Aramitta Ross lived for most of her young life beside her parents on the jointly owned Brodess plantation near Bucktown, in Dorchester County, Maryland. She was hired out to work for several other white employers by her “master” not within the Brodess family. For a brief time during her adolescence she apprenticed a weaver, shortly after, Aramitta was set to work for the weaver’s husband, John Cook, setting and tending to his musk-rat traps. The nature of latter job showed no kindness to the young child that she was, and neither did her employers. In order to obtain many of the traps, she was compelled to wade through water, in all conditions, regardless of weather and health, including terrible illnesses such as measles. Later in her…show more content… It is most likely that this work of hers was performed on a “trial style” basis, in attempt to test young Aramitta for potential future purchases. But it was during this time in her young life that would permanently maim her physical body, and alter her psychologically for the rest of her life. As she tended to the homes and children of those she was temporarily sold to, her work was heavily monitored. If the home was not kept to adequate standard, the child or children were not tended to as the mother had deemed fit, or an infant cried out even momentarily in the night, she was delivered consequences in whatever manner her “master” decided fair. Any form of unsatisfactory work or actions was met with terrible whippings and beatings resulting in deep scars on her neck and back. Unfortunately, however, this would not be the end of it for Aramitta. In her early teenage years, she was falling witness to an argument between another slave and the slave owner that was quickly escalating. The slave had turned to flee, and upon seeing this Aramitta tried to aid him by walking into the path between both men. In attempt to stop the slave, the overseer palmed a large, metal weight and angrily threw it towards the fleeing man, but it fell short and instead stuck Aramitta in the head, permanently
