Mary Elizabeth Bowser is one of the most fascinating individuals from the American Civil War era. Born a slave, Bowser served as a spy for the Union army during the war. Her journey to this post was quite inspiring.
Bowser was born in Richmond, Virginia, on a plantation owned by John and Elizabeth Van Lew. Not long after, John died, leaving Elizabeth in charge of the plantation. Unlike most Richmond residents, Elizabeth Van Lew was an abolitionist, so she freed the slaves on her plantation after her husband's death.
After gaining her freedom, Bowser remained a servant in the Van Lew household. Bowser displayed natural intellect and possessed an interest in education. Recognizing this, Elizabeth arranged for her to attend the Quaker School for Negroes in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Van Lew was a Quaker, which likely influenced her decision to send Bowser to this particular school.
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