Biddy Mason – More than Just a Los Angeles Pioneer
by Pebbla Wallace, LACHS Board Member
Biddy Mason - Photo: Security Pacific National Bank Collection / Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection
Although Biddy Mason may have died in 1891, many Angeleno’s may only recognize her name as one of the first African American pioneers to own land and real estate in downtown Los Angeles. Or they may only recognize the name as the founder of Los Angeles’ First African Methodist Episcopal Church (First A.M.E.), the oldest African American congregation in Los Angeles. But what many may not be aware of - is that none of this would have been possible if not for an important court case in 1856 in which Biddy set a legal precedent in California courts for future enslaved African Americans in California.
Her beginnings. To appreciate the importance of this court case, you need to understand Biddy’s early history. Biddy’s story first begins when she was born into slavery in Georgia on August 15, 1818. During her youth, she attained various skills – including agriculture, medicine, and midwifery which were extremely valued. She was later sold and owned by slaveholders in Mississippi, Arkansas, and South Carolina, before being sold to a Mississippi plantation owner named Robert M. Smith and his wife Rebecca. It’s difficult to determine the date in which the Smith’s acquired Biddy, but some historians believe it was around 1840, while others believe she was presented to them as a wedding gift around 1831. Biddy also gave birth to three daughters – Ellen, Ann, and Harriet. Although the exact paternity of her children is unknown, many historians believe it is likely that Smith fathered at least one of the children which was common during slavery.
Onward West. Sometime after the Smiths’ converted to Mormonism in 1847, they decided to travel west with a large assembly of other Mormons living in Mississippi, where they planned to establish a Mormon community in Salt Lake City. They hitched two wagon teams that included two oxen, eight mules, seven cows and a horse - while Biddy and the other enslaved property traveled on foot behind these teams. During the trip, Biddy herded the livestock, served as midwife, and took care of the sick – all while taking care of the Smith children (and her own) during this treacherous journey west. The entire wagon party was made up of ninety people and took seven months to travel almost two thousand miles. They arrived in the Utah Territory in late November where they stayed for two years.
From Utah to California. In 1851 Brigham Young (president of the Mormon Church) requested volunteers to travel to California and form another community. Robert Smith was among those volunteers who joined a wagon train of approximately five hundred people. Smith was warned that slavery was illegal in California (California was admitted into the Union as a Free state in 1850), but Smith ignored the warnings and brought Biddy and his slaves to San Bernardino.
1850 U.S. Federal Sensus - Slave Schedules, Utah Territory
While in California, Biddy met other free Black people whose owners had freed them. They told her about California’s free status and urged her to contest for her freedom. Biddy also met Robert Owens, a freed slave and prosperous business owner from Los Angeles who offered to help Biddy gain her freedom.
The Smiths stayed in San Bernardino for five years where a community was established. Then in 1856, after Smith had a property dispute with community members, he made the sudden announcement that the family would be moving to Texas. He told Biddy and the others (thirteen slaves now), that they would be free once they arrived in Texas. In truth, Robert Smith had planned to sell all his slaves once they arrived in Texas for much-needed money, as Robert Smith was now broke.
Biddy had to move fast if she wanted to gain freedom. Before leaving San Bernardino, Biddy was able to send word to Robert Owens about the move to Texas. When they made a stop in Santa Monica for supplies, Robert Owens led the Sheriff to the Smith camp, where the Sheriff served Smith with a writ of habeas corpus, compelling him to appear with his slaves in Judge Benjamin Hayes court in Los Angeles. The Sheriff stated that the slaves had requested their freedom. Due to the fear that Smith might try leaving the state with his slaves, the Sheriff put Biddy and the others in protective custody.
Biddy v. Robert Smith. Even though California outlawed slavery in 1850, it was rarely challenged in the courts – mainly because people of color were not allowed to testify against a white person in court. Therefore, Robert Owens hired an attorney to speak on behalf of Biddy and the others.
Prior to the court hearing, Smith contacted Biddy’s lawyer and offered him a bribe not to show up for court. The judge became suspicious when he received a letter from Biddy’s lawyer indicating that he had quit the case. Judge Hayes stepped down from his bench and invited Biddy and the other slaves into his chambers. The law stated that Black people could not testify in court – but it didn’t say they couldn’t testify in the judges’ chambers. So that’s exactly what Judge Hayes did. After a lengthy discussion with Biddy and the others, Judge Hayes issued the following decision:
“…And it further appearing by satisfactory proof to the judge here, that all of the said persons of color are entitled to their freedom, and are free and cannot be held in slavery or involuntary servitude, it is therefore argued that they are entitled to their freedom and are free forever.”
It is important to note that even though California was a free state in 1850, it didn’t prevent the spread of slavery in California. In most California courts the slaveholdings of southerners coming to California with their slaves were upheld. Biddy’s case was one of the first challenged in Los Angeles and set a legal precedent in California courts for others to petition for their freedom. Biddy and the thirteen others won their emancipation a year before the Dred Scott decision and was one of the largest freedom lawsuits in U.S. history.
After Freedom. After she gained her freedom on January 21, 1856, Biddy and her daughters stayed with the Robert Owens family for a few years. Biddy’s daughter Ellen fell in love and married Robert Owen’s son Charles. Biddy worked as a nurse and a midwife with the help of Judge Hayes, who introduced her to his friend and brother-in-law John Strother Griffin – a well-known doctor in Los Angeles. Biddy’s services as a midwife were in great demand, and she delivered babies of every ethnicity and economic status. Although she could not read or write, she spoke fluent Spanish to communicate with many of her patients.
By 1866 Biddy had saved enough money to purchase property between 3rd and 4th on Spring Street, and later continued to increase her real estate holdings in various locations in Los Angeles. By 1878 she was an extremely wealthy woman, selling some of her property for ten times its original price.
In 1872 Biddy started a branch of the A.M.E Church out of her home with her son-in-law Charles Owens (later becoming the First A.M.E. Church of Los Angeles). She later provided funds to secure the property for the church’s first location.
Philanthropic Work. Biddy was well known for her humanitarian and charity work throughout Los Angeles County and was affectionately referred to as Auntie or Grandma Mason because of her work in poor communities. Some of her charitable work included lending money to those in need, paying the taxes on many black churches (and white) in Los Angeles, helping victims in need during various catastrophes, paying for groceries and supplies for many victims of the flood and those who were poor , and many times her home became a haven for the stranded and needy. She also helped young children by opening the first school and foster home for Black children.
As Biddy became older it became difficult to make the trek to patients’ homes – so many came to her. According to the Los Angeles Times, every morning her grandson would stand at the front gate of their home welcoming a long line of people to see Biddy.
Biddy died on January 15, 1891, at the age of 72. At the time of her death, she was one of the wealthiest women in the American West. On March 7, 1904, Biddy was remembered at the First A.M.E Church in Los Angeles with the dedication of a memorial window. Many dignitaries appeared during this dedication, including Los Angeles Mayor Meredith P. Snyder who spoke during the ceremony.
Biddy lives on today through her last living descendants – her two 3rd Great-Grand-daughters Cheryl Cox and Robynn Cox and their children.
Note: Biddy Mason Memorial Park is located at 333 S. Spring Street - the original location of Biddy’s home.