Our family history begins with Tobias White. Although specific records were not kept during this time, we estimate that he was born into slavery on August 16, 1780. His parents are not known to us because he was separated from them at the time of his birth. He was purchased by the White family that resided in the unchartered city of Eastman, Maddocha. He was raised by Elsie Mae Jenkins, who was the nanny for the White family children. Elsie Mae was the person who named Tobias.

 Tobias led an uneventful life until he reached the age of 13. He grew 3 feet to become 6 feet tall. He also gained over 50 pounds to make him weigh 160 pounds. He was put to work in the family field. While in the family field, he began to grow muscles and develop into a strong young man.

 Tobias was taught to read, despite the rules saying that he shouldn't. He was taught by the White's oldest son John, who was his age. During these teaching sessions, Tobias learned, through reading the Bible, that slavery was not right. Tobias grew to be one of the best field hands that the White family owned.

 In time, the White's youngest son, took over the farm. This son had a mean streak that caused him to beat his slaves for no reason. He would beat the men as examples to the other slaves. Tobias escaped many of the beatings for a time because of the relationship he had with the White's oldest son, John. John White had promised Tobias his freedom for many years, but John's brother kept convincing him that Tobias was an asset to the White farm.

 Tobias was often presented with women to marry. He was never interested in any of the women. He was often teased by the men on the farm because he didn't have a wife or any children. Tobias often told them, "I am going to marry a free woman and have free children. My children will never be born into slavery."

 By the time Tobias was 25 years old; he was 6 foot 5 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds. He never caused any trouble. He always did his work and showed everyone on the farm respect. This was the same year that his protector, John White died. John had told his younger brother to give Tobias his freedom, but the younger never fulfilled this request.

 Two days after John White's funeral, Tobias was beaten so badly that he almost died. After this beating, Tobias began to long for his freedom.

 Tobias received two beatings after the first one. After the third beating, Tobias decided that he was going to run away from the White farm. He began to store up the seeds that he planted on the farm. He also began to secretly sneak off the farm to find the best way to leave the farm for freedom.

 Tobias left the White farm one night in 1808. He left the farm just after dark and kept moving until the next morning. He left with enough food for a week and enough seeds to plant a small field of corn and peas.

 Tobias found refuge on a farm in the unchartered city of Cannon Falls. The people on the farm were abolitionists who helped run away slaves. One of the many visitors to the farm was Harriett Robinson. She was a beautiful light-skinned woman. Her parents were former slaves and had bought their freedom from their owners. Harriett was their only child that was born free. Tobias worked on Harriett's family farm to earn money to buy his freedom from the White family. Tobias didn't want to be a runaway slave; he wanted to buy his freedom.

 Tobias and Harriett developed a relationship and they were married in the summer of 1809.

 Tobias continued to work for his in-laws to save money to purchase his freedom. Tobias' father-in-law, Peter Robinson went to the White farm to see what the cost of Tobias' freedom was. The White farm was not as prosperous as it once was when Mr. Robinson reached it. Mr. Robinson, who could pass for a white man, talked to Mr. White to find out how much he wanted for Tobias' freedom. Mr. White stated that he wanted Tobias back, dead or alive and that he would never give Tobias his freedom. Tobias' leaving had inspired many of the slaves on the White farm to runaway. Most of them were eventually caught and punished by Mr. White. Mr. White threatened Mr. Robinson with death if he did not tell him where Tobias was. Mr. Robinson refused to tell.

 Using good wisdom, Mr. Robinson had brought 3 strong men with him, so Mr. White's efforts to accost Mr. Robinson were unsuccessful. Mr. Robinson sent one of his men ahead to his farm and told the man to tell Tobias and Harriett to leave the farm. Tobias did as his father-in-law said. He and Harriett ended up in the unchartered city of Cape Hope. They stayed in Cape Hope for five years. While there, they had three children, Antoney White (7/5/1810), Shadrach White (3/25/1812), and Benjamin White (9/6/1815).

 Tobias and went back to the Robinson farm in 1817. Again, Mr. Robinson went to the White farm to see how much it would cost to purchase Tobias' freedom. This time, Mr. White was more open to giving Tobias his freedom. Mr. Robinson purchased Tobias White's freedom from Mr. White on 10/30/1817 for $350.

 Tobias and his family went back to Cape Hope. They lived there until 1819. While they were still in Cape Hope, they had their last child, Isabella White (5/26/1818).

 In 1819, Tobias and his family moved to the newly chartered city of Oxford. He lived there until his death in 1882. He lived to be 102 years-old.  He is buried in the White Family Cemetery.

 Before his death, Tobias vowed that his family would always be successful. His family would never work for anyone unless they wanted to. He called his children to him and made them take this pledge…

 I vow to always be the best I can be. I always vow to do the best that I can do. I vow to never let anyone run over me. I will always be a good Christian. I will always be a good person. I will always be an upstanding citizen. I will always fight for what's right. I will make my family proud.

 Tobias made his children promise to make each of their children take this pledge at the age of ten years old. (That was Isabella's age when the pledge was taken by Tobias' children.) He always made his children promise that the pledge would be given to every child ever born into the White family.

 This Family Pledge is still being given to this day.

 Our family line runs through… Benjamin White.

View the Family Tree.

For More Information About This Site... Click Here.
Copyright 2008 - Patricia Murphy-Adkins