The Beautiful Slave Who Bore the Master’s Children… And Buried Them All Before Turning 30
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The Haunting Legacy of Elellanena Bowmont
In the heart of Savannah, Georgia, lies a story shrouded in mystery and tragedy, one that echoes through the shadows of history. The year was 1841 when strange occurrences began to unfold at Forsythe Estate, a plantation that stood as a symbol of Southern prosperity. Its white columns rose majestically against the Georgian sky, masking the darkness that had taken root beneath its grand facade.
Elellanena Bowmont arrived at Forsythe Estate in the winter of 1835, her purchase recorded in the county ledger with little more than a cursive signature and a sum of money. At just 22 years old, she was noted for her exceptional domestic skills, but whispers suggested that these qualities were not the sole reason for her acquisition. Thomas Harrington, the 46-year-old master of Forsythe, had recently lost his wife to consumption and was seen inspecting newly arrived individuals at the market for weeks before selecting Elellanena.
The estate’s caretaker journal, discovered during renovations in 1958, includes an entry from January 12, 1835: “New arrival today. Master seems unusually attentive to her quarters.” It was the beginning of a relationship that would change the course of many lives, though not without tragedy.
Initially, Elellanena’s presence at Forsythe appeared unremarkable. She worked alongside approximately 30 other enslaved individuals, maintaining the cotton plantation and manor house. However, her rapid elevation to direct service for Thomas Harrington raised eyebrows. By the autumn of 1836, her status had changed significantly. Expense ledgers revealed unusual purchases: fine fabric, leather shoes, and a small silver locket, the receipt for which was later found tucked into Thomas Harrington’s personal Bible.
Maria Wilson, a cook at the neighboring Wilks plantation, recalled in a 1948 oral history project that “everyone who worked the big houses knew what was happening at Forsythe.” Elellanena was not treated like the others. She dined in the house and wore finer clothes, but there was something unsettling in her eyes—a hollowness that suggested she was present yet somehow absent.
In the spring of 1837, Elellanena became visibly pregnant. Though no official announcement was made, estate records show she was relieved of certain duties, and the plantation physician, Dr. Samuel Thorne, began making more frequent visits. On November 18, 1837, Elellanena gave birth to a girl named Caroline, but the child was not recorded in the estate ledger. Instead, Thomas Harrington noted in his journal, “Providence has blessed the house with new life today. I have named her Caroline after my mother.”
For several months, life at Forsythe continued with a semblance of normalcy. Elellanena and her infant daughter occupied a room near the kitchen, which was furnished with items unusual for enslaved quarters—a rocking chair, a copper bathing tub, and a small wooden cradle. Then tragedy struck. In July 1838, infant Caroline fell ill with a fever and, despite Dr. Thorne’s efforts, passed away on July 23, aged just eight months.
In a departure from plantation norms, Thomas Harrington ordered a small grave to be dug beneath an oak tree in the garden for Caroline, rather than burying her in the unmarked area reserved for other enslaved individuals. Elellanena’s reaction to her daughter’s death was not officially recorded, but a letter from Mary Stillwell, who visited Forsythe, described a chilling scene: “The young colored woman was kneeling at a small fresh grave in the garden, completely still, making no sound. Mr. Harrington watched from the veranda, but made no move to interrupt her vigil.”
By winter 1838, Elellanena was pregnant again. On May 3, 1839, she delivered a son named James. The estate records noted increased expenditures for her room, including a larger bed and additional linens. But once more, tragedy struck when James developed a respiratory affliction and died on March 15, 1840. He was buried beside Caroline, and Elellanena planted white roses at the site.
In the aftermath of James’ death, Thomas Harrington left for a business trip to Atlanta, returning two weeks later to find Elellanena confined to her quarters, suffering from extreme melancholy. Dr. Thorne prescribed sedatives, but it was clear that Elellanena was deeply affected by her losses. She was moved to a room on the third floor of the main house, which was boarded up from the outside, and Dr. Thorne’s visits continued.
On October 12, 1841, Thomas Harrington’s journal contained a cryptic entry: “It is finished. May God have mercy on us all.” The following day, Elellanena Bowmont vanished from Forsythe Estate. A search was organized, but when she was found in an abandoned hunting cabin, she was unharmed yet unwell in mind. The overseer’s report noted her return to the house under watch, but what transpired in the following months remains a mystery.
Elellanena was confined, and her room was emptied. Dr. Thorne’s medical log recorded her condition as “refusing food when lucid” and speaking of children calling to her from beneath the oak tree. Then, on October 12, 1841, she disappeared from the written record entirely.
Historians speculate that she may have died by her own hand or from the effects of her treatment, but no remains were ever discovered. Thomas Harrington never remarried, and his behavior grew increasingly erratic. By 1850, he had sold half of the enslaved individuals owned by the estate, and by 1858, he died in debt.
The estate fell into disrepair, and in 1872, as it was being cleared for development, workers discovered four small sets of remains beneath the oak tree where the children were buried. The discovery raised questions, especially since only three children were known to have been buried there. Among the remains, a small silver locket was found, containing a braid of dark hair and a portrait of a woman, suggesting connections to Elellanena.
In 1963, Margaret Wilson, a graduate student, began researching the unexplained disappearances of enslaved women in antebellum Savannah. Her work uncovered fragments of Forsythe estate records, piecing together Elellanena’s narrative. Wilson theorized that Elellanena did not die at Forsythe but was sold to a plantation owner in Louisiana, a theory supported by a bill of sale dated October 13, 1841.
Despite the passage of time and the changes to the land, the haunting presence of Elellanena Bowmont continues to resonate. Visitors report seeing a woman in outdated dress walking through the area where the oak tree once stood. Local legends speak of her spirit, still searching for her lost children, still holding onto the memories of a life marked by unimaginable suffering.
In 2008, a descendant of the Harrington family donated a collection of family papers to the Savannah Historical Society. Among them was a journal entry from Thomas Harrington’s cousin, Walter, which hinted at the deep guilt and fear surrounding Elellanena’s disappearance. It suggested that Thomas believed the deaths of his children were a form of divine retribution for his sins.
Elellanena Bowmont’s story is not just a tale of loss; it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of oppression. Her legacy challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about our history, to remember those who suffered, and to acknowledge the complexity of their experiences. As we reflect on her life, we honor not just her memory but the countless others whose stories have been lost to time, reminding us that every life, no matter how marginalized, carries a weight of significance that must be recognized and remembered.
