Margaret's History
Margaret Garner was born a slave in 1834 at Maplewood Plantation in Boone County, Kentucky. The plantation was owned by John Gaines and it is believed that he was Garner's father. Her mother Pricilla was a house servant and Margaret was "mulatto"; a term describing her mixed race.
In 1849, Margaret married fellow slave Robert Garner. In that same year John Gaines sold his plantation and every slave on it to his younger brother Archibald. While John was a fairer slave master than most, Archibald treated the slaves like animals. Margaret was a house slave and was subjected to sexual violence from Archibald. Margaret had one son from Robert, but her youngest three children are believed to be Archibald's.
On a January night in 1856 Margaret escaped from the plantation and crossed the frozen Ohio River to Cincinnati which was a Free State. Her family's freedom did not last long. The house where they took refuge was quickly surrounded by U.S. Marshalls. Margaret was faced with the most difficult and horrible decision of her life. Did she dare let her children be captured and be sent back to a life of slavery full of sexual abuse and worse? Margaret made a choice that would haunt generations to come. Margaret pulled her two year old daughter Mary to her and slit her throat. She was reaching for her other children when the slave hunters crashed into the cabin. She and her husband were arrested and she would face a trial in Cincinnati - a Free State.
In 1849, Margaret married fellow slave Robert Garner. In that same year John Gaines sold his plantation and every slave on it to his younger brother Archibald. While John was a fairer slave master than most, Archibald treated the slaves like animals. Margaret was a house slave and was subjected to sexual violence from Archibald. Margaret had one son from Robert, but her youngest three children are believed to be Archibald's.
On a January night in 1856 Margaret escaped from the plantation and crossed the frozen Ohio River to Cincinnati which was a Free State. Her family's freedom did not last long. The house where they took refuge was quickly surrounded by U.S. Marshalls. Margaret was faced with the most difficult and horrible decision of her life. Did she dare let her children be captured and be sent back to a life of slavery full of sexual abuse and worse? Margaret made a choice that would haunt generations to come. Margaret pulled her two year old daughter Mary to her and slit her throat. She was reaching for her other children when the slave hunters crashed into the cabin. She and her husband were arrested and she would face a trial in Cincinnati - a Free State.
This is a scene from the movie Beloved. It is not completely accurate, but it does show the anguish Margaret is going through at the imminent capture and return to a life of slavery.