Hetty Reckless, born Amy Hester Boadley around 1776, spent her life helping others escape slavery and start new lives. She was born enslaved in Salem, New Jersey, to Dorcas Boadley. The Johnson family enslaved Hetty, whose mother promised she would free Hetty upon her death. The Johnson family never kept that promise.

The left bank hosted almost impenetrable canebrake and tall bamboo, while the right bank was more open, with large timber.