Sojourner Truth: Ain't I a Woman?: Chapters 3–5

Some years later, when she realized that her master was not omnipotent, Belle learned that the man’s name was Levi Rowe, a Quaker who lived down the road from the Dumont estate.

Her decisive answer was, “No, I won’t go back with you.”

At this point, Isaac Van Wagener offered to buy Belle for $20 and Sophia for $5. This was an odd move, because Quakers didn’t condone slavery, but Dumont accepted the deal and left in a huff.

Belle responded in a slow, deliberate manner.

Belle’s answer was filled with a combination of sorrow, fear, and indignation. “Yes, your child has gone there, but she is married and my boy has gone as a slave, and he is too little to go so far from his mother.”

But the determination to get her son back bolstered her courage.

After hearing the case, the Grand Jury decided in her favor.

The writ ordered Solomon Gedney to appear before the court with Peter.

But the constable served the papers to the wrong man, giving Solomon Gedney enough time to escape.

The terrible ordeal was over.

Seeing her child so horribly scarred, Belle had prayed, “God, render unto them who have done this thing double!”

Peter began to steal; then he lied about it when he was caught. Belle was lenient with him because of his experiences, but she felt that she needed help with Peter.

Then she remembered a scripture passage from I Chronicles 29: 15–16 that said: “For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers.... O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee a house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand and is all thine own.”

Miss Geer liked Belle but, more importantly, she was impressed with Peter’s bright and inquisitive nature. The woman told Belle about the availability of jobs in New York and the numerous educational opportunities for Peter.

Sitting bolt-straight, Belle was a striking picture of composure. But, in reality, she was scared witless.

Allen, who had been born a slave in Delaware and ordained a minister in 1799, withdrew his membership and started the African Methodist Church.

Miss Geer stayed in touch with Belle and invited her to join an evangelists’ group that took religion into poverty-stricken areas like Five Points, where filth and disease were as villainous as crime. Belle didn’t see much point in Miss Geer and her Sunday disciples greeting people on street corners and singing hymns.

The big gray house on Bowery Hill was run by Elijah Pierson, a religious charlatan—but neither Belle nor any of his followers knew it at the time.

A strange man with piercing eyes announced himself as Robert Matthews, known better as Matthias.

Within months Pierson and Matthias were partners in a wickedly devised scam.

“Ours is the mustard seed kingdom,” Matthias preached, “which is to spread over the earth. Our creed is truth. But no man can find truth unless he comes clean into the church.”

They organized and were headquartered upstate in Sing Sing, New York, where all the members donated their money and worldly possessions.

She was as shocked as anyone about the wife-swapping, communal bathing, and extortion that were going on around her.

Much to Belle’s dismay, the public found it hard to believe she was ignorant of the whole sordid affair, when in fact she had been.

Discredited and shown up for the rascal he really was, he left for the West and fresh territory to exploit.

In this fictionalized account, based loosely on fact, the Folgers even described how the “black witch’’ had murdered the leader of this fictional group and described in morbid detail how the deed was done.

Whiting was convinced that Belle was incapable of doing the heinous crimes the Folgers had described.

In 1835, Vale published a pamphlet titled, Fanaticism: Its Source and Influence, Illustrated by the Simple Narrative of Isabella.

Vale wrote in the introduction that she “had shrewd common sense, energetic manners, and apparently despises artifice.”

Vale wrote in the introduction that she “had shrewd common sense, energetic manners, and apparently despises artifice.”

Vale suggested that Belle might sue the Folgers and the newspaper that had printed the scandalous novel implicating that she was a murderer.

Isaac Van Wagener said Belle “was a faithful servant, honest, and industrious.”

And her most recent employer, Mrs. Whiting, wrote a glowing report: “I do state unequivocally that we never have had a servant that did all her work so faithfully, and one in whom we could place such implicit confidence. In fact, we did, and do still believe her to be a woman of extraordinary moral purity.”

And her most recent employer, Mrs. Whiting, wrote a glowing report: “I do state unequivocally that we never have had a servant that did all her work so faithfully, and one in whom we could place such implicit confidence. In fact, we did, and do still believe her to be a woman of extraordinary moral purity.”

Belle won her case, and the court awarded her $125 damages.

She found a job for him at a livery stable.

All he had to do was tend the stock, rake the stalls, and clean the harnesses and bridles.

I am your son that is so far from your home in the wide briny ocean.

The city government was corrupt, and crime was rampant.

“I feel sure that he has persevered, and kept the resolve he made before he left home.”