USA > Indiana > Pioneer history of Indiana : including stories, incidents, and customs of the early settlers > Part 48
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The third route which was controlled by these people was a short distance above the mouth of the Little Pigeon. There
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was a crossing here by skiffs and the refugees were carried to a point and turned over to friends between Booneville and Lynnville, in Warrick County, and thence north to Peters- burg, Indiana, where they were secreted in Dr. John W. Posey's coal bank. From there they were sent north to friends in Davies and Green Counties, and from then on to other friends, finally up to Lake Michigan. When there were only one or two of these fugitives they would be kept in Dr. Posey's coal bank until more could come, when they would be piloted farther north.
The fourth place for crossing the Ohio river was at a point midway between Owensboro, Kentucky, and Rockport, Indiana. There used to be a little fisherman's hut on the south bank of the Ohio river at this point, and two men put in much of their time fishing who lived in that shack. They sold their catch to steam boats, flat boats and coal flats pass- ing down the river, and made good money in the trade this way. The real business of the men was to carry refugees that were brought to their shack at night, across the Ohio river. Then one of them piloted the negroes to a point where they were put in charge of friends who carried them to other points, and finally on to freedom.
The next regular crossing place was near the mouth of Indian creek, in Harrison County. There the refugees were ferried across, then conveyed to friends near Corydon, who carried them farther north across Washington, corner of Jackson, into Jennings ; then through Decatur, Rush and Fayette Counties into Wayne, where they had an innumera- ble host of friends among the Quakers. They were then piloted through western Ohio and on to Lake Erie and to a rendezvous where the anti-slavery people owned another lum- ber smack that they were put on board of, and when a suffi- cient number had been gotten together they were carried to a point in Canada. There were probably more negroes crossed over the Ohio river at two or three places in front of Louis- ville than any place else from the mouth of the Wabash to Cincinnati. The reason for this was that the three good- sized cities at the Falls furnished a good hiding place for the
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runaways among the colored people. Those erossing at these places were all conveyed to Wayne County, Indiana, and thence on to the Lake.
Probably in Wayne County, Indiana, the fugitives had more friends among the large community of Quakers who lived in that district than anywhere else, and it was a com- mon saying by those losing slaves that if they got to Wayne County the prospect of finding them was very remote. It is said that the old house built by Levi Coffin and now owned by Maj. M. M. Lacey, Fountain City, Indiana, has furnished shelter for ten thousand runaway negroes.
From the early fifties until the war came on there were many persons who were in sympathy with the fugitive ne- groes. who were regarded as strong pro-slavery in principle, and this was the main reason why so many negroes eluded those who tried to capture them.
The soldiers from many parts of Indiana were very much divided in their opinions on the slavery question the first two years of the war. When it was first talked about raising negro soldiers many loud and deep curses were heard against the Administration for such actions. Many officers resigned and left the army at about that time who were influenced in taking that step by the emancipation proclamation and the arming of the negro soldiers.
From the middle of 1863 until the close, the serious and business part of the war came on. The hardest campaigns and severest battles were engaged in. This in a great meas- ure cured all the grumbling. The soldiers by this time were willing and ready for any and all kinds of help, and from any source, to put the rebellion down. Ninety-nine per cent. of them returned home cured of the prejudice they formerly had against the negro and abolitionists. There are quite a few at this late date, when the destruction of slavery is regarded as the greatest achievement of the nineteenth century, who question the actions of those who aided slaves to gain their liberty. Fortunately for our state, they are few.
The most hazardous work done by the employes of the anti-slavery league was on the south side of the Ohio river
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and, in many cases, far to the south. This work was very dangerous, and none but those who were regarded as the most careful men were sent into that section, and only those who volunteered to go. They took up many occupations such as would bring them in contact with the negroes. There were regular pack peddlers carrying a large leather pack on their backs with compartments in it that would contain cheap jew- elry, bright-colored ribbons and many other articles of wear- ing apparel and a line of pocket cutlery and ornaments that would please the slaves, and at such a price as would enable them to purchase. They also carried fine linen and nice dress goods, ribbons, lace and fine handkerchiefs, which were shown to the white people, where they always went first, ask- ing the master of the house, if he were there, if not, the mis- tress, for permission to show his goods to the slaves, usually presenting the lady of the house with some fine handkerchief or lace. These young men were clean, intelligent and cult- ured. They had no difficulty in getting into the best houses, always agreeing with the family in politics. These peddlers. carried their goods over a large scope of country, and usually every three or four weeks would go over the same ground. In this way they became well acquainted with the white and colored people and with the roads, creeks and rivers in the territory they were working. After gaining thorough knowl- edge they would select an intelligent negro and approach him on the subject of gaining his freedom. (The Northern soldiers were not the first to learn that a secret intrusted to a negro of this character was never revealed.) Finally it was suggested that the negro work for the peddler for pay, by go- ing after night to those likely to be glad of an opportunity of escaping from bondage and talking to them on that subject. It was known for many years before the negroes were eman- cipated that, notwithstanding the patrol that was kept up in the slave states, negroes would travel at night over a large. territory of country and always be back home in the morning. They had a secret way of communicating to each other which was not known to their masters.
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In a short time this negro selected by the peddler would
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have two or three ready to take the chance of gaining their freedom. They perhaps lived several miles away from the , neighborhood this negro lived in. The time and place would be agreed on; the peddler would have an accomplice on hand at the meeting place, whom the runaway would be placed in charge of, and then hurried to one of the crossing places on the Ohio; then as far from the river as possible before the people were up and about. The negroes would be hidden in a dense thicket or in a barn of some friend and fed there until night came, when they were then piloted farther north.
The next morning when it was found that the negroes were not on hand, there would be a great commotion, and everybody, the negroes included, would be scurrying over the country to find them, the peddler as busy as any of them hunting for a clue. In this way nearly a day would be spent. Then the master or someone he hired would start out to find them. They very seldom found any clue, and if they did, the negroe would be half way across the state before the slave- hunter got started after him. The negro in the employ of the peddler would the next time do his work in another direc- tion and secure two or three more and have them meet the pilot and thus on to liberty. After things had quieted down, probably the negro who had brought about the liberation of ten or fifteen of his people would, with his wife and children, take the same underground trip in the same way and gain his freedom.
Some of these agents understood geology and mineralogy and carried many kinds of instruments for testing the miner- als in the earth, claiming to have a mineral rod which would tell of the presence of gold, silver, copper or lead.
One of these men went to a neighborhood in Kentucky not far from Green river and was hunting over the country, so he claimed, for a place where the Indians in an early day procured large quantities of lead, claiming that his grand- father had been a prisoner among the Indians for a long time and during that period went several times to a lead mine with the Indians and had noted down a description of the territory, describing some peculiar rock formations and noted that the
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lead mine was only a few hundred feet from the rocks described.
This mineralogist went to a gentleman living in the neighborhood and applied for board for the time he would be working in that section, telling the gentleman his business, explaining to him his grandfather's statement about the lead mine and showing him a very old-looking paper on which the peculiar rock formation was minutely described. The host said that he knew where the place was, and the next morning they started out together for the point, not more than two miles away. First going to the owner of the land, they asked his permission to examine the rock formations that the old chart so minutely described, which permission was readily given. The owner went along with the two men. After get- ting to the point they decided that without a doubt the de- scription was of that place. The mineralogist asked permis- sion to hunt for the lode and made an agreement that, if he found the lead mine, the owner would give him one-fourth in- terest in it. He soon went to work, the owner furnishing several negroes to dig for him. They dug up a large terri- tory, and finally decided they would not work any longer at it for the present. The mineralogist said he would go back home and look over all the papers that were his grandfather's and see if he could not find other evidence more particularly locating the lode. Within two or three months after this as many as forty negroes left that neighborhood. They went two and three at a time and the surrounding neighborhood lost many negroes who were no doubt on the same under- ground railroad. The owners never could find the least clue where they went.
The last of November, 1861, the writer, with his regi- ment, was marching on the east side of Green river, en route for Calhoun, Kentucky, where General T. L. Crittenden was located with a division of the Federal Army, watching the movements of General Sidney A. Johnson, who was then at Bowling Green, Kentucky, in command of the Confederate Army at that place. Late one evening, after passing a large farm and coming up to a fine country residence, a man, prob-
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ably fifty years old, was standing in his yard using the most violent denunciation against the soldiers and all Yankees in general. The colonel commanding the regiment left the adju- tant opposite the house, with orders, as soon as the rear guard came up, to arrest the vicious man and bring him along with them to the place where the regiment intended camping. This was done, and that night the colonel went to the guard's quarters to find out what was the cause of the Kentuckian's violent language. He told the colonel that he hated the name of "Yankee," and that he would rather be dead than see their hated soldiers on his plantation ; that five or six years before that time a Yankee mineralogist had received his per- mission to prospect for lead on his farm ; that the villain had papers describing a section of country in that neighborhood, and particularly described just such a rock formation as was on his land. After working two months he decided he could not find the lead and went away, and in less than eight weeks there were forty-three negroes who ran away from that sec- tion of the state. Eight of them were his property, being all he had except two old crippled ones, and he had never found any clue as to where they went.
EVANSVILLE, IND., May 10, 1867.
COL. W. M. COCKRUM, Oakland City, Indiana.
Dear soldier friend:
The questions you asked about are yet fresh in my memory. The two young fishermen I became acquainted with through Judge A. L. Robinson, who had been paid a retaining fee to act if need be for some men who were working for the anti-slav- ery people along the Ohio river. There were three negroes who had been ferried across the Ohio river who were owned at Henderson, Kentucky, and par- ties at that place were raising trouble with the young fishermen, claiming that they had run the negroes off. Things looked blue for the men as a man living near the river was willing to swear out a warrant against these men for violating the fugi- tive slave law then in force. claiming that he had seen these men have the negroes in their boat.
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The Henderson people did not want the men ar- rested but thought they would scare them into tell- ing where the negroes were hidden.
It turned out that the night the negroes ran away, two men who wanted a skiff stole a large one a little way above Henderson and running it up near Evansville loaded it with rock and sank it, in- tending to raise it and paint it over after the par- ties would get through hunting for it. Some men in bathing found the skiff, raised it and it was re- stored to its owner. This threw the suspicion from the two young men. They were very intelligent and interesting gentlemen. I often saw them about Major Robinson's office. I think this was in 1854.
The old fellow in Kentucky whom I had ar- rested for cursing every man in Crittenden's divi- sion. defying them one and all to fight him, I think was the most complete daredevil I ever saw.
Yours very truly,
J. G. JONES.
FREEDMEN'S BUREAU, WASHINGTON, March 9, 1865. MR. COCKRUM at Nashville, Tenn.
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My dear Mr. Cockrum: I certainly do recol- lect you and was so glad to receive your letter. You have not forgotten the real-estate firm. Your letter was forwarded to me and as you will see my name is changed since you knew me. I recall the incidents at your father's home with pleasure. I was so fearfully sick from the poison of the pesky snake that I thought I would not get over it. Your father and mother were so very kind to me. When you write home I want you to remember me to them and say how I do thank them for their kind- ness and to Dr. Mccullough. how patiently he worked with my hand. I shall always love him. If he is living remember me to him.
I read your army experience with interest and I am so glad you survived the terrible wound and the vile prison.
AUTHOR'S NOTE. - When the war come on Col. Jones was attorney gen- eral for the state of Indiana He resigned that position and was made Colonel of the 42d Indiana Volunteers.
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Most of the young men who were with me in Indiana are in the army. This rotten confederacy is on its last legs. Soon the old fiag of the Union will wave over all of our America, the slaves free and our country will soon gather strength and then make rapid bounds to its destined greatness. I have none of my papers or note books with me but I am willing that you should have one of the diaries or more if you will have copies made and re- turn them to me. I can't say for certain how many fugitive slaves passed through the hands of the men on duty in my district on the Ohio river, but for the seven years more than an average of four thousand each year. The work you did for me was all right and I assure you that I had the utmost confidence in your father. He was a great help to me as he was personally acquainted with all the country that I had charge of. It was risky busi- ness. I remember some men who were of help to me and always seemed to do what they did so cheerfully. I recall the two Mr. Ritchies who lived near your father; Dr. Lewis, of Princeton; Mr. Caswell and George Hill, of Lynnville. (Mrs. Caswell could bake such good salt-rising bread.) Dr. Posey was a true man. There will be no more need of filling his coal bank with runaway negroes. If I succeed well, I intend to come once more and go over the routes of my old work. I should like so much to see all the people that I used to know in that country. If you should go to Philadelphia, go to the old Post-I may be there soon.
Yours as ever,
J. T. HANOVER.
GRANDVIEW, IND., March 3, 1868.
COL. W. M. COCKRUM,
Oakland City, Indiana.
My dear old army Comrade:
Your very welcome letter came and found me away from home. I have just returned and hasten to answer. I very well recollect the many conver- sations we had during our intimate relations in the army about the "Underground Railroad" and about the young men who were along the southern bor- der of Indiana, helping the slaves to gain their lib-
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erty. The young men who owned the fishing smack some ways below Rockport were on intimate terms with my oldest son. At that time we were engaged in flatboating and were tied up receiving corn on both the Kentucky and Indiana shore very near where the two men were stationed. I had many conversations with the two young men. While they never directly told me their business other than as fishermen, yet I do remember as I re- lated to you in the army, that they had much to do up and down the river and in crossing it at night during the time my boat lay near them.
I was introduced to Mr. Hansen by Ira Caswell of Warrick County, who was going over the country with him at that time, as they said, look- ing at land that Mr. Hansen said he wanted to pur- chase for a large real estate syndicate for which he was agent. He asked me if I was well acquainted with the country east of Rockport. Neither of these gentlemen made any further business known to me but while Mr. Caswell was on our boat, Han- sen crossed the river to the Kentucky side with one of the young fisherman, claiming that he wanted to purchase some sort of drawing outfit the young man claimed to have. They were gone for about an hour and when they returned Mr. Hansen had a leather box containing a bright, new field compass, also some fine drawing tools, which he showed to me.
I wish you great success in your undertaking .. Sincerely your friend, A. MILER.
EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, June 12, 1867. COL. COCKRUM,
Oakland City, Ind.
My dear Sir:
Colonel Jones was in yesterday with your let- ter of inquiry, also a letter from J. T. Hanover written to you from Washington City, and ex- plained the reason why you wanted a letter from me.
In 1852 a gentleman named John Hansen came to my office with a letter of introduction from east- ern friends of mine enclosing a New York draft
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for $250.00 for a retainer fee for me to look after the interests of men who were working for the anti-slavery people at this place and along the Ohio river should they need my legal services.
I, of course, knew that the fugitive slave law was being violated and I did not have the least compunctions of conscience on that score. For, without a doubt, that infamous law was unconsti- tutional and if it could have been tested by a fair tribunal would so have been declared.
Mr. Hansen was in my office many times dur- ing the several years that he was in this section of the country. During all that time I only had one case and that was in the interests of two young fishermen who were fishing in the Ohio river for several years, below this city and that case did not come to a test.
I am of the opinion that these two young men ferried across the Ohio river many hundreds of negro slaves who found a home and liberty in Canada.
You have my consent to use this letter. I only wish I could have been the means of helping the poor unfortunates more.
Yours truly, A. L. ROBINSON.
REV. T. B. M'CORMICK.
Rev. T. B. McCormick, a most ardent anti-slavery work- er, was born and raised in the state of Kentucky and was one of a large family. His father never owned slaves. Just pre- vious to his conversion, while quite a young man, he was em- ployed as a slave driver on a big plantation, but soon threw up his position. After several years of study he entered the Cumberland Presbyterian ministry, and about 1844 he came to Princeton and became the pastor in charge of that denomi- nation.
Having married in Henderson, Ky. (his first wife), he occasionally went to Kentucky and preached. At that time he was known to be bitterly opposed to the institution of slavery, and in his fearless, outspoken way he made no secret
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of his hatred of slavery and his sympathy for the slave. In 1851 he severed his connection with the C. P. church upon the sole ground of the pro-slavery attitude of that church, and from that time he seemed to become a marked man. After one of his trips an indictment was filed against him in Union County, Kentucky, charging him with stealing slaves and aiding them by way of the "underground railroad" to Canada. Although not guilty of this charge, false testimony against him sprang up on every side. Spurred on by enemies on this side of the Ohio river, the charges against him in Kentucky magnified and grew in intensity until the reward offered for his capture, DEAD OR ALIVE, aggregated $2,000.00.
Knowing the condition of things, he did not venture into Kentucky, but in the spring of 1851 Governor Powell, of Kentucky, was appealed to to make requisition on Governor Wright, of Indiana, for his delivery to the Kentucky authori- ties, and Governor Wright, recognizing the "heinousness" of his offense, granted the requisition. McCormick, however, had a friend in Indianapolis who had promised to keep him posted on the action of the governor, and this he did, and Mr. McCormick, recognizing discretion as the better part of valor, went across the Wabash into Illinois.
As soon as the requisition was granted by Gov, Wright a warrant for the arrest of Rev. McCormick was placed in the hands of Deputy United States Marshall Smith Gavitt, of Evansville, and Mr. Gavitt left no stone unturned to effect his capture. At that time Rev. McCormick was living on a recently-purchased farm two miles southeast of Princeton (the farm now owned by Louis Laib), and the house consist- ved of one log room and a lean-to shed which was used as a kitchen. The house was surrounded on three sides by a dense forest and was lonely in the extreme. His family at that time consisted of his .young wife (a second marriage), her unmarried sister, a young woman, a son ten years old, a daughter five years old and an infant in arms, the present editor of the Princeton Tribune. The writer goes into detail simply to show the isolated and helpless condition of McCor- mick's family. Marshall Gavitt was kept posted by some of
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Rev. McCormick's pro-slavery friends (?) and the word being sent him that his much-wanted man had been seen at home he jumped at the chance of securing the $2,000.00 reward.
The little family had gone to bed in the log house, the wife wondering where the fugitive husband was in his exile but finally sleep fell upon the little household. About mid- night the quick ear of his wife caught the sounds of hoof- beats in the woods, and, awakening her sister, together they listened in dread suspense. Soon the fact became evident that the house was surrounded by men. First came a rap at the door, but feeling that their only chance lay in perfect quiet and producing the impression that the house was de- serted the two women held their breath and waited. A knock bringing no response the door was kicked against and an attempt made to force it open but, it being heavily barred inside this failed. The other door was tried with the same result. The mob seemed to take it for granted that no one was at home and threw discretion to the winds and talked openly of their disappointment, all the time cursing-"The -black abolitionist." When the two women found the men were well away from the house they went into the lean-to and Miss McClure, Mrs. McCormick's sister, climbing to her sister's shoulders pushed aside the loose clapboards of the roof and putting her head through could see a large body of horsemen in the distance.
Now the astonishing part of this whole performance was that under the leadership of Marshal Gavitt there were forty men in this posse to hunt down and capture one poor preach- er whose only crime was his outspoken denunciation of American slavery. The number in the posse was learned through a family living about a mile away who saw them pass the house and counted them. There were forty and every man of them MASKED.
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