Mariah Ritty Ross is an African American woman that was born circa 1811. She was affectionately referred to as “Mary” as a child and is the 2nd eldest daughter of the family. Mariah was born into slavery on Maryland’s Eastern Shore like her siblings.
There isn’t a lot of official or written material on Mariah Ritty Ross since slaves were not given the luxury of having documentation at the time.
Mariah Ritty Ross remains an important figure in US black heritage. Know more about this historical figure by reading down below!
Mariah Ritty Ross’ Biography
Mariah was born into a family of slaves that were located in Maryland, United States of America. She was born circa 1811 – the exact date is unknown since most slaveowners never bother to record the birthdates of slaves.
She came from a large family that consisted of her two parents and eight siblings, with Mariah being the 2nd eldest. Out of all her siblings, the most well-known one is Harriet Tubman who fled to freedom in 1849. Mariah and two other sisters, Linah and Soph, were later sold to the Deep South following Harriet’s escape. Although Harriet was determined to free her family, it was difficult to track down the three sisters after being purchased making their fates unknown.
Her sister, Harriet Tubman, was able to escape and eventually pass on with military honors. Her father, Benjamin Ross, was freed from slavery since it was written in the will of his “owner”. Meanwhile, the fate of the rest of her family remains unknown to most historians.
Family
The father of Mariah Ritty Ross is Benjamin Ross, a slave that was formerly “owned” by Anthony Thompson. He married Harriet Ross and they had nine children together.
The Ross family consisted of nine children – five girls and four boys. The eldest sibling was the daughter Linah Jolley. She was followed by Mariah Ritty who was then proceeded by Soph, Robert, Harriet Tubman, Ben, Rachel, William, and then Moses.
Out of all Mariah Ritty’s siblings, Harriet Tubman became one of the most prominent figures in US Black heritage. She was known to be the “Moses of her people” due to her history as an escaped slave that turned to help other slaves regain their freedom. Harriet Tubman also served in the Union Army during the civil war – making her to be considered the first African American woman to serve in the military.
Physical Features
Presently, there are little to no documented images of Mariah Ritty Ross. This makes it difficult to get a detailed description of her. It could be inferred that Mariah shares most of the key physical features of those of African American descent such as darker skin and black hair.
Education
Mariah Ritty Ross was not given the opportunity to attend formal schooling due to her status as a slave. Mariah was illiterate her entire life since most slaves were never taught how to read or write.