All I know about the Edmonds' Aunt Letty is what I read in Tee's journal. This was in the 1860s so in all probability, she was born in the United States, not Africa, but I don't know that for sure. We also don't have any way of knowing what her given name was, at least not from the journal. If any of the Edmonds family records still exist, it might possibly be there somewhere.

Abuses occured. That's an indisputable fact. However, there are personal accounts which seem to indicate that some slaves held a high position in the household, and were much valued. I don't reckon a person entrusts the welfare of their own children to someone they deem incapable or ignorant. And I don't believe it's right to assume that every single person held as a slave, had exactly the same experience.

I guess that's what makes it a peculiar institution.