Venture Smith
Encyclopedia
Venture Smith was an Africa
n captured as a child and transported to the America
n colonies to be sold as a slave. As an adult, he purchased his freedom and that of his family. His history was documented when he gave a narrative of his life to a schoolteacher, who wrote it down and published it under the title A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa: But Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Himself.
. Clues in the narrative make it clear that he was from the savannah
region — and the fact that he was sold at the seaport of Anomabu
, in modern Ghana
, suggests that he was probably originally from somewhere in what is now Ghana, Togo
, or Benin
. He was the son of a prince who had several wives.
As a young child, he was kidnapped by a tribe of Africans who were employed by slave dealers. The boy was purchased by Robertson Mumford for four gallons of rum
and a piece of calico
. Mumford decided to call him Venture because he considered purchasing him to be a business venture. Venture was taken aboard a ship that sailed to Barbados
.
during the trip. Some of the survivors were sold to planters on Barbados, but Venture and a few others were sent to Rhode Island
, arriving around 1737. Afterward, Venture went to live at Mumford's residence on Fishers Island
, New York. Once there, he worked in the household. As he grew older, he endured harder tasks and more severe punishments.
At the age of twenty-two, Venture married another slave named Meg. Shortly thereafter, he made an escape attempt, convinced to take flight by an Irish indentured servant
named Heddy. During their trip, Heddy stole provisions in Long Island
, and Venture turned him in. He was returned to his master.
In 1752, Venture and Meg welcomed their daughter Hannah. Less than a month later, Venture was separated from his family when he was sold to Thomas Stanton in Stonington, Connecticut
. They were reunited the following year when Stanton bought Meg and Hannah. Venture had begun saving money he had earned from working outside jobs and selling produce he grew. He hoped to buy freedom for his family.
Venture and Meg had two more children, Solomon in 1756 and Cuff in 1758. Venture was sold twice more. In 1760, he ended up with Colonel Oliver Smith, who permitted him to buy his freedom. The colonel agreed to let Venture work for money when his labor was not required at home. In gratitude, he took Smith's last name for himself and his family. Finally, around 1765, Venture Smith purchased his freedom for 71 pounds and two shillings.
. In 1769, after cutting wood and living frugally for four years, Smith purchased his sons, Solomon and Cuff. He then purchased a black slave for sixty pounds, but the man ran away without repaying him.
Venture Smith suffered his first tragedy as a freedman
when Solomon died from scurvy
on a whaling expedition in 1773. That same year, Smith purchased his pregnant wife Meg from Thomas Stanton. When the child was born, he was named Solomon, in memory of his deceased brother. With the purchase of his daughter Hannah in 1775, Venture Smith had freed his entire family.
Venture Smith spent the remainder of his life in Haddam Neck
, Connecticut, on a farm that he bought in 1776. He made a living by fishing, whaling, farming his land, and trading on the Salmon River
, located near his residence.
In 1798, Smith relayed his life experiences to Connecticut schoolteacher and Revolutionary War
veteran Elisha Niles, who published it. The narrative is the subject of some contention, regarded in many instances as "whitewashed" and inauthentic. It was suspected that the white editor manipulated Smith's story, a common practice among editors of slave narratives.
Venture Smith died in 1805.
Smith (or his editor) claimed that he was well over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, weighed 300 pounds (136.1 kg), and carried a 9 pounds (4.1 kg) axe for felling trees. From these and other elements of his life, Smith became known as the black Paul Bunyan
.
samples from Venture Smith's remains to be compared with DNA from communities on the west coast of Africa in an effort to understand Smith's history and background better. The effort stopped when Nancy Burton, a disbarred Connecticut lawyer without relation to the family, filed legal action to stop the dig. Burton claimed that the dig was disrespectful to Smith and his memory. The case was dismissed because the family had made application to the East Haddam Probate Court and the town's probate judge, Paul Buhl, had granted custody of the remains to Venture Smith's oldest living relative who qualified as next of kin. Town clerk Debra Denette had, upon application based on the Probate Judge's findings, issued exhumation permits authorizing the dig. This project was followed by a BBC Television team, which produced the documentary A Slave's Story, which aired on March 2007. (See external links below to view.)
After extensive consultation with the documented relatives of Venture Smith, an archaeological team exhumed the graves of Venture and his wife and some of their descendants. Unfortunately, the soil in which his family had been buried was so acidic that almost no bones remained. They were able to obtain some DNA evidence from the forearm bones (the only bones remaining of the entire family) of Venture's wife. However, the DNA obtained is weak and inconclusive.
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n captured as a child and transported to the America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
n colonies to be sold as a slave. As an adult, he purchased his freedom and that of his family. His history was documented when he gave a narrative of his life to a schoolteacher, who wrote it down and published it under the title A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa: But Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America, Related by Himself.
Early life
Venture Smith was born Broteer Furro in a place he recalls as Dukandarra in "Guinea"--a term that at the time referred to much of West AfricaWest Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Clues in the narrative make it clear that he was from the savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
region — and the fact that he was sold at the seaport of Anomabu
Anomabu
Anomabu , is a town on the coast of Ghana, Africa.-European colonization:Anomabu became the focus of intense European trade rivalry in the 17th and 18th centuries, partly because of its easy access to a rich hinterland and partly because the local Anomabu were themselves powerful and astute traders...
, in modern Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, suggests that he was probably originally from somewhere in what is now Ghana, Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, or Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. He was the son of a prince who had several wives.
As a young child, he was kidnapped by a tribe of Africans who were employed by slave dealers. The boy was purchased by Robertson Mumford for four gallons of rum
Rum
Rum is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from sugarcane by-products such as molasses, or directly from sugarcane juice, by a process of fermentation and distillation. The distillate, a clear liquid, is then usually aged in oak barrels...
and a piece of calico
Calico (fabric)
Calico is a plain-woven textile made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric is less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, but owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance, it is still very cheap. Originally from the...
. Mumford decided to call him Venture because he considered purchasing him to be a business venture. Venture was taken aboard a ship that sailed to Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
.
A slave in colonial America
Venture relays in his narrative that upon the ship's arrival in Barbados, over sixty of the original 260 slaves on board had died of smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
during the trip. Some of the survivors were sold to planters on Barbados, but Venture and a few others were sent to Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
, arriving around 1737. Afterward, Venture went to live at Mumford's residence on Fishers Island
Fishers Island
Fishers Island, approximately 9 miles long and 1 mile wide, is located at the eastern end of Long Island Sound, 2 miles off the southeastern coast of Connecticut across Fishers Island Sound...
, New York. Once there, he worked in the household. As he grew older, he endured harder tasks and more severe punishments.
At the age of twenty-two, Venture married another slave named Meg. Shortly thereafter, he made an escape attempt, convinced to take flight by an Irish indentured servant
Indentured servant
Indentured servitude refers to the historical practice of contracting to work for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities during the term of indenture. Usually the father made the arrangements and signed...
named Heddy. During their trip, Heddy stole provisions in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and Venture turned him in. He was returned to his master.
In 1752, Venture and Meg welcomed their daughter Hannah. Less than a month later, Venture was separated from his family when he was sold to Thomas Stanton in Stonington, Connecticut
Stonington, Connecticut
The Town of Stonington is located in New London County, Connecticut, in the state's southeastern corner. It includes the borough of Stonington, the villages of Pawcatuck, Lords Point, Wequetequock, the eastern halves of the villages of Mystic and Old Mystic...
. They were reunited the following year when Stanton bought Meg and Hannah. Venture had begun saving money he had earned from working outside jobs and selling produce he grew. He hoped to buy freedom for his family.
Venture and Meg had two more children, Solomon in 1756 and Cuff in 1758. Venture was sold twice more. In 1760, he ended up with Colonel Oliver Smith, who permitted him to buy his freedom. The colonel agreed to let Venture work for money when his labor was not required at home. In gratitude, he took Smith's last name for himself and his family. Finally, around 1765, Venture Smith purchased his freedom for 71 pounds and two shillings.
A Free Man
Smith moved to Long IslandLong Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. In 1769, after cutting wood and living frugally for four years, Smith purchased his sons, Solomon and Cuff. He then purchased a black slave for sixty pounds, but the man ran away without repaying him.
Venture Smith suffered his first tragedy as a freedman
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
when Solomon died from scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
on a whaling expedition in 1773. That same year, Smith purchased his pregnant wife Meg from Thomas Stanton. When the child was born, he was named Solomon, in memory of his deceased brother. With the purchase of his daughter Hannah in 1775, Venture Smith had freed his entire family.
Venture Smith spent the remainder of his life in Haddam Neck
Haddam, Connecticut
Haddam is a town in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,157 at the 2000 census. The town was also home to the now decommissioned Connecticut Yankee Nuclear Reactor.-Geography:...
, Connecticut, on a farm that he bought in 1776. He made a living by fishing, whaling, farming his land, and trading on the Salmon River
Salmon River (Connecticut)
The Salmon River is formed at the confluence of the Blackledge and Jeremy rivers about one mile west of North Westchester, Connecticut. It runs for to Salmon Cove near Moodus where it flows into the Connecticut River....
, located near his residence.
In 1798, Smith relayed his life experiences to Connecticut schoolteacher and Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
veteran Elisha Niles, who published it. The narrative is the subject of some contention, regarded in many instances as "whitewashed" and inauthentic. It was suspected that the white editor manipulated Smith's story, a common practice among editors of slave narratives.
Venture Smith died in 1805.
Smith (or his editor) claimed that he was well over 6 feet (1.8 m) tall, weighed 300 pounds (136.1 kg), and carried a 9 pounds (4.1 kg) axe for felling trees. From these and other elements of his life, Smith became known as the black Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan
Paul Bunyan is a lumberjack figure in North American folklore and tradition. One of the most famous and popular North American folklore heroes, he is usually described as a giant as well as a lumberjack of unusual skill, and is often accompanied in stories by his animal companion, Babe the Blue...
.
DNA project
During the summer of 2006 and with permission from over a dozen of his descendants, scientists dug up Smith's grave to look for artifacts and take DNADNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
samples from Venture Smith's remains to be compared with DNA from communities on the west coast of Africa in an effort to understand Smith's history and background better. The effort stopped when Nancy Burton, a disbarred Connecticut lawyer without relation to the family, filed legal action to stop the dig. Burton claimed that the dig was disrespectful to Smith and his memory. The case was dismissed because the family had made application to the East Haddam Probate Court and the town's probate judge, Paul Buhl, had granted custody of the remains to Venture Smith's oldest living relative who qualified as next of kin. Town clerk Debra Denette had, upon application based on the Probate Judge's findings, issued exhumation permits authorizing the dig. This project was followed by a BBC Television team, which produced the documentary A Slave's Story, which aired on March 2007. (See external links below to view.)
After extensive consultation with the documented relatives of Venture Smith, an archaeological team exhumed the graves of Venture and his wife and some of their descendants. Unfortunately, the soil in which his family had been buried was so acidic that almost no bones remained. They were able to obtain some DNA evidence from the forearm bones (the only bones remaining of the entire family) of Venture's wife. However, the DNA obtained is weak and inconclusive.
External links
- A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa: But Resident above Sixty Years in the United States of America. Related by Himself. New-London, CT: Printed by C Holt, at The Bee-office, 1798.
- A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, a Native of Africa, but Resident Above Sixty Years in the United States of America. Middletown, CT: JS Stewart, 1897.
- Text of Smith's Narrative
- Venture Smith website
- BBC Documentary following the DNA project in 2006
- Venture Smith
- Venture Smith's Grave in East Haddam, CT