Frederick Baily was born a slave in February 1818 on The Holmes Hill Farm just outside the town of Easton Maryland. His mother worked long hours in the corn fields surrounding the farm and he knew very little about his father except that he was white. Frederick last saw his mother at the age of seven when he was then taken to a new plantation near Baltimore to work for Hugh and Sophia Auld, a relative of his master. At the Auld's home his only duties were to run errands and take care of their new born son, Tommy. It was there when Frederick learned the beginning steps of reading from Sophia, She would often read to him from the Bible. Fe