Have you ever heard of Mariah Ritty Ross? She was the sister of the famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman. But unlike Harriet, Mariah’s story is not widely known. In this post, we’ll explore the life and legacy of this remarkable woman.
Who Was Mariah Ritty Ross?
Mariah Ritty Ross was born in 1811 in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was one of nine children born to Ben Ross and Harriet Greene, both of whom were enslaved. Mariah’s exact date of birth is unknown, as records for enslaved people were often incomplete or nonexistent. However, based on historical records and family accounts, it is believed she was born sometime in 1811.
As a young girl, Mariah worked alongside her family on the plantation where they were enslaved. Despite the hardships of slavery, the Ross family was close-knit and supportive of one another. Tragically, everything would change for Mariah when she was just 14 years old. In 1825, she and two of her sisters were sold away to plantations in the Deep South, never to be seen by their family again.
Early Life and Family Background
Mariah Ritty Ross was born into slavery on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Her parents, Ben Ross and Harriet Greene, were both enslaved on the plantation of Edward Brodess. The Ross family was close, despite the cruelties of slavery. Mariah’s father Ben was a timber inspector and her mother Harriet was a cook. They instilled in their children a strong sense of family and faith.
Mariah had eight siblings, including her younger sister Harriet, who would go on to become the famous abolitionist Harriet Tubman. The Ross children looked out for one another and leaned on each other for support in the face of hardship. Sadly, the Ross family would be torn apart when Mariah and two of her sisters were sold away as teenagers. This devastating event would have a profound impact on young Mariah and her family.
Relationship With Harriet Tubman
Mariah Ritty Ross and her famous sister Harriet Tubman were very close as children. Born just four years apart, the girls were constant companions on the Maryland plantation where they were enslaved. As the older sister, Mariah was protective of Harriet. She looked out for her and comforted her when she was sad or scared. The sisters spent their days working side by side in the fields and their nights whispering and giggling together in their cabin.
Harriet, who was nicknamed “Minty” as a child, was known for her bravery and defiance in the face of slavery’s cruelties. Mariah admired her little sister’s spirit. The two girls dreamed of one day being free together. Sadly, that dream would never come to pass. In 1825, when Mariah was 14 and Harriet was just 10, Mariah and two other sisters were sold away to the Deep South. The girls were torn from each other’s arms, their cries echoing across the plantation.
Harriet would eventually escape slavery and go on to lead others to freedom as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. But she was never able to rescue Mariah from bondage in the South. The loss of her beloved sister would haunt Harriet for the rest of her life.
Life During Slavery
As an enslaved child in Maryland, Mariah Ritty Ross faced constant hardship and injustice. She was forced to work long hours in the fields, planting and picking crops from sunup to sundown. The work was backbreaking and the conditions were harsh. Mariah and her family lived in a small, drafty cabin with dirt floors. They were given meager rations of food and clothing. There was always the looming threat of violence or family separation.
When Mariah was 14, that threat became a reality. She and two of her sisters were sold to plantations in the Deep South. Mariah was torn away from everything and everyone she knew and loved. Life on the plantation in the Deep South was even harder than what Mariah had known in Maryland. She faced even longer work hours, harsher punishments, and further isolation from friends and family.
Details about Mariah’s exact experiences during this time are lost to history. As an enslaved woman, Mariah was unable to read or write, so she left behind no records of her own. What is known is that she faced unimaginable suffering and injustice.
Mariah Ritty Ross Role In The Underground Railroad
Unlike her famous sister Harriet Tubman, there is no evidence that Mariah Ritty Ross was directly involved with the Underground Railroad. Harriet, who escaped slavery in 1849, made over a dozen trips back to Maryland to guide other enslaved people to freedom. But by this time, Mariah had already been sold away to the Deep South.
However, Mariah’s story is deeply intertwined with the Underground Railroad through her connection to Harriet. When Harriet first began contemplating escape, one of her primary motivations was to one day rescue her family, including Mariah. Harriet’s love for her sister and her anguish at their separation fueled her tireless work on the Underground Railroad. In a way, Mariah was with Harriet in spirit on every rescue mission.
Harriet often spoke of her sisters who had been lost to the Deep South. She worked to raise money to attempt to locate and free them. Sadly, despite years of effort, Harriet was never able to discover what happened to Mariah or engineer her rescue. So while Mariah may not have been an active participant in the Underground Railroad, her life story was intimately connected to this important network to freedom. Her plight, and the unimaginable anguish of having a sister stolen away, motivated Harriet Tubman’s heroic efforts.
Remembering Mariah Ritty Ross
Mariah Ritty Ross’s life story serves as a poignant reminder of the horrors and injustices of slavery. Her childhood was marked by hard labor, harsh conditions, and the constant fear of violence or family separation. Tragically, Mariah’s worst fears came true when she was sold away from her home and family at just 14 years old. Ripped from her parents’ arms and torn from her beloved sister Harriet, Mariah was sent to toil on a plantation in the Deep South. She would never see her family again.
Details of Mariah’s life after this unthinkable cruelty are lost to history. As an enslaved woman denied the right to literacy, Mariah was unable to record her own experiences. Her fate and even her date of death remain unknown. What we do know is that Mariah’s life story weighed heavily on her famous sister Harriet Tubman. Harriet’s anguish at the loss of Mariah was a driving force behind her tireless work on the Underground Railroad. In a way, Harriet carried Mariah with her on every rescue mission.
Today, Mariah Ritty Ross is far less famous than her sister Harriet. But her story deserves to be told and remembered. Mariah’s life encapsulates both the unimaginable resilience of enslaved people and also the horrific injustice of the institution of slavery. By saying Mariah’s name and sharing her story, we honor her life and shine a light on all the enslaved women whose stories have been lost to history. Mariah Ritty Ross’s legacy is one of strength, survival and sisterhood in the face of unthinkable cruelty.
Final Words
The story of Mariah Ritty Ross is one that deserves to be told. Though details of her life are scarce, what we do know paints a picture of unimaginable hardship and resilience in the face of injustice. Mariah’s bond with her sister Harriet Tubman was unbreakable, even though the two were cruelly torn apart by the evils of slavery. In many ways, Mariah’s story was the driving force behind Harriet’s heroic work on the Underground Railroad.
By remembering Mariah Ritty Ross, we honor not just one remarkable woman, but all the enslaved women whose stories have been lost to history. We must continue to say their names and share their stories, so that their legacy of strength and survival lives on. Mariah’s story is a reminder of the horrors of slavery, but also of the unbreakable bonds of family and the enduring human spirit in the face of injustice. May we never forget her name or her incredible story.
