USA > Illinois > Tazewell County > Washington > Early history of Washington, Ill. and vicinity > Part 10
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They raised good crops, but there was neither a handy nor a ready market for them; money was too scarce. Father sold good wheat frequently for 25 to 37 cents per bushel, and good pork from $1.00 to $1.25 per hundred, and could get only about one-half cash. He also hauled wheat to Chi- cago, and with a week's trip and a low price he found that the cost overran the profit. On one trip he brought back a load of lumber on which he had several stoves for Hinkle and Danforth. This trip was a very anxious as well as a labori- ous one, for this firm had entrusted him with a bag of gold to purchase the stoves, and to guard it both night and day for several days was no pleasant task, for there were human sharks even in those early times. There were many swamps and stretches of bad roads enroute, causing his load to be hard to manage, but with his grit nothing daunted.
Letters were written on large double sheets of paper and folded so that the sheet furnished the space for the ad- dress. This was closed with a wax seal. Letter postage in those days was twenty-five cents, and paid by the recipient. With cash so scarce, his sisters in Pennsylvania, when writ- ing to him, would enclose that sum to be sure that he might be able to pay for their next letter.
"Mans inhumanity to man makes countless millions mourn".
The Mayflower carried the Pilgrim Fathers to religious liberty in America,and went on her next trip for a load of slaves. This ship was in the slave trade for our fathers. Is it to be wondered at that race and color prejudice still
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exists in this country in spite of christianity? It came with it.
The question of slavery has always been a mixed one, from the time the first slave was imported into our country until, by the emancipation proclamation of Abraham Lin- coln, all men were made free and equal in the eyes of the law. A. strong anti-slavery party had long existed in the country. The framers of our constitution upon the organi- zation of the government had to deal with the question of slavery; the successive administrations from Washington to Lincoln had to grapple with it. Various compromises were adopted which it was thought would quiet its spirit, but like Banquo's ghost it would not down at the bidding of any man or party. The death of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy at Alton, Ill., in 1837, a martyr to the anti-slavery cause, gave an impetus to the agitation of the question which never ceased until the final act was consummated in 1863, which broke in pieces the shackles that bound four million slaves.
Growing out of the agitation of the slavery question was the organization of the so-called "Under Ground Rail- road". There may be few who have not heard of this fam- ous "railroad", but there are not many who know of its sys- tem of work. The secrecy of its workings justified it name. Notwithstanding the system was an organized one, those en- gaged in it had no signs or passwords by which they might be known, save now and then preconcerted rap at a door when a cargo of freight was to be delivered. Each relied upon the honor of the other, and, as the work was an extra hazardous one, few cowards ever engaged in it. A very singular circumstance in connection with this road was the fact that, although people well knew who were engaged in it, and where the depots were located, freight could seldom be found, search as carefully as they might. A consignment would be forwarded over the line, notice of which would reach the ears of slave-hunters and when ready to place their hands on the fugitives, like the Irishman's flea-they wouldn't be there.
Washington, Pa., father's home town, was on the Na- tional Pike and on this thoroughfare he saw the "chain gangs" of slaves (a dozen or more chained together and hand-cuffed) and noted the inhuman treatment accorded them. He, then a small boy, determined to do all he could to alleviate the sufferings of the colored race.
He came to Illinois in the most exciting days of the Under Ground Railroad, and it was not long before he was
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associated with that daring organization as one of its con- ductors. He was very firm in his anti-slavery position, and had an uncompromising antagonism against the institution of slavery, and although it was an age when to ventilate anti-slavey opinions was to invite social ostracism and even jeopardize life and property, he boldly denounced what he believed to be a great national iniquity. Fleeing fugitives found a friend in him, and he not seldom risked his own life and was cited before magistrates. On one occasion, when he and George Kern were arrested and tried, they were honored by having Abraham Lincoln, then a rising young lawyer, to defend them. He lived to see slavery put away and his convictions on this question justified by an almost universal revolution of public sentiment.
In those exciting days of the Under Ground Railroad, Elder Dickey, a Baptist minister, and Owen Lovejoy, strong anti-slavery men, made an appointment to speak in Wash- ington. On the date announced for their meeting the pro- slavery men, Rev. Reuben H. Moffatt, the M. E. minister, and Mr. Chase, an M. D. and also an M. E. minister, linked arms and led the mobocrats in taking forcible and armed possession of the church to be occupied by these speakers, determined at all hazard to prevent the meeting from being held there. Elder Dickey was to deliver an address on "The Bible View of Slavery". The pro-slavery people were not willing that he should speak, saying that "if anyone could expound the Bible with convincing argument it was Elder Dickey". With violence and throwing rotten eggs they dispersed the anti-slavery meeting.
Mrs. James Robison of Tremont said, "I never climbed into my wagon so quick in my life as when those mobo- crats broke loose with their determination to break up the meeting. Anthony Field, then a class-leader in the Wash- ington M. E. church, was pursued to the creek on South Main street and given a veritable shower of the decomposed product. He was turned from the church because of the unchristian spirit of its leaders.
A prominent man of conservative views on the slavery question advised the anti-slavery men not to hold the meet- ing, as they were detemined to do, as the mob, he said, was frenzied with liquor and he feared the consequences So they concluded to go to the Pleasant Grove church at Groveland, where they addressed one of the most enthusiastic anti- slavery meetings ever held in this part of the state. Owen
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Lovejoy was the orator of the day. The mob was deter- mined to follow and break up that meeting also, but were deterred by being told that as the anti-slavery men were on their own ground they would fight, and doubtless blood would be shed.
The following letter written by Uncle Patterson Scott and addressed to his sisters, Mrs. Margaret Officer and Miss Jane Scott, Washington, Pa., gives an insight of early times and the slavery controversy in Washington, Ill. The letter was written on both sides of one large sheet and folded so no envelope was required. It is yellow with age. The figures "25" is marked where the stamp goes on a letter, which no doubt meant the cost of sending :
Washington, Tazewell County, Ill., Nov. 12, 1838. Dear Sisters:
Having, through the kind and gracious province of my heavenly father, been spared until now, I take up my pen to address a few lines to you both. In the first place I would inform you that we are all well at present. William and Mary arrived here in safety, in good health and spirits, this day 2 weeks since. They are still living with us and will almost certainly settle here. I have made a proposal to sell Wm. some of my land, very low, which he will prob- ably accede to. He has not yet (owing to a variety of cir- cumstances) had an opportunity of examining my prairie, but with my timber land he is well pleased. We expect to remove to our timber shortly, and will continue there dur- ing the winter, as we will be more convenient to our work. We have all come to the determination to spend the winter in making and hauling rails for fencing, and in getting out timber for a dwelling, so that we may be prepared when spring returns to improve our lands. Wm. has been to Iowa territory and is well pleased with the country, but thinks our advantages are superior to those that would be afforded there-and upon the whole he appears to be better pleased with this section of country than with that. We were truly grieved to hear of the death of James, and I hope, dear sis- ter Margaret, that you and brother Robert, although you have been called to face the rod of affliction, in this rending of the most tender ties-yet you recognize the hand of Him who hath in His hand the issues of life and death, and I trust that vou have experienced the consolation of His grace, and are prepared to say in a spirit of humble resignation :
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It is our Father's hand-that gave this heavy blow, That took our loved one from our sight
And caused our tears to flow;
Yet still we would not fret, but to His mandate bow,
Trusting that we shall yet know what we know not now.
Yes, my dear brother and sister, I believe that you will know hereafter why your Father's hand was thus laid upon you, and I trust that you will make a suitable. im- provement of this afflictive dispensation, and that it will be one among the number of those things that will work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Although I have been afflicted and tried in various ways, principally on account of my anti-slavery principles, yet the Lord has helped me thus far, and I trust that whatever may become of me He will carry on this holy cause, in the midst and despite of all the opposition that earth and hell combined can rain against it, until the accursed system that is fraught with the groans, tears, wailings and degradation of 21% millions of our fellow men shall forever cease from our land, and that the negro shall stand forth "a man acknowl- edged" by our nation and our nation's laws, and clothed with all the rights that belong to him as such; when he shall be put in possession of himself, his wife, his children and all those things that man holds dear here on earth, and shall be permitted for himself to search the volume of Eternal Truth, and find what God would have him know and do, that he may become a free man in Christ Jesus, and in that liberty rejoice, and worship God as to him seemeth right.
We formed a County Anti-Slavery Society about four weeks since and now number nearly 100 members, some of whom are the flower and sinew of this county. We have also commenced observing the monthly concert of prayer for the abolition of slavery throughout the United States- and the world. Notice was given to the congregation assem- bled for public worship in our public school house, on yes- terday 3 weeks, that a meeting of the aforementioned kind would be held on the last Monday in October (which was 3 weeks since this day) in the school house, but the trustees of the school, who are violently opposed to Abolitionists, refused to let us have the use of the house, and one of them, who was formerly a slave-holder and removed to this place from Kentucky about a year ago since, and professes to be a gentleman, together with some others in this place, grew very much enraged and threatened us very hard. They
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swore that we should not hold such a meeting in the place and that if we attempted it, scenes worse than that at Alton (in which the Rev. E. H. Lovejoy was murdered) should be enacted here. But we felt that even though we were very few in number, we were engaged in the cause of God and humanity and we were not in the least bit intimidated by their threats. When we were refused the use of the school house I told the brethren that my house was at their ser- vice for the meeting and that here we would meet on the evening of the day appointed for the meeting. Wm. and Mary (Sample), Hugh Hughes and 2 other young men from Wash- ington (Mr. Jeffrey and Mr. Graham) arrived here and some of the citizens who were not Abolitionists, but in favor of the discussion, came in about the time the meeting com- menced. This Kentuckian, with an axe handle upon his shoulder, together with some more of the devil's emmis- saries from one of his principal outposts (a grocery), well- primed with the elixir of hell (as an old Methodist here calls it) came to the door and some of them began to peep in at the windows. Upon seeing them I went out and re- spectfully invited them to come in, but could not prevail upon them to do so then. But in short time 4 of them came in and stood with their backs against the door and remained there for some time, but did not attempt to interrupt us. I have since been informed that they came in to find out what we were doing and then to go out and report to the rest, and if anything like a lecture was delivered or any resolutions passed, they were determined to destroy my house, but notwithstanding considerable was read on the subject of slavery and many remarks made by the pastor of our church, also a young man (a member of the Baptist church), who is a native of Kentucky and who was converted by reading Channing on Slavery, and the Constitution of Am. A. I. Soc., which I loaned him about 18 months since), the mobocrats did not attack us, although they came pre- pared with clubs and dirks, determined to do it.
While all this was in progress several of the citizens, who are not Abolitionists, were collected in the back ground, a few rods from the house, to see what was going on, and if any attack had been made they were prepared to resist it. You see from this that we were called upon to contend with the power of darkness in attempting to promote the cause. We felt so and we also felt that it was a solemn crisis, and that we were called upon to meet it then. The Lord preserved us, so to Him be all the praise. We expect
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to form a society in this place 'ere long. Then we expect we shall be mobbed. We may be disappointed in our expec- tations, but we are determined not to give up our principle but with our lives, and we shall make them known, also, if we do meet with opposition. The Kentuckian, the leader of this mob, is a physician and also a merchant of this place, but he has gained to himself no honour by this.
Margaret and Randolph join me in love to you all, and you will remember us to grandfather and mother Workman and all other enquiring friends. No more at present, but re- main your affectionate brother, P. J. Scott.
May 5, 1921.
Miss Scott, Washington, Ill.
Dear Friend: I have just this morning read the en- closed letter the second time. It certainly is very interest- ing. I have from childhood days admired the anti-slavery pioneers, who, with fortitude and courage, stood firmly by their principals-when it cost life itself.
The monument, marking the John Brown fort at Har- per's Ferry, was one of my "shrines" in my young man- hood. Of course, he led an insurrection, but in the provi- dence of God, that seemed necessary to wake up the country.
We shall never know in this life how our noble heroes, such as the writer of this letter, served and how much they contributed to the overthrow of slavery.
I thank you for the privilege of reading this bit of "ancient history" relative to the very community in which we now live.
Yours respectfully,
(Rev.) J. D. Calhoun.
The early settlers of this county, although mainly from the southern or slave states, entertained a deep-seated preju- dice against the Negro, for which it is hard for us to ac- count at the present day.
The depot masters and conductors on the "under ground railroad" from Elm Grove to Crow Creek were Josiah Matthews, Lawyer Briggs, Absalom Dillon, Johnson Som- mers, William Woodrow, Anthony Field, Deacon and Willard Gray, Uriah H. Crosby, Daniel Roberts and sons John M., Ambrose, Darius and Walter, Seth Billings and Elijah Lewis, George, Channey and Charles Crandle; Orin M. Bartlett, James Patterson and J. Randolph Scott, Parker, Mark and Levi Morse; George Kern and sons John, George and An- drew; Norman Dutton, the Work brothers and William
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Lewis. Nathaniel Smith and Moses Pettingill of Peoria proved their faith by their works.
The main depot of the "under ground railroad" in Elm Grove township was at Josiah Matthews' on section 24. Mr. Matthews was an earnest anti-slavery man, and helped gain freedom for many slaves. He prepared himself with a cov- ered wagon especially to carry black freight from his sta- tion on to the next.
One day there arrived a box of freight at Mr. Matthews' and was hurriedly consigned to the cellar. On the freight contained in this box there was a reward of $1500 offered, and the pursuers were but half an hour behind. The wagon in which the box containing the Negro was brought, was immediately taken apart and hid under the barn. The horses which had been driven very hard were rubbed off, and thus all indications of a late arrival were covered up. The pursuers came up in hot haste, and suspecting that Mr. Matthews' house contained the fugitive, gave the place a very thorough search, but failed to look into the innocent- looking box in the cellar. Thus, by such stratagem, the slave hunters were foiled and the fugitive saved. The house was so closely watched, however, that Mr. Matthews had to keep the Negro a week before it was safe to conduct him north.
Uriah H. Crosby, who came from New York to Morton in 1832, was one of those men who in danger, with a destiny to fulfill, never faltered. It was at his home on section 9 in Morton township that there was an U. G. R. R. station. A company of fugitives had just passed his station when a young man hastily came up. He had invented a cotton- gin, and was in haste to overtake the others of the party as they had the model of his invention. He was separated from them through fright. John M. Roberts found this young man in the morning hid away in his hay stack, fed him and sent his son Junius with him in haste to Mr. Cros- by's. On his arrival, Conductor Crosby put him in his wagon, covered him with a buffalo robe and drove through Washington and delivered him to Georg Kern, who took him in an open buggy to the next station at William Lewis'.
John M. Roberts of Morton was quite an artist and on the walls of his living room he painted scenes. There was a blind door at the side of the fire place and back of that was a space in which he secreted Negroes. A master came searching for his slaves. Mr. Robert's mother, an elderly lady, sat in a rocking chair in front of this door knitting. He said, "I will not ask grandmother to get up". He went
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away without finding his slaves, but later swore he could smell his niggers, but could not find them.
John M. Roberts and Orin M. Bartlett took three Ne- goes to (now) East Peoria. They were to have been taken across the river in a skiff, but just before they reached the river, Negro hunters overtook him. The fugitives rushed into the swampy thicket and one only of them reached the boat. Strange to relate when Mr. Roberts was in Chicago attending the National Republican convention that nomin- ated Abraham Lincoln for president of the United States, a Negro spoke to him on the street and called him Mr. Rob- erts, who said "I do not know you". He replied you will when I relate a circumstance. His co-travelers had never found him.
Excitement ran very high and the anti-slavery people were closely watched. I have heard my father say, "I never brought a colored person to my house, but I have fed many of them and helped them on their way to freedom". At one time there were five brought to him, three men and two women; he had them lie down in the wagon bed and then threw hay over them. He warned them before start- ing, as he did all others whom he assisted, that if he were stopped, they must look out for themselves as he would nave to take care of his team. He had not driven two miles when two men on horesback came riing rapidly to meet him. They separated, one passing on either side of his vehicle, but rode right on. In a few minutes they turned about and overtook him, again one riding on either side of his wagon for some distance. Finally one of them, punctuating his language with an oath, said: "This is not what we are look- ing for", and turned and went their way. He knew the riders-and it was just what they were looking for. His cargo was delivered at George Kern's about dawn, when he turned around in his feed lot and returned home via another route.
The anti-slavery people were constantly on the alert. Father came into Washington one day and at the postoffice saw a poster describing a runaway slave on which a reward of one thousand dollars was offered. He went to the store of John Gaunt, who took him aside and said: "Mr. Scott, I am with you on the anti-slavery question, but I dare not let it be known: do not come this way tonight or you will be killed, for this "master" threatens vengence on any one assisting his slave; he owns several hundred and this is the first one that ever ran away and he proposes to make
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an example of him". Father saw the master, who looked the desperate character his threats would indicate him to be. Father went to Uncle Patterson's, but the Negro was not there. He rode on to Anthony Field's; he found that he and his wife had gone to Morton and left a neighbor girl with their children. He wrote a note and placed it under a bowl on top of a cupboard, instructing the young miss to tell Mr. Field of it on his return. After starting home he became uneasy and turned back to wait for them to come home. When they came the advertised Negro was with them. Father told him that his master was ahead of him, the reward offered and why offered. With the Anglo-Saxon in his nature calling for recognition, this powerful Negro gave vent to his feeling and suited his actions to his words by drawing a dirk and saying, "I will never be taken". Mr. Field kept him for a week and piloted him safely north.
Parker Morse of Metamora said eight-tenths of all the Negroes who came under my observation were of white mixture.
Canada, the northern termination of the "under ground railroad, received these refugees from "freedom's ( ?) soil" and administered to their wants, Queen Victoria having is- sued a proclamation that every fugitive from the United States slavery should be recognized and protected as British subjects the moment his or her feet touched the soil of her domain.
Billings Lewis of Morton rapped at the door at one o'clock a. m. and said, "I have a Negro in a buggy at the bars". Father said, "go back, we are watched; I will be with you in a minute". He dressed, but carried his boots, fear- ing his steps on the porch might be heard. Mr. Lewis re- mained with his brother, who lived nearby. The watchers were two neighbors. One of whom confessed, in after years, that they heard the bars, but waited for some activity. He also expressed shame that he had been guilty of such de- mneanor.
Some colts belonging to Mr. Briggs, a lawyer of Tre- mont, had wandered away on the open prairie, and he was out hunting them. Meeting a man, living in the vicinity of father's place, he made enquiry for his property, which had not been seen. He then asked where Randolph Scott lived; he was given direction, with the added information that Scott stole niggers and no doubt had stolen his colts, too. Mr. Briggs said, "I will go over and see". He came chuck-
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ling to tell father of his reputation among the pro-slavery neighbors. Mr. Briggs was one of father's staunchest friends in the anti-slavery cause.
While conditions were really quite serious at times, there was also a wave of mirth that would bubble over in a joke on the pro-slavery people. A covered wagon load of young people from Morton (Lewis, Ewings, Crandles and Grays) had spent the evening at "Uncle Tom Castle's cabin" and on their way home they called at Alfred Phillips', and some one opened a window and enquired what was wanted. The questioner said, "We would like to learn the way to Randolph Scott's". After they had aroused the curiosity of this family they went on home. Mr. Phillips and his son Hiram set out for Scott's, thinking the enquirer was some one with a load of Negroes. They aroused Louis Beal from his slumbers, and asked him to accompany them, but he de- clined. As they crossed a stream, enruote, the ice failed to pear the son's weight and he fell in the water-returning nome to reflect on his folly.
Father had a trap door in the floor, just inside of the out door, which he opened at night. If his door was forced open, the culprit would find himself in a pit and he would nave a chance to overpower him. Although he had been threatened with vengence, he was never molested. These things occurred when he was a bachelor.
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