Двенадцать лет рабства

           HenryB.Northup,Esq.,ofSandyHill,adistinguishedcounseloratlaw,andthemantowhom,underProvidence,Iamindebtedformypresentliberty,andmyreturntothesocietyofmywifeandchildren,isarelativeofthefamilyinwhichmyforefatherswerethusheldtoservice,andfromwhichtheytookthenameIbear. Tothisfactmaybeattributedtheperseveringinteresthehastakeninmybehalf. 

           Sometimeaftermyfather’sliberation,heremovedtothetownofMinerva,Essexcounty,N.Y.,whereIwasborn,inthemonthofJuly,1808. HowlongheremainedinthelatterplaceIhavenotthemeansofdefinitelyascertaining. FromthenceheremovedtoGranville,Washingtoncounty,nearaplaceknownasSlyborough,where,forsomeyears,helaboredonthefarmofClarkNorthup,alsoarelativeofhisoldmaster; fromthenceheremovedtotheAldenfarm,atMossStreet,ashortdistancenorthofthevillageofSandyHill; andfromthencetothefarmnowownedbyRusselPratt,situatedontheroadleadingfromFortEdwardtoArgyle,wherehecontinuedtoresideuntilhisdeath,whichtookplaceonthe22ddayofNovember,1829. Heleftawidowandtwochildren—myself,andJoseph,anelderbrother. ThelatterisstilllivinginthecountyofOswego,nearthecityofthatname; mymotherdiedduringtheperiodofmycaptivity. 

           Thoughbornaslave,andlaboringunderthedisadvantagestowhichmyunfortunateraceissubjected,myfatherwasamanrespectedforhisindustryandintegrity,asmanynowliving,whowellrememberhim,arereadytotestify. Hiswholelifewaspassedinthepeacefulpursuitsofagriculture,neverseekingemploymentinthosemoremenialpositions,whichseemtobeespeciallyallottedtothechildrenofAfrica.