USA > Iowa > Early settlement and growth of western Iowa; or, Reminiscences > Part 7
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the southwest corner of the public square, where they proceeded to pitch their tents. It must be remembered that there was not a tree then on the public square, nor any fence around it. They camped in front of the parson's gate, placing the mounted cannon in the center, and hoisting on it the stars and stripes. The 18 covered wagons were arranged in a circle, around the national banner. Outside the wagons was pitched a circle of tents, and outside the tents campfires were built, and still outside of the fires were placed armed sentinels who challenged us as we passed by to prayer meeting, "Who goes there?" This seemed a little more warlike than anything we had ever got into. On the next day about 200 men drilled on the public square, report of which was carried by the passengers in the stage coach to St. Joe, only the numbers were multiplied tenfold -the 200 had become 2,000.
General Lane was here at this time, and there seemed to be no lack of colonels, and majors, and captains, and titled military officers. There was not the best feeling as it appeared, among the free state men. Most of them had come from the distant east. They had been promised Sharps rifles, as they claimed, and they were eager to get them. They had been promised them when they would get to Albany, then when they would reach Cleveland, and again when they reached
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Chicago, and next when they got to Tabor, and now that they had arrived in Tabor they wanted them, insisted on having them, and declared they would go no farther, until they obtained them. But the rifles were not here, and could not be furnished. It was then an object to pacify the men, and prevail on them to go forward. For this purpose General Lane mounted the cannon car- riage, and calling the men around him, addressed them somewhat as follows: " Comrades-a good soldier always grumbles. I know you have borne much already, since you left your homes. You have not always been fed on dainties, nor have you slept on down. You have endured with fortitude the perils, inconveniences, and privations of the way as good soldiers. Now you want Sharps rifles. Well, let me tell you, a Sharps rifle is a good weapon to use on an enemy at a distance, but it is good for nothing in a close encounter. If you come into a close fight (and I hope to God you may), a Sharps rifle is worthless. It is far inferior to a weapon with a bayonet. If I had my choice of arms, I would not arm more than one in ten with a Sharps rifle. As the arms you want are not here, I hope you will conclude to go on and see us through." More was said, but this much I can recall. The men went on to Kansas. After a day or two of rest, the company of Colonel Eldridge passed on to the territory.
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After defending Lawrence against a horde of Missourians on the 14th of September, 1856, " John Brown, with four sons, left Lawrence for the east by way of Nebraska territory " and Tabor, Iowa. Traveling slowly on account of being sick, they did not reach the latter place until October, and remained here several weeks. John Brown reached Chicago late in November, and Albany, N. Y., in December.
Later in the season, in October or November, stores of arms and ammunition were brought on and stowed in barns, corncribs, cellars, etc. The parson had one brass cannon on his hay mow, and another on wheels in his wagon shed. He had also boxes of clothing, boxes of ammunition, boxes of muskets, boxes of sabres, and twenty boxes of Sharps rifles stowed away in the cellar all winter. On some public occasion some of our boys hauled the mounted cannon out on the public square and fired a few rounds to try it. On the 4th of July, 1858, the friends at Sidney requested the use of the cannon to emphasize the toasts of the occasion. The cannon went and the people of Tabor united with the people of Sidney in the celebration of the day.
CHAPTER VIII THE OPENING OF THE UNDER- GROUND R. R.
FIRST PASSENGERS ON THE U. G. R. R. VIA TABOR
O N THE evening of the 4th of July, 1854, there came into our quiet village a travel- er with his family and several colored people, three covered wagons and a carriage. The father, mother and daughter rode in the carriage. They were on their way from Mississippi to Salt Lake and would have crossed the river at Nebraska City, as their most direct route, but, on account of the rush of emigration, and the freighting across the plains, the ferry at that point was crowded, and to avoid the crowd this company had passed on, intending to cross higher up. They camped for the night on the west side of Main street, and about midway between Elm and Orange streets. There were six slaves and two of them got water from Jesse West's well, near which the first hotel in Tabor was then in process of building. Whether stimulated excessively on America's natal day by large draughts of freedom and independence, or whether the circumstances conspired to such a re-
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sult, or both prompted the deed, certain it is that the builders found an interview with the darkies and learned that they were slaves; that five of the six, a father, mother and two children, with another man, were anxious to escape from slavery, but that the other slave woman didn't want to leave her master and couldn't safely be trusted with their plans. Arrangements were then made, the five desirous to go were met at the corner by the hotel in the night and conducted to and across the Nishnabotna and concealed in the bushes. All this was effected by the first faint glimmering of daylight in the eastern sky. S. H. Adams, John Hallam, Jas. K. Gaston and Irish Henry were the conductors on this train. Mr. G. B. Gaston, to avoid the appearance of evil, took some ladies in a buggy and made a visit at C. W. Tolles', on Silver Creek, where arrange- ments were made to care for the fugitives; and in a day or two, with Cephas Case and Wm. L. Clark for conductors, and an old horse to carry such as could not walk, they made their way to a settlement of Quakers in the vicinity of the Des Moines river, and there leaving them in safe hands they re- turned to Tabor. On their way out they had some narrow escapes, but were delivered from all their foes.
The fugitives reached the Queen's dominions in safety, but their master, who we were credibly informed was a Mormon elder, on his way from
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Mississippi to Salt Lake, was not willing to let his slave property escape, without at least an effort to recover it. On rising in the morning after the exodus, there was an unusual stillness about the camp. No one was astir. Fires were not lighted. The teams were uncared for, nor was breakfast being prepared. All seemed at a standstill. He stepped out, and looked in all directions, but saw no trace of the missing slaves. The reputation of the people of Tabor, as being in sympathy with fleeing fugitives, was too well known to admit of his taking counsel with them in this emergency. But in a neighborhood a few miles south of Tabor sympathizing friends were found. The news was soon heralded abroad. The dastardly deed was denounced, and the Taborites anathematized. A goodly number of pro-slavery sympathizers came together. A general slave hunt was planned and the groves, and thickets, and tall grass, and timber bordering both sides of the Nishnabotna river- every place where they might possibly be concealed was carefully searched. But one of those, who aided in the search, was at heart a friend of the fugitives, and was careful himself to do the search- ing around where he knew they were hid, and just as careful to not find them. As I have already stated, new conductors, both of whom passed to their reward many years ago, took charge of the train. When they had proceeded some distance
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on their way they met a man on horseback of whom they inquired the way to Quincy. He answered them civilly, but eyed them closely and passed on, and, as was afterward ascertained, went and re- ported what he had heard and seen to the master, who at once hastened forward to Quincy and, when failing to find them there, posted printed handbills in every direction to intercept them if possible, but without success. The fact was, the conductors suspecting the man they had met to be untrustworthy, switched off to Lewis instead of going to Quincy, and thus foiled their pursuers. At Lewis they had some trouble from pro-slavery men, but out of it all the Lord delivered them. They ran the gauntlet of pro-slavery servility through Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan, and found freedom in Queen Victoria's land.
Of all the thousands of Oberlin students, I never knew one who studied there long, who did not go out from there a thorough abolitionist. John H. Byrd, a classmate at Oberlin of the pastor's wife, a native of Vermont, reared in the freedom-loving principles of the Friends, was pastor of a little Congregational church in Atchison, Kansas, during the troubles there. A slave woman, who longed for freedom, applied to him for counsel and aid, as she had set out to obtain it. She was directed to Tabor, and arrived here in the early part of April, 1857. Conductors on the Underground R.
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R. very soon learned, that it was conducive to safe- ty and success to forward all passengers with promptness and despatch. As this colored woman made her appearance just before the annual meet- ing of the Council Bluffs Association, which met this year at Council Bluffs, it was arranged that the parson should take the woman along, as he went to the Association, as far as Deacon D. Briggs' and get Brother Geo. B. Hitchcock, of Lewis, to come by Deacon Briggs', and take her home with him, as he returned from the Association. But Brother Hitchcock could not return by Dea. Briggs', and so the parson returned home from the Association and with his buggy took the fugitive, cloaked, veiled, and gloved, out to Lewis, no one mistrust- ing that she was other than his wife. Other conductors passed her on from Lewis to the next station.
NUCKOLLS' SLAVES OF NEBRASKA CITY
When Kansas and Nebraska were opened for settlement in 1854, and the strife for the former was hot, the ." ruffians " were wont to say to the free state men : " Why don't you go to Ne- braska ? We want Kansas, and you may have Nebraska." But slave holders went also into Nebraska with their slaves, and seemed quite wil- ling to seize and hold that, too, for slavery.
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Among the slave holders in Nebraska was a Mr. Nuckolls, a prominent merchant in Nebraska City, who owned and held in that place two female slaves. While abolitionists were not accustomed to entice or coax slaves to leave their masters, yet when they had sense enough to want freedom, and grit enough to strike out, and attempt to get it, abolitionists always stood ready to help the slave, rather than the master.
A mulatto of considerable shrewdness and a deal of experience in the world for one of his years, by the name of John Williamson, about that time did some trading back and forth across the Missouri river, in a small way, buying butter and eggs, etc., of the farmers and selling cheap jewelry, and trinkets of one kind and another. It was through him, as I have always understood, that Mr. Nuckolls' slaves were brought across the river. When once on this side there were plenty ready to help them on their way. One morning in De- cember, 1858, about daylight, Dr. Ira D. Blan- chard brought them into Tabor from the west. Consultation was had with a few of the friends and they were placed at Mr. Ladd's for the
day. As it was considered unsafe to travel by daylight, and no less so to hold them, preparation was made through the day to start them on their way at evening. When it was known at Nebraska City that the girls were gone,
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there was a stir in Mr. Nuckolls' household. Tel- egraphs and telephones were not in operation then as now. But Mr. Nuckolls had a brother, a merchant, in Glenwood and two brothers-in-law, who sold goods in Sidney. Messengers were accordingly despatched to them and their aid so- licited. Detectives were placed at the bridges across Silver Creek, and the Nishnabotna river, but some- how, as a good Providence would have it, they failed to intercept the train. It was a dismal, dark night-moonless, cloudy and misty. A covered wagon was provided, but the driver could neither see the road, nor his horses. There were no fences to keep travelers in the way. Deacon O. Cum- mings led the way with a lantern through the Egyptian darkness. Silver Creek was crossed near its mouth and the river at White Cloud without any obstruction or opposition, which fact can only be accounted for on the supposition that the detec- tives failed to reach the bridges until after the train had passed.
The slaves escaped, and were never captured. They stopped for a time in Chicago among their colored friends, and were pursued to that point. But they had timely warning, and hastily took refuge to the Queen's dominions. To resume our narrative: Having searched in Tabor and vicinity and watched the crossings of Silver Creek and the Nishnabotna in vain, Mr. Nuckolls returned to
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Percival to make a more thorough search, de- claring that he knew they had not gone beyond there. Accordingly a company of men from Nebraska City took it upon themselves to search the homes of the people without authority. They went into houses and around the premises, prying into things and places that were private and doing things which they had no right to do. The citizens remonstrated, protested, and warmly denounced such conduct. Reuben Williams being very bold, decided and outspoken, was set upon by Mr. Nuckolls who rode up to him and struck him a heavy blow over the head, which stunned and dis- abled him, producing deafness from which he never recovered. Complaint was made before the proper officers, and Nuckolls was arrested. The prelim- inaries having been taken, the next day was set for trial and the parties retired for the night to pre- pare for the same. Mr. Nuckolls and his followers crossed over to Nebraska City. The people of Percival, fearing the return of a larger party from that place on the morrow, despatched E. Avery, then a resident of Percival, to Tabor for help. A military company had been organized in Tabor, July 29, 1856, which was equipped by the state. The citizens of Tabor were called to- gether to hear the statement of Mr. Avery, when it was unanimously agreed that we go to the aid of our friends at Percival, and that we set out early
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next morning, in order to be present at the opening of the trial. Accordingly there was a stir in Tabor bright and early next day. The parson mounted his steed, and set out in advance, going by way of Father Rector's to inform him of passing events, and suggest the propriety of his being present, and aiding in keeping the peace. It was a cold morning in December. The wind blew strong. Gray clouds obscured the sky, and stray flakes of snow were falling, and by daylight the parson wrapped in his blue blanket had reached Thurman on his way. A load of men armed with muskets went directly from Tabor, to see that our friends had fair play. But the ice was running so thick in the river that crossing was considered unsafe, and the defendants in the case did not appear, and so no trial was had, and we all returned to our homes. The case of Williams v. Nuckolls formed a suit in the county court for several terms, and finally Mr. Williams was awarded several thousand dollars damages, which enabled him to build the good house and barn, where Sturgis Williams, his nephew, now resides.
Years fled apace. Mr. Nuckolls removed to Denver. Mr. Williams was quietly enjoying his declining years, when Mr. Nuckolls found occasion to return from Denver, and stop for a short time among his friends in Nebraska City. One night during this short time, Mr. Williams was aroused
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from his slumbers, to find his barn in flames, and a brisk breeze blowing directly toward the house, so it was with difficulty that it was saved from burning, too. Mr. Nuckolls' presence at Nebraska City and the burning of the barn may have had no causal connection, but it was not easy for Mr. Williams to avoid the conviction that the former sustained to the latter the relation of cause.
CHAPTER IX LATER BUSINESS OF THE UNDER- GROUND R. R.
FUGITIVES FROM THE INDIAN TERRITORY
E ARLY in March of 1860 four negroes from the Indian Territory made their appearance in Tabor, in the eager search for the na- tural and inalienable right of personal liberty. In the people of Tabor they found sympathiz- ing friends. A covered wagon was provided, the fugitives were loaded in and entrusted to Edward T. Sheldon and Newton Woodford as conductors. They started on Friday night, and proceeded by way of Silver Creek, and Mud creek. At the latter place as they stopped to bait, the character of their load was discovered. The wagon, however, was permitted to proceed on its way; but some pro-slavery persons procured papers of Squire Cramer, a justice of the peace in the vicinity, and with a posse on horseback pursued and overtook the wagon and arrested the con- ductors, and took from them the slaves, turning over the white men to be tried before Squire Cra- mer. The arrest was made on Saturday morning,
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and the slaves were taken to Glenwood, to be lodged in jail for safe keeping. But Mr. Samson, who then had charge of the jail in Mills county, loved liberty himself, and knew his duties too well to prostitute his official position to so degrading a business. As the slaves could not then be lodged in jail, they were brought and lodged for a time in the barn of Mr. Geo. Linnville, a couple of miles southeast of Glenwood, and on Sunday they were removed to the house of Joe Foster, of Silver Creek. Daniel Briggs brought word to Tabor on Saturday p. m. of the collision of the last train on the Underground R. R. A council was hastily convened at the residence of G. B. Gas- ton. A company on horseback went to Glenwood, to learn the whereabouts of the slaves, and not find- ing them there, they returned homeward through Wabonsie seeking them. They were probably in Mr. Linnville's barn, when the company from Tabor passed by to Glenwood. The time for the trial of Edward T. Sheldon and Newton Woodford before Squire Cramer was set at 10 a. m. on Sunday. Many of the people of Tabor were in- terested enough to attend, believing that if an ox fallen into a pit might be lifted out on the Sabbath day, much more might two men be delivered on the Sabbath. Jas. Vincent and Pascal Mason acted as counsel for the defendants. Among others present at the trial were E. S. Hill, Geo. Hunter,
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E. Avery, C. F. Lawrence, James L. Smith, S. H. Adams, Clark Briggs and Dr. Sanborn.
The trial was late in its beginning and slow in its proceeding, so that it was not through until 9 p. m. It resulted in the release and acquittal of the defendants. But toward the close of the trial one of the crowd, McMillan by name (others say Wing), inquired of one of the Tabor boys if he could keep a secret. On being assured that he could and would, he handed him a paper which stated that there was game for his party at the house of Joe Foster, two miles away. This hint prompted E. S. Hill and Geo. Hunter to go and take a position in the brush near the house desig- nated, where they could observe what was going on. And here let me say, the ground was covered with snow. The moon had been eclipsed that evening and consequently was at its full. It was a clear, cold, frosty night. There never was a brighter moonlight night than that was. A wagon drawn by four horses was brought out. They saw the slaves brought forth and loaded into the wagon, and watched, until they got fairly started on their way, and marked the road they took, then hastened back to Squire Cramer's to report. They reached the Squire's just as the trial closed, and then as all were released, they piled into two sleds and gave chase. Though behind the wagon miles in distance and hours in time, they soon struck the trail, fol-
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lowed on, and pressed their steeds to do their best, passing down on the west side of the West Nish- nabotna to White Cloud, where they stopped to inquire, and learned that the wagon had passed there not long before, and crossed the river. This was the first real assurance that they were on the right track, and greatly encouraged the pursuers. The wagon led on down the river bottom on the east side, and after a time was seen on a distant rise. On pressed the kidnappers-Mr. Cassell on horseback, Jim Gardner driving, W. K. Follett piloting the way, Joe Foster on horseback "three sheets in the wind," Squire Wyatt and Geo. Linn- ville aiders and abettors. The pursuers embraced Ed. T. Sheldon, E. S. Hill, Geo. Hunter, E. Avery, A. C. Gaston, Chas. F. Lawrence, Jas. L. Smith, and Pascal Mason.
On they rushed in hot pursuit, and overhauled the wagon nearly due east of Tabor, in the early dawn of morning. One of the sleds struck out ahead, and doubled up the leaders of the wagon team, and the other closed up behind enforcing obedience to the simultaneous shout, "Halt !" while all except the drivers leaped from the sleds, each drawing a sled stake for want of a better weapon, surrounded the wagon, and, in the attitude of tak- ing aim, demanded a surrender, and surrender they did. All were required to go to Tabor. They came in and stopped at the hotel, then kept by
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Jesse West, where they warmed up, after an all night's cold ride. Breakfast was soon ready for all the company, but the pro-slavery party objected to eating with niggers-declared they were not used to that, and did not propose to begin now. "Oh, well!" said the landlord, "you needn't. You can sit down and eat, and the others can eat after- ward." They sat down to breakfast, and by the time they were through, the fugitives were well started on their way to freedom, and the kidnap- pers saw them no more.
As the fugitives had made their escape, and were gone, there was nothing further to be done but to send the pro-slavery captives to their respective homes. This was accordingly done by escorting such of them to their residences as had no teams of their own to convey them there. O. Cummings, J. K. Gaston, John Hallam, G. B. Gaston, W. M. Brooks and others had been out all night searching through Wabonsie, along the Missouri bottom, and miles south of Thurman, from which night search they returned, just as the captured party from across the Nishnabotna river entered Tabor. As the fugitives left the hotel without their break- fast, they repaired to L. E. Webb's, two miles east of Tabor, for breakfast and rested there through the day. About sundown they set out for Canada, escorted by O. Cummings, D. E. Woods, L. B. Hill, Pascal Mason, and others on horseback.
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They started in a sled, but changed to a wagon at Mr. Hill's. Streams were all frozen over, and could be crossed on the ice wherever a team could get down and up the banks. This train therefore took a " bee line " for Lewis and, after striking the divide between Walnut creek and East Nish- nabotna, they followed it up to Lewis. Before reaching that station, they sent part of their com- pany ahead to reconnoiter to see that the coast was all clear. The moon was setting in the west, and the sun just rising in the east, as the train halted at the O. Mills station for breakfast. This com- pany left Tabor the first time on Friday evening, March 6, 1860, and reached the division station at Lewis on Tuesday morning, the 10th, being three days and four nights in making a journey which ordinarily required but twenty-four hours. At Lewis they were placed in the care of other con- ductors, and the Tabor people returned home again. When we consider the number of days and nights in succession spent by some of these persons in the cold winter, scouring the country in the saddle in search of the slaves, simply to help a fellow mortal to the enjoyment of liberty, we can see the strength of self-denial for others' good, which this philanthropy inspires. Said an actor, in these scenes in my hearing, who had joined our community four or five years before from Ohio, " I aided in a single year in Ohio more than a
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hundred fugitives to escape." This certainly indi- cates great activity in this line of business. It seems difficult for some to believe that so much risk and self-denial can be incurred without pecuni- ary compensation. In Ohio it was reported fifty years ago by the pro-slavery people that abolition- ists received $25 a head for every slave they landed in Canada, and some seemed really to believe it true. A man in Nebraska City years ago, who was bitterly cursing the abolitionists, was asked what he meant by an abolitionist, to which he replied, " An abolitionist ? Why, an abolitionist is one who steals niggers and runs them off south and sells them and pockets the money." With such abolitionists none of us have ever had any acquain- tance.
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