Martha Ann Ricks (1817-1901)

Ricks was born into slavery in Tennessee. Along with the rest of her family, she was purchased by her father George Erskine and became free. She and her family moved to Clay-Ashland, Liberia, as part of the American Colonization Society in 1830. While she was living in Liberia, she married Zion Harris who she had met along her travels while in Tennessee. She had begun traveling with Liberia’s first president Joseph Jenkins Roberts in 1848 and visited both the United States and the United Kingdom. Martha earned her living raising turkeys, ducks, and sheep as well as growing crops. She was also known for being well versed in field of needlework. Martha was very good at her needlework and won several contests for the silk stocking that she made.Over the years, Martha developed an interest in Queen Victoria. She was determined that one day she would meet the queen. Over the course of 25 years, Martha worked on a quilt that she wanted to give to the queen when she met her. The quilt that she made depicted the Liberian Coffee Tree and was made of silk cotton. Its pattern included over 300 green leaves, as well as coffee berries in red. There was also a trunk in the center of the quilt and the background was white. Finally, when she turned 76, Martha was able to travel to England and was given audience with the queen through the help of Liberian Ambassador Edward Blyden. She met the queen at Windsor Castle on July 16, 1892, accompanied by First Lady Jane Roberts where she gave her the quilt. Martha died in 1901.