Josiah Bolden, sometimes recorded as Baldwin, was a Black man whose life reflected slavery, war, escape, and survival in the North Country. First appearing in the 1850 U.S. Census in St. Albans, Vermont, Bolden later married Peggy Mosley in 1855. In an 1873 newspaper account, he stated that he had been born enslaved in New York, served General Mooers during the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1814, and fled afterward in search of freedom. Pursued as a runaway, he went to Canada before returning to Vermont, where he earned a living sharpening knives and tools while sustaining himself and his wife with a small garden. His story offers a powerful glimpse into the struggles and resilience of a man who endured slavery and sought a freer life.
Jaqcal's Info
The working-class New Yorkans of the 18th – 20th century have impacted various cultures and their cultural contributions were both powerful and noteworthy. Therefore, it is our priority here at Jaqcal’s Info to provide in-depth stories that accurately portray the lives of various people of color who were among the working class in New York.