Solomon Northup
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Solomon Northup (1808 - ????) was a free-born African-American from New York state who was kidnapped in Washington, D.C. and sold into slavery. He was held as a slave in Louisiana for a dozen years but was finally rescued and returned to his home. He wrote an account of his experiences, Twelve Years a Slave (1853 in literature), became involved in the abolitionist movement and lectured on slavery in the North-Eastern US. It has been suggested by some that he was also involved in the underground railroad but this cannot be confirmed. No known records on Northup exist after 1863 and the date, location and circumstances of his death are unknown.
Northup was reportedly mentioned in the 1860 Federal US census with the following address:
Town: Queensbury, County: Warren, State: NY, P.O. Glen Falls.
He was absent from the 1865 New York census but his wife Ann was reportedly still living at the same address at that time.
The best available evidence indicates that he disappeared in 1863 while staying in Boston to give lectures. Many of those researching his disappearance have formed the opinion that Northup may have been kidnapped or killed by persons unknown while in Boston. Others feel that the sudden disappearance of a well known public figure would have been noticed and since his health was probably declining due to his years of captivity under harsh conditions, he may well have simply died of natural causes. Research into the ultimate fate of Northup continues.
External links
- Twelve Years a Slave (http://docsouth.unc.edu/northup/northup.html)
- http://www.saratoga-springs.org/northup1.htm
- http://www.innercity.org/columbiaheights/newspaper/kidnap.html