HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Cherry Turner (also spelled "Chary") was an enslaved American Indian in Southampton, Virginia in the early 1800s. She was the wife of slave activist,
Nat Turner Nat Turner's Rebellion, historically known as the Southampton Insurrection, was a rebellion of enslaved Virginians that took place in Southampton County, Virginia, in August 1831.Schwarz, Frederic D.1831 Nat Turner's Rebellion" ''American Her ...
.


Early life

In the year 1831, Cherry was believed to be about 10 years old. She was younger than Nat. Cherry lived at Turner's plantation from about 1821 to 1823.


Marriage and children

It is largely speculated that Nat and Cherry met and were married at Samuel Turner's plantation in the early 1820s, although historians still dispute who exactly Nat Turner's wife was. Furthering the issue, claims about Nat Turner are difficult to verify. It is widely believed that Cherry did have children, but it is undetermined how many. Historians vary anywhere between believing she had 1 to 3 children. The most widely held belief is that the pair had 2 or 3 children - 1 daughter and 1 or 2 sons. Historians believe one of their children was a slave boy named Riddick.


Giles Reese Plantation

After Samuel Turner died in 1823, Cherry and Nat were separated. Nat was sold to Thomas Moore. while Cherry and her children were sold to Giles Reese.


Nat Turner's Rebellion

During Nat Turner's rebellion, the rebels avoided Giles Reese plantation, even though it was in route, likely because Nat wanted to keep Cherry and the children safe. Regardless, while authorities were in search of Nat, they went looking for Cherry as well. On September 26, 1831, the ''Richmond Constitutional Whig'' published a story after the raiding of Reese' plantation stating that, "in ispossession, some papers given up by his wife, under the lash." ''The Authentic and Impartial Narrative'' also publish that same year saying that journal entries belonging to Nat were "in her possession after Nat's escape." In his book ''Nat Turner: Slave Revolt Leader'' author Terry Bisson writes " attrusted
herry Herry may refer to: People * Herry Iman Pierngadi (born 1962), Indonesian badminton coach * Herry Janto Setiawan (born 1973), Indonesian cyclist * Herry Kiswanto (born 1955), Indonesian football manager and player * Herry Saliku Biembe (born 1981 ...
with his most secret plans and papers. After his slave rebellion, she was beaten and tortured in an attempt to get her to reveal his plans and whereabouts." In a report by James Trezvant immediately following the uprising, Cherry was mentioned as having admitted to Nat "digesting" a plan for the revolt "for years." Cherry was not mentioned in Nat Turner's confession to lawyer Thomas Ruffin Gray.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Turner, Cherry 18th-century American slaves People from Southampton County, Virginia 19th-century American slaves 19th-century Native American women 19th-century Native Americans