Sarah H. Bradford (1818–1912)

Scenes in the Life of Harriet Tubman by Sarah H. Bradford, written in 1869, is the earliest biography of Tubman that I am aware of. Bradford was already known as an author. Her short biography The Story of Columbus, simplified for the Young Folks had been published in 1857. Bradford and Tubman knew each other; both lived in Auburn, New York. At the time this book was written Tubman was in need of money to pay the mortgage on her farm and Bradford had a trip outside the country coming up. Bradford wrote the text before she left for Europe in order to raise money to payoff Tubman’s mortguage.

The haste that she wrote the book in is obvious. Bradford also had trouble understanding Tubman’s stories. The book opens with a description of Tubman working as a nurse during the Civil War and tells of slap-ping away swarms of flies and needing to melt ice to wash the wounded. Tubman likely had to do both, but never at the same time. I was surprised that anyone in 1869 would think that swarms of flies could exist in freezing weather, something that even a simple farm boy like me knows is impossible.
Tubman managed to keep her home so in that sense the book is a success. I also feel it is valuable historically. Bradford included three versions of the same story of rescuing a “self-emancipated” man from slave catchers. In each version Tubman’s involvement varies, illustrating how her legend grew post war. Bradford also included transcripts of numerous letters of recommendation Tubman received during the war and during the drive to grant her a pension for her services to the Union. It was reading these that convinced me Tubman had earned her place in American history.… (more)