting for her there. They decided to stay in Elmira. They did not travel to St. Catherine's, Ontario, in Canada, which was the last stop on the Underground Railroad.

Lear and William were married. They enjoyed three years of freedom together. Lear died at the age of twenty-one. The cause of her death is not known.