Venus Enslaved

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• Name	Venus Enslaved
  Gender	Female
  Enslaved	Yes
  Race	Black
  Notes	Carlisle Herald, January 3, 1849. For the Herald. “Dec. 5, 1794.\*-Died in Boston, Mass. aged thirty one years, Phillis Wheatley, a poet and native of Africa. She was brought to America in 1761, when she was between seven and eight years of age. She soon acquired the English language, and made some progress in Latin. While she was a slave in the family of John Wheatley, she wrote a volume of poems, very respectable in measure and in sense.” From Scintillations of History in the S. E. Post.” \*She died in 1784.    “Mr. Editor-The above Phillis Wheatley is supposed to have had a sister named Venus. Both were captured on the coast of Africa while bathing, and both were King’s daughters, and beautiful in the estimation of their own people. Venus, who often related the circumstance, belonged as a slave to old Thomas Craighead, decd. of South Middleton township. She has a daughter named Phillis, now living in the Poor House of Cumberland County. Old Mr. Craighead, being a ’76 Whig, did not record his slaves under the Act of 1780. Although free, he made ample provision in his will for Venus. Her honesty and piety endeared her to all of her acquaintances, particularly to the Rev. Dr. Davidson and Rev. John Craighead, both of whom she adored. She used to say she had a ring on every finger and two on her fum (thumb) when captured. Venus always claimed to be the oldest of the two. The above might have a corner in your useful paper. T.C.” “Venus, Slave of Thomas Craighead, Was Sister of the First Published American Negro Poet, Phillis Wheatley | Elizabeth V. and George F. Gardner Library.”
  Person ID	I24649 SOALsearch
  Last Modified	1 Nov 2024

  
  
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  Father	West African Father
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	West African Mother
  Relationship	natural
  Family ID	F8298 Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Father Unknown
  Children	1. Phillis Bacon b. Abt 1770, Pennsylvania, USA  [natural]
  Last Modified	1 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F8299 Group Sheet  |  Family Chart