190 years ago today - Jan 6, 1828

Green Flake is born into slavery on the Jordan Flake plantation in North Carolina. Green was the African-American slave who drove the wagon carrying Brigham Young across the plains. Green was owned by Mormon James M. Flake who lent him along with a wagon and two mules to the Church for the 1847 trek west. Upon the death of James M. Flake in 1850 his widow moved to California, a free state, but first donated her "Negro slave Green Flake" to the Church as tithing. Green worked two years for Brigham Young and for Heber C. Kimball, and was then granted his freedom. After his wife's death he moved to Idaho. He returned to Salt Lake in 1897 to attend the 50th anniversary "jubilee" celebration of the arrival of the pioneers, where he was given a certificate honoring him as a surviving member of the original pioneer company. He is one of three slaves listed on the plaque on the Brigham Young monument in downtown Salt Lake City under the category of "Colored Servants."