wearing a uniform that was white with blue facings for fernando, the label offers a compelling to anglo-american histories, military life and early american soul fashioning. other scholars and will continue to debate labor's efficacy as an administrator, a military strategist. the nature of his friendship with george clarke. i will leave that to them. but what i hope to have you all today is a slightly different take or approach, one that i hope has lent a more human to labor. his family and his peers, individuals americans or american rhetorical figures whose stories remain to be told through analysis of verbal records as well as portraits, jewelry, parasols, shaving bowls. so with that, thank you for your attention and thank you very much.

okay i, i really did not expect that so bear me while i get my bearings here. all right. first off, i want to thank the saint charles county historical society, the chapters of the sons of the american revolution and the daughters of the american revolution for putting on this conference in particular, i want to thank or give a shout out to melissa. i think she's still sitting back there and i might our help at some point in the presentation and in particularly i want thank stephen kling for inviting me to speak this afternoon because my talk and can you hear me? i'm sorry about that my presentation takes. us away from the western theater into the eastern theater and

what you're looking at on the screen is a picture of the copy of my book revolut henry blacks. but that book is part of my ly history and it's part history and micro histories. en you focus on an, an event, a community and or a location, a small level to tell a bigger story about forces or events. now, most family historians and micro historians start out on their research trying to answer questions or mysteries about a certain ancestor or a certain aspect of history. i was born and raised in toledo, ohio. so is my father, my mother, however, born in lynn, massachusetts. her father born and raised in nova scotia, canada when i started my as a family historian was trying to answer the question of how my maternal grandfather to be born and

raised in canada. as i started to address that question, other questions, how did experiences of my ancestors inform us about the experiences, actions of free blacks in era america? this book is the culmination of my research and tries answer some of those questions. there you go. l ght. i want to start with this gentleman that is my maternal greatrandther. either his name is thomas henry. he was acapeeir at one of the oldest cemeteries in north america. and that cemetertilln annapolis. royal nova scotia. this picture was taken by a l histori was conducting research for a book on the oldest cemeteries in noeric e title of the book is gravestones of a they had a conversation that day. my grandther in the local historian, the

conversation went along these lines. s your name? the historian asks my grandma. great. and my gtheraid, my name is henry franklin, and unusual name in these parts or in a namin these parts. came from africa historian ask him how old are you? and he said, i just turned 70. which is kind of ironic because i just turned 70. so i'm telling his story. henry franklin passed away shortly before the publication of the book in, 1929. he recited a small part of the franklin history. to that historian, the entire franklin oral tradition is this is the first franklin ancestor came to america from the west of africa by way of haiti and two of his descendants to brothers freeborn by the last name of frank fought in the revolution. every war with a black regiment in, the continental army.

all right. i believe that the first frank ancestor to america was captured in. five documents living, working in colonial rhode island by the late 1690s. this man was free and an active member of the providence, rhode island community, and he was known by the name of frank. he owned a parcel of land. he, as a servant for silas carpenter. silas carpenter was a member of, a large land owning family in rhode island in that area. and the pictures that you see the screen are pictures of four of those documents that i found. three of the duments are related to a land purchase that was made by frank from silas, hi nephew ephrai cpenter. so the first documents there on the right hande scen documents detailing that land purchase. the top document do for 32

lists, the actua purchase second document, 47 actually lists my ancestor mortgaged that land. and then last lists how he id o that mortgage. if you look at the two documents, they identify frank --ankrvanof silence carpenter the last document on that side of the screen listing is frank --. i use these documents in class and ask the students, when do you think frank -- gained his independence or worked out his indentured contract for silence? carpenter and they are usually able to pick it out. if they'd been paying attention in class. the other document is on the screen details the fact that once frank -- became free, wasnvold as a victim of an assault on the streets of

providence. th the last name ofuedividual and the affidavit summary rises. the attack, which appeared to be provoked by the actions of frank. i'll read a little bit from the document should be highlighted there on the screen the complaint as follows quote that sprague declared him declared against himself that he had misbehaved himself for that was how the sets break did on the 19th of this instance may by reason of great provocation given him by -- frank and in his passion did strike the said -- frank some blows which drawn some blood from the said frank, which is a breach of his majesty's law. right. sprague was charged, convicted and fined for the in the amount of two shillings and a pence but that gave me an indication that the -- frank understood how the system worked.

i that this industrious frank was a direct. ancestor of two brothers named andrew and rufus. andrew and rufus probably fouled a west african custom of adapting a revered ancestors first name as their last name. both andrew and rufus lived and worked in providence, rhode island in the 1700s. both served in the militia. both were called to fight off threats to their community. andrew died in 1756, but his brother rufus lived on to head his own household in rhode island in the 1770s. rufus became a member of the providence militia. militia service was required of all able men between the ages of 16 to 60. however, this was generally required, was not required, i should say, for black men who are normally exempted from

military service and were instead required to perform other civic duties like road repair and cleaning. but during times of major warfare, the exemptions against black service were disregard it, such as when great britain became involved in a war against france and france's native american allies. the french and indian war. rufus served as a member of the providen militia durin the war from 1757 to 1761. he was stationed primarily in a region that is present western new york. he served in three separate campaigns. what y're looking at on the screen is a picture of fort stan, which which is locat near rome,ew york. rufus was stationed there for a period of time in 1762 when spain jumped the conflict on the side of france, rhodesland mustered troops to assist with the capture of cuba, which was an important spanish at the

time. rufus and others made their way to new york. they sailed to havana. they laid siege and captured a fortress in havana's harbor. ending the siege. rufus, his fellow troops returned home. after the war. rufus settled in. johnston, rhode island, a small town just northeast of providence. he married and had three children, two sons, william and ben, and one daughter, hannah. the frank household was, one of the ten free black households in johnston. the family is in the 1774 colonial rde island census on the far right hand side of the census, which is the area that was designated for blacks and native americans. rufus and his family were part of growing black population before revolutionary war. there are approximately 500,000 people of african descent, which made up 20% of the population.

most were enslaved a very small percentage of blacks were free and they lived under very restrictive conditions like the franks as, the war progressed. the desires of these half a million people could be separated into two different categories, as defined by historian berlin. the enslaved were looking for liberty and free blacks were looking equality and the enslaved were looking for liberty and free blacks were looking for equality throughout the duration of the war. they would judge who could and would grant their desires the british or the americans. now, william and ben would follow in their father's footsteps and serve in the military during the revolutionary war. and there is a red arrow pointed to rufus frank and his family are enumerated on the census. but before william and bank

could excuse me before william had been could serve there needed to be a change in american military policy. one of the reasons for the change prompted by the actions of john murry, who was the earl of dunmore, who was also the appointed governor of virginia. by november 1775, he had been run out of his quarters at williamsburg by patriot forces and was conducting official business on a ship in the chesapeake bay. in november, he issued a proclamation that promised freedom to enslave men who were willing to fight for the british crown. dunmore was just looking for a way to regain power and help great britain win the war by draining valuable resources from the patriot cause. like in slave labor, one of the many enslaved men and women who fled to dunmore in the british lines was henry.

also known as henry washington, who was enslaved to george washington. henry became a member of lord dunmore ethiope men regiment, doing trade over 100 formerly enslaved men in the basics of muskets, information marching. he had specialrms made for them. and there's an illustration. those uniforms on the screen and on those uniforms he had embroidered the insignia, quote, liberty to the slave dunmore is proclamation created one of the first mass emancipation of enslaved blacks historians have estimated it that 80 000 slave people fled the british lines during the war. women, children among them. and they were seeking their freedom. here we go so the frank brothers were able to enlist after a

change in american military policy at the beginning of the war, general washington banned the use of black soldiers in the continental army. the militia troops that fought at the initial battles at lexington and concord and bunker hill were diverse. they had white, black and native american soldiers serving together. but washington believed that you could not have a professional army with black soldiers, and he could attract southern planters by armed and blacks, free or enslaved. so in of 1775, after he took over control of the continental forces around boston, he instructed his recruiting officers in the following manner. and that quote is on the screen. quote, you are not to enlist any deseerrom the ministerial army nor any stroller, -- or vagabond or person susct of being an enemy to the liberty of america, unquote.

washington would continue this policy throughout the fall of 1775, but to counter dunmore proclamation, general washington revises policy towards black soldiers. he was also pressured by some of the command officers and black community leaders like prince hall, who would become the of the black freemason movement. but he was pressured by these individuals to the service of black veterans, those soldiers who had already proven themselves in battle. so washington changed his policy in january of 76, he for the continued service and enlistment of free black, the following year he allowed for the enlistment of all free blacks by war's end, it is estimated, and historians really cannot come up with an exact number here, but it is estimated that between 5 to 7000 black men served in the counter army.

william the older of the two frank brothers signed up to serve with the rhode island state brigade at tiverton island in april of 1777. later that year, he was enlisted into the second rhode island regiment. his younger brother, benjamin, signed up to serve with the second rhode island regiment at providence the following month in may. he was 15 years old. he probably had to get permission from his father for in order to serve with the continentals continentals. so both brothers became members of the second rhode island regiment, commanded by colonel israel angel, who at one point actually lived in the hometown of the frank brothers in johnston in rhode island. now the state of rhode island was tasked by congress to provide two infantry regiments, the first in the second, and the

regiments that point in time were integrated blacks, whites, native americans all serving together. the franks were not signing up for easy duty, which we all know. the lives of continental soldiers were very tough. pay was sporadic, due to limited treasury of the new federal government and the state governments. they were issued muskets and bayonets. most deadly things that was talked about the other day. they were also issued clothing that of honey shirts, similar smocks that were large enough to cover all their other clothing and equipment. shoes were always in short supply in summer, soldiers could go barefoot, and in winter their feet were often wrapped in cloth. they often resorted to foraging in the countryside for food. soldiers also to deal with diseases that ran rampant through their camps. and there was a smallpox epidemic during the on the

screen is how colonel angel described the situation of the men who served in the second rhode island regiment. he wrote back to thehode island generals assembly. the regiment is scandalous in its appearance in the view of everyone a has become of this incurred from surrounding regimentfrom the inhabants of towns through which they have lately passed the disagreeable and ovoking epiths of the ragged, lousy, naked regiment. such treatment, gentlen, is this discouraging dispiriting in its tennessee's it does effectually unnned the man and render them almost useless in the army. so that was the state of affairs that the frank brothers had listed themselves into. the first battle that the brothers engaged in occurred at red bank, new jersey. the two rhode island regiments

were dispatched to defend the fos along the delaware river between pennsylvania and new jersey in october of 1777, connecticut were atmifflin on mud island, and that is where yellow air is on the and the rhode island troops were stationed at fort mercer at ribbing where the red arrows detachment however of soldiers from the second rhode island regiment were also sent to fort mifflin. excuse me, mifflin to reinforce the troops initially, the rhode island troops were able to defend fort mercer and repel british and hessian forces. however, the british were able to capture fort mifflin, forcing the rhode island regiments to evacuate both forts as a result of the battle that occurred, 14 were killed and nearly 21 were wounded. but did receive praise and

commendations. their exploits at those forts and there the commander, the commander of the first rhode island regiment, a guy by the name of chris full, colonel christopher green. remember that name did receive a commemoration sword from the rhode island assembly. what was their ultimate for their service at red? they had to go to valley forge. so after the battle, the french brothers and their regiments marched to valley forge, pennsylvania, for the winter encampment. of 1777 to 1778, while in their american troops suffered, major losses due to disease, illness and desertion. we all know the story washington described encampment as, quote, composed the men half starved, always in rags without pay and experiencing every species distress, unquote. the food rations were in short

supply that many of the army regulars threatened to revolt their slogan was, quote, no bread, no meat, no soldier, unquote. at the end of 1777 washington notified congress that over 2800 soldiers were unfit for duty because they were either barefoot or otherwise naked, meaning that they did not have proper clothing. william frank was one of those soldiers who was designated as being unfit for duty a week later and, additional 1000 men were on the sick rolls. over 3000 soldiers deserted. the rhode island regiments, of course were decimated as well due to their losses. there were barely enough soldiers to form regiment and remember they have to have two. general james who was in charge of the rhode island troops, both regiments. he was very concerned about the

state of the rhode island troops in valley forge. he wrote back to this general assembly, quote, the two rhode island battalions have been sickly. they have lost a considerable number. this is to their immense fatigues, meaning fight that they did at ribbing in the summer past, unquote, on the scen. there are pictures that i took when. i went had the pleasure of going to valle forge national historic park and 2019. the picture in the upper left ha corr is i'm actually standing at the site where the rhode troops were encamped that winter. so that was kind of a experience for me to be there there. so to solve the problem of drilling manpower in the rhode island regiments, general vernon came up with an idea and he made a recommendation to washington and then to rhode island general

assembly. he thought it would be a good idea to fill the dwindling ranks by recruiting and, enlisting enslaved men from. rhode island. they were to convince general washington and the rhode island general assembly to allow for the enlistment of enslavement in return their freedom, the enlistment act was passed. the rhode island general assembly on february the 14th, 1778, in a stipulated that any quote, --, mulatto or man, slave, unquote, could now enlist with the rhode island regiments part of the act is on the screen there. and what's a very important part of it is oil starts at the end of the first paragraph up here. quote, every slave. so enlistinghall be entitled to and receive all the bounties, wages and encouragements allowed by the continental congress to any soldier, any soldier

enlisting into their service, unquote. and they would also gain their freedom as a result of their service. colonel christopher, the first rhode island regiment, a accompanied by his captains, was given the assignment of, returning from leaving the winter encampment of valley forge and going back to rhode island to start the recruitment and enlistment campaign to enlist enslaved personnel. however, the recruiting and enlistment of the slave men not last very long. rhode island slaveholders oppose the new law. of course they did. they feared the consequences of arming formerly enslaved men and how that would look to who were still enslaved. so they're opposing and would prevail in in june of the same year, 1778, the rhode island general assembly repealed the law. but in that four month period

over hundred free and formerly african-americans and native americans enlisted. among them were like afrika burke of providence, primus brown of johnston, rhode island. the frank brothers, hometown and free blacks and native americans also enlisted during this period, including by the name of peter dailey of rhode island. but here's the deal this may have been the first case of sanctions segregation in american military history. what military historian? robert wright jr has called, quote, an experiment in unquote, because these new recruits were combined with over 70 documented veteran black and native american soldiers who were already in the rhode island regiments, all of them from the first and second rhode island regiments. they put into a new regiment.

they were all put together to form the new first rhode island regiment. the frank brothers and other of color were transferred from the second rhode island to the rican figured first rhode island regiment that reconfigured first rhode island regiment became known as thelack regiment. on the screen are copies of two documes atddress that change. the first docume o the left hand of the screen there is part of a pension record from private willm cmpn. in it, he testifies that the white mens on the screen there, that white men in colonel green's regiment were transferred to colonel israel angels regiment. all, he says. the second document that is kind of faded out, but that is titled meing on listing of return of freemen enlisted for the war.

i believe that return listed some of the freeborn and, previously free men of color who are now serving with the reconfigured first rhode island regiment to prove that they were already free before these two regiments were merged. and i highlighted the frank brothers names on that return list. women first battle in their new would occur on their home soil in rhode island. their regiments were assigned to participate in something called the rhode island expedition. the main objective of the expedition was to drive british troops from aquidneck island in the important port city of newport. so think of the state of rhode island as being upside down. you in the middle of the, you know, opening of the you is narragansett in the middle of narragansett bay is aquidneck island. okay. this new expedition was going to be led by general john sullivan

of new and was first joint effort between american and french. so the role of troops had to be very excited about the opportunity to kick the british completely out of rhode island. not only that, but they were going to fight side by side with their new allies, the french, who had come to the aid of the americans after the american victory at saratoga, new york, in 1777. long short, the expedition failed when american forces, unable to overcome the british defenses at newport. additionally, and this is probably the most pivotal thing that occurred, french naval ships were prevented from participating in. the expedition due to bad storms and damage upon the fleet. so the french fleet had to flee had to leave the area to boston for repairs and did not return to give support as they were

laying siege to fort barton, which is near newport, british. reinforcements were sent to help those british troops at fort barton and the americans were forced to flee once they knew the reinforcements were coming and the americans were forced to flee the island on august the 29th. on the screen is a graphic from a book for the four youth audience. it's the title of the book is a black regiment of the american revolution. and it really dictated details. the different steps that occurred during their retreat off the island at the very top. you'll see three and four. then underneath three and four points, seven and eight. and that is where the british troops chased, the american retreating troops north up the aquidneck island. it caught them at point and eight. they caught them at turkey --,

hill and women been frank along with other members of the first and second rhode island regiments were to protect the right wing of the line at a place called durfee hill. and during that afternoon, during the afternoon hours in the heat of the day, they repelled a combined british and hessian forces on three separate occasions while being with volleys from the british in the harbor. so they're bombed and being shot at at the same time. by the end of the day, american forces were able to safely retreat from the island and were a total, of course, casualties of 30 killed. 137 wounded, and 44 missing. the frank brothers were among the survivors. but after the battle george washington a assign them to shore patrol duty in rhode island and this is when younger brother did something that younger do something really not thought out.

he got married. it was during this period in january 1779 that ben frank got married. he married a young woman by the name of sarah wilbur. he was 18 years old. sarah was a mother of one child by the name of abraham, ben and sarah were married by elder john gorton. that elder john gordon's record of the marriage, the screen, minister of the six principalhe love the name of that church of east greenwich rhode island. elder gorton had also married ben's younger sister hannah. hannah was also married to one. and solomon was a comrade of ben's in black regiment. all right. so a year after his marriage, however, ben, frank, a pivotal decision. so let's review his life up to this point. he's 18, 19 years old. he's married with a family to

support. he's serving with an army that could not afford to clothe or feed him. he and fellow soldiers are called the naked, ragged, lousy regiment. he survived the miserable winter valley forge. he fought in two major battles and on both his regiments had to retreat. he had lost comrades at both. at this point, he may have been convinced that the americans could not win the war. so what did he do? he deserted in march of 1780. ben deserted from the carmel army. it wasn't uncommon for revolutionary war soldiers to leave their companies and regiments for home. one fifth to one third deserted during the war. poor pay equipment, lack of food and even homesickness drove many soldiers to desert for. there was the additional burden of marriage and having to support a family with insufficient and unsteady the military records on the

screen indicate that ben had up for the duration o war. a 50. at this point, ben may have ed that he signed up for a three year enlistm like his brother william did and that. his enlistment was almost completed. but for whatever the reasons ben frank left leaving his brother and his behind. his wife would return to her hometown of middlebury, massachusetts, taking son with her. william continued his service with the first rhode island regiment. but here's the deal. i don't know how the segregation rhode island troops affected ben and others. i have tracked over 50 soldiers of color, freeborn or previously free their enlistment before slave enlistment act and segregation and only three deserted after the act 17 deserted including frank and his brother in law, solomon one.

now, solomon retaken. he was taken back into service, but he would later die of disease in camp, making ben sister hannah a widow. ben was never. now william continued to serve. why? he may have felt responsible to uphold the family name after brother deserted. he may have felt a sense of loyalty to his fellow in the rhode island regiment. maybe he didn't want to. his chances of getting land or money for his service. maybe he believed that the americans would win and. he would reap the benefits of being a veteran member of the army that liberated america. but whatever the reasons, he re-enlisted february of 1781 and this time re-enlisted for the duration of the war and he would continue to serve with the first rhode island regiment. on the screen is a lti of rhode island that was compiled

in 1781. ben frank is listed third from at that po time, he was 21 years old. you can see how tall he was. and underneath is theisting goes to the next page. he is listed as having black hair, black skin and he's also listed as enlisting at tiverton, rhode island. so he would continue to serve. but his service changed because in february 1788, the first and second rhode island battalion were consolidated into a rhode island regiment because they lost men again. this time they lost so many men. the second rhode island had taken heavy, heavy casualties at the pivotal battle of springfield. so these consolidated units were, now commanded by colonel christopher green, colonel israel angell. the reorganized unit.

contains some segregated companies of black soldiers. that spring, colonel green and his soldiers found themselves in camp in westchester county, new york, near a place called pines bridge. and their primary responsibility was guarding continental lines in that area. one of the soldiers that was stationed with the rhode island troops was jeremiah agreement. he was assigned to command the guard pines bridge, one of the two bridges that span the croton river, and it was the northern berry of what they called neutral ground. in westchester county, york, why? they called it neutral. i'll never understand. because it was a it was that area of daily confrontation between those americans that were staying loyal to the crown, the loyalist and patriots. right. and it was also the area of guerrilla warfare that was being carried out by a loyalist group led by colonel james de lancey. this group was known as delancey

score of refugees and. it was composed of american born who reside in westchester, new york, and had chosen to loyal to the british cause at sunrise. monday, may 14th, 1781. lancey led his loyalist militia towards pines bridge. one group attacked colonel green's headquarters, which was located at the davenport house. and we'll see that on the next screen. a second party struck lieutenant griezmann's guard at the bridge, and lieutenant greenman made of this in his memoirs after fact. he saithat this morning was alarmed by the appearance of a party of calvary supported by infantry, which proved to be the lances corps of refugees. they soon me and being vastly superior force and having no prospect of escape, i thought it most advisable surrender myself in guard. prisoners of war, they informed

me that colonel green was mortally and major flag killed. among e casualties was peter daly. he was also captured along lieutenant greenman, as in taken as a prisoner of war. and he was one of the free men that signed up during the slave enlistment act. the other individuals listed the screen, their press child, afrika burke, cato bannister simon whipple were all formally men who were killed during massacre there at pines bridge. i am standing there in ofhe davenport house in westchester county, new york, and that was where the mo btal fighting occurr, ere colonel green, a very small detachment of soldie we ambushed at the house. major flagg, who was sleeping, nding his own business, sleeping in his bed, was shot in the head while reaching for his

pistols as the ambush took place. colonel green was wounded in the initial attack and his wounded and dying body was strapped to a horse and dragged about a mile towards the british lines. eventually, de lances troops left the colonel's body at the side of the road and he was later buried along with major flagg at a site near their headquarters there, buried at the first presbyterian church. there in yorktown heights, new york. i believe in other military believe that the brutal violence perpetrated upon colonel green's body was unusually violent and probably because was a leader of black troops. now,n e left side of, the screen there is a monument to e ack regiment. and colonel gray that was erected there in yorktown heights in 2018. and it depicts colonel gen

like he just jumped out of bed as, you can see, doesn't have shoes on or anhi like that. and african-american and a native american soldier trying to fight off the ambush was perpetrated against them. william frank survived the attack pines bridge as, a member of the consolidated first and second rhode island. he at the pivotal battle of yorktown. in october 1781. at war's end in 1783, william served a total of six years. in 1784, he would eventually receive back pay and he would eventually receive his promised land bounty. in 1795, which he promptly sold to a land speculator, he said, i know, i know. he settled in his hometown of johnston after the war and became part of a growing population of free blacks of over 3400. in the state, rhode island,

another 1000 blacks remained enslaved and william is listed in first federal census. the federal census 1790. errol is pointing to his listing in that census, and he is listed as a free head of household of two. okay his brothers, ben's life was a little bit more complicated, a little bit after ben left the continental army. he signed up to serve in some capacity with british troops. he wasn't alone in fleeing to the british. i mentioned that earlier. there thousands of enslaved people, free people and deserting that fled to the british lines during the war. at the end of the war, many of the defeated british and loyalists, black loyalists among them made their way to new york city. one of the last british strongholds in america. those loyalists at new york

until the final peace treaty was negotiated and passed and passage was arranged for them. england or british colonies located in the caribbean and in canada, part of the treaty, part of the peace treaty, promised the return of all confiscated property by the british to its rightful owners. this included the formerly all those folks that ran to the british lines. however, british officials refused to return many of the fugitive slaves that had run to the british seeking their freedom during the war. but the british were willing to make a fair compensation to the owners of enslaved persons, not return in order to do so. they compiled an inventory of the blacks within british lines. this inventory, known as the book of --. ben frank, a free man his entire life and former continental soldier, is listed in the book of -- as ben franklin.

i kind of highlighted his listing in the book -- there a he is listed in this book with over 3000 other black loyalists. in october 1783. ben franklin was a passenger on a ship. him and other loyalists from new york to nova scotia. you see where this is heading now? yeah, they were part of a fleet of over 80 ships and 40,000 loyalists heading to nova and other british colonies in north america. ben and others on the brig. elijah that deposited ben and rest of his passengers at port mouton in late 1783 put port mouton is ere the red arrow is pointing. by april 1784, ben frankn had to the settlement of bridgetown, no stia, several miles of the largest city of shelburne. bardstown became the largest free black settlement in north

america with a population of over 1500 free blacks. many of them lived in makeshift huts thawere recreated. as you can see, there's picture of one of them that is, they were at the bridgetown historic site now. some loyalists found the north. there are some black loyalists. i should say found the northern climate and frontier conditions in nova scotia difficult and were subject to discriminate action by other loyal settlers. many of slaveholders also the land given the black loyalists, was the most rocky and hard to cultivate compared to what was given to loyalists. so in 1792, prompted by request of black loyalists, the british government offered black loyalists the chance to resettle in a new colony in sierra leone africa. more than half of the black loyalists in nova scotia. nearly 1200 of them departed country and moved permanently. sierra leone, including henry

slash harry washington. formerly enslaved to george washington. ben now calling ben franklin. he was really hard to trace in the records, but now he's calling himself ben franklin eventual. he married margaret jackson, the daughter of another black loyalist. he settled in granville ferry, nova scotia, which is where the yellow arrow is pointing on the map. there. ben ben franklin, his wife had nine children who survived until adulthood. all baptized in the anglican church. the church, england. and he passed away. after 1838. thomas henry franklin, the landscaper that i showed you, the first screen there is a direct descendant of ben franklin, and he passed along his family history to next

generation. before his death, he passed the oral tradition on that story to his my great uncle peter, who's in the center there, ts picture of him and my maternal grdfather john william franklin, sior in the early 1900s. john left nova scotia for new york city. now, i like to say he was looking for work, but this is what really happened. he was already working on a whaler, a whaling ship that was one of the first jobs that young people, men got in nova in that area. and he was working on a whaler. he got hurt during one of the whaling expeditions and the ship dropped him off in new city to be hospitalized, taken care of. and he decided to stay there right. but following frank slash franklin tradition, both peter and john served in world war one. peter served with a battalion from canada and john williams served as part of a new york

regiment. john william would marry late in life and he would settle in limb. massacre ucits. he passed away, lynn, in 1966 and he never, ever, ever gave up his canadian citizenship. he was very proud of that. he had a canadian flag on the wall in the dining room. i like to call these two gentlemen on the screen, the frank brothers part two. these are my uncles. these are john william franklin senior's sons. and he passed the story along to his sons, two sons, john william franklin jr and ben franklin. and they also continue the frank tradition of military service. both served world war two and the korean. okay, so there's a story. this, too. so they my uncle john served the philippines during war two. my uncle ben served in europe.

they both survived world war two. they come back home to lynn. they're all having. and the older brother, john william, tries to convince the younger brother ben. hey, join the national guard. it's big deal. all we have to do is maybe go and do some work in the summer, maybe make wheat once a weekend. we'll get a little extra money. no problem. except that the korean conflict started and they were all called up. and this time they together. and i think they argued the whole time that they were in korea because they weren't very happy with one another. but can you you see the names there? the names have passed down through all generations. and finally, finally, once i started to understand that maybe my grandfather and his family who resided up in nova scotia did come the traditional way that i thought via the underground railroad, maybe

there was another story. and when i started to ask my uncle ben about what that story could be, he eventually told me the story. he passed along story to me. he was looking very cool with his sunglasses there. by the way. i'm done. my done. do i have a minute to read something from the end of the book? sure. okay. all right. i see your other things. i'm sorry. so just real quick, i want to end by reading section from the epilog of the book because i was pushed by my colleagues to write about how i felt about discovering all this stuff about the frank brothers. and i just wanted to concentrate the brothers. but they say, hey, you got to get some. so i did. so learning about the franklin family background and origins has been a fascinating personal journey. their struggle to gain standing in their communities and to fight on equal footing with white counterparts in the canon army has helped me to put my own life and career in perspective. like the frank brothers, i followed in my own father's footsteps when i became a police officer in toledo, ohio. in 1976, when the first female

officers on the department. my father, a well-respected police investigator and war history buff, instilled love of history in me. and like rufus to his own sons was an inspiring figure in my life. but did the heritage for maternal line instilled an unconventional streak in me that me to envision myself as someone equal in a male dominated workforce. it is possible that this nonconforming trait came from the franklin line throughout research. i have often asked myself which of the brothers i with the most. and even though ben's life in decisions provide a better framework to understand my own predilection to take the road less traveled as the older sibling my family, i tend to identify with william, the older brother who was persistent and, steadfast in his service. but i am not judgmental or unsympathetic to ben's actions

and decisions. to the contrary. the combination of these two dichotomous, personal these has found a home in the author and motivated me to not only continue their history of public service, but also to write their story. thank you. i'm sorry i went over.