History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 78

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 78

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" Ball's heirs laid claim to Jerry as part of their father's estate, but Jerry insisted that his master had set him free and that he would not serve them. Finally one of his master's sons, in company with six or eight others, went to Jerry's cabin to capture him. He had received word of their coming, and prepared to defend himself as well as he could by fortifying his eabin. They surrounded the house and broke in

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THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD.

the door. As one attempted to enter Jerry struck at him with an ax, missed the man, struck the door, and broke it to pieces; then took his gun and shot, but missed his man. The load took effect on a man named Robinson, who was sitting on his horse forty or fifty yards off, and destroyed one of his eyes. (I often saw him carrying his mark for trying to capture poor Jerry.) He then fought his way out and ran for the woods. They followed and, after a race of a mile, overpowered him and took him captive to Newcastle. He was put in jail and sold to a slave trader to be taken South. This occurred within one mile of where I was living and took such a hold on me, although I was then only ten or twelve years old, that when I arrived at manhood I set up a station on the Under- ground Railroad and kept it open until slavery was abolished by the proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, trying to obey the injunction that 'Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you do ye even so unto them.' "

FRED DOUGLAS .- " Fred Douglas, now the Hon. Frederick Douglas, ex-Marshal of the District of Columbia, was a passenger on the Underground Rail- road from slavery to his present position. He was a slave in Talbot Co., Md., and I think his master's name was Aull. Ife passed through Philadelphia. Robert Purvis, E. M. Davis, and J. Miller Mckim, of Philadelphia; Horace Greeley and Gerritt Smith, of New York, and Charles Sumner and others, of Boston, arranged to send him to London, and while there his freedom was bought by penny contributions."

THE DORSEY BROTHERS .- The following incident is from the pen of Robert Purvis, one of the most active agitators in the anti-slavery cause, and occur- ring in Bucks County had a peculiar interest to their friends in Montgomery with whom they were co- operating.

" Among the hundreds of cases which came under my notice, none excited my interest more deeply than than that of four brothers, who came from Frederick County, Maryland, and arrived in Philadelphia in the summer of 1836. They were finely developed and handsome young men, reputed to be the children of their master, and after his death, finding them- selves slaves when they had been promised their freedom, they took ' French Leave' and arrived safely in Philadelphia, under the assumed Christian names of Basil, Thomas, Charles and William, and retaining the surname of Dorsey. I took three of the brothers to my farm in Bucks County-Thomas preferring to live in the city. I succeeded in securing places with some of the neighboring farmers for Charles and William, Basil remaining in my employ. The latter was a married man, having a wife and two children whom he left in Maryland. She was a free woman and by a previous arrangement with her brother-in- law likewise free, they were brought to Philadelphia, where I met them and took them to my house. This man proved afterwards to be a false and treacherous

villain. He opened a correspondence with the son of their old master, who bought these men at the settlement of his father's estate and had become their owner. By a well-arranged plan, with the assistance of a notorious slave-catcher, they were enabled to surprise and capture Thomas, who was hurried before one of the judges of the court and sent back to slavery. He was carried to Baltimore and imprisoned with the view of shipping him thence to the New Orleans market. By the timely efforts of his friends in Philadelphia money was raised, and the sum of one thousand dollars paid for his freedom. He after- wards became the popular caterer of Philadelphia, and died a few years ago, leaving a handsome com- petence to his family. Immediately following the capture of Thomas, by the direction of the brother-in- law, they went to Bristol and secured the services of a constable by the name of Brown, who repaired with the claimant and his friends to Doylestown and obtained warrants from Judge Fox for the arrest of the three brothers. Basil, while ploughing at some distance from the house, was overpowered after a severe struggle by the slave-holder and his friends, placed in a carriage and taken to Bristol, three miles distant, where he was thrown into a cell used for criminals. I had just returned from the city and was in the act of eating my supper, when a neighbor's son came in great exitement to tell me that Basil had been carried off. I sprang from the table and hastening in the direction where I knew the man had been working, learned from the farmers assembled there the parti- culars of this outrage with the added information that he had been taken to Bristol. Burning with indignation, hatless as I was, I hurried thither, where I found the captors and the captive.

" An excited crowd of people was gathered about the market house, whom I addressed, and succeeded in enlisting their sympathies in behalf of the poor victim. After a parley with the slave-holder, it was agreed that we should meet there at seven o'clock in the morning and start thence for the purpose of ap- pearing before Judge Fox, at Doylestown. Availing myself of the kind offer of a friend, I was driven rapidly home for the purpose of securing the safety of Basil's brothers. I was rejoiced to find them already there. They had heard of Basil's capture and were pursued by a part of those men led by Brown, who had taken him. These men had halted in a field near my residence, evidently deliberating how to proceed. By my advice, Charles, in whose hands I placed a double-barreled gun heavily charged, walked out in front of the house and defied them. The slave-catchers, thinking doubtless discretion the better part of valor, instantly departed. Under the cover of the darkness I was enabled to convey the two men to my brother Joseph's farm, about two miles distant, and that night he drove forty miles and left them in New Jersey at the house of a friend. There they remained safely untif an opportunity

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

offered to send them to Canada. The next morning about six o'clock I was on my way to Bristol. Before reaching there I met a woman who informed me that at five o'clock a wagon passed her house and she heard Basil cry out, 'Go tell Mr. Purvis they are taking me off.' The object of the movement was to deceive me in regard to time and enable them to ap- pear before Judge Fox, and by er-parte testimony have the case closed and the victim delivered into their custody. Upon receiving this information I hastened home and quickly harnessing a fleet trotting horse pursued them. I left instructions that Basil's wife and children should follow in another carriage. By good fortune I came upon the fugitive kidnappers about four miles from Doylestown, where they had stopped for breakfast. I immediately drove to the residence of William II. Johnson, the noted aboli- tionist, who instantly took hold of the matter, and went out to spread the news far and wide among the anti-slavery people. I arrived in Doylestown fully an hour before Basil was brought by his captors who were of course amazingly surprised to see me. I at once secured the services of the ablest lawyer in the town, Mr. Ross, the father of the late Judge Ross, who urged the postponement of the case upon Basil's oath of having free papers left in the hands of a friend living in Columbia, Pennsylvania.

Doubtless the judge was deeply impressed by the appearance in the court-room of the delicate and beautiful wife and the young children clinging to the husband and father, who, looking the picture of despair sat with the evidence in his torn and soiled garments of the terible conflict through which he had passed. The claimant obtained legal services in the person of a Mr. Griffith, a young lawyer. Not- withstanding the urgency of their council to have the case immediately decided, the judge postponed it for two weeks.

"This was all I expected to obtain. My duty lay clearly before me, and I resolved that no effort should be spared to secure Basil's freedom. With this view, I strove to arouse the colored people to rescue him in the event of his being remanded to his captors. The plan adopted was to assemble in squads about the three leading roads of the town and use means ade- quate for the purpose of liberating him. Most fortu- nately, however, by an unexpected turn of events, a resort to these desperate measures was rendered unnecessary. Desiring to make use of every available means to secure the liberty of this worthy man, I called upon that eminent lawyer and philanthropist, David Paul Brown, and asked him if he would not appear in behalf of the defense. He promptly re- sponded to my request, saying, 'I am always ready to defend the liberty of any human being.' I then ten- dered him a fee of fifty dollars, which he at once re- fused. "I shall not now," he said, " nor have I ever accepted fee or reward, other than the approval of my conscience, and I respectfully decline receiving you

money, I shall be there;" and turning to his barber he asked: 'Will you get me up so that I can go in the stage coach which leaves at four o'clock in the morning?'

"The day of trial came and the slave-holder was there, bringing with him additional proof in the per- sons of his neighbors to swear as to the identity of the man. Armed with the bill of sale, the victory i seemed an easy one. The claimant at one time was willing to take five hundred dollars for his slave, which we agreed to give, yielding to the earnest entreaty of Basil, although it was in violation of our principles, as we have always denied the right of property in man. He advanced his price to eight hundred dollars at Doylestown, and when that was agreed to declined taking less than one thousand dollars. Basil then said, 'No more offers if the decision goes against me. I will cut my throat in the court-house ; I will not go back to slavery.' I applauded his resolution ; horrible as it might be, it seemed better than his return to a living death. There for the first time I unfolded our plans for his liberation. The case was called promptly at the hour agreed upon, and Mr. Grittith spreading out his bill of sale and pointing to his witnesses the friends of the claimant who had come for the purpose of identifying this man as his property, opened his case with an air of the utmost confidence in the result. Mr. Brown in his turn quickly rose and the magnetism of his presence was felt by the crowded court-room, nine-tenths of whom were doubtless in sympathy with the poor slave. He commenced by saying, 'I desire to test this case by raising every objection, and may it please your honor these gentlemen, who hail from Liberty, Frederic County, Md., are here according to law to secure their "pound of flesh," and it is my duty to see that they shall not get " one drop of blood." As a preliminary question I demand authority to show that Maryland is a slave state.'

" Mr. Griffith, with a self-satisfied air, remarked : "Why, Mr. Brown, everybody knows Maryland is a slave State.'

"'Sir, everybody is nobody,' was the quick retort of his opponent.

"The judge entertained the objection, and Mr. Griffith went out and soon returned with a book con- taining a compilation of the laws of Maryland. The book was not considered authority, and poor Mr. Griffith, confused and disconcerted, requested Mr. Brown to have the case postponed until afternoon.

"' Do you make that request,' inquired his adver- sary, 'on the ground of ignorance of the law ?'

"Mr. Griffith in an appealing tone said: 'Mr. Brown, I am a young man and this is my first case; I pray you do not press your objections ; give me some time, for should I fail in this case, it would be ruinous to my future prospects.'

" Laying his hand on the young lawyer's shoulder, Mr. Brown replied, 'Then, my dear sir, you will

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GRADUATES U. S. MILITARY AND NAVAL ACADEMIES.

have the consolation of having done a good deed, | 31, 1834), 1831-34; on frontier duty at Fort Gibson, though you did not intend it.' The judge was prompt in dismissing the case, saying that he would not fur- nish another warrant, but they might seeure his re- arrest by obtaining one from a magistrate. Profiting by this suggestion, Griffith and his elients hastily left the court-room. I was equally prompt; having pre- viously ordered my horse and buggy to be brought in front of the court-house, I took hold of Basil and hur- ried him towards the door. In the excitement which prevailed, a colored man, who was outside, seeing me hustling Basil before me, and thinking he had been remanded to slavery and I was his master, raised a heavy stick and was about to strike me, when a friendly hand interposed, and saved me from the blow. We were no sooner seated in the vehicle than the slave-eatchers, armed with a magistrate's warrant, came rushing upon us. As they were about to seize the horse, a stroke of the whip on the young and ex- cited animal, eaused him to rear and dash ahead. A round of hearty applause from the sympathizing crowd served as an additional impetus to urge us on- ward. After running the horse about two miles, I came upon a party of colored men who were to assist in reseuing the slave. Resting a short time, I pur- sued my journey to Philadelphia, a distance of twenty- six miles, and drove directly to my mother's honse, where Basil was safely lodged. I afterwards aecom- panied him to New York, and placed him in the

Ind. Ter., 1834-36; Camp Desire (captain Seventh Infantry, May 31, 1834), near Fort Towson, Ind. Ter., 1836; Camp Nacogdoches, Tex., 1836, and Fort Gib- son, Ind. Ter., 1836-38; on recruiting service, 1838- 40 ; in the Florida War, 1840-42; in garrison at Fort Pike, La., 1842-45; in military occupation of Texas, 1845-46; in the war with Mexico, 1846-47, being engaged in the defence of Fort Brown, May 3-9, 1846 (major, Fourth Infantry, February 16, 1847); on re- cruiting service, 1847 ; in the war with Mexico, 1847- 48, being engaged in the capture of San Antonio, August 20, 1847 ; battle of Cherubusco, August 20, 1847 ; battle of Molino del Rey (brevet lieutenant- colonel, September 8, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco, Mexico), September 8, 1847, where he was wounded ; and assault and capture of the City of Mexico, September 13-14, 1847 (brevet colonel, September 8. 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduet in the battle of Molino del Rey, Mexico); on fron- tier duty at Sackett's Harbor, N. Y., 1849; Fort Howard, Wis., 1849-51; Fort Snelling, Minn., 1851- 53, 1853-54, and Fort Ridgely, Minn., 1854 (lieuten- ant-colonel, Sixth Infantry, March 9, 1851); in gar- rison at Jefferson Barraeks, Mo , 1854-55; ou frontier duty on Sioux Expedition, 1855-56; Fort Pierre, Dak., 1856, and Fort Randall, Dak., 1856-57 (colonel, Second Infantry, October 18, 1855); in command of hands of Joshua Leavitt, the editor of The Emancipa- the Department of the West, May 24 to October 2, tor, who sent him to Connecticut to find employment 1858 (headquarters at St. Louis, Mo., and on sick leave of absence, 1858-59. Died January 19, 1859, at St. Louis, Mo., aged 55. on his father's farm. He remained there some time and then removed with his family to Northampton, where he worked for Mr. Benson, a brother-in-law of William Lloyd Garrison. Mr. Dorsey died a few years ago, a highly esteemed and respectable citizen, leaving a widow and a number of children."

CHAPTER XIX.

GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY AND NAVAL ACADEMIES.

THE following is the record of the graduates of the United States Military Academy at West Point, N. Y., who were appointed from the congressional distriet of which Montgomery County is a part :

FRANCIS LEE, born in Pennsylvania .- Military History: Cadet at the United States Military Academy from September 2, 1818, to July 1, 1822, when he was graduated and promoted in the army to Second Lieu- tenant, Seventh Infantry, July 1, 1822. Served on frontier duty at Fort Jessup, La., 1823-26; on quar- termaster duty (first lieutenant, Seventh Infantry, September 24, 1824) at Fort Jessup, La., 1826-28, Fort Leavenworth, Kan., 1828-30 and Fort Jessup, La. (assistant-quartermaster, May 22, 1826, to May

JOSEPH H. PAWLING, born in Pennsylvania .- Military History : Cadet at the United States Military Academy from July I. 1825, to July 1, 1829, when he was graduated and promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant, First Infantry, July 1, 1829. Served on frontier duty at Fort Crawford, Wis., 1829-30; re- signed November 30, 1830. Civil History : Counsellor- at-law, Doylestown, Pa., 1842-43; clerk in the War Department, Washington, D. C., 1843-47. Died July 9, 1847, at Doylestown, Pa., aged 39.

JOHN H. HILL, born in Pennsylvania .- Military History : Cadet at the United States Military Academy from July 1, 1835, to July 1, 1839, when he was graduated and promoted in the army to second lieu- tenant, Second Dragoons, July 1, 1833; served on recruiting service, 1839; in the Florida War, 1839-40; on recruiting service, 1840; in the Florida War, 1840-41 ; on frontier duty at Fort Washita, Ind. Ter., 1842-45 (first lieutenant, Second Dragoons, October 8, 1841); in military occupation of Texas, 1845-46; in the war with Mexico, 1846-47, being engaged in the siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, and skirmish of Puente del Medio, March 24, 1847. Died July 29, 1847, at Puebla, MIexieo, aged 28.

WINFIELD S. HANCOCK, born Pennsylvania,- Military History : cadet at the United States Military

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.

Academy from July 1, 1840, to July 1, 1844, where he was graduated and promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant, 6th infantry. July 1, 1844, served on frontier duty at Fort Towson, Ind. Ter., 1844-45, and at Fort Washita, Ind. Ter., 1845-47 ; on recruiting ser- vice, 1847 ; in the War with Mexico (second lieuten- ant, 6th infantry, June 17, 1846) 1847-48, being engaged in the defence of Convoy at the National Bridge, August 12, 1847,-Skirmish at Plan del Rio, August 15, 1847 ; capture of San Antonio, August 12, 1847 ; battle of Cherubusco, August 20, 1847, (brevet first lieutenant, August 20, 1847, for gallant and meritorious conduct in the battles of Contreras and Cherubusco, Mexico); battle of Molino del Rey, September 8, 1847, and assault and capture of the City of Mexico, September 13-14, 1847; in garrison at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1848; as quartermaster 6th infantry, June 30, 1848 to October 1, 1849, and adjutant, October 1, 1849 to November 7, 1855, at regimental headquarters at Fort Crawford, Iowa, 1848- 49; St. Louis, Mo., 1849-51, and Jefferson Barracks, Mo., 1851-52, 1852-55 (first lieutenant 6th infantry, January 27, 1853, to June 5, 1860); as assistant adju- tant-general of the department of the west, head- quarters at St. Louis, Mo., June 19 to November 27, 1855 (captain staff, assistant quartermaster, Novem- ber 7, 1855) ; on quartermaster duty at Fort Myers, Fla., 1856-57 ; during hostilities against the Seminole Indians ; Fort Leavenworth, Kan., with troops quell- ing Kansas disturbances, August 1, to December 31, 1857, and at Depot, January 1, to March 31, 1858 ; at headquarters of Utah reinforcements, May 15, to July 15, 1858; on march with 6th infantry front Fort Bridger, Utah, to California, August 13, to November 15, 1858; and chief quartermaster of southern district of California at Los Angeles, May 5, 1859 to August 3, 1861. Served during the Rebel- lion of the Seceding States, 1861-66; in the defenses of Washington, D. C., September 1861 to March 1862; (brigadier-general United States volunteers, September 23, 1861). In the Virginia Peninsula campaign (Army of the Potomac), March,-August, 1862, being engaged in the siege of Yorktown, April 5,-May 4, 1862 ; battle of Williamsburg, May 5, 1862 ; battle of the Chickahominy, June 27, 1862; action of Golding's Farm, June 28, 1862; battle of Savage Station, June 29, 1862; battle of White Oak Swamp, June 30, 1862, and retreat to llarrison's Landing, July 1-4, 1862 ; on the movement to Centreville, Va., August-September, 1862; in the Maryland campaign ; (Army of the Potomac) September-November, 1862, being engaged in the battle of Crampton's Pass, South Mountain, September 14, 1862; battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862; reconnoisance from Harper's Ferry to Charlestown, Va., October 10-11, 1862; march to Falmouth, Va., October-November, 1862 (major-general United States volunteers, Novem- ber 29, 1862, to July 26, 1866) ; in the Rappahannock campaign (Army of the Potomac), December, 1862.

June 1863 being engaged in the battle of Frederieks- burg, December 13, 1862, and battle of Chancellors- ville, May 2-4, 1863; in the Pennsylvania campaign, .June-July, 1863; in command of 2d corps of the Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863, where he was severely wounded in the repulse of Longstreet's attack upon our left centre, which he at the time commanded ; on sick leave of absence, disabled by wound, July + December 27, 1863; ( major, staff-quartermaster, United States army, November 30, 1863), in com- mand of, and recruiting 2d army corps, January- March, 1864; in the Richmond eampaign, command- ing 2d corps of Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the battle of the Wilderness, May 5-6, 1864; bat- tles of Spottsylvania, May 9-20, 1864; battle of North Anna, May 23-24, 1864; battle of Tolopotomy, May 29-81, 1864; battle of Cold Harbor, June 3, 1864, and operations in its vicinity, June 3-12, 1864 ; march to James River, June 12-15, 1864; battle be- fore Petersburg, June 16-18, 1864; on sick leave of absence, on account of breaking out of Gettysburg wound, June 19-27, 1864; in operations about Peters- burg, in command of 2d corps, Army of the Potomac, being engaged in the battles of Deep Bottom (in command), July 27-29, and August 15-20, 1864, (brigadier-general United States army, August 12, 1864); battle of Reams' Station (in command), August 25, 1864, battle of Boydton Plank-Road (in command), October 27, 1864; siege of Petersburg, June 15-November 26, 1864; at Washington, D. C., organizing First Army Corps of veterans, November 27, 1864 to February 27, 1875; in command of Depart- ment of West Virginia and temporarily of the Mid- de Military Division and Army of the Shenandoah, February 27 to July 18, 1865, (brevet major-general United States army, March 13, 1865, for gallant and meritorious services at battle of Spottsylvania, Va.) ; of the Middle Department July 18, 1865, to August 10, 1866; of Department of the Missouri (major-general United States army, July 26, 1866), August 20, 1866, to -, being engaged on expedition against the Indians of the plains, March, 1867, to --; on board for retiring disabled officers at Philadelphia, Pa., November 27, 1865, to August 30, 1866, and on board to make recommendations in regard to ordnance, January 30-June 4, 1866; in command of the De- partment of the Missouri, August 20, 1866, to Septem- ber 12, 1867 ; of the Fifth Military District November 29, 1867, to March 16, 1868; of the Division of the Atlantic, March 31, 1868, to March 5, 1869; of the Department of Dakota May 17, 1869, to December 3, 1872; of the Division of the Atlantic, headquarters New York City, December 16, 1872, to -; and of the Department of the East, December 16, 1872 to October 29, 1873, and November 8, 1877, to -- ; and as member of the court of inquiry in the case of General Dyer, November 9, 1868, to May 15, 1869, I and of board to examine officers unfit for the proper

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discharge of their duties, etc., October 17, 1870, to June 3, 1871.

ADAM J. SLEMMER, born in Pennsylvania. - Military History : Cadet at the United States Military Academy from September 1, 1846, to July 1, 1850, when he was graduated and promoted in the army to brevet second lieutenant of artillery, July 1, 1850 ; served in Florida hostilities against the Seminole Indians, 1850-51 (second lieutenant First Artillery, February 22, 1851); on frontier duty at San Diego, Cal., 1851-52; San Louis Rey, Cal., 1852; San Diego, Cal., 1853-54; and Fort Yuma, Cal., 1854 (first lieutenant First Artillery, April 30, 1854); in garrison at Fort Moultrie, S. ('., 1855; at the Military Academy 1855-59, as assistant professor of geography, history and ethics September 13, 1869 to September 6, 1856, and assistant professor of mathematics September 9, 1856 to August 31, 1859; in garrison at Fort Moultrie, S. C., 1859-60, and Bar-

raneas Barracks, Fla., 1856-61; served during the Re- ! duty at San Antonio, Tex., 1861, where he was cap-

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History of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Part 78

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