Sojourner+Truth+(life+as+a+slave)+by+Christina



Sojourner Truth was born in 1797 in Ulster Country, New York. Her given name was Isabell. Johannes Hardenburgh owned her and her family as slaves. Her father was James Bumefree( which ment a tree) and her mother was Betsey. Belle ( her nickname) only spoke Dutch. She and her family along with the other slaves slept under the house in a wet, smelly, and cramped cellar. When Belle made a loud noise and their master stomped on the floor above them Betsey scolded her and told her a story about when a slave women had her new baby. The baby was crying and the mother couldn't get it to stop  crying. The master struck the women and told her to make her baby stop crying. When the baby wouldn't stop the master took it by the legs and bagged it into the wall as hard as he could and gave the body back to the mother and that baby never made a sound again! Then Belle's mother, Betsey, cried about how her other ten children were all sold away and tell more and more stories about them. Then they all fell asleep

"Sold! For 50$ the negro girl Isabelle Hardenburgh and 100 sheep to Mr. John Neely!" The auctionioneer said as he whipped Isabelle. Belle saw her parents in the crowd telling her to be a good girl and to obey her new master. Belle walked to her new master. He had her herd the sheep miles to his home. When Belle got to her new home she was slapped because she couldn't speek any English only dutch. Belle learned later what some English words ment and didn't get slapped as much. One evening Belle was sent to fire wood when master Neely called her to the barn. Master Neely was caring some twigs of his own, he pointed the way into the barn. She was in the dark, cold barn when she felt twigs slap hard against her back. "Why?" Belle asked. It didn't make any difference Master Neely hit her again and again! That was when Belle thought that Master Neely didn't need a reason to beat slaves! He could do it any time he wanted and there was nothing she could do about it! As time pasted Belle was sold again to Martinus Schryver. He was a different master then the Neely's. Belle was almost 11 years old by now. She would do the planting, gardening, hoeing, and picking. Belle loved to be at the Schryver's, she only got slapped if she forgot some of the daily tasks. She didn't have to be afraid of being beaten by them and her new master never beat her with sticks. She wanted to work for the Schryver's for ever. But her dream wouldn't come true. When Belle was 13 years old she was sold again to the Dumonts. They had two daughters who both enjoyed Belle. She wasn't beaten with sticks but she was slapped and pinched alot for no real reason. She worked hard to please the family. Master Dumont was very proud to have Belle. He told her she could work harder then two men. She did field work and house work and worked at them the best she could. When Belle was 16 years old when she met Robert. He was tall and hansome and lived at the farm next to hers. Every day they met. They would dance and roll around in the grass and laugh and talk about anything they wanted. Then Robert's master found out that he was seeing Belle. Because if they got marrried all of the babies they had would go to the Dumonts. Robert was beaten for seeing Belle, but he didn't he kept on seeing her. Then one day Belle was inside the house sick as she was watching the Dumonts beating Robert. It got worse Robort was nearly unconsiouse but still his master beat him. Master Catlin dragged Robert away. Later on Belle was forced to be married to an old man named Thomas. She had no choice the next day she would be married to him. She had 4 children Diana, Peter, Hannah, and Elizabeth. Thy=
 * grew to be big and healthy.