Student Name: ___________________________________ Date: ___________

Directions: Use the RUNNERS strategy to answer the following questions. Make sure that you prove where you
found your answers. Take your time and do your very best!

by Geneveve Rose

1 Frank McWorter lived as a slave for 42 years. Born in 1777 and raised on a South
Carolina plantation owned by George McWorter, Frank dreamed of the day he would be
a free man. He dreamed of a time when he would work for himself, and all of his hard
work would be for himself and those he loved.

2 While he was a slave, Frank started his own small mining business. He mined for
saltpeter, a material that was used to preserve meats and also as an additive in
gunpowder. The money Frank made from mining wasn’t much, but it gave him just
enough to buy time from his owner, George. Buying time meant that Frank could pay
George McWorter instead of working for him. Frank started by buying a little bit of time
each week. This “bought time” allowed him to work on his mining operation and make
even more money.

3 Eventually, Frank saved enough money that he was able to buy freedom for his wife. It
was important to Frank that his wife be free before
him. He knew he had a good business going and
with enough time would be able to buy his own
freedom. But, if something happened to him, he
wanted to know that his wife would never have to
work as a slave again. A few years later, Frank
bought his own freedom. For roughly $1,000
Frank was able to purchase the freedom he’d
always wanted. He was 42 years old, and he was
starting a whole new life. Frank and his wife
headed west to the wild frontier where he became
known as “Free Frank McWorter,” a name he was
very proud of.

4 Free Frank settled in a rural area in Illinois, which

at the time was the leading edge of the American
frontier. Frank was happy to have his freedom,
but now he had an even bigger goal in mind. He
wanted to free as many of his relatives as he
could. Frank settled in Pike County, Illinois, an
area of the wild prairie located between the
Mississippi and Illinois rivers. It was rich farming
country.

5 At the time in Illinois, towns were being site of New Philadelphia

established all across the state. Frank McWorter
decided to establish his own town in Pike County.
He drew up the plans for his town, and named it New Philadelphia. New Philadelphia is
 historically important because it was the first town in America to be established by an
African American.

6 In New Philadelphia, Free Frank continued his mining operation. He also worked in
land speculation, or selling land to people who wanted it. In addition, Free Frank ran a
commercial farm that raised crops and cattle. He was very successful and made good
money.

7 But Free Frank didn’t use the money for himself, and he never forgot his ultimate goal.
Over the next several years, Frank used all of his money to buy freedom for his loved
ones still held as slaves on the plantations of the South. At the time of his death in
1854, Free Frank had spent over $15,000 to buy the freedom of 16 family members.
This may not sound like much money, but the equivalent in today’s money would be
over $350,000.
6-3.1
1. In paragraph 2, what does the word operation mean?

A farming
B business
C a special type of mine
D a type of medical procedure
6-3.3
2. What does “buying time” mean?

A It was a way of purchasing land.

B It was a way of helping out friends and family.
C It was a way for slaves to work for themselves.
D It was a way develop a town and invite people to live there.
6-2.2
3. Where would you most likely find this passage?

A a textbook
B a dictionary
C a newspaper
D an encyclopedia
6-2.7
4. Before reading the passage, what could you predict?

A It was about slavery.

B It was about a man named Frank.
C It was about the business of mining.
D It was about a family that lived on the frontier.