Was Harriet Tubman Actually Married?

Yes, Harriet Tubman was married twice. Her first marriage was to John Tubman, a free Black man, around 1844 when she was still enslaved as Araminta Ross. After escaping slavery in 1849, she adopted her mother’s name, Harriet, and later learned John had remarried, believing she would never return. In 1869, she married Nelson Davis, a Union Army veteran 22 years her younger, whom she met while working as a nurse and spy during the Civil War. Both marriages ended in widowhood: John died in 1867, and Nelson in 1882.

First Marriage: John Tubman

Harriet’s union with John Tubman was a clandestine marriage, as enslaved people in Maryland required their enslaver’s permission to wed—permission she never received. John was free, but Harriet remained enslaved until her escape. Contrary to myths, John did not oppose her leaving; he stayed behind, later marrying another woman. Their relationship is poorly documented, but census records and court documents confirm their marriage. Harriet’s decision to leave him behind reflects the brutal reality that survival often took precedence over familial bonds for freedom seekers.

Second Marriage: Nelson Davis

After the Civil War, Harriet settled in Auburn, New York, where she met Nelson Davis, a Black Union soldier. They married in 1869, and their 13-year union was marked by public advocacy. Nelson supported her Underground Railroad work and her efforts to establish a home for elderly African Americans. Their relationship defied postwar racial and gender norms, with Harriet as the primary breadwinner. Nelson’s death in 1882 devastated her; she later recalled he was her “best and brightest.”

Controversies and Gaps in the Record

Historians rely on court testimony, census data, and newspaper accounts to verify her marriages. Debates persist about the extent of John Tubman’s support for Harriet’s escape, though no evidence suggests he aided her directly. Records of Nelson’s service and their shared property deeds confirm their partnership. A lesser-known third marriage to a man named Charles R. Davis in 1887 remains contested due to sparse documentation and conflicting dates.

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