History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 77

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534

USA > Pennsylvania > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania > Part 77

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A few days after the Christiana riot Parker, Pink- ney and Johnson, an account of whom is given in the description of the tragedy and the narrative of Isaac and Dinah Mendenhall, came on foot in the night to Norristown, accompanied by another person whose name is not known. Dr. William Corson announced their arrival to John Augusta. The four men were concealed in a lot of shavings under a carpenter-shop, which stood three feet above ground on Church Street, near Airy. There they remained four days, and were fed with food passed to them upon an oven-peel across a four-foot alley from a frame house in which Samuel Lewis, a colored man, lived. During this time the United States marshal's detectives were watching every part of the town. On the fourth day a meeting was held by a few trusted friends in the office of Lawrence E. Corson, Esq., to devise means for their escape. Dr. Paxson proposed engaging five wagons for that evening, four to be sent in different directions as decoys to lead off the vigilant detectives. The plan was adopted, and the wagons and teams were engaged of Jacob Bodey, whose sympathies were known to be iu favor of fugitives. But he would accept no pay, saying he would do so much as his share. The first was sent up the turnpike road, and shortly after the second was sent down that road; another was sent

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across the bridge toward West Chester, and the fourth and it has brought me here. And may God be praised !" "Now, tell me," said Paxson, "what induced you to make this effort?" Rising to her feet, and turning deliberately toward her child, with utterance choked by emotion, she said, "See you not, marked upon her features, my own pollution that the white man has stamped there! See you not upon this grand- ehild, with its flaxen hair and florid face, the pollu- out the State road toward Downingtown. The atten- tion of the alert officers being now attracted in these directions, the men, after having shaved aml otherwise changed their personal appearance, walked from the carpenter-shop to Chestnut Street and down Chestnut to the house of William Lewis, colored, where the fitth wagon, which was to go directly through the town and up the Mill Creek road, was waiting for them. i tion of a fiendish nature over her! It was to save Dr. Paxson was there also, and saw the men, with William Lewis, colored, as their driver, start safely for Quakertown. Lewis was a little tremulous with fear | to save that fair and beautiful creature from a life of

at the perilons undertaking, which, with the haste, somewhat confused him at the start. On the road he became bewildered, and went several miles out of the way, which gave Parker the impression that he was partly intoxicated, a condition in which Lewis never was known to be. From Quakertown they journeyed to Canada, traveling part of the way on foot and part by public conveyance. On the following day the United States marshal was informed that they had left Norristown and were out of his reach. Officers were at once dispatched to Quakertown, but the Underground Railroad there disappeared from their view and its passengers could be tracked no further.

At the close of the war Judge Smyser, of Norris- town, was returning on a train from Philadelphia, and seeing Dr. Paxson in the same car, called out to him: "Paxson, is that you? I was at an entertain- ment last night, and some of the party said I was as great a radical as you are. I replied: 'I thank God that I am" But," he continued, "there was a time when, had you been convicted under the Fugitive Slave Law, I would have given you the extent of the penalty, for I looked upon yon as one of the most dangerous men in the community on account of your utter disregard for that law." On Dr. Paxson's return home one afternoon in 1846 he saw on his baek porch a very black, gray-haired woman, about sixty years of age; also a mulatto woman, about thirty, and a small, very fair child, with flaxen hair, of about six or seven summers.

The old woman was conversing with Parker Pills- bury. Her cultivated thought and remarkable gift of language excited their interest and attention. On questioning her, they found that she, her daughter and grand-daughter were all slaves. Paxson interrogated her relative to their escape. She stated that they had traveled through Maryland on foot, by night, and that during the day they crawled under corn-shueks or hid under leaves in the woods, their principal food being roots or corn for many days. He said to her, " Did you not know that you were running a great risk of being eaught and taken back, tortured with the lash, and sold upon the auction-block, and separated from your child and grandchild ?" She answered, "Yes," and the tears rolled down her cheeks ; " but I believed that God would help those who tried to help them- selves, and with confidence in that Power, I started out,

that grandchild from the terrible pollution which slavery sways over all whom it dare call a slave; it was shame that I dared and have accomplished what I did; and there shall ever go forth from my innermost nature a feeling of gratitude that I have her thus spared."

The following incidents are from notes furnished the author by the late William W. Taylor, who was a well-known agent of the line for many years in Upper Providence township. Mr. Taylor was pronounced in his hatred of the "peculiar institution," and ever ready to give refuge, food and transportation to those who were dispatched to his care. He was the near neighbor of Charles Corson and Thomas Hopkins, who freynently acted in concert in frustrating the designs of slave-hunters in the county. Mr. Taylor was a fearless agitator, sometimes incurring the dis- pleasure of neighbors and acquaintances in his un- compromising denunciation of those in authority for maintaining or assenting in any way to the con- tinuance of slavery. Ile was an " Abolitionist " without qualification, an eye-witness in his boyhood days to the brutal recapture of a fugitive slave and his sale to a Southern trader at New Castle, Del. The scene made such an impression upon his mind that, to use his own words, he "resolved that upon reaching manhood he would keep a station for runaway slaves, and he did so until the proclamation of President Lincoln bankrupted the business."

HENRY BOX BROWN.1-Henry Brown, better known as " Henry Box Brown," was a slave in Richmond, Va. He conceived the plan of getting away from slavery by having himself boxed up and shipped as

1 Two similar cases are reported in Still's " Underground Railroad," those of William Box Peel Jones and Lear Green. Jones was boxed up in Baltimore ('ity, and shipped by the Ericson line of steamers in the month of April, 1859, reaching Philadelphia in seventeen hours after shipment, and was safely delivered to his friends, who cantiously awaited his arrival in the City of Brotherly Love.

Lear tireen was an interesting girl and the slave of James Noble, of Baltimore, William Adams had proposed marriage to her. She con- cluded to accept the offer only when she was free, believing the duties of wife and mother incompatible with a condition of servitude wherein she might be sold and separated from all ties of human affection. She finally concluded to escape. Her trusted friends placed her in a well-worn box, such as was in commerce between Baltimore and Northern cities. A quilt, a bottle of water and some hard bread were carefully stowed away with the girl, and she was shipped as freight on the Ericson Line. Her intended mother-in-law, a free colored woman, took passage on the same line. The box was carefully watched, and upon arrival in Philadelphia was promptly forwarded to the consignee. Lear Green was happy. She subsequently married the man of her choice and was a free woman. She settled in Elmira, N. Y., and died in the third year of her married life.

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merchandise to Philadelphia, and went to work accordingly to effect his object. With the help of some friends, whom he had made acquainted with his plans, he arranged with a firm in Philadelphia to receive him as merchandise, and then got reliable men in Richmond to help him there. A man made the box, and he got in it, taking with him a sack (sic) of water, some crackers, a cup, a gimlet and a sponge. The lid was nailed fast, and the box marked "This side up with care." A reliable person was secured to take the box, pay the freight, and start it on its way to Philadelphia. After all his arrangements had been made he received word from his Philadelphia friends not to attempt to send the goods, as there was too much risk ; but, determined not to be baffled, he replied that the goods were shipped and would be in Philadelphia at a certain time.

A trusty man was on hand at the time appointed, but the train arrived without the goods. It was explained that an accident had occurred which would cause a delay of four hours. The excitement and anxiety increased, but the box finally arrived. It was taken charge of, and the proper parties notified of the arrival of their goods. This was twelve o'clock at night, and all assembled at the place appointed to receive hini.

By this time the excitement was great. Some were sure he would be dead, and much concerned as to what disposition they should make of the remains. When the box was carried in it was received almost with the silence of death. All secmed afraid to hear their own voices. It was put down, and one tapped it on the top with the question : " Is all right ?" An answer came from out the box : " All right, sir." The lid was quickly pried off, and Henry Box Brown stood erect and sang a hymn he had learned for the occasion. Then there was rejoicing. Their anxiety was over and their pent-up spirits set free.

Where the delay occurred the goods had to be re- loaded. The box was turned with the marked side down, so that he stood on his head till the veins on his forehead and face were as thick as his finger. Two men sat on the box, and one tapped it and won- dered what it contained. The gimlet was to bore holes to let in more air, if necessary, and the water was to drink. Instead of drinking it, he put it on the sponge and bathed his face and head. Scientific men, who saw the box, said this was the only thing that saved his life, and that bathing with the water restored carbon to the exhausted air.

A few days after his arrival in Philadelphia there was an anti-slavery meeting held in the Baptist meeting-house at Norristown, and Henry and his box and all his outfit were exhibited there. From here he took the Underground Railroad to the land of freedom.

GEORGE BENSON .- "George Benson, the subject. of this narrative, was a man of remarkable ahility. He was twenty-two years of age, six feet two inches in

height, very muscular, quick and active. He was in- telligent, and resolute to execute whatever he nnder- took. He was the property of a man in Western Vir- ginia, who had sold his other slaves, and expected to re- move to Richmond and keep George for a body-servant. After having made his arrangements he went to Balti- more to attend a ball, taking George with him. George had heard his master offered twelve hundred dollars for him, and, knowing his master's habits, was afraid he would soon have to be sold. He therefore resolved to escape, and started that night at twelve o'clock for Canada. By morning he had reached York County, Pa., and from there came by way of Columbia to Lancaster. While sitting at the window at Warner Mifflin's, Lancaster, he saw his master with two officers drive by. He notified the family, and they, feeling no longer safe to keep him, put him on his way to Downingtown. He left Zebulon Thomas' in Downingtown, and walked to my place in Mont- gomery County, a distance of twenty miles, in four and a half hours. IIe was very much excited, and said he had resolved when he started to die rather than go back into slavery. After he had rested and had something to eat I went with him some distance and put him on his way to Richard Moore's, at Quakertown. George surpassed all the men I ever knew who had escaped from slavery."

RACHEL .- " Rachel, or ' Rache,' as she was famil- iarly called, was the slave of a man near Baltimore. She came to West Chester, and there married, and was living comfortably. Her husband owned a house and Rache did washing and house-cleaning, and as a woman of all work was very much sought after. She had been living there for several years. Many people knew her and she knew every place in town. Finally some one found out where she came from and betrayed her. One day, as she was sitting in her honse, she saw old Constable Patterson approaching in company with a man whom she recognized as her old master. They took her captive and brought her before Judge Bell, in order that the master might prove his prop- erty. There Rache feigned sickness and asked to go into the back yard. Mrs. Bell invited her to go up stairs, but she replied, 'Missus, I must go out ; I am so very sick.' They decided to let her go into the yard on condition that the constable should accom- pany her, to which she freely consented. The yard was enclosed by a high board fence, so that no one could enter from the outside. The walk down the yard to the alley was ahout one hundred feet. As soon as Rache got out of the house she made a run for the fence, with the constable close after her. With one bound she went over the fence, leaving the constable behind. The fence was too high for him to jump, and by the time he returned to the house and told what had happened and they had got around to the alley several moments elapsed, of which Rache made good nse. Being acquainted with almost every alley and back yard in the town

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and very swift on foot, she was soon several squares away. In her Hight she passed through the shop of Samuel Auge, a hatter, and the boys called to know what the matter was. She answered, 'Do, for God's sake, hush! Don't say nothin',' She kept on her flight up the alleys to the back yard of John Worth- ington, with whom she was acquainted. Mrs. Worth- ington saw her coming and called, 'Why, Rache, what is the matter?' 'O, for the Lord's sake, don't tell anybody ! " was the answer. And Rache ran up stairs and hid herself in the attic.

" By this time word had gotten out that the kid- nappers were after her, and then there was none to give her pursuers any information. Her master went to 'Squire Meredith and got a search warrant, but failed to find her. He applied for another, but was refused and told to keep quiet or he would be ar- rested. That night a party of gentlemen met at Mr. Worthington's, and had a good time apparently until ten or eleven o'clock (several members of the Chester County bar being among them), when they broke up and went away by twos and threes. Rache, dressed in men's clothing, left the house between two lawyers. They walked along the street to a point beyond the Friends' Meeting-House, where a carriage overtook them and Rache was taken into it. She was driven to John Viekar's, at Lionville, and thence to Dr. Fussell's. On the way to the latter place she inquired where they were going and was told to Bartholomew Fussell's. She said she knew a Dr. Fussell near Balti- more, where she came from, who was a great friend to the colored people, but she was not told that he was the same man, and, when she entered the house, the doctor noticed that she watched him very closely. Finally she arose, walked toward him, looked at him and said very excitedly, 'I do believe this is Dr. Fussell! I de- clare thisis Dr. Fussell ! I swear to God this is Dr. Fus- sell!' The doctor then told her he was the Dr. Fussell that had lived near Baltimore. She fell on her knees and clasped him around the legs, crying and shouting as though frantic with joy at the thought that she had reached a place of safety.

"The next night the doctor, with Rache and three others, called on me (I then lived at Phoenixville) to go with them. I arose and mounted my horse to pilot them. We crossed the Schuylkill at Phoenix- ville. There was no bridge there at that time (forty- four years ago) and the night was very dark. I took him to Charles Corson's. A large part of the road was through woods, and so dark that I had to feel the way and lead the doctor's horse. We crossed the Perkiomen at Tyson's mill, and got to Corson's about twelve o'clock. There I questioned Rache as to how she got away from the old constable. On asking her what became of him she said, 'Lord, massa, de las ] saw ob him he was jist fallen back on de fenee.'

" I left the doctor at Corson's and returned home about three o'clock in the morning. No one but my wife knew that I had been away. Charles Corson the

next day geared to his market wagon and took her to William H. Johnson's, in Bucks County. She re- mained there. William H. Johnson wrote to a friend in West Chester to let her husband know where she was. He executed a power of attorney to some one in West Chester to sell his property and forward the proceeds to him in Waterloo, Canada.

" Much of this information I received from persons living in West Chester, they not knowing but that she was still living privately somewhere about the neighborhood. One man told me he did not think there was a man in West Chester who could jump the fence which she jumped. She was about thirty-five years old, rather tall and rather active, and could run as fast as ordinary men."

JOHN AND JANE FRENCH .- "John and Jane French, with their little boy two years old, were slaves in Maryland. Like many others they had heard of a place in the north where they might be free if they could get there, and they resolved to make the effort. They had been told there were people in Pennsylvania who would help them. They came to Oxford and then by the underground railroad through Downing- town, Lionville and Kimberton, from William Fus- sell's to my place. I saw at once that it was a very important case and one that required prompt action. We put them in a room, no one but my wife knowing they were in the house. 1 went to see Edwin H. Coates, tokl him what I had in charge, and asked him to accompany me that night on our journey, which he readily agreed to. 1 directed my hired man to have the horses so they might be used if needed, and when Edwin arrived after all had gone to bed we started for George Lukens', Kulpsville. We ar- rived just at dawn and were very kindly received. We returned about noon, our absence having excited some remark. None suspected where we had been except a fugitive slave who was living with me at the time. As soon as we left George Lukens took his charge to William II. Johnson's, Bucks County. They arrived in the evening, when Jane told them she could go no further. They fixed up a room for her and made her as comfortable as possible. The next morning she had a fine baby boy, which she named William Taylor. To part with these people and re- ceive their simple expressions of thanks is more pre- cious than silver or gold."

PERRY AND LUCY SIMONS .- " Perry and Lucy Simons were slaves in Virginia, where they remained until they were about fifty years old. When the last of their seven children had been sohl to traders to go South they resolved to leave their old master and seek freedom. By the aid of friends, after many weeks of travel, they reached my place. I locked them in a room, charged them not to look out of the window and informed my wife that I had a charge. We took care of them through the day and that night I took them across the Perkiomen, at Tyson's mill, and lett them at daylight with directions for Richard

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Moore's at Quakertown. This was just after the Fugitive Slave law was passed, making every Nor- thern man who assisted them a kidnapper, and we knew that we were watched. I told them as 1 had been true to them I hoped they would not betray me. They answered: 'No, Massa; God bless you. We will never betray you.'"

JOHN AND SUE BURNS .- "John and Sue Burns were slaves in Newcastle County, Delaware. They were a young couple, who had one boy about two years old, and they resolved that they would not raise children for the slave market. John took one of his master's horses, put his wife and child on the horse, and traveling himself on foot, started for freedom. They took the horse as far as they thought safe and then turned him loose toreturn home so that he might arrive before morning, and they kept on their course to Thomas Garret's, Wilmington, a distance of four- teen miles, getting there before daylight. Thence by way of Kennet Square, Downingtown, Kimberton, and Phoenixville, they came to our place in Mont- gomery County. They remained for a short time in the neighborhood, and then became very uneasy for fear of being captured and taken back into slavery. They were put on the road for Canada as the only place of safety. Like all other slaves they had been told that there was a place under the north star where they could be free, but how far it was they had but a faint idea. I never saw one, however, that thought it too far or too much of a hardship to go there. These were a very interesting couple and a very bright little boy."

Amy Bruff, stated the situation and offered to pay them to take care of her. I told them that I would find a home for her as soon as she was able to be moved, and instructed them to call on Dr. William Corson if needed and tell him I would pay all ex- penses. The Dr. was called on, but, as I' expected, he would take nothing for his services. Her child was deformed. We took her to our place and had her there for several months. Finally the child died and was buried at the Friends' meeting-house in Providence. In the meantime her son lived with Jacob L. Paxson. After the child died she and her son started for Canada. So it would appear to those who stood aloof that the road of those engaged in the underground railroad was not always strewn with roses ; but there was a consolation that outsiders did not understand."

WILLIAM AND PERRY LEWIS .- " William and Perry Lewis, brothers, and Henson Clemens were slaves in West Virginia, all very stout young men

and very determined in asserting their right to them- selves. They made their way through Maryland into York county, Pennsylvania, and by way of Columbia and Lancaster to James Fulton's, in Ches- ter county. There they stayed a short time until kidnappers made their appearance in the neighbor- hood. Then they came to E. F. Pennypacker's and my place. They were all good farm hands, found ready employment, and stayed about the neigh- borhood for several years. Perry Lewis lived with me three years. He was a very good farm hand and efficient in assisting me in helping his own people on their road to liberty. Finally he got married and moved to Norristown where he died, as did also his brother William. Their comrade Henson, after re- maining for about two years, became uneasy, fearing he might be captured and taken back into slavery, and coneluded to go to Canada. We gave him in- structions and put him on the road. After a tire- some journey he arrived in safety. After he got there he got a friend to write to me giving an account of his journey and the reception he had met on his arrival; how much he was pleased with the place, and expressing many thanks to me and his friends in Montgomery county for the acts of kindness he had received at their hands."

JERRY .- " Jerry was a slave of a man named Ball, who lived in Mill Creek Hundred, Newcastle Co., Del. His master had given him his freedom by tell- ing him he might go and earn a living, that he was to be a free man, but without taking a legal course to secure it. Jerry had married, and lived in the same ELIZA .- " Eliza and her son were slaves to a man named Gibbs living near Havre de Grace, Maryland. They ran off, came by way of Oxford through Chester county to F. F. Pennypacker's and on to my place. There she wished to stay and in a short time we found we were in trouble, but we concluded to meet township within five miles of his master, in a log cabin, or hut, on a common near Red Clay Creek, and within three miles of the Pennsylvania line. His master's home was not more than five miles from the latter state. Jerry was living peaceably and quietly in the neighborhood, and supported himself it. I went to Norristown, called on Thomas and i by working for farmers when he could, employment

being scarce and wages low. Twenty-five cents per day was the price for a common day's work and forty and fifty cents for harvesting. When not thus en- gaged he lived by fishing and trapping. At that time, sixty years ago, thousands of aeres of land lay waste in that region, with here and there a log cabin, or hut, occupied by a poor man, or a slave not claimed by his master. Such tenants paid from seven to fif- teen dollars rent for their cabins and as much land as they saw proper to make use of. Such was the case with Jerry. Finally his old master died and trouble began.

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 77

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1534

Author: Bean, Theodore Weber, 1833-1891, [from old catalog] ed; Buck, William J. (William Joseph), 1825-1901
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Philadelphia, Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1534