rchased two African slaves from a ship in the Chesapeake
Bay near Annapolis. One of these slaves named Bannaky, subsequently
Anglicized as Banneker, was the son of an African king, and was stolen
by slave dealers on the coast of Africa.[150] With these two slaves as
her assistants, Mollie Welsh industriously cultivated her farm for a
number of years with such gratifying success that she felt impelled
afterwards to release her two slaves from bondage. The slave Banneker
had gained such favor in the eyes of his owner that she married him
directly after releasing him from bondage, notwithstanding the fact
that his record for sustained industry had not equalled that of his
fellow slave, while serving their owner on her farm--a fact that was
perhaps due to Banneker's natural inclination to indulge his royal
prerogatives. This Banneker is described as "a man of much
intelligence and fine temper, with a very agreeable presence,
dignified manner and contemplative habits."[151]

There were born of this marriage four children of whom the eldest
daughter, Mary, married a native African who had been purchased from a
slave ship by another planter in her neighborhood. This slave was of a
devout nature, and early became a member of the Church of England,
receiving at his baptism the name of Robert. After baptism, Robert's
master set him free. It was, therefore, as a free man that he became
the husband of Mary Banneker, whose surname he adopted for his own.
Four children were born to Robert and Mary Banneker, one boy and three
girls, the eldest being Benjamin, the subject of this sketch.

Robert Banneker had evidently formed some of the habits of thrift
evinced by his mother-in-law, Mollie Welsh, for it is on record that
in 1737 within a few years after receiving his freedom he purchased a
farm of 120 acres from Richard Gist, paying for it 17,000[152] pounds
of tobacco, which in those days served as a legal medium of exchange.
This farm, located on the Patapsco Eiver, within about ten miles of
the town of Baltimore, thus became the Banneker homestead. Here it was
that young Benjamin spent his early years and grew to manhood,
assisting his father with the general work of the farm.

Banneker very early showed signs of precocity, which made him the
special favorite of his maternal grandmother who took delight in
teaching him to the extent of her own limited mental endowment. She
taught him to study the Bible, and had him read it to her