The Remarkable Plummer Family
From Riversdale to Mount Rose
Near this spot at Ingraham Street and 46th Avenue in the town of Edmonston, Adam Francis Plummer a former slave at Riversdale, moved his family to the house he built, Mount Rose, in 1870. The ten acre property adjoining Riversdale became a family enclave, with sons Henry Vinton, Nicholas Saunders and Robert Francis building houses nearby.
Despite being born into slavery, the Plummers overcame many obstacles, seeing Henry Vinton become the first Black chaplain [and therefore an officer] in the regular U.S. Army. Robert Francis was a professional pharmacist, and daughter Nellie Arnold was a school teacher. Through their efforts, and in praise to God for the deliverance of their family, the Plummers started the St. Paul Baptist Church, originally located in Bladensburg. The church, now in Capitol Heights, is still thriving and stands as a testament to the faith of the family.
Adam Francis Plummer's diary was the inspiration for daughter Nellie's self-financed book, Out of the Depths or Triumph of the Cross, originally published in 1927, that chronicles the family history. This book is testament to the empowerment and success of an African American family in spite of the institution of slavery.
Marker is at the intersection of Decatur Street and Taylor Road, on the right when traveling west on Decatur Street.
Courtesy hmdb.org
