Mathias de sousa biography wikipedia

Stone, Garry Wheeler. Cite this article:. The six other documented mentions of de Sousa in the historical record, five of which were made by an English court recorder, do not make any mention of his race or ethnic background. In , the priests allowed Mathias to go free. Mathias was a servant who learned skills as a sailor and fur trader to win his freedom.

An historical marker has been erected in St. A second document repeating this request once again listed de Sousa as a "molato". We also do not know how Mathias de Sousa thought of himself.

Mathias de sousa biography wikipedia: Mathias de Sousa was an

There is no historical mention of de Sousa following Mary's City. That same year, de Sousa was recorded as being responsible for the hiring of men for an expedition to trade fur with the Susquehanna. The priests visited the Native American people who lived there. The term "molato" used by the priest, is the old spelling for "mulatto," defined in the seventeenth-century as a person of mixed African and European descent.

Toggle the table of contents. It is believed that Sousa's father was born in Portugal. Wikidata item. There are some details about Mathias' life we will probably never know, but there are enough facts to tell his story. Mary's City in St. He had trouble paying his rent and buying food. A historical marker has been erected in St. Province of Maryland.

Most slaves had little or no chance to earn their freedom. Article Talk. An indentured servant is someone who has to work as a servant to someone for a period of four to seven years. When Mathias voyaged to Maryland, he worked for Jesuit priests, who were on a mission to establish churches in North America for the Catholic Pope in Rome.

De Sousa was referred to as a "molato" in a document written by Father Ferdinand Poulton, who was requesting land be allocated to his Jesuit order.

Exploring Maryland's Roots: Library: Mathias de Sousa

Mary's County, Maryland. Gray, Steven. Mary's City in St.