Mississippi (August 15, 1818- January 15, 1891) age 72 yrs

Bridget Mason was a nurse and a California real estate entrepreneur. She was also a philanthropist and the founder of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, California. Mason was born enslaved. She traveled from Mississippi to southern California with plantation owners Robert and Rebecca Smith, their family, and slaves. Mason enlisted the aid of two Black Los Angeles businessmen. She gained freedom for herself and her family. This occurred before the Smiths move the group to Utah, where they planned to keep ownership of their slaves. Mason earned a good income as a nurse for newly arrived immigrants. She also cared for wealthy clients and later gained respect in the community. Through donations, she supported charities that helped the needy of Los Angeles. In 1989 a memorial depicting Mason’s achievement was erected in Los Angeles.