History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 60

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664

USA > Indiana > Randolph County > History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships > Part 60

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PORTER LODGES.

About 1879 or 1880, a gentleman by the name of Porter, who was a reformed inebriate, held many meetings and formed sev- eral " Porter Lodges" in Randolph County, chiefly in the west- ern part. His influence seemed to be great for the time, and many were brought to espouse the cause of total abstinence through his efforts. Whether the societies have continued to flourish and what has become of their founder is to us unknown.

INDEPENDENT TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT.

The Murphy movement, after some years of activity, seemed to lag and die. During the winter of 1879-80, a new movement sprang up which has been in operation with greater or less de- gree of activity ever since. Meetings were sustained several times a week during the greater part of 1880, interspersed oc- casionally with concerts for amusement, instruction and pecun- iary profit. At first the Association fitted up a hall in the third story of a brick building east of the Branham House. The lo- cation, however, was difficult of access, and considerably uncom- fortable, especially in hot weather. During the summer of 1880, the Association succeeded in raising money and labor enough to erect a Tabernacle on a vacant lot, south side of Oak street, east of the Bowers Building. The edifice is neat, though cheaply built, and with no pretense at show or display, capable of accommodating seven hundred or eight hundred people. The Tabernacle was opened in July, 1880, by a series of temperance meetings, which were largely attended. Addresses, lectures and a temperance Sunday school were kept up in the Tabernacle until the weather became too cold, the school being under the charge of Miss Dwinell. The Tabernacle furnishes a very good place for large meetings of any kind. Several politi- cal gatherings asembled there during the campaign of 1880. The room is on the ground, and thus easy of access. It has no floor, except the earth covered with sawdust, which fact adds wonderfully to the quiet of the meetings, as there can be no noise from walking, stamping, and such things.

We are sorry to be obliged to state that this Association has entirely ceased its workings, and that the Tabernacle has been sold to pay a debt which was contracted for its construction, and it is now used as a carriage shop.

In fact, the temperance work seems to be almost wholly dor- mant in Union City. Efforts have been made from time to time

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to revive an interest, but, from some cause, with no apparent suc- cess.

SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.

This Association was formed in 1879, and is carrying on the work peculiar to its sphere with more or less energy and success. A course of lectures was held under its auspices during the winter of 1879 80. Rev. C. G. Bartholomew in a public address explained to an interested audience in the Disciple Church at Union City the reasons, the objects and the needs of the Asso- ciation and the claims which it presents for the sympathy and assistance of the community. For some time (1882), the society has been inactive, and no life in its peculiar work is at this time apparent.

REMINISCENCES.

As an indication of the public sentiment in many parts of Randolph County, as a specimen of the tactics sometimes em- ployed, we append the following from Fairview, in Green Town- ship, as related by Philip Barger, Esq .:

"There has been a strong temperance work in this region for many years, Washingtonians, Sons, Good Templars, etc. The people generally are strongly opposed to liquor selling. Not much of it has ever been done here. Samuel Caylor once kept ho- tel and sold liquor.

" Several persous have tried to carry on the business at Fair- view, but they have been shut up or driven out in some way. Some years ago, William Clemens set up a liquor shop at Fair- view. The fruits soon began to appear-noisy and drunken men, etc. I was Justice, and I issued warrants to about a dozen drunken men who I knew got liquor there, and had Pros. Cheney come from Winchester. The men came and were ex- amined separately, but we could get nothing from them. They had left a jug of liquor near when they came, and when they got to it again they swung the jug defiantly and drank in triumph. Some one or two with the Prosecutor and Constable had stayed to dinner, and saw and heard their defiance.

"Mr. Cheney was greatly mortified at our failure, and angry at their triumph, and he cried, 'Is any one here willing to swear out a warrant against that man for keeping a nuisance?' 'I will,' said one, It was done instanter, and the Constable posted off forthwith to serve the warrant.

"But the bird had flown. The Magistrate's summons to those customers of his had frightened him, and he put out on the double quick without waiting to see the upshot; and he never came back to answer for a nuisance.

"Another man tried it. Twelve complaints were made, and three indictments were found. One was sustained, and he was fined and sent to jail in default of payment. He bailed himself out for $100, which he furnished, and went and got drunk and died of delirium tremens. So liquor sellers have found a hard road to travel in Fairview."

The history of the drink traffic in Randolph County is full of exciting incidents. Its course has been 'evil, only evil, and that continually,' fighting, fighting, ever fightingfor its devilish power over the bodies and the souls of men, like its old father, Satan, going about like a roaring lion seeking some human prey to devour. The Commissioners of Randolph County have mostly refused to grant license to liquor sellers. It is said, indeed, that the Circuit Court has rendered a decision that in certain circumstances the law requires license to be given. Still, to their honor be it said, the Commissioners persist in their refusal, thus throwing the fearful responsibility of the unseemly and mischievous act, if it must be done, upon the court itself.

The history of the liquor traffic, and of the struggles against it in Randolph County during the years that are past, and the various success attending them at different times, if it could be written, would be full of thrilling interest. The inci- dents at Union City and elsewhere in this behalf have been very exciting and somewhat dramatic. The last attempt to establish the traffic on the Indiana side was strong and determined and desperate, and was defeated only by the most earnest and persist- ent and energetic opposition, the legal portion of which opposi- tion was largely, perhaps chiefly, under the leadership of Seth

M. Whitten, Esq., to whom the temperance community owe a large debt of gratitude for his shrewd and successful manage- ment of the contest, and who drew upon himself thereby the most bitter and malignant hafred of the liquor interest.

CHAPTER XIV. ANTISLAVERY.

GENERAL-UNDERGROUND R. R .- WILLIAM STEELE-RUNAWAYS- STRINGFELLOW (WILKERSON GIRLS)-REMINISCENCES-NEGRO REGISTRY.

GENERAL.

A LARGE portion of the early settlers of Randolph and ad- joining counties came from Carolina to get rid of slavery. Very many were Quakers, who were thoroughly hostile to the institution, and had abandoned it on principle. The Friends had been largely interested, moreover, in the Carolinas, in Penn- sylvania and elsewhere, in the various movements in opposition to slavery and in behalf of the people of color which had been in progress.

It was but natural, therefore, that the Antislavery movement from 1816 downward should find active adherents and supporters in this region of country. Charles Osborn, who was among the first, and who has been claimed by some to be the very first pub- lic advocate of unconditional emancipation in the United States, lived at Economy, near the borders of Randolph County; and the doctrine had many supporters in the region. Especially was this the case in Randolph and Wayne Counties, Ind.

Among the first public advocates of abolition in Randolph may be named Moorman Way and Jehu Hiatt, still living in the county (1881). There were many others, but exactly who the author cannot now state. The Pucketts, the Ways, the Hiatts, the Wrights, the Peacocks, the Hills, the Bonds, etc., were early on the side of abolition.

About the time that William Lloyd Garrison was imprisoned at Baltimore for publishing a condemnation of the cruelty of the slave trade, Dr. Henry H. Way, of Newport, Wayne Co., Ind., arranged a discussion between Rev. Mr. Randolph and himself upon the subject of abolition.

This discussion was the first of the kind west of the Alleghany Mountains, being held about 1830, at Arba, Randolph Co., Ind.

Dr. Way, being unable to attend, engaged Moorman Way, at that time a mere youth, but active and enterprising, to take his place. The discussion lasted an entire day, and was largely attended.

In 1839, Arnold Buffum, a famous early abolitionist, lectured at Winchester, and afterward at Dunkirk and Sparrow Creek Friends' meeting-houses, west of Winchester; and shortly after- ward an Antislavery Society was formed at Dunkirk, at which meeting, among other things, the slavery question was discussed by " Old Billy Hunt" (Rev. William Hunt) and Mr. Bnffum, Mr. Hunt taking the Antiabolition side. Other societies were formed soon after, and much activity prevailed, and much bit- terness withal. The difference of sentiment became so great, especially among the Friends, that, after several years, a large secession took place and a new society was formed, calling them- selves Antislavery Friends. The yearly meeting of the new so- ciety was held at Newport, Wayne County. It had extensive support in Randolph County, some of the preparative meetings of Friends going over nearly en masse. In others new preparative meetings were formed. Dunkirk and Cedar meetings were al- most wholly Antislavery. At Jericho a new meeting was set up. It should be said in justice to the members of the body that they claimed to be strongly Antislavery, but they were opposed to affiliating with outside efforts. The movement gradually drifted into politics, that phase of the movement in this region keeping pace with the general sentiment and current of action in other portions of the country.

As a specimen of political Antislavery in the early time, an account is subjoined of a Convention held at Winchester, Ind.,

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May 1, 1847. The officers of the meeting were as follows: Hiram Mendenhall, President; Daniel Hill, Secretary. Moved that we nominate candidates for the various offices. Discussed by Messrs. Bennett, Tucker and Moorman Way, and adopted.

Committee on Nominations: James Clayton, H. P. Bennett and Joseph Thornburg. Moved by E. Tucker as follows:

Resolved, That it is one of the objects of the Antislavery en- terprise to raise our colored fellow citizens to the enjoyment of that impartial protection and those equal rights to which as men they are entitled, and of which they are now to a great extent in this and other States deprived; and we pledge ourselves as liberty men to use our political power and infinence to gain this end so far as it can be reached thereby; and to persevere therein until success shall crown our efforts.

Discussed by the mover and others, and passed unanimously. Nominations as follows: Representatives, Benjamin Puckett, Daniel Hill: Commissioner, Ephraim Oren; Treasurer, John A. Moorman; Surveyor, Elisha Garrett.

Delegates were appointed to a District Convention, to be held at Camden, Jay Co .. Ind., as follows: H. P. Bennett, James Clayton, Moorman Way, Benjamin H. Puckett, Daniel Hill, Jo- seph Thornburg, Hiram Mendenhall, Paul W. Way, Robert Woody, Elisha Garrett, George Addington.

Resolred [moved by E. Tucker], That we circulate petitions asking the State Legisinture to repeal all laws making distinc- tions on account of color.

Resolred, That a Convention be held at Dunkirk (F iends' Meeting.House, west of Winchester), May 29, 1847.

Subjects for consideration, Constitution and Slavery, War with Mexico, and other Antislavery matters.

The apparent hopelessness of the crusade by Abolitionists in behalf of the people of color iu Indiana will be seen when coupled with the fact that four years after this time the Thir- teenth Article of the Constitution of 1851 was adopted by a majority of nearly one hundred thousand, Randolph being the only county that gave a majority against that Thirteenth Article. But the activity resolved or by the Abolitionists at the very com- mencement of their enterprise was persisted in for more than fifty years, until, in the spring of 1881, the famous Thirteenth Article, and every other part of the Constitution making distinc- tion on account of color, was swept away by a majority of from thirty thousand to fifty thousand.

Among other agencies, assistance to fugitive slaves was freely given in various parts of the county from the earliest times. The Dawes case occurred not very long after the beginning of the Antislavery movement. (See account elsewhere).

The Underground Railroad, so-called, was put into operation and found many helpers aud sympathizers throughout the county. The case of the Wilkerson slave girls, in the year 1839, was a most remarkable one, arousing great excitement and eliciting much sympathy from Antislavery men, and much condemnation by proslavery adherents and opponents of abolition.

The Wilkerson girls had in some way escaped from their master in Tennessee, who was, it seems, a Methodist minister, and had found their way to Cabin Creek colored settlement. in the western part of Randolph County, where their grandfather, Mr. Wilkerson, resided at the time. Mr. Stringfellow, the slave claimant, raised a large party of men in the region of Huntsville (said to have been headed by another preacher), who proceeded on horseback in pursuit of the girls. Their coming was noised round and became known, not in time, however, to effect the es- cape of the girls from their grandfather's house before the ar- rival of the slave-hunters.

Milly Wilkerson, the grandmother, sent her son or grandson on horseback with a horn, with orders to ride for life, and blow the horn to rouse the settlement; and he did it like a hero, and the colored people came pouring in from every direction, armed with clubs, hoes, uxes, and whatever they could lay their hands on. The party shot at and wounded the boy in the arm as he was riding and blowing his horn, yet he did not flinch, but kept on riding and blowing as if for the crack of doom.

Milly, with the desperation of a wounded tiger, armed herself with a huge corn cutter, and threatened to cut down whoever

undertook to attempt an entrance into her cabin. Meanwhile, the girls managed to escape through the back window to the woods, and thence to John H. Bond's and to Newport, and thence to Canada. Stringfellow never got his slaves again. It is said that the girls got through the crowd in the daytime, disguised as men. He, however, entered suit at Winchester against a large number of the people of that region for helping the girls to es- cape and hindering him from capturing them. We give below a copy of the complaint filed in the case which he brought. Mr. Stringfellow doubtless thought he was greatly robbed and terribly wronged by the escape and loss of those two girls, valued by him at $1,200. The other party, on the other hand, reckoned them- selves to be doing service to God and humanity by aiding these poor fugitives in their attempt to escape from bondage.

The defendants were represented in court by Moorman Way and Samuel W. Parker, Esqs., and so sturdy a defense did they make that the plaintiff, weary and disheartened, abandoned the case in despair. (Still further details of the case are given by Judge Colgrove, which see.)

Many cases of interest took place in Randolph County, some of which are described in other parts of this volume.

The citizens of this county may well be thankful that the institution of human slavery, which made such occurrences pos- sible, is forever numbered among the things that have been but are not.

There were various routes, more or less frequented, extending across the county. Knots of Antislavery men would be found here and there. even among a general proslavery population. One remarkable group was to be found in Jackson Township. . Rev. Thomas Wiley, of New Lisbon. Milton Beach and Mr. Chandler, near Allensville, and perhaps others there, were active Abolition- ists in the midst of a hostile community. Mr. Wiley, as a bold and fearless reformer, denounced slavery and the black laws, and declared he would never obey them. The Democrats, to test his sincerity, elected him to office, but he was true to his declara- tions and his convictions, and refused to qualify, paying the pen- alty instead required by the law.

Mr. Chandler was elected to some other office by the Demo- crats for the same reason, but he, too, refused.

The separation among the Friends, caused for a time much sorrow of heart, and much alienation; but time and the abolition of slavery have brought about a reconciliation, and most of those who had belonged to Antislavery Friends went back to the body. The larger part of those who were prominent in those times are long ago dead. Some of the younger ones are still living. Jehu Hiatt, Dr. Beverly, Job and Joab Thorn- burg, Daniel Hill, William Peacock, John A. Moorman, Sol- omon Wright, Ebenezer Tucker, Martin A. Reeder, and doubtless several others, are still living, but most have gone to their rest and their reward. As a result, the great body of the people of Randolph County became imbued with Antislavery sentiments, and ever since the Republican party arose, the county has given an immense majority for that organization. Nearly all the prominent citizens have been ranged with that party, thongh there have been a few notable exceptions who have boldly maintained against an overwhelming majority the doctrines and principles of the Democratic faith. They must have been unquestionably sincere, since they thereby cut theni- selves off from every hope of political preferment from the peo- ple of the county. Prominent among the movements in Anti- slavery in Randolph County may be reckoned the establishment, in 1846, of the Union Literary Institute, in Greensfork Town- ship, northeast of Spartansburg, near the Ohio line, in the Greenville colored settlement. An account of the school may be found in the chapter on Education. The influence of tho In- stitution was good in several ways in the elevation as to intelli- gence and morality of the people of color, in softening down the prejudice against color (since the school was always attended by some, and often by many whites), in standing as a steady and faithful protest against the foolish and cruel policy of ostracis- ing any class of citizens, especially on account of color or race. The school still exists, and, after thirty-five years of labor for the ontcast poor and the downtrodden ones of the land, still opene

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its welcoming doors to all who desire the advantages afforded within its friendly walls.

It is an interesting fact that Hiram Mendenhall, the gentle- man who presented the famous petition to Henry Clay at Rich- mond, Ind., on the occasion of his visit to that place, was a resi- dont of Uniomsport, Randolph County. A fuller statement of the affair may be found in the notice of Hiram Mendenhall.

Another movement against slavery carried on in this region was the Free Labor Movement. Most Antislavery Friends held it wrong to use the products of slave labor; and they set on foot an enterprise to encourage free labor cotton and sugar to estab- lish free labor gins and sugar houses, and agencies to buy and sell free labor products.

Several stores were established in the region, and it is an in- teresting reminiscence that at the sale of the personal estate of Moorman Way, Esq. (lately deceased), in October, 1881, a con- siderable quantity of goods left on hand from his old free labor storo were offered.

UNDEROROUND RAILROAD.

William Steele is thought by some to have been the founder of what is called the Underground Railroad.

William Steele was a Scotchman, and second cousin to W. E. Gladstone, Prime Minister of England.

He was born at Biggar, on the Clyde, in Scotland, in 1809, and came to America in 1818. They resided first at Winchester, Va., then at Barnesville, Belmont Co., Ohio, ten years, and then at Woodfield, Monroe Co., Ohio, thirty years. He moved after- ward to Kansas, and still again to Oregon in 1872. Mr. Steele died in 1880, in Oregon.

He was a pioneer in Antislavery with Benjamin Lundy.

Lundy was a saddler at St. Clairsville, Ohio, and had ac- cumulated several thousand dollars at his trade. He called a meeting at his house in St. Clairsville in 1815, and five or six persons attended, forming at that time what they called the Union Humane Society, declaring war upon slavery. Six years afterward, Lundy commenced the publication of the Genius of Emancipation at Mt. Pleasant, Ohio.

William Steele became interested in the Antislavery work from his early youth, and is said to have reduced the assistance of fugitive slaves to a system. The organization he set on foot spread shortly throughout the West. They had signs and pass- words, but had very little, if anything, in writing. Among other prominent Antislavery men Mr. Steele was honored by having a reward of $5,000 offered for his delivery in Virginia. It seems he did not care enough for the money to go to claim it himself, and no one else ever performed the job, and Mr. Steele spent his life and closed his days in the free West.

It is a wonderful thing, and yet supposed to be a fact, that no slave was ever taken from the hands of the agents of the Un- derground Railroad. Mr. Steele lived to see the work of the Underground Railroad accomplished, and the business of the company quietly and honorably brought to an end by the war of the rebellion and the emancipation proclamation, through which, according to the word of Scripture, a nation was born in a day.

RUNAWAYS.

For unknown ages slaves have run away. David had a run- away slave in his camp before he was made King of Israel. Onesimus ran away from Philemon in Paul's time-i. e., some say so, while others will have it that Onesimus was Philemon's brother "according to the flesh." The Seminoles in Florida were mingled with runaways from Georgia.

"Oppression maketh a wise man mad;" what, then, will it not do upon a poor woe-begone slave? Some fifty or sixty years ago, people in the Northern States began to help fugitive slaves to escape from servitude. Gradually the work grew into a sys- tem, as shown in the biography of William Steele, ubove written. Stations were agreed on, routes arranged, signals adopted, con- ductors appointed and the operation of the affair became quite regular and business-like. The secrecy with which the work was carried on made people call it the Underground Railroad. On some routes great numbers passed. Abolitionists of course, were the chief actors, though others and even proslavery men and

slaveholders themselves sometimes assisted more or less. Few runaways were captured and very few Abolitionists were ever convicted for helping slaves off.

We give a few incidents below, showing somewhat the nature of the work. A colored fugitive was staying at Daniel Worth's, in West River Township. One day, as the colored man was in the house foudling the baby, pursurers came after him. Daniel was near the door outside, and talked loud. Mrs. Worth, hear- ing them, said, "Who are they?" The negro, looking out, knew his master, and, dropping the child, "lit out " through the back window for the " fallen timber," a half mile away. They saw him and gave chase, but he got to the timber, and to find him there was worse than to find a needle in a hay mow. He was safe. They were greatly enraged, and offered Daniel Worth $100 if he would bring the slave in, but he would not. They threatened to go and bring men and clear out the whole fallen timber, and asked Daniel how far it extended. "So many miles west, and I never heard how far into Ohio," was his reply. They came back several times, but never got their man.

Alexander Davis, a large, stout man, came from Tennessee on horseback. He could write, and wrote passes for himself. Pursuers tracked him to Economy. A lad overheard their plans and gave the alarm. He was taken to Daniel Charles', Greens- fork, then to Joseph Thornburg's, Cherry Grove, then to New- port, and so to Canada. On the way from Cherry Grove to Newport he met the pursuers. It was rather dark. He knew them, but they did not recognize him. After awhile he left Canada for New York City, and sent a letter saying that he was doing well.

An interesting young man from Georgia once came to Econ- omy. He was skillful, being a repairer of engines. Aaron Worth was attending school at the Union Literary Institute, and took him there, and he was forwarded to Canada. They never heard from him again.

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History of Randolph County, Indiana with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers : to which are appended maps of its several townships, Part 60

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman Number of Pages: 664

Author: Tucker, Ebenezer
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : A.L. Klingman
Number of Pages: 664