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Keepers of the Secret Code
Peter Farrow is a slave. He’s grown up on Dover Plantation, South Carolina where he does small jobs. When he’s not working, Peter likes to play with the other slave’s children, or go fishing with the master’s daughter, Emily. Sometimes, he even gets to sit in on Emily’s school lessons and learn to read.
Since Peter is almost twelve, it’s time for him to learn a trade. The master has agreed for Peter to apprentice with Samuel, the plantation’s carpenter. Peter is happy he won’t have to fetch and carry anymore, or work in the dairy, churning butter. However, Peter’s mother decides it’s time he learns the family’s secret. She and her husband have been active in the Underground Railroad and use secret codes sewn into quilts to signal to runaway slaves. When traveling to other plantations doing work for the master, Peter’s father transports runaways in the wagon’s false bottom. Until now, Peter has been too young to keep a secret of this magnitude.
But John, the cruel overseer, has other plans for Peter. He wants Peter out in the fields, doing the backbreaking work of a grownup slave, where Peter is close enough to feel his whip. When Peter comes between Samuel and the overseer’s whip, Peter makes a terrible enemy. Overseer John alerts the master about Emily spending too much time with Peter.
When they are caught together multiple times, the master decides to sell Peter down south. Read this book to find out how the quilt codes were used and passed down generation to generation. You will want to find out what happens to Peter and Emily!
Since Peter is almost twelve, it’s time for him to learn a trade. The master has agreed for Peter to apprentice with Samuel, the plantation’s carpenter. Peter is happy he won’t have to fetch and carry anymore, or work in the dairy, churning butter. However, Peter’s mother decides it’s time he learns the family’s secret. She and her husband have been active in the Underground Railroad and use secret codes sewn into quilts to signal to runaway slaves. When traveling to other plantations doing work for the master, Peter’s father transports runaways in the wagon’s false bottom. Until now, Peter has been too young to keep a secret of this magnitude.
But John, the cruel overseer, has other plans for Peter. He wants Peter out in the fields, doing the backbreaking work of a grownup slave, where Peter is close enough to feel his whip. When Peter comes between Samuel and the overseer’s whip, Peter makes a terrible enemy. Overseer John alerts the master about Emily spending too much time with Peter.
When they are caught together multiple times, the master decides to sell Peter down south. Read this book to find out how the quilt codes were used and passed down generation to generation. You will want to find out what happens to Peter and Emily!
114 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2021
About the author
Teresa R. Kemp
5 books9 followersMrs. Teresa R. Kemp (Nana) is the 5th generation quilter and owner of Plantation Quilts & UGRR Secret Quilt Code Museum. She is the author of Keeper of the Fire an Igbo Metalsmith From Awka, Co-Author of Jordyn's Ethiopian Journey Jordyn (Co-Author Jordyn E. Hiluf); All About Feelings (Co-Author Khamanie Ja'quan Radford); Jamel's Deep Sea Adventure (Co-Author Jamel K. Joyce) & Keepers of the Secret Code (Co-Author KJ Williams) Doodle & Peck Publisher.
Born in Baumholder, West Germany to the late Dr. Howard and Serena (Strother) Wilson. She graduated from Berlin American High School at 15 years old and attended Ohio State Univ. in Columbus, OH. She transferred to WV State University and graduated with a BA. She graduated from DeVry University in Atlanta, GA with a BS in Computer Information Systems.
In 2005, with her parents she opened the UGRR Secret Quilt Code Museum. Closed in 2007, Mrs. Kemp is a colon cancer and congestive heart failure survivor. A staunch advocate for conservation, healthier lifestyles for all, she continues to return to be active in the YMCA's Live Strong program Boys & Girl's Clubs, Igbo associations & Gullah Geechie organizations.
As an Abolitionist, she fights Human Trafficking while researching international slavery and preserving the world’s cultural heritage. She wanted to document her Gullah Geechie / Igbo East and West African & European cultures for her grandchildren, great-grand children and their emphasis on faith, community service, conservation of the God-given land and resources of the earth.
"My European ancestry is documented to the year 149 AD including Old King Cole, Charlemagne of the Franks, King Fergus the 1st of Scotland, King John of England who did the Magna Charta; Sir Lancelot Strother of King Authur's Knights of the Round Table: to my first American immigrant ancestry, William Strother who arrived in the mid 1650's.
I have plantation documents, census data, 3certified will and military records for my great grandfather David Richardson Strother 1814-1870 (He has Confederate/Union Service Jackets). He was a SC plantation owner and Confederate (CSA). He married my Native American great-grandmother born in North Carolina in 1835 Lulu Whitehunter.
He had my grandfather (Born 1856 - died 1943) in Edgefield, South Carolina, Milton J. Strother so I am the bridge between cultures and generations.
My African ancestry was not documented with the same primary source documents until now. With Keeper of the Fire I have put 25 years of research and generations of travel, books and resource into 480 pages", said Mrs. Teresa Kemp.
Her West African ancestors, were former slaves and abolitionist. The Farrow family came from West Africa (Igbo kingdom of Benin & Eliza from Dahomey) with a history documented to 1042 BC, to America as enslaved craftsmen, called Geechie-Gullah people, they were freed and lived in coastal GA and South Carolina.
Listed on Glynn County’s Dover Hall Plantation in 2 wills, along with 4 slave valuements, the Farrows were free by 1858. As a blacksmith Peter and his wife Eliza (seamstress/midwife) hired themselves out. When they worked on neighboring plantations, he would preach in brush arbors and plan escapes. They were given warm and comfortable clothing good and nourishing food and could keep the proceeds of their labor, all the days of their lives for their own benefit, according to the 1844 & 1858 last will and testament of Thomas Dover and his nephew William Dover Jenkins.
Teresa continues to do on-line speaking engagements, traveling exhibits with her family's collections of artifacts and textiles to encourage preservation, delayed gratification while teaching rural crafts &reconciliation skills.
Now booking engagements for 2021-2025
For more information, Please visit us at: www.PlantationQuilts.com
E-mail: trkemp@PlantationQuilts.com
Call me at +1 (470) 454-3517 or (404) 494-5465.
IG @1keeperofthefire
Twitter @ugrrquil
Born in Baumholder, West Germany to the late Dr. Howard and Serena (Strother) Wilson. She graduated from Berlin American High School at 15 years old and attended Ohio State Univ. in Columbus, OH. She transferred to WV State University and graduated with a BA. She graduated from DeVry University in Atlanta, GA with a BS in Computer Information Systems.
In 2005, with her parents she opened the UGRR Secret Quilt Code Museum. Closed in 2007, Mrs. Kemp is a colon cancer and congestive heart failure survivor. A staunch advocate for conservation, healthier lifestyles for all, she continues to return to be active in the YMCA's Live Strong program Boys & Girl's Clubs, Igbo associations & Gullah Geechie organizations.
As an Abolitionist, she fights Human Trafficking while researching international slavery and preserving the world’s cultural heritage. She wanted to document her Gullah Geechie / Igbo East and West African & European cultures for her grandchildren, great-grand children and their emphasis on faith, community service, conservation of the God-given land and resources of the earth.
"My European ancestry is documented to the year 149 AD including Old King Cole, Charlemagne of the Franks, King Fergus the 1st of Scotland, King John of England who did the Magna Charta; Sir Lancelot Strother of King Authur's Knights of the Round Table: to my first American immigrant ancestry, William Strother who arrived in the mid 1650's.
I have plantation documents, census data, 3certified will and military records for my great grandfather David Richardson Strother 1814-1870 (He has Confederate/Union Service Jackets). He was a SC plantation owner and Confederate (CSA). He married my Native American great-grandmother born in North Carolina in 1835 Lulu Whitehunter.
He had my grandfather (Born 1856 - died 1943) in Edgefield, South Carolina, Milton J. Strother so I am the bridge between cultures and generations.
My African ancestry was not documented with the same primary source documents until now. With Keeper of the Fire I have put 25 years of research and generations of travel, books and resource into 480 pages", said Mrs. Teresa Kemp.
Her West African ancestors, were former slaves and abolitionist. The Farrow family came from West Africa (Igbo kingdom of Benin & Eliza from Dahomey) with a history documented to 1042 BC, to America as enslaved craftsmen, called Geechie-Gullah people, they were freed and lived in coastal GA and South Carolina.
Listed on Glynn County’s Dover Hall Plantation in 2 wills, along with 4 slave valuements, the Farrows were free by 1858. As a blacksmith Peter and his wife Eliza (seamstress/midwife) hired themselves out. When they worked on neighboring plantations, he would preach in brush arbors and plan escapes. They were given warm and comfortable clothing good and nourishing food and could keep the proceeds of their labor, all the days of their lives for their own benefit, according to the 1844 & 1858 last will and testament of Thomas Dover and his nephew William Dover Jenkins.
Teresa continues to do on-line speaking engagements, traveling exhibits with her family's collections of artifacts and textiles to encourage preservation, delayed gratification while teaching rural crafts &reconciliation skills.
Now booking engagements for 2021-2025
For more information, Please visit us at: www.PlantationQuilts.com
E-mail: trkemp@PlantationQuilts.com
Call me at +1 (470) 454-3517 or (404) 494-5465.
IG @1keeperofthefire
Twitter @ugrrquil
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 18, 2023
This book was poignant, fast moving and enlightening. There are so many things in history, good and bad, that need to be brought to light and this is one of them. This 'hidden in plain sight' way to helping slaves escape to freedom was ingenious and daring. The dialogue is natural, and the characters real. A perfect way for the middle grade student to learn a little known fact about a dark time in American history. Peter's story is based on one of Ms. Kemp's ancestors.
Displaying 1 of 1 review