Introduction 

On this page, we reproduce and transcribe (where necessary) the six letters we have collected (as of this writing) from Thomas Gross written between 1848 and 1853. These letters are located in the MSCS papers held by the Maryland Center for History and Culture and the Maryland State Archives and in the pages of the Maryland Colonization Journal available on Hathitrust. We have tried, to the best of our ability, to remain faithful to Mr. Gross's spelling and grammar. 

Other scholars who have written about Thomas Gross* reference three of his letters, all part of the MSCS papers. In reviewing the same collection, along with the Maryland Colonization Journal and several additional sources, we have located three additional letters from Thomas's pen and more than a dozen others from people with knowledge of the Gross family. These include letters (1) from Daniel Hughes, who handled the Gross family manumissions, (2) from members of the Potts family, and (3) from relatives of Thomas Gross also living in Maryland and Liberia. We hope to compile and make available these supplemental letters in due course on the Johns Hopkins History Project site.

*See Richard L. Hall, On Afric's Shore, 2003, and Martha S. Jones, "Thomas Gross and the Road to "Maryland in Liberia," 2022.

Overview of the Letters

In these six letters to the MSCS and his supporters, Thomas Gross described his odyssey from Baltimore County to Cape Palmas, West Africa, in fascinating detail. The documents provide a rare opportunity to understand the circumstances and motives of an enslaved proponent of colonization.

As we discuss in the prior essay, Thomas’s experience as a slave in Maryland was not typical. William Potts, an affluent farmer and the owner of the Gross family in 1848, permitted Thomas to learn to read and write. "I am living with the worthy family of Mr. Wm. Potts near Franklin Town, the family has acknowledged my freedom. Also they have been so kind as to give me some knowledge of the English language."

It is important to note again here, that we do not know if the Gross family’s removal to Africa was a condition of their manumission-by-purchase. We do know, based on his letters, that Thomas was eager to go and that his family was purchased at a discounted price of $300 based on there assessed "value" of $925. Several members of the Potts family contributed to the Gross family freedom fund, with Eleanor M. Potts giving the largest single donation ($70). 

Once in Africa, Thomas continued to correspond with the MSCS and the Potts family. He wrote in early 1850 to report that he had experienced a "good voyage," arriving first in Monrovia before continuing onward to Cape Palmas. He also delivered the sad news of his daughter's passing the prior November. "I trust she is better off," said Thomas matter-of-factly.

With his five acres of land, Thomas decided to plant coffee trees, predicting that "it will be the most valuable produce in time that can be raised in Africa." And in a postscript, Thomas told his readers that he had joined a "military company in Cape Palmas." Lacking knowledge of a soldier's duties, Thomas requested that Mr. Richard Potts send him a book. He also sent his regards to Mrs. Potts.

The Mrs. Potts and Richard Potts mentioned in this third letter were probably the widow of Thomas's former owner, William Potts, and their son Richard, a civil engineer. The powerful Potts clan was based in Frederick, Maryland, but the family of William Potts lived closer to Baltimore and attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Charles Street. (Richard could have also been a brother of William's who lived in Frederick with his wife Ann L. Potts.)

In March 1851, Thomas wrote again to James Hall, acknowledging the receipt of the doctor's letters that had arrived via the Liberian packet in February, as well as nine copies of Dr. Hall's "widely circulated and justly celebrated" colonization journal. Describing the Maryland colony in Liberia, Thomas painted a vivid picture of an idyllic and fertile landscape, teeming with fruit trees and vegetables. He marveled at the lush, verdant forests and the abundance of wildlife:

When I rise in the morning before the sun is up and survey the country east, west, north, and south, for miles around, the forest looks beautiful and green, in which the deer and wild hogs and many other animals are found by the hunters.

"We are all free men here," Thomas further remarked, "and have the privilege of making our laws, and our children will be free citizens, wherever they may go."

Thomas remained optimistic about colonization, predicting that "the day is approaching when the colored people in America will flock to the shores of Africa, where they can enjoy their freedom and become an independent people."

Thomas was also aware that anti-colonizationists often claimed that positive reports of life in Africa were embellished or even fabricated. "I would not be guilty of writing one sentence of untruth," countered Thomas, "to any of the colored citizens, whom are in the United States, to invite them to a country that would prove fatal to their lives or liberty, for I am interested in the welfare of my fellow citizens and country." 

Yet life in the fledgling colony could be challenging. In the letter written to James Hall on April 9, 1851, Thomas “begs” to be assigned to “any permanent Situation, in the colony, that may be convenient and agreeable for them to place me in.” Why was Thomas seeking new employment? He doesn't say, but it is quite possible that his agricultural pursuits had been unsuccessful and his wages from the Ladies School were too meager to support his growing family. Thomas and his wife Mary Ann welcomed a new child in 1852, as recorded in the population reports sent back to Baltimore from the Society's agents in Cape Palmas.

All along, members of the Potts family in Maryland, especially Eleanor M. Potts, supported the Gross family in Africa with gifts of money and goods. Thomas responded by sending the Potts' fruits and palm oil, one of the colony's most important exports. In his last letter, written on February 4, 1853, Thomas regretted that "the lemans [sic] I sent to Miss. E. M. Potts got lost during the voyage. I put them up in paper, and thought they would have gone perfectly safe, but I suppose the distance & change of climate caused them to not."

In January of 1853, a vessel from Baltimore brought Thomas a pleasant surprise: 

On board I found an old friend of mine H.E. Dorsey & family. He wishes to open a store here, and I hope he may do well. He served 24 years at the Powhatain [cotton] factory in a store near Baltimore.

The Powhatan Cotton Works factory, one of the first textile factories in Baltimore County, was near William Potts' farm. Thomas's joy in reuniting with an old friend was, however, tempered by the precarious realities of life in Cape Palmas. Trade in palm oil and camwood was depressed, Thomas reported, and there were escalating demands for independence among the settlers, a possibility he seemed to embrace:

I am still teaching school in the colony, but do not know how long I will continue, for the cry is indipendence [sic] and very likely we will [illegible] indipendence [sic] shortly, to get emigrants to come hear [sic], I am quite willing for a change, for I believe it will be for our good. 

Throughout his letters, Thomas Gross remained optimistic regarding the promise of African colonization but also understood the fraught nature of efforts to  assist "the poor African race" back in the United States:

For I see that abolitionists have done all they can do. And colonizationists are doing all that they can do, for the poor African race, but god is at the head of the helm. 

Fourth letter from Thomas Gross to the Maryland State Colonization Society. Source: Maryland State Colonization Society papers at the Maryland Center for History and Culture: http://mdhistory.msa.maryland.gov/msa_sc5977/scm013229/html/msa_sc5977_scm13229-0265.html 

Harper Cape Palmas March 30th 1851

Dr. James Hall,

Dear sir, I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favors, which come duly and safe to hand, by the arrival of the Liberian packet, at cape palmas Feb. 10th.  The package contained nine copies of your widely circulated and justly celebrated colonization journal, which I perused with great satisfaction, and return my sincere satisfaction for the same. Notwithstanding, I would of written to you before this time, but when I inform you that I wanted to see more of the country, and experience the climate I am sure you will excuse me. Sir- I would not be guilty of writing one sentence of untruth to any of the coloured citizens, whom are in the United States, to invite them to a country that I thought would prove fatal to their lives or liberty (no) for I am interested in the welfare of my fellow citizens & country. And furthermore I am hear on the spot, and the best judge of the matter. I can truly say that the Maryland colony in Liberia is beautifully situated with a fertile soil, on which many fruit trees are found growing and bearing fruits without being cultivated. also many garden vegetables will grow hear, and yield abundantly, they are to numerous to name, and to valuable to loose, and when I rise in the morning before the sun is up and view the country east west north & south, for miles around the forest looks beautiful and green, in which the Deer and wild hogs, and many other animals are found by the hunters, and I do not see anything like starving hear in this country, and in regard to our freedom, we are all free men here, and have the the priviledge of making our laws and our children will be free citizens let them go, where ever they may go. And I am glad to see that the coloured peoples in general, throughout the United States are beginning to feel the weight of their yoke, and intend to shake it off by emigrating to the free soil of Africa. For the day is approaching, and is near at hand, when the coloured people in america will flock to the shores of Africa, where they can enjoy their freedom, and become an independent people. For I see that abolitionists have done all they can do. And colonizationists are doing all that they can do, for the poor african race, but god is at the head of the helm. 

Yours respectfully, 

Thom. H. Gross

P.S. [not pictured above]

Sir- the native tribes at cape palmas and the [??Gadway??] natives, raise with armes against the colonest at cape palmas, and we expected hostility to take place everyday, but our good Governor has settled it, without any war. And trade and commerce are going on as usual in palm oil and Calm wood [camwood] etc etc.

The late emigrants that arrived hear by the packet, have taken the fever, and doing well, only [??one??] death.

T.H.G.

Sixth letter from Thomas Gross to the Maryland State Colonization Society. Source: Maryland State Colonization Society papers at the Maryland Center for History and Culture: http://mdhistory.msa.maryland.gov/msa_sc5977/scm013229/html/msa_sc5977_scm13229-0546.html 

Harper Feb. the 4th 1853

Agent Dr. James Hall

My Dear Sir — I am sorry to hear, that the lemans I sent to Miss. E. M. Potts got lost during the voyage. I put them up in paper, and thought they would have gone perfectly safe, but I suppose the distance & change of climate caused them to rot. I am uncertain whether the loss of the Ralf Cross* has come to your knowledge or not, she went ashore on the 18th of July, last, near cape palmas. the vessel had been ready to sail for some days previous to the accident, but was detained on account of the illness of the captain. He was not on board at time accident took place. 

The vessel from Baltimore, arrived here on the 25th of Jany. with emigrant[s] all in good health, and cargo in good condition, on board I found  an old friend of mine H.E. Dorsey & family. He wishes to open a store here, and I hope he may do well. He served 24 years at the Powhatain factory in a store near Baltimore. I am still teaching school in the colony, but do not know how long I will continue, for  the cry is indipendence and very likely we will [illegible] indipendence shortly, to get emigrants to come hear, I am quite willing for a change, for I believe it will be for our good. Indipendance – The poles was opened on the 31st of Jan, at 6’oclock A.M. votes for indipendance 122, nays none. I hope by the return of this vessel, that every thing will be nearly completed __ Dr. Sam’l F. McGill talks of leaving cape palmas as soon as he is released from his office as agent.

Trade in palm oil & calm wood** is is very dull, 

Sir- I remain your very humble servant

Thomas H. Gross

*The brig Ralph Cross was wrecked off the coast of Cape Palmas in July, 1852; **Camwood - a hardwood, evergreen tree native to West Africa.

Revision Log

1/2/2024: Added postscript to letter of March 30, 1851. See http://mdhistory.msa.maryland.gov/msa_sc5977/scm013229/html/msa_sc5977_scm13229-0267.html.