History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 48

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051

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THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

Prior to the Civil War "the underground railroad" played quite a prom- inent part in the history of Hamilton county. Its operation was largely carried on by the Friends in the western part of the county, though not all its supporters belonged to that or any particular religious denomination. The principal promoters belonged rather to the order of the Universal Brotherhood of Man, than to any religious sect. But the. Friends here and elsewhere have always stood for universal liberty and peace. Naturally they were very ardent in the work of this peculiar institution, the underground railroad.

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The mystery connected with the "underground railroad," the secrecy with which its business was conducted, the results of which were so far- reaching and so novel, have ever lent a charm to the history of this wonder- ful system wihch had its beginning in the Southland and ended at the bound- aries of the King's domain; while the remarkable character of its dusky pass- engers, the story of their escape from bondage to freedom over this mysterious route, has added a touch of romance which strongly appeals to the imagination.

It has been impossible to trace to a definite beginning this unparalleled system-this unexplainable, mysterious corporation, organized without officers and without authority, in direct violation of the laws of both the Northern and the Southern states; but we know that it grew and flourished in defiance of all restraining authority ; that it spread over the North, rapidly gaining in power until it became a strong factor in the liberation of slaves, and only ended when the stroke of a mighty pen proclaimed the freedom of all the bondsmen within the limits of the United States.

It has been maintained by those actively engaged in the cause that the "underground railroad" had its origin in the slave states, and that a portion of the system lay south of the Mason and Dixon line. However that may be, it is certain that in the South there were those who sometimes assisted the fugitives to cross the line, hiding them in wagons, stowing them away in secret places on steamboats, or conducting them through the country at night, to the Ohio river. Once across the river the fugitives found friends who were willing to aid them on their way to Canada,-that "city of refuge" toward which these dusky forms stole their way through southern swamps, over mountains and through valleys, in the dark hours of the night, guided by the far-off glimmer of the north star, that headlight of the wonderful engine of the "underground railroad."

The danger to the life and property of those who aided in the escape of slaves was very great, both in the North and the South. In some of the southern states the penalty for stealing a negro was death, while a heavy fine was inflicted for feeding or harboring a runaway slave. In the North the penalty for aiding in their escape was severe. The law imposed both fine and imprisonment on the offender, and sometimes exacted the payment of the full value of the slave assisted to escape.

Many of those engaged in the work of the "underground railroad" were men and women of irreproachable moral and Christian character, and, al- though they were acting in direct violation of the laws of the country, they were actuated by a sincere conviction that they were obeying God's command "to feed the hungry and clothe the naked," for the operations of those in the

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North seldom led them south of the Ohio river; their policy being to assist the fugitive after he had made his escape and not to persuade him to run away. In this they felt no condemnation of conscience. They were con- vinced that they were performing a heaven-appointed duty. They recognized a higher law than that made by man, and when the dictates of humanity con- flicted with the laws of the country, they ignored the law, and saw the hand of Providence in each success. They were appalled by no danger, although at all times they exercised the greatest precaution, both for their own and the sake of the helpless fugitives.

In Indiana the sympathy of a large majority of the people was not with the operators of the "underground railroad." In fact, the sentiment of a large portion of the settlers was strongly against them. Even among those who disapproved of the slave system were many who opposed the methods used by those engaged in the work of the "underground railroad," and looked upon them as no better than thieves; for, they maintained, it was worse to steal a negro than to steal a horse, for the reason that a negro was worth more than a horse.

The subject of the gradual emancipation of the slaves was agitated by many who held anti-slavery principles, and manumission societies were formed both in the North and the South-the first of the latter being at New Garden, North Carolina, which some liberal-minded slave-owners joined and advocated plans for gradual manumission. Meantime the "underground railroad" continued to spread over a large portion of the states north of the Ohio river, a number of branches passing through Indiana, and Westfield be- came an important station. In time, stations were established all along these routes, at distances of from ten to twenty miles apart, and a perfect under- standing was maintained between those who were engaged in the work. In the Reminiscences of Levi Coffin the author says: "The roads were always in running order, the connections good, the conductors active and zealous, and there was no lack of passengers. Seldom a week passed without our having received passengers over this mysterious road."

The business of the road was attended with heavy expense, which in- creased with the constantly increasing number of passengers. Ofttimes the fugitives reached the North almost destitute of clothing, and sick from want and exposure: for these, food and clothing must be provided, and they must be nursed back to health and the means for transportation secured before they could be forwarded on their way. The journeys were almost always made at night, often over almost impassable roads, along byways that were seldom traveled : every precaution to evade pursuit had to be used, for often hunters

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were on the track, sometimes ahead of them. Everything was done in the most secret manner, the whereabouts of the fugitives being known to as few persons as possible. Often slaves were concealed for days about the premises of a home unknown to neighbors and visitors, or even to a portion of the family.

There were a few careful managers among the colored people, but only a few ; the majority could not be trusted; they lacked shrewdness and caution and could sometimes be bribed to act as spies, or to betray the hiding places of the fugitives. It is remarkable how the movements of the slave-hunters became known to the managers of the "underground railroad," in those days when telegraphic communication was an impossibility; and it is remarkable how the names of those actively engaged in the work and the names and loca- tion of anti-slavery strongholds became known, not only to the slave-owners, but to the ignorant slaves in the cotton fields of the South. There seems to have been an underground telegraph system as well as an "underground rail- road." Thus it was that Westfield came to be regarded in quite a different light from the standpoint of the fugitive slave who hoped to find friends here who would help him on to freedom, and from that of the slave-holder, who regarded it as an abolition hotbed where he could receive no justice; for it was said by slave-hunters that when a runaway "nigger" got to Westfield it was not worth while to look for him.

It is impossible to ascertain the number of slaves who, by means of the "underground railroad," made their escape from bondage. Levi Coffin said that in 1844 it was estimated that the number then in Canada was about forty thousand. That was more than fifteen years before the beginning of the Civil War, and the number constantly increased until that period. Beside this, many of the fugitives found friends and protection this side of the line, and never crossed into Canada. How many perished in the attempt to gain their freedom none can tell. How many were recaptured and carried back to end their days in slavery will never be known.

A number of interesting incidents in connection with the "underground railroad" occurred at Westfield. It is impossible to give the names of all those who were actively engaged in the cause of the fugitive slave, for time has dimmed the memory of those who remain to tell the story. It will be remembered that in the beginning the movement was very unpopular, both within and without the Friends church, the members of which composed a large portion of the community in and about Westfield, and the pioneers in the anti-slavery movement were almost ostracised from the society of their neighbors and some of them were "disowned" by their "meeting." To be

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an Abolitionist required great strength of character and a strong sense of moral obligation. To be an operator in the "underground railroad" re- quired not only this but physical courage as well. The odium attached to the calling was very undesirable; those engaged in it often being classed with thieves and robbers. Yet, in the face of all scandal and disgrace, a few courageous men and women quietly continued the work, and endured the slights and insults of former friends and neighbors until the community ex- perienced a revolution of sentiments. Then abolitionism became popular in this section of the county. The Society of Friends opened its doors to take back, without acknowledgment. all those who had been disowned on account of their anti-slavery proclivities, and many of those who had most bitterly opposed the "underground railroad" took up the work themselves and con- tinued it until their services were no longer needed.

Among the pioneers in the movement should be mentioned Asa Beals, one of the founders of the village; Judah Roberts, Louis Roberts, Simon Moon, another founder of Westfield, and his sons, William and Riley ; Curtis Hiatt, Nathan Hiatt. Aaron and Elizabeth Lindley, Jonathan Hammer, Joel Denny, Dr. Jacob Pfaff, William Walgerman, William Frost, Border Jack- son, Daniel Lighter, Samuel Johns, Milton Stanley and Ephraim Stout. Later came the White brothers, Mordacai, Lilburn and Makajah; Elijah Talbert, Peter Rich, Levi Pennington, the Baldwin brothers, David and Isaac, and many others. North of Westfield, in the vicinity of Deming, the active workers in the "underground railroad" were Elihu Pickett, Jesse, Joseph and Anna Baker, Martin Anthony, Owen Williams, John White, Daniel Masket, Uriah Hodson, Joseph Hadley and a number of others. In the operation of the "underground railroad" the women were as active as the men and their work was just as effective. Perhaps they did not personally conduct the fugitives through the forests and swamps, but they opened the doors of their homes and took them in, sick as many of them were, ragged and dirty as they all must have been, coming in direct contact with them, and performing all sorts of disagreeable service. They cooked food for the fugitives, and spun and wove the cloth which they made into clothing for them. The sick they put into their own dainty beds and nursed them back to health, and if the words of our Savior, "Whatsoever ye do unto the least of these, ye do it unto Me." have any meaning. surely they have entered into their reward.

Louis and Judah Roberts were born in Highland county. Ohio. When young men they were employed to work for a cousin who lived at some point on the Ohio river. There they became interested in the operations of the "underground" in which their cousin was engaged. In 1834 they moved to

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Indiana and settled near Westfield. Soon afterward some fugitives were shipped from their old neighborhood on the Ohio river to their home in Hamilton county, and thus a branch of the "underground railroad" was estab- lished through Westfield. In the beginning the nearest station north of West- field was New London, in Howard county, a distance of fifty or sixty miles in these days of gravel roads and excellent facilities for travel, but much farther in those times when the blazed pathway lay through the dense forest and almost impassable swamps. The use of any sort of vehicle was not to be thought of, the only means of travel being on horseback or on foot.

Fugitive slaves were shipped to Westfield from many points. They came from Lafayette, Darlington and Thorntown; from Mooresville, and various points in Henry county, and from Indianapolis. Sometimes they came singly ; sometimes a number were together. One night two or three parties, number- ing in all twenty negroes, arrived at the home of Judah Roberts, near West- field. They were all fed and properly cared for and safely forwarded on their journey.

On the spot later occupied by the residence of Anderson Perry once stood a barn belonging to Asa Beals. It differed from the ordinary barns of that period in that it was larger, was built of frame, and had a cellar beneath it: the latter, however, was not generally known. In this cavity many a dusky form was secreted in the darkness, food and drink given through the opening above, the trap-door securely fastened, a bit of hay or straw scattered carelessly over it; and here the fugitive remained until the time and opportunity came for smuggling him away.

A slave named George Hoard escaped captivity with his wife and chil- dren and was traced by his master to Westfield. Here he engaged Nathan Hunt to assist him in the search for the family, which had scattered through the woods. Nathan was a stanch Quaker, and, unknown to the slave-hunter, was a firm friend to the runaway negroes; but he went with him in the hope of being able to lead him off the track. By and by they spied a little woolly head and a pair of frightened eves hid in a pile of brush. The master roughly pulled the child out and gathering it in his arms, remarked, "Here is three hundred dollars saved." Nathan could stand it no longer. He forgot all about his advocacies of peaceful arbitration, and, with a decidedly combative instinct and much physical force, he drew the stout stick which he carried in his hand. and, perhaps with less calmness of voice than is usually employed in connection with the use of the "plain language," he said: "Thee put that child down; it is none of thine." How much moral persuasion was conveyed by the stick and the force with which it was wielded I do not know, but the

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child was liberated. The case came to trial and money was collected to recompense the slave-owner for the loss of his property.

A tavern was kept by Mrs. Luvica White where now stands an old shop across the alley from the residence of postmaster Charles Smith. One night a fugitive slave woman was brought here and placed in an upper room. Scarcely was this done when two strange men came and applied for lodging, which was given them. . It soon became apparent that they were slave-hunt- ers and were on the track of the woman upstairs, having traced her to West- field. To leave her in the room would lead to almost certain discovery; but there was no way of getting.her out of the house except to pass through the room in which the men were sitting. However, Mrs. White was equal to the emergency. She dressed the negro woman in her own clothes, with bonnet and veil, prepared herself for the street, and the two quietly left the house to- gether without exciting the suspicion of the master. Mrs. White took the woman to the house of her son, Mikajah White. There she was secreted until the danger was past. This was about the year 1850.

Louis Talbert escaped from Kentucky and through the influence of friends became a student in the Union Literary Institute, in Randolph county. He made two unsuccessful attempts to rescue his sisters from slavery, each time bringing with him a number of runaway slaves. Determined to make another attempt to bring his sisters out of bondage, he confided his plans to a fellow student, a young man from Westfield, who, becoming interested in his story, offered to accompany him on his perilous mission. A few months later Louis presented himself in Westfield and reminded his friend of his promise. He was taken to the house of Levi Pennington, who tried to dis- suade him from his purpose; but Louis was determined and confided his plans to Nathan Willits, who agreed to go with him. Nathan, however, unwisely told a friend of their intentions: this friend told another person, who knew Louis's master in Kentucky, and wrote to him, disclosing the plot. The re- sult was that when Louis reached Indianapolis he was confronted by his master and carried back to slavery. A short time afterward he again made his escape, again bringing a number of slaves with him. It was estimated that Louis carried off thirty-seven thousand dollars worth of slave property.

FRED DOUGLAS MOBBED.

The route through Hamilton county was via Indianapolis, Westfield, Boxley, New London, in Howard county, and so on to the Canadas. This was only one of many routes where the poor hunted slave found friends, food.

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shelter and protection, often to the great danger of his friends who per- formed this wonderful work, "without money and without price," for the sake of humanity and in accordance with their own conscience. By so doing they were breaking the man-made laws of the state, but they had the ap- proval of the Higher Laws, and that was more than sufficient for those heroic men and women.

While many people were in sympathy with the effort to aid the run- away slaves, yet it is probable the majority of the people in the county were opposed to the movement. Fred Douglas, the famous colored orator, was one of the many slaves brought through Westfield and from there to liberty. He was housed over night at the home of Ephriam Stout. In after years, prior to the Civil War. Douglas was advertised to speak at Noblesville, and when the time came for his arrival he was met by a mob that was deter- mined he should not speak, and his friends were obliged to spirit him away . secretly, to keep him from bodily harm. About the same time he undertook to make a speech at Pendleton, at which place he was actually mobbed and egged, many persons from Hamilton county participating in the disgraceful affair. This only goes to show how public opinion was divided on the ques- tion of slavery. In a few years from that time, however, the sentiment changed greatly and shortly after the Civil War Douglas spoke in Nobles- ville to a large and enthusiastic audience, which was glad to do this great colored orator honor, as the former mob had been determined to do him personal injury had he attempted to speak. This incident indicates the great change in the sentiment of Hamilton county toward the slavery ques- tion. While not all men in this country can agree as to the exact rights of the negro, all men do agree that he had a right to freedom, and unite in commendation for the brave men and women who early in the century helped this down-trodden race to freedom through the famous underground railroad.

THE STORY OF JOHN RHOADS.

John Rhoads was a colored man who was born in slavery either in Kentucky or Missouri. Whatever the place of his birth, he grew up and spent the most of his early life in the tobacco fields of Missouri. Here, in due time, he loved and was married to Louan, a colored woman. and, like himself. a slave. To this union was born one child, in slavery. Here they toiled year after year, day in and day out, for their master. frequently being chastised by a brutal overseer for some imaginary or, at most, trivial offense. After living and working many years in Missouri their master, Vaughn by

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name, decided to go to Illinois and work his human properties on the prairies of that state. After having resided there for a period exceeding six months, the slave owner began to hear things that threatened his possessions. It was whispered that John and Louan were entitled to their freedom by law, hav- ing resided in a free state a sufficient length of time. So the owner con- cluded it was time to remove his human chattels from Illinois to a slave state. He purchased a plantation again in Missouri, and to this place he took John and Louan. But the seeds of freedom and liberty had fallen on good ground while the slaves were in a free state. There John had heard of Canada, the Abolitionists and "the underground railway." The desire for freedom began to grow in the hearts of these poor slaves. It is possible their master may have suspected their secret desires. John and Louan were very watchful, and when strangers came to their master's home they learned what they could of these visitors' intentions, fearful lest they be slave buyers from farther south. Their suspicions and fears at last proved to be well grounded. They overheard sufficient of a conversation between their master and a stranger to learn that I.ouan, the wife and mother, was to be sold "down south." and thus separated from her beloved family. It was then the seeds of freedom and liberty began to bear fruit. Together, John and Louan reviewed all they had heard of the land of freedom to the north, of the underground railway, with its stations where they might be housed and fed and helped on their journey by friends who were willing to risk much to help such as these poor slaves to liberty.

FLIGHT OF THE SLAVES.

Carefully concealing the grief and fear in their hearts from their cruel master, John and Louan began to make plans to escape. The dread of all slaves was the thought of being sold "down south." No one can picture the grief and consternation filling the hearts of these slaves at the prospect of an immediate and final separation from each other. They ran very grave risks in even attempting to escape, but despite the dangers all about them, they did not despair. Being in a slave state they were surrounded by foes on every hand, who would at any discovered attempt to escape capture them in the most brutal manner, dead or alive. John had met with an accident shortly prior to this, and, though well and strong, was lame. But none of the dangers without or misfortunes within deterred them from their pur- pose. They decided it was better to brave dangers they "knew not of" than to remain as they then were situated. In a bundle John packed a saw, an

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ax and a hammer, which he carried; while Louan took charge of the little boy. Taking a few provisions with them, after waiting for nightfall, they stole out into the darkness from their little cabin in their race for liberty. As they had some knowledge of the route from Missouri to Illinois, having passed that way on their removal from the latter state, they decided to take the same route.

They left their cabin as early as possible after nightfall and headed toward Illinois. They traveled all night. The next morning it seemed to the weary fugitives that Providence was very kind to them, for when daylight came, they arrived at a large swamp. Entering this hiding place, they found a comfortable, yet secluded spot, where they rested and slept all day. Night found them once more on their journey with their faces set resolutely to the east and freedom. The second night's travel and the second day's rest and sleep were but a repetition of the first night and day. But before another night passed trouble beset them on every hand. John's sleep this second day was disturbed by terrible dreams and his wakings were filled with dire fore- bodings. In his sleep he had what he called a "vision." In this vision he saw two slaves with a child fleeing before the bloodhounds of a cruel master, who was about to capture them and return them to hated bondage. Naturally, under the circumstances he believed his dream to be a warning to himself and family. He felt that at any. time they might be torn to pieces by the hounds or if not killed outright be taken back and each sold away from the other. Such separation they dreaded worse than death. Hastily, the little party partook of the remnant of the food which they had taken with them. When it was dark enough to permit traveling in safety they set out again on their weary journey. With hope ahead, but fear dogging per- petually at their heels, they journeyed on, resting during the day and travel- ing by night, their only food being corn, potatoes and such other things as they could gather without being detected. In some manner they managed to throw their pursuers off the scent. for they felt the men and dogs were on their trail, which was indeed the fact.

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History of Hamilton County Indiana, her people, industries and institutions, Part 48

Author: John F. Haines Publication date: 1915 Publisher: Number of Pages: 1051

Author: John F. Haines
Publication date: 1915
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 1051