Biddy Mason

Bridget "Biddy" Mason (August 15, 1818 in Hancock County, Georgia – January 15, 1891 in Los Angeles, California) was an African American nurse, and a California real estate entrepreneur and philanthropist.

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Early Life

Born a slave in Georgia. Bridget was given to Robert Smith and his bride as wedding present. After the marriage, Smith took his new wife and slaves to Mississippi.

Missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) proselyted Mississippi. They taught Smith and his family. The family converted. Slaves were not baptized into the Church as a matter of policy. Members were encouraged to free their slaves. Smith chose not to.

Moving West

The Smith household joined a group of other Church members from Mississippi to meet the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo, Illinois in 1847. The group traveled to Pueblo, Colorado and joined up with the sick detachment from the Mormon Battalion. They later joined the main body of Mormons crossing the plains and settled in the Salt Lake Valley, Utah Territory.

Church leader Brigham Young sent a group of Saints to Southern California in 1851. Robert Smith, family and slaves joined them in San Bernardino, California sometime later. Brigham Young counseled Smith again to free Bridget and his other slaves before going to California.

Bridget was among a small group of blacks, free and slave, in the San Bernardino settlement. In 1856, when Smith was planning to move to the slave state of Texas. Bridget, helped by friends, attempted to escape from Smith. She, and a group of Smith's other slaves, traveled towards Los Angeles before Smith caught up with them.

Freedom

Mason petitioned a Los Angeles court for her freedom. A California judge, Benjamin Hayes, granted her freedom as a resident of a free state, as well as the freedom of the other slaves held captive by Smith (her three daughters, and ten other African-American women and children).

Bridget had no legal last name as a slave. After emancipation, she chose to be known as Bridget Mason. Mason was the middle name of Amasa Lyman, Mormon Apostle and mayor of San Bernardino. She had spent many years in the company of the Amasa Lyman household.

Los Angeles

Mason worked in Los Angeles as a nurse and midwife. Saving carefully, she was one of the first African Americans to purchase land in the city. As a businesswoman she amassed a small fortune of nearly $300,000, which she shared generously with charities. She was instrumental in founding a traveler's aid center, an elementary school for black children, and was a founding member of First African Methodist Episcopal Church, the city's first and oldest black church.

Mason is an honoree in the California Social Work Hall of Distinction.

References

• Mungen, Donna. (1976) The Life and Times of Biddy Mason.
• Sims, Oscar L. "Profile of Biddy Mason." (1993) Epic Lives: One Hundred Black Women Who Made a Difference. Smith, Jessie Carney, ed. Visible Ink Press.
• Bolden, Tonya. (1996) The Book of African-American Women: 150 Crusaders, Creators, and Uplifters. Adams Media Corporation.
• Sherr, Lynn and Jurate Kazickas. (1994) Susan B. Anthony Slept Here. A Guide to American Women's Landmarks. Random House.
• Biography at Socialhistory.org
• Biography at DistinguishedWomen.com..

External links

• Biddy Mason Park website.
• Biddy Mason Home Site website.
• A History of Black Americans in California: Biddy Mason
• Biddy Mason on The California Museum's California Legacy Trails
• bio in California Social Work Hall of Distinction
• The City Project Heritage Parkscape website.