William Grimes (c. 1784 – August 20, 1865) was an African-American barber and writer who authored what is considered the first narrative of a formerly enslaved American, Life of William Grimes, the Runaway Slave, published in 1825,[1] with a second edition published in 1855.
[3] Grimes escaped slavery by boarding on a ship called Casket, which sailed from Savannah, Georgia to New York City.
Fitzhugh was the founder of Eagles's Nest plantation located in King George County, Virginia.
Benjamin Grymes, Jr., volunteered for Grayson's Continental Line Regiment in the American Revolutionary army and eventually received the rank of Lieutenant in 1777.
He worked as a house servant, valet, field worker, stable boy, and coachman.
In 1815, at the age of 30, Grimes escaped from slavery by stowing away on the ship Casket that sailed from Savannah, Georgia to New York City.
Following this, Grimes rented his barbershop in Litchfield and moved to New Haven where he worked as a barber, grocer, and furniture merchant.
[13] Clarissa Caesar, his wife, then left for California because she and Grimes split some time before writing his second edition.
[15] In the 1860 United States census, William Grimes was listed as the head of an eight-person household in New Haven, while his occupation is shown as a lottery dealer.
[9] Grimes fled New Haven to live in Litchfield, Connecticut due to his former enslaver tracking him down.
Mason talked about her ancestor's life in an interview with Terry Gross on the Fresh Air radio program on January 18, 2016.
It includes reenactments of scenes from both Mason's and Grimes's lives with narration by Keith David.