Bridget “Biddy” Mason | From Slave to Businesswoman

Bridget “Biddy” Mason

The story of Bridget “Biddy” Mason is powerful, to say the least. It demonstrates what a person can achieve by taking advantage of the opportunities that life presents. It is another example of what is possible.

Like another notable black figure, Allen Allensworth, Biddy Mason ended up out west in California. The story of Biddy Mason highlights many of the things that have shaped this country.

Bridget “Biddy” Mason is an example of what it possible. She was a single-mother born into slavery. Yet, through hard work and definiteness of purpose, she achieved an unlikely outcome. Through leveraging real estate, she built wealth, created a legacy, and helped others along the way.

Biddy Mason’s Early Years

Bridget “Biddy” Mason experienced her share of hardships growing up. In fact, many of her experiences were par for the course in the life of a young slave girl. From childhood, through her teenage years, and into young motherhood, life was a daily challenge.

Childhood

Biddy Mason came into the world in less than ideal circumstances. She was a black woman born during slavery. As a consequences, not only did she not belong to herself, she didn’t even belong to her parents. She was property with no rights and viewed as less than human.

The best guess concerning he birth date is August 15, 1818. Historians believe the place was in Hancock County, Georgia. However, we don’t know exactly where she was born, or the exact date. One thing we know for sure is, like many slave children, that she was separated from her parents while very young.  

During this time, black slave families lived under the constant threat of separation through the sale. White slave owners saw money as more important than a black life. This is the epitome of the term “human capital”. Basically, an individuals fate depended largely on the financial situation of the owner. At any time, you could be sold like cattle.

Before long, that is exactly what happened to young Bridget Mason. In early life, her owners took her away from her parents. Then, they sold her to another plantation. According to what records exist, she ended up on the Smith plantation. Her new owner was named Robert Smith.

Teenage Years

As she grew up, Bridget learned the things that most slave girls were taught. She learned how to take care of her domestic duties. In addition to that, she learned how to tend to the crops and the animals.

She gained the valuable knowledge of natural medicine. Slaves had access to information that both African and Native American ancestors passed down to them. She harnessed the powerful medical aspects of that traditional knowledge. With herbal medicines, she provided much needed care to other slaves and owners alike.

In addition to that, she learned the skills of a midwife. She learned to deal with pregnancy, childbirth, and caring for the women after they had given birth. In many countries, people who possess these skills are considered to be medical professionals. That, in and of itself, was a testament to her intelligence. She was far from being the ignorant subhuman that a many slavery supporters made black people out to be.

It was normal for slave owners to give their human property to their children. After all, slaves were property, so the practice made sense. It was merely a transfer of an asset within the family like in the case of an inheritance or a dowry, for example. In some cases, money changed hands. The details of the transaction are unknown but the Smiths eventually transferred the ownership of Bridget Mason to their son, Robert. She was most likely a wedding gift when Robert Mays Smith married his bride Rebecca Dorn Smith in the 1840s.

Motherhood

After going to live with the younger Smith, Bridget “Biddy” Mason entered into motherhood. There is no record of who fathered her children. However, a lot of slave children were actually fathered by their mother’s owners. That’s a possibility in her case.

Biddy was unmarried. As such, there was no man listed in the records that history could attach to her, in some way, as the father of her children. Historians believe that at least one of her children was fathered by Robert Mays Smith.

She ended up giving birth to a total of three children, all girls;

• Ellen in 1838
• Ann in 1844
• Harriet in 1847 

The fact that she was a single mother doesn’t mean that she didn’t have help. It was common, in those days for the women of the community to help each other with the children. The fact that Biddy probably delivered many of the other women’s children made that much more likely. Essentially, the old saying most likely held true, “It takes a village…” Even still, life for the young mother had to be challenging. And, it was about to become even more so.

Heading Out West

The Smith family was active in the Mormon community. As fate would have it, this was around the time that the Mormon leader Joseph Smith, was murdered. A new leader rose in his stead. His name was Brigham Young.

As the new leader, Young believed that the safety of his flock was paramount. Others agreed with him because the murder ofJoseph Smith gave credence to that. Other hostilities against the community gave more evidence of the same.

Brigham Young decided that the Mormon community needed to move to another part of the country where it was safer for them. He chose the Great Salt Lake area. Their destination would be the area south of the Oregon Trail.

Leaving Mississippi

So, Robert Mays Smith and his wife Rebecca Smith joined other Mormon families in moving west as a community. It was to be an overland journey on wagons and horses. Of course, the slaves and other “lesser” individuals would have to make the journey on foot.

The Sick Detachment

Along the way, they met up with a part of the Mormon Battalion called the “Sick” Detachment. The Mormon Battalion was a volunteer battalion that served in 1846 and 1847 during the Mexican-American War. Unlike other military units, it was a religious-based U.S. military unit, probably the only one of its kind in existence, ever. Church members served as officers. However, the United States Army commanded it.

As the unit traveled west, Bridget “Biddy” Mason and other slaves traveled with it on foot. Her job was to help with herding the livestock. She also prepared the meals for the white owners and other slaves. In addition to that, she served as the midwife for the babies that mothers gave birth to along the way. She did much of this, with her own infant on her back and caring for her other two young daughters

Utah Territory

Think about this. They were heading to Utah Territory. The journey was around 1700 miles long. On a commercial plane, that trip would take over 2 and a half hours. She made that trip on foot with small children under her care.

At some point, her group met up with another group of Mormons. Eventually, in 1948, the larger group made it the Salt Lake Valley, Utah Territory and started to build a settlement there. Within that group, there were a total of thirty-four slaves including Biddy Mason. Her and the other slaves served as the primary labor force building cabins and clearing fields. They also labored to plant crops. That was the beginnings of a town that was given the name of Cottonwood.

California

The Smith family mad another move in 1851. Their destination was San Bernardino, California. Before they left, Brigham Young told them that California was a free state. They knew that it would be illegal to hold slaves in the state but they decided to make the move anyway.

Reality Hits

In reality, Robert Mays Smith probably believed that circumstances would allow him the ability to keep his slaves. For one, there were plenty of slave owners that ignored the California law and brought slaves to the state anyway. In addition to that, courts in California often ruled in favor of slaveholders allow them to keep their slaves in that condition. Lastly, he knew that Biddy Mason would be ignorant of the law and unaware that she should be free. In fact, he would have suspected that the thought never even crossed her mind.

Living in San Bernardino, Smith realized that he made a mistake thinking he could keep Biddy as a slave in California. In this new place, there were black people who were free. And, they made no apologies about telling other blacks, including those on the Smith farm, who were living in slavery that they were free too.

Moving to Texas

If Smith had been banking on Biddy’s ignorance, that was no longer a possibility. However, he wanted to keep her enslaved. The reasons are unsure. He may have seen it as his right. Possibly, he had an obsession with her and didn’t want to let her go. Or, maybe it was purely about the money he would lose if his slaves went free. In any case, he made the decision to move to Texas in 1856. Texas was a slave state so he would be free to keep or sell them there, whichever he chose to do.

How Bridget “Biddy” Mason Gained Her Freedom

One of the free blacks that told Biddy that she was free was a man named Robert Owens. I can only imagine the conversation that they had. He was a free man who would, in no way, accept being a slave. She was an enslaved woman who, most likely, had never thought it would be any other way.

Speaking Up

In keeping with her new found knowledge, Bridget Mason expressed her desire to be free. Robert carried that information to where it needed to go. He took it to the Sheriff. The Sheriff was charged with enforcing the law and slavery was illegal in the state of California.

So, before they could travel to Texas, The Smith’s ran into a bit of a road block. Their trip would take them through Cajon Pass, California. That’s where the Los Angeles County Sheriff, along with a posse, caught up with them. Unfortunately for the Smith’s, Sheriff Robert Clift kept them from leaving California with slaves in tow. He served them with a court order. In addition to that, he kept the slaves in jail, under his custody and a protective order.

Court Proceedings

Judge Benjamin Hayes presided over the Mason case in the L.A. County District Court. He was an American pioneer. He was also the first judge of the district court serving the Los Angeles, San Diego and San Bernardino counties in California. Most importantly, the rulings that he made strongly influenced later developments. In fact, they are still cited in California courts to this day.

The court proceedings involving Bridget “Biddy” Mason’s bid for freedom were a different matter. Basically, there were two things that worked against her. First, Robert Mays Smith claimed that she wanted to go with him to Texas. And, second, she was not allowed to testify. According to California law, black folks weren’t allowed to testify against a white person.

A Favorable Decision

Fortunately for Biddy, there were also things that went in her favor. The first of these was the nature of the judge that presided over her case. According to one biographer, Judge Hayes “courageously administered justice in the violent Fifties, when mob rule so frequently took matters under its own control.” It wasn’t uncommon for someone to try to kill a law man that they didn’t agree with. For example, one litigant in a case the was deciding shot at him from about three feet away. Fortunately, the bullet missed his head while going through his hat.

Mormon Sentiment

Another thing that Biddy going for her was the sentiment among many of the Mormons. Mormon leaders disagreed with keeping blacks enslaved in opposition with the state law. Smith quickly became aware that he had few allies in his quest to hold keep his slaves in captivity. But, in addition to that, he was under peer pressure to obey the law.

Court Decision

Peer pressure, and perhaps shame, may have played a part in Smith’s failure to appear in court. As such, he wasn’t there to defend his position in the courtroom. When asked if she wanted to stay with Smith, Biddy Mason said that she did not. Smith’s failure to appear made the Judge’s decision easier and Mason’s petition was successful. On January 21, 1856, Judge Hays ended the slave status of Bridget Mason along with 13 other slaves.

And it is further ordered and adjudged that all costs accrued in the can up to the present date and in executing the present order of the judge here as to the production of said Hannah and her said infant two weeks old, and said Lawrence, Martha and Mary, before the judge here as aforesaid, shall be paid by the said Robert Smith. Given under my hand as judge of the First Judicial District Court of the State of California, on the 19th day of January, A.D. 1856, at the City of Los Angeles.

Benjamin Hayes, District Judge

A New Name

Upon gaining her Freedom, Bridget had no last name. She had to chose one. She took her last name from part of the name of the mayor of San Bernardino and former Mormon leader, Amason Lyman. Later, came documentation of her freedom in the form of a certified copy of the documents that confirmed that in 1860.

History knows her as Bridget “Biddy” Mason. Biddy is a nickname. The definition of Biddy is “a woman, especially an elderly one, regarded as annoying or interfering.” I think it’s fair to say that her former owner most certainly thought of her that way. Of course, the origin could also lie in her “social activities” as she lived in the Los Angeles community later on.

Life After Freedom

After gaining her freedom, Mason and her daughters went to live with Robert Owens. He was the father of Charles Owens who was a well-known Los Angeles businessman. Eventually, Biddy’s daughter Ellen married into the Owens family by becoming Charle’s wife. Bridget Mason moved forward in her work and business as well as a strong involvement in the community.

Her Work and Business

Mason continued to use the skills that she learned in her life as a slave. Often, we think of someone who is enslaved as possessing below average intelligence. Biddy Mason was proof that assumption was simply not true.

Taking Care of People

Her knowledge of natural medicine came in handy as a nurse. She also continued in her role as a midwife delivering hundreds of newborns over the course of her career. Another note, is her involvement in caring for smallpox victims during the Los Angeles small pox epidemic.

Leveraging Real Estate

Biddy Mason showed an ability to catch on quickly. It didn’t take long for her to recognize opportunities as they presented themselves. She was also surround by good influences. She had both black and white business minded people giving her good counsel. As a result, she was one of the first African-American women to own land in Los Angeles.

The investments that she made in real estate allowed her to do more than just survive. She began to thrive. She began to amass wealth.

Over time, she built a relatively large fortune.

Community Involvement

An indicator of her intelligence was the fact that she spoke fluent Spanish. That placed her in a position to build relationships throughout the community. According to historical accounts, she gained a good reputation in Los Angeles. As such, she associated with some of the most famous and powerful people in the town.

She was also well known for her generosity. As she gained wealth, she shared it with others. She was remembered as feeding and sheltering the poor, visiting prisoners, and helping to provide education and care for the town’s children. In fact, she is credited with helping to establish the first elementary school for black children in Los Angeles. Simply put, Bridget “Biddy” Mason was a philanthropist.

As a believer, she also helped to found the First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles. Obviously, a great amount of planning and organization went into the church’s founding. Biddy held many of the meetings at her own home on Spring Street. With that, she put her money where her mouth was by donating the land to construct the building on.

Her kind and giving attitude earned her the nicknames “Aunt Biddy”, “Auntie Mason”, “Grandma Mason”, and “Grandma Biddy”. She is remembered for often speaking on the need for generosity in the words below.

Bridget “Biddy” Mason’s Legacy

Mason’s daughter Ellen and her husband Charles Owens had two sons. The eldest was Robert Curry Owens (1859-1932). The youngest was Henry Louis Owens (1861-1893) who passed at around 32 years of age.

Robert Curry Owens was at one time known as the wealthiest Black man in Los Angeles. He built upon the family’s wealth by engaging further in real estate. Records show that he owned the “Owens Block”. This was a two-story brick building on Broadway. It was the first Black-owned commercial building in Downtown Los Angeles.

Death and Burial

Mason died on January 15, 1891. That would have made her around 72 years old when she passed. Considering that she began her life under the harsh conditions of slavery, she lived a long life. She was buried in Evergreen Cemetery near the neighborhood of Boyle Heights.

Bridget Mason was one of the wealthiest women in Los Angeles when she died. Oddly enough, she was buried without a headstone. For someone who is credited for having accomplished so much and done so much for the community, that’s a shame. And, probably, a testament to the human condition.

Fortunately, Los Angeles’ first black mayor rectified that situation. Mayor Tom Brady, along with members of her church, held a ceremony in her honor on March 27, 1988. They paid respect to her life and accomplishments. In addition to that, they marked her grave with a headstone.

Social Work Honoree

The California Social Work Hall of Distinction honored Mason. The California Social Welfare Archives established the wall in 2002. Its purpose is to honor those helping to bring about the betterment of society. It also ensures continued acknowledgement of the contributions of social work leaders, innovators and pioneers.

The Broadway Spring Center also acknowledged her social contributions. Located in downtown Los Angeles, the center celebrated Biddy Mason Day on November 16, 1989. During the ceremony, the Center unveiled a memorial highlighting her achievements.The Broadway Spring Center sits where Biddy Mason’s home once stood.

Biddy Mason Memorial Park

Biddy Mson Park sits adjacent to the Broadway Spring Center. Landscape architects Katherine Spitz and Pamela Burton teamed up to design the park. Meanwhile, artist Sheila Levrant de Bretteville created an 80-foot-long poured concrete wall called “Biddy Mason Time and Place”. This piece features a timeline of Biddy Mason’s life. From right to left, viewers can see important times and events in the life of Bridget “Biddy” Mason. It begins with the text “Biddy Mason born a slave.” It covers the years of her life. And, ultimately, the last entry reads “Los Angeles mourns and reveres Grandma Mason.”

University of California

In addition to the other places, the University of California also honored Mason. Bernard Zakheim featured her in a painting. The wall mural was located in UC Hall and dates back to the 1930’s. Unfortunately, campus upgrades necessitated the demolition of that building.