CAVENDISH, Vt. – The Vermont Watchman, State Gazette, and The Liberator, an abolitionist newspaper printed from 1831-1865, published that on Jan. 30, 1832, Peter Tumbo, a “colored man,” aged 106, died in Cavendish, Vt. Referred to as Peter Tumber in town records, and as Tumbo in other sources, he survived the Middle Passage, the stage where enslaved Africans were transported from West Africa to North America, fought in the American Revolutionary War, and lived the last 40 years of his life in Cavendish, Vt.
Was he really 106 years old when he died?
That question, along with many others, will be answered at a Cavendish Historical Society talk on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 6-7:30 p.m., at the Cavendish Library, 573 Main Street, Proctorsville.
Since Tumbo was most likely from the Tumbo region of West Africa, the program will include a discussion on the role beads played in the slave trade. Following the presentation, participants will have an opportunity to make a bracelet or bookmark with West African beads. This program has been made possible thanks to a grant from the Cavendish Community Fund.
In the event of snow, please check the Cavendish Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cavendishvt, for cancellation and rescheduling information. For other information, call 802-226-7807, or email margocaulfield@icloud.com.