Nancy Gooch (Black abolitionist)
editNancy Gooch was an African-American abolitionist who gained her freedom when her master moved her and her husband, Peter Gooch, to California.
From Maryland to California
editNancy Gooch was born a free person in Maryland in 1811 (although it varies based on the census year, her gravestone says 1811). Later on, Gooch became a slave when she moved to Missouri. After working in the fields for a few years in Missouri, Gooch, alongside her husband Peter, were moved to California by their master, William Gooch.[1] However, left behind was Gooch's three year old son Andrew, who later on was purchased by a family in Missouri called the Monroe's. One the Gooch's got to California and gained their independence, Nancy began to do laundry and other domestic chores for the miners in California. She also lived in a small shack that barely cost her any money, this way, she could begin to gather up enough money to buy her son's freedom.[2]
Success Story
editWhile Nancy Gooch isn't brought up when talking about famous abolitionists, Gooch was one of the first African American women to be a true success story. Not only was Gooch granted her freedom, she worked hard to earn enough money to get her son to California, but also begin to buy land for her family. Gooch and her husband got to Coloma, California in 1849, and by 1850 began working at the gold mining location. Eventually, the Gooch's earned enough money to buy eighty acres of land in 1858.[3] Eventually, these eighty acred grew into 320 acres, including the gold discovery site at Sutter's mill.[4]
Bibliography
editBeard, Jerrie. “Coloma’s agricultural heritage traces its roots to the grit and determination of former slaves.” Mountain Democrat, February 14, 2018, sec. A.
Moore, Ann. Sweet Freedom’s Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails, 1841-1869. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2016.
Muntner, Jaime. Pacific Appeal, January 23, 1864, sec. A.
Rosen, Fred. Gold!: The Story of the 1848 Gold Rush and How It Shaped a Nation. Berkley: Thunder’s Mouth Press, 2005.
 | This user is a student editor in Oregon_State_University/HST_310--The_Historian's_Craft_(Fall_2018). |
- ^ Beard, Jerrie. https://www.mtdemocrat.com/news/colomas-agricultural-heritage-traces-its-roots-to-the-grit-and-determination-of-former-slaves/.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ Rosen, Fred (2005). Gold!: The Story of the 1848 Gold Rush and How It Shaped a Nation. Berkley, California: Thunder's Mouth Press.
- ^ Moore, Shirley (2016). Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails, 1841–1869. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.
- ^ Moore, Shirley (2016). Sweet Freedom's Plains: African Americans on the Overland Trails, 1841–1869. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press.