How Was Moses Montrose Alike

During the 1700s-1800s, many slaves existed throughout the United States. Many of the slaves were treated poorly and did not have the help they needed, resulting in their deaths. These slaves also faced paternalism, as the owners often made the decisions for them. However, there are some slaves in particular who were treated differently. One slave, in particular, was Moses Montrose, and he was a king. Moses Montrose was born on April 30th, 1741. He was the son of Montrose and Phillis, both of them being slaves. As stated in “David Naughty Will,” David states that all children of Phillis and Montrose would be free. However, following David’s death, Ruth states that in her will, only Montrose and Phillis would be free, but not their children,

On the other hand, there is a benefit from this. Mr. Amos Fowler also writes that the day Moses can no longer work, the family's estate will pay for his maintenance (Probate). According to “Connecticut’s Black Governors,” a yearly election was held for black leaders to be elected for their communities. The leaders were elected by black residents. The leaders that were elected for the communities were “strong, respected, influential member of the African American Community” (Norton). The leaders were not only respected by the black community, but they were respected by the white community alike. The black governors dealt out punishments and upheld laws, as well as acted as a mediator between the black communities and the white communities. Though most of those elected were still enslaved, it gave them an opportunity to speak their voice and opinions within the community, which benefited Moses greatly, as he is referred to as a “King” throughout articles. This however, was not a very common option in the times of slavery, according to “Beecher’s Autobiography.” The article states that there were only a dozen slaves existing in Connecticut (Beecher