For the first time, genealogists have identified a living descendant of Elizabeth Freeman, the first African-American woman to win a lawsuit for her freedom in Massachusetts | Local News

SHEFFIELD – Just four months ago, Lisa Shepperson had never heard of Elizabeth Freeman.

But this spring, she learned that Freeman was not only her ancestor, but also the first African American woman in Massachusetts to successfully sue for her freedom. In addition, Shepperson learned that she was Freeman's first living descendant that genealogists and historians could identify.

“I stand here, the ninth generation of Elizabeth Freeman, with grace and humility,” Shepperson said Wednesday morning on the grounds of Ashley House, where Freeman was enslaved. It is also the place where Freeman heard Col. John Ashley and other prominent men debate the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution – which states “all men are born free and equal” – which began her quest for freedom.

Shepperson, 58, traveled from Virginia to the Berkshires for Elizabeth Freeman Day. Her trip included visits to Stockbridge Cemetery, where Freeman is buried in the adjacent Sedgwick Family Cemetery; Great Barrington City Hall, where Freeman took her case to court; land owned by Freeman that was near Agrippa Hull's estate; and the Elizabeth Freeman Monument in Sheffield.

“This week has flown by. We've been here, there and everywhere,” she said. “This is all information that is new to me too, but I'm learning. It was so emotional. I knew nothing about Grandma Freeman. Nothing.”

That changed a few months ago during a Zoom call with historians Kendra Field and Kerri Greenidge, who are part of 10 Million Names, a project of the nonprofit organization American Ancestors.

“The mission is to document the names of the 10 million people who were enslaved between the 1520s and 1865 in the land that later became the United States,” said Field, the project's chief historian. “This is incredibly important work, but also very difficult. It's a generational project, and it will take many years to get to the point where we can expand the database.”

For 10 Million Names, historians work side by side with genealogists.

“These two groups don't often overlap,” Greenidge said. “Historians typically start with the ancestors and work forward. Genealogists typically start in the present and work backward.”

However, when researching the history of African Americans, genealogists often come across the so-called “Wall of 1870”: It dates back to the first federal census, which also included the newly emancipated people.

“A lot of times people get to this point and have a hard time getting to the point of enslavement,” said Lindsay Fulton, the genealogist who worked on the project. “And people have been looking for descendants of Elizabeth Freeman for some time.”

Freeman left behind a detailed record, including a will detailing her relationships to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Fulton, Field and Greenidge used this as a starting point.

From there, they examined birth, marriage and death certificates as well as census records.

“They use historical newspapers and go to archives that genealogists might not go into, like the Massachusetts Historical Society,” Greenidge said.

This resulted in a descendant who served in Connecticut's first African-American regiment during the Civil War and had a detailed pension record.

Fulton asked a Connecticut-based genealogist, a town clerk, and the state archives to learn more about this man and his descendants. This eventually led the trio to Shepperson's mother, Margaret Baldwin.

“We just started Googling to see if we could find anything about Margaret,” Fulton said. On a funeral home's website, they learned that she had died the previous year. “So we called and said, 'We know you probably have relatives. We understand this is really weird, but can you give them our phone number?'”

Shepperson received the news from the funeral home and was skeptical.

“I was suspicious because these people are scammers and they do a lot with people's information, anyone can find out anything,” she said. But when she spoke to the team on the phone and learned about her ancestor, all her fears were dispelled.

“I cried and cried and cried and cried. I couldn't stop crying, I was so excited and happy to be a part of it,” Shepperson said.

And she is still processing what it means to be part of that legacy.

“Elizabeth Freeman's lawsuit set the precedent for the end of slavery in this region,” Field said. “Her life story, her resistance to the slaveholding violence that she endured, her protection of her family, her daughter, her commitment to her own emancipation, which led to the emancipation of many others, is truly a tremendous moment in American history.”

Not every connection these historians and genealogists make involves a figure as prominent as Freeman.

“This is a story of, well, 10 million, and the 10 million ancestors have about 44 million descendants,” Field said. “There will also be many other stories where we are just grateful to have a name at all. The vast majority will not be household names, but their stories are important nonetheless.”

Before leaving the Berkshires, Shepperson visited Freeman's gravestone one last time, left a bracelet, and kissed the headstone. While at the grave, Shepperson is overwhelmed with thoughts of her mother.

“She's just smiling. We did it, Mom. Here we are,” Shepperson said. “I feel so connected. My mom is always resting with me – I can hear her in my ear. But now I can hear Grandma Freeman saying the work is not done. We still have to make sure everyone comes together to recognize and accept who she is.”