|
Elizabeth Gertrude Suggs (December 11, 1876 - January 29, 1908) was a 19th-century American author, born to former slaves. Physically impaired with Osteogenesis imperfecta, she was able to gain an education and became known as a temperance lecturer. The little that is known about Eliza Suggs can be found in her book, ''Shadows and Sunshine'', published in 1906.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=A Slave's Story: Eliza Suggs's "Shadows and Sunshine" )〕〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Shadows and Sunshine )〕 ==Childhood== Eliza Suggs was born in Bureau County, Illinois, the youngest of four daughters of James and Malinda (Filbrick) Suggs. Both of the parents had been born in slavery, James in North Carolina and Malinda in Alabama; they met while on a Mississippi plantation, where Malinda had four children.〔 1880 Federal Census for Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois 〕 James Suggs had fought in the American Civil War, serving in Company I, of the 55th United States Colored Troops, where he was wounded; after he recovered, he reenlisted, this time in Company C of the 59th United States Colored Troops and served until the end of the war. 〔 1890 United States Census, Veterans Schedules for Town of Orleans, Harlan County, Nebraska 〕 He worked as a blacksmith, farmer and laborer, but after 1873, he was a preacher in the Free Methodist Church.〔(Elgin,Ill.) ''Leader'', June 27, 1879: "Local Matters. Many of our readers remember the colored preacher, James Suggs, who exhorted so earnestly at camp-meeting. He is a resident of Princeton, Ill., a blacksmith by trade and has been a licensed preacher for four years. On Tuesday the congregation at the meeting, by a standing vote, resolved to petition the Missionary Board of the General Conference to appoint Mr. Suggs for missionary work among the colored refugees in Kansas. It is probable that he will be appointed.〕 The family lived in Mississippi, Illinois, and Kansas before settling in Harlan County, Nebraska.〔1885 Kansas State Census for Town of Plainview, Phillips County, Kansas〕 Her parents had three daughters before her, all born in Illinois.〔 1880 Federal Census for Princeton, Bureau County, Illinois 〕 At birth, she appeared to be a totally normal baby, but soon her parents began to realize that something wasn’t quite right. At four weeks old, Eliza Suggs began crying incessantly. It took her mother a day to realize that her infant daughter had broken a limb. After that bone had healed, Eliza’s arm broke. Her bones broke with the gentlest of moves, and they did not expect their fourth child to live very long. However, she went on to live into her thirty-second year. For the next six years, Eliza could barely move, much less even sit up on her own. Where the average child’s day consisted of playing and having fun with friends and siblings, hers consisted of sitting in her carriage before the window, only able to watch the others. When Eliza was around five or six years old, her parents had her burial clothes made. As soon as the garments were finished, they expected to need to use them in short order, half wishing that their daughter’s suffering would end. Much to their surprise, their daughter hung on into early adulthood. In the beginning, the doctors could not find out what was wrong with her. However, as she grew older, and medical techniques slowly improved, she was diagnosed with what was then called Rickets, or what is now called Osteogenesis Imperfecta. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Eliza Suggs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|