the family came here because washington ferg son, the stepfather, was working here for the roughners in their salt works, their salt factory, and also in the coal mines that they owned here in marylanden. he sent money to his wife in order to get a horse and buggy to bring her and the kids to malden. and once they arrived, they find a wonderful community of christian believers that are centered in the roughner slave quarters. she gets the job first as a chamber scommade then as a cook. she gets them to hire booker as a garden and house boy, knowing that he would learn social graces, he'd have their big library available to him, that he would really have a lot of opportunities that otherwise he wouldn't have. as an important part of his being with the roughners, was he developed a familial relationship with mrs. roughner. she was a yankee lady, a second wife. she really likes booker. he really can do no wrong. he's hard working. he's always asking her how many i get ago on, that's a quote she does, am i doing well, he was honest, he was hard working, and he was very bright. and i thin