I came across a copy of a letter that my mother, Doris Graham Cleage sent to my sister Pearl on September 28, 1980. Page three, which seems to have been more information about Eliza and Annie has disappeared. There is quite a bit of erroneous information here, but also some truth.
Info Alert:
Know very little about Colonel Harrison. Understand it is very easy to find out about army officers in Virginia – good records were kept about them and their lives – including slaves, etc. A little research might give considerable info about him. We know he was childless and that he freed two female slaves, Eliza and Ann, sometime around 1840. About Eliza, his mistress, and mother of his child, Ann, your great-great grandmother (I think that’s right), Grandmother Turner’s mother. Mother said Eliza was a little quiet brown skin lady. Ann was a lighter brown with long, straight brown… (missing page 3)
Facts: Colonel Edmund Harrison was born in Virginia but made his way to Alabama in the early 1800s. He married Jane Irvin and they had four daughters together.
Ann was Eliza’s mother. Col. Harrison did not free either of them.
…Col Harrison is that Mrs H. ordered him to get rid of the two slaves when the daughter was about 17. (This is very interesting, I think. Why get rid of them after all those years? She must have known about the relationship all the time. Did he feel affection for Eliza and Ann? Was Mrs. H. afraid Ann might inherit the plantation? You know, he could have sold them. Or just freed them there. Instead he took them by carriage to Montgomery, bought them a big house with big porch and yard, found a “good” husband for Ann. Why so far away? To get them out of Mrs. H’s reach? I wonder if he ever knew he had so many grandchildren or if he ever saw any of them?)
Facts: In 1851 when Eliza was about 17, Col. Harrison’s 18 year old daughter, Martha, married Milton Saffold. After Martha died, in 1856 he fathered Eliza’s daughter Mary. Saffold married his second wife in 1857 and freed Eliza and Mary before 1860. The second wife was most likely the mean one referred to by my mother.
So much for Col. Harrison. Will write more of grandmother Turner and her sisters next time. Don’t know any more about Eliza and Ann except that Eliza was a seamstress on the plantation (worked in the big house, no?) and she taught Ann to sew, Also in the big house and they taught grandmother to sew.
Facts: Eliza and her daughters did work as dressmakers throughout their lives.
Hope I don’t repeat myself too much as I go along. I can’t believe all I’ve just remembered. Thought a few lines would do!
You can find more information about Eliza and her family here -> Eliza’s Story