History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 107

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

USA > Pennsylvania > York County > History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I > Part 107

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).

The work grew and in a decade had ex- tended from the Delaware to the Susque- hanna. Stations had multiplied from and to which "freight was shipped." Like our modern fast express trains, their best runs were made at night when the "track" was clear and free from obstruction. The no- menclature of the railroad was strictly ad- hered to. Thus there was a president and superintendent. There were stockholders but no dividends, except as righteous actions offered full satisfaction. There was no watering of stock, but concentration of pur- poses. There were "passengers" and "sta- tions." But there was also a "walker's ex- press" and when there was congestion of traffic the fugitives walked. The station masters and conductors were men "wise as serpents" and "harmless as doves." Family

men's carts or railway cars with hidden com- partments or with innocent looking store boxes were made available for transporta- tion. Signs and passwords with mystic raps in the dead of night were given and duly interpreted by the initiated.

The work was democratic in character and made the Declaration of Independence more than a "glittering generality." The work was made doubly dangerous by spies and paid emissaries. Every neighborhood had its informers who for reward became aiders and abettors to the "gentlemen of property and standing." Many fugitives were thus overtaken and reclaimed and those who were found to have aided or as- sisted them were heavily mulcted in fines, damages and costs.

There were several types of stockholders in the Underground Railroad. By far the largest number were those who considered slavery an evil and would fain have seen it extinguished, but their respect for law and order made them loth to interfere with it directly. Still their influence even thus far counted for much. Another type were cer- tain of the non-resident sects who consid- ered it their duty to alleviate suffering and distress when directly appealed to by flee- ing fugitives, or by those who had already befriended and forwarded them to the next station.

Then there was a type of men

Abolition and women who took their lives Leaders. in their hands and "bearded the lion in his den." Some of these people became martyrs by their devotion to humanity and liberty. Who has not heard of Captain Jonathan Walker, "the man with the branded hand;" Captain Daniel Dray- ton, Rev. Charles T. Torrey, who perished in prison; Calvin Fairbanks, who suffered over seventeen years in prison and received 35,000 stripes. The list is swelled by Alan- son G. Work, Seth Concklin and Rev. E. P. Lovejoy. Of those who were successful and unharmed, there was the well-known Josiah Henson, Dr. A. M. Ross, of Canada, who later became a man of international reputation; with Harriet Tubman, whose biography reads like a romance.

Then there was the militant type who be- lieved that slavery should be attacked on its own ground by pen and sword or "Beecher's

594

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

Bible," which was a euphonious term for Sharp's rifle. There were men like the Railway

On one occasion, on returning home, he found thirteen fugitives occupying the parlor. They were found wandering in the

slave Nat Turner, Elijah P. Lovejoy and the Stations. hero of the plains of Kansas and of Harper's Ferry. It was John Brown's aim to make neighborhood and were taken up by an elder slavery doubly insecure and unprofitable and brother. The windows were closed to pre- vent discovery, and a lamp kept burning

thus lead to its eventual abolition. But every one worked as he or she was able, during the day. They remained for two leaving the results to the approbation of a good conscience.

It was in York County, it is be- lieved, where the term "Under-

days and nights of stormy weather and high water. On the third night they were taken across the river by the trusted Loney.

Origin of Many exciting incidents occurred at the Name. ground Railroad" originated. Slave owners in the pursuit of fu- gitives found that when they reached the bridge which was watched by spies and in- formers. At the Columbia side a watchful eye was kept on the bridge by the colored river, the bondman disappeared as mysteri- lumber merchant, William Whipper, a part- ously as though "the ground had swallowed him up." In their perplexity, the pursuers exclaimed, "There must be an underground road somewhere." The expression struck the popular fancy and was incorporated into the literature of the day. ner of Stephen Smith. The bridge was so thoroughly watched by spies that the great- est care was necessary in sending "baggage" across the river. It could only be done by ferriage, by railway freight cars, or by ve- hicles, the subject being hidden or disguised.

In 1804 one of the first kidnapping cases The first station east of the river was that recorded in the history of the movement, of Daniel Gibbons, who was in the "rail- took place at Columbia, when the mother of Stephen Smith, who later became a well-known lumber merchant, was sought to be forcibly taken from the house of General Boude. It created great excite- ment. roading" business for fifty-six years. Many York County operators in earlier times had despatched their "freight" to him. His wife was a sister of the well-known Joel Wier- man, an "operator" in Adams County. Mrs. Wierman was a sister of Benjamin Lundy, the co-laborer with William Lloyd Garrison. Thaddeus Stevens, who for a time resided in York and Gettysburg, later removed to Lancaster and during his life aided the "road" in various capacities. He was counsel in some noted cases relating to the "cause." He also became a contribut- ing member to the "stock" of the road. Mrs. Smith, who kept house for him for many years, was one of the slaves he helped to freedom.

Many of the Friends who migrated west of the Susquehanna, were from Chester County. They came to the sites of Colum- bia and Wrightsville. Such towns as Wrightsville and Lewisberry, tell the origin of their names. The Wrights and the Mif- flins were among the earliest settlers east and west of the river. Some of the early Wright houses at Wrightsville are standing in an excellent state of preservation. Wil- liam Wright's sister Susannah, married Jon- athan Mifflin, and lived in one of these noted Samuel W. Mifflin lived in the old home- houses. It occupies a commanding position stead at Wrightsville from 1840 to 1846. It overlooking the river and was one of the was from this house in 1843 that Rev. most noted stations in the country. Eleven Charles T. Torrey made his last trip to the miles distant from York, it was with a single South to assist the fleeing bondmen. He took leave of his entertainers filled with en- thusiasm and hope for the success of his en- terprise, which came to a melancholy end through his arrest and imprisonment. He sank under the rigors of prison life in 1846. Friends sought his pardon without avail. He bravely wrote, "I cannot afford to con- exception, the only station before reaching the river from York. Jonathan and Susan Mifflin up to 1840 kept open house to all fu- gitives who passed their way. They had a trusty boatman, Robert Loney, who con- veyed "passengers" over the river by night. Their son, Samuel W. Mifflin, grew up un- der these influences and proved a worthy cede any truth of principle to get out of successor to his parents. prison. I am not rich enough. If I am a

1 1 S 1

----------

595

SLAVERY IN YORK COUNTY

guilty man, I am a very guilty one, for I which was devoted to various lines of busi- have aided nearly four hundred slaves to ness. It was in the third story in a closet, escape to freedom, the greater part of whom in which he secreted Osborn Perry Ander- would probably, but for my exertions, have died in slavery." He had a notable funeral at Boston, followed by another gathering at Faneuil Hall. The occasion was made re- markable with addresses by Fessenden, Stanton and Channing. A poem was read

son, a colored man who had been with John Brown at Harper's Ferry. When the way became clear, he sent him to Philadelphia, by his cars to William Still, who had previ- ously taken care of another of Brown's men. Merriam. Two other escaping men were by Lowell and a letter was sent by Whittier. apprehended near Chambersburg and Car-

The road from York to Wrightsville was traveled by many fugitives and many noted

lisle, returned to Virginia and executed.

The number of fugitives passing through experiences occurred between friend and the hands of Goodridge and his agents was foe. Companies of as many as from twenty- five to forty fugitives traveled on it together very large. His dwelling on Philadelphia Street was closely watched, but without during the night. During 1830-1850 not so avail. It has now become the property of much care was necessary. After the Fugi- tive Slave Law of 1850 went into effect everything became changed. Hundreds of escaped slaves who had remained in the river towns and country places no longer felt secure and disposed of their homes. Rhinehart Dempwolf, who on remodelling the premises discovered a trench under the rear building, filled with straw, in which fugitives had been secreted. Later William Goodridge became unfortunate in business. He partially retrieved his losses, but when While there were many active William C. workers at York, yet none. ac- the Confederates approached York, in 1863, the family departed to Minnesota and Mich- igan. William Goodridge died in Minne- apolis in 1873. Southern men made efforts to kidnap him, but did not succeed.

Goodridge. complished more than the col- ored man, William C. Good- ridge. His grandmother had belonged to Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, in Maryland, As early as 1825, a number of slaves were manumitted in Virginia, and brought north, where his mother also was born. At the age of twenty, the latter was sold to a phy- remaining about York where some of their sician in Baltimore, where William C. Good- descendants are still found. Among these were Hester Oliver and Squire Braxton, of whom amusing stories have been handed down.

ridge was born, in 1805. When six years of age the boy was sent to York and appren- ticed to Rev. William Dunn, to learn the trade of a tanner at his yard. It was stipu- lated that he was to remain until twenty-one years of age and was then to receive an ex- tra suit of clothing and a Bible. At sixteen he left his guardian and started in the world anew. He went to an eastern town, learned the trade of a barber, then returned to York

Abolition meetings at York

Anti-slavery were generally held in the

Meetings. Court House in Centre Square, or in the Friends' Meeting House, on West Philadelphia Street. The lecture of the eccentric Jona- than Blanchard in the Court House, who and commenced business for himself. He was accompanied by Thaddeus Stevens, was a man of tact, intelligence and aptitude, combined with energy and perseverance. He instituted many lines of business and is said to have introduced the first sale of daily papers in the town. He had thirteen cars which ran to Philadelphia and were known as Goodridge's "York and Philadelphia Line." It was. Goodridge's cars that con- veyed three fugitives who took part in the Christiana riots of 1857. caused great uproar and was attended by the throwing of missiles. Charles E. Bur- leigh, one of a family of noted abolition lec- turers, met with riotous demonstrations at his meeting held here in 1840. Lucretia Mott, one of the most noted women speak- ers of the day, gave discourses at the Friends' Meeting House. She had a quiet, winning manner. The Abolitionists of York had an anti-slavery library which was in charge of the Misses Love.

Mr. Goodridge erected the highest house in York of that day in the northwestern Many persons entertained anti-slavery angle of Centre Square, a five-story building views who were not prepared to enter into

596

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

accord with the abolitionists. They be- James Chalfant, the father of Edward, was a man of constructive ability, and was as-

lieved slavery to be an evil, but were not willing to get rid of it through any other sociated with others of like tastes in that than legal measures. The northern part day. Young Chalfant grew up in this at- mosphere and at an early age commenced distributing anti-slavery documents and pa- pers published by Bailey and others. of York County was very fully imbued with anti-slavery sentiments. The Friends were non-resistant. They based their opposition to slavery on the grounds of Holy Writ and humanitarian sympathies.

Very few exciting rescues occurred on York County soil. The local authorties did not interfere, especially after the noted Prigg case, which occurred in York County in 1842, when the Supreme Court of the United States freed state officers from tak- ing part in fugitive slave cases. Even some of the state officers afforded aid to fugitives. William Yocum, a constable, threw many slave catchers off the scent by giving them wrong directions. He used the word "Wil- liam Penn" in the passing of slaves. He delivered them to the care of a well-known colored man, "Black Isaac," who saw his charges safely, through, by way of Middle- town Ferry. He also had a pit dug in his cellar where he confined them until oppor- tunity offered to forward them safely.

Charles A. Barnitz, a noted lawyer of York and a member of Congress, was strongly imbued with anti-slavery princi- ples. He concealed runaways in his barn and outbuildings. They were sent to Co- lumbia in charge of such helpers as John Jolinston, Isaac Brooks, Samuel Marss, Peter McCandless, John Joice, the Haack family and others. At the river they were taken in charge by the Mifflins, the Wood- yards, the Parnells and others.

Among the underground op- Local Abolitionists. erators in York and vicinity, Amos Griest was one of the most active. He resided on ence. Market Street near Penn. He was married to Margaret Garretson. About 1848 he re- moved to the neighborhood familiarly known as "Lotvarick Stettle," three miles north of York. Later he moved to the vi- cinity of Menallen Meeting House, in Ad- ams County, where he took an active part in the anti-slavery movement.

The Jessops employed many laborers in- cluding colored men. Many fugitives were secreted under the hay in the barn. Ed- ward Chalfant became a helper by carrying food to them in their seclusion. The es- caped slaves came to York by way of the Baltimore pike. After resting they went to Amos Greist who sent them in various di- rections. There were Friends in Maryland named Shepherd, who sent many slaves to York County.

The house and barn built in 1767 by Wil- liam Willis, southwest of Prospect Hill Cemetery, became an underground railroad station. The pursuit at one time became so hot that the negroes were hidden in corn shocks until safer places of concealment could be found.

The operators of York County were more fortunate than those of Cumberland Valley, where kidnapping and fugitive slave cases or troubles arising out of them came into the courts repeatedly. All phases of the Underground Railroad were represented but as a rule the workers did not go into the South to pursue their work like Rev. Charles T. Torrey or Harriet Tubman. The latter was an escaped slave from Vir- ginia. She returned south about nineteen times and brought north in all 200 slaves. She passed through York County in some of her trips. She had been engaged by John Brown to assist him at Harper's Ferry, but sickness prevented her pres-

Joel Fisher, of York, was a Friend and a member of the York Meeting. He was a zealous worker in the field in which he was heartily supported by his wife. Later he removed to Menallen where the work grew on his hands.

Some of the other workers were the Durrs, father and son. Such names as Wallace, Fissel, Brown, Willis, Jourdon and others are still remembered and re -.

Edward J. Chalfant was born in 1836. He was a son of James Chalfant and a grandson of George Chalfant, who lived called. In the lower end of York County on the battlefield of Brandywine. His ma- were the Kyles, Bradleys, Hawkins, Jones ternal grandfather was Jonathan Jessop. and others. Of these J. R. Jones became

i 1

1 L

--------

------

597

SLAVERY IN YORK COUNTY

a noted publisher of subscription books in progress. The Lewises, Kirks, Starrs, Philadelphia. Nebingers, Garretsons, Hammonds, Fos-

In the Bald Hills of Newberry Township ters, Brintons, Rankins, Steels, Wicker- lived Ezekiel Baptiste, whose home was a shams, Flemings, Merediths, and many station of the Underground Railway. He others took part in the famous debates that was a colored man of good habits, and was highly respected. He owned a farm which he cultivated. The revenue from a public sale of his property amounted to $4,000.

were held in the Lyceum or the "Society of Social Friends." Several times the ques- tion "Is Slavery a Curse to Humanity" caused spirited discussion and was attended Among the workers who lived in Redland and Fishing Creek Valleys were the Wick- ershams and the Garretsons. They were by the community for miles around. Lew- isberry and Kennet Square in Chester County, at that day were two of the most Friends and people of public spirit and in- advanced localities to be found in the state. telligence. Israel Garretson kept many fu- Both were intensely anti-slavery and aboli- gitives in his house and in the cellar of his tion in sentiment.

barn. Joseph Wickersham took in a. fugi- tive, who decamped, taking a watch and other articles of value with him. Such ex- periences were seldom reported. Joseph

Several times the vicinity of

Thrilling Lewisberry witnessed some

Scenes. thrilling scenes. On one occa- sion at Lewisberry a mob set Wickersham earlier in life had been a upon slave drivers to rescue a runaway teacher and an effective public speaker. slave girl from their hands. The southern- All through life he took deep interest in the ers faced their foe with drawn pistols and advancement of popular education.

The Lewis family were among the earli- est settlers of the Redland valley. A de- seph Wickersham, who entertained many scendant of the family, Major Eli Lewis, noted men in his day.

thus kept them at bay. William Lloyd Garrison was at the time the guest of Jo-

Going to Lewis-

who was born in Redland Valley in 1750, berry, they witnessed the proceedings. was the founder of Lewisberry in 1798. He Garrison was a non-resistant, but arm-in- had four sons, all of whom were conspicu- arm with Wickersham, they went forward, ous in public life. One of them, Webster undaunted, and Garrison, grasping the arm Lewis, was a physician of note and also a of the slave girl, walked quietly away with her, the slaveholders yielding as though

man of many accomplishments. He was born in 1780. Early in life his attention hypnotized.

was attracted toward slavery. Being a man of public spirit . and independent On another occasion the stone house on the farm now owned by Reuben Betz, a thought he set his face against slavery. He mile east of Lewisberry, the deed of which was in constant communication with such farm is one of the oldest in the Historical underground workers as Joel Wierman and Society of York County, had a negro se- creted in the attic. The slave catchers William Wright of Adams County. Many incidents are related of his work. He died were on the track of their prey. They rode at New Cumberland in 1832. His son, Dr. up to the house as though chasing a wild Robert Nebinger Lewis, was associated beast.

After searching the outbuildings, with him in practice of medicine at Lewis- they declared the house must also be berry, and later removed to Dover. He searched, as they were confident that the was an ardent worker in the cause and slave was hiding or being hidden in it. passed through a number of perils at the They searched the house from cellar to gar- ret. The occupants were greatly dis- turbed, but in common with non-resistants, who had carefully counted the cost of main- taining their principles, they were calm un- der the trial. The slave leaped out of the

hands of pursuing slaveholders. At or near Newberrytown, a pistol was snapped at him by a slaveholder which failed of dis- charge. He died at Dover in 1846. There was hardly a town in this country that was more famed and well known than Lewis- east garret window, a distance of twenty- berry for its public discussions of anti- two feet. He started to run but was slavery, temperance, literature and every- brought down by heavy fowling pieces, and thing that tended to moral and intellectual was severely wounded. He was removed

598

HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

to the barn where sixteen buckshots were and well-to-do citizens. In 1760 there were extracted from his body. He was taken more than 100 redemptioners in York back to Virginia as a warning to others who County. In 1781 there were forty-nine. were trying to gain freedom by flight. It An advertisement for the recovery of a was reported that he died later of his runaway servant was very common in those wounds.

These events occurred about the year 1830 and were often related by Joseph Wickersham, whose mind was a storehouse of information of this and kindred topics.

The adjoining counties of Adams and Cumberland had a number of operators who were in close association with those of York County. In fact Daniel Kauffman, of Cumberland County, was subjected to a fine with costs amounting to $5,000 for aid- ing slaves, who were sent to him by Amos Griest of York County.

The history of the Underground Railroad in York County is so closely associated with that of surrounding counties that a fuller consideration of its workings would render it necessary to embrace them also. The work for the most part was done in secret and was unobtrusive, very few if any written records being left behind. The Fugitive Slave Law caused the destruction of such written data as had been preserved up to that time. How many fugitives passed through York County has not been estimated but the number in the aggregate was large. Some operators in other coun- ties claimed to have aided as many as three thousand.

SERVANTS AND REDEMPTIONERS.

Servants were in great demand during the colonial days, and shiploads of laboring people were brought across the ocean and disposed of in America by indenture. The form was little better than slavery. As re- corded in the early taxable lists of York County, they were assessed as personal property, the same as colored slaves. Most of them in this county were "redemption- ers" from Germany; some from other countries. Indentures were prepared be- An interesting case was brought before the courts of York County in December, 1821, relating to the authority over an es- caped slave from Maryland, owned by a man named Showers, who recaptured and reclaimed the negro as his property. The abolition society of York protested, claim- fore setting sail for this country, binding the subject to serve for a number of years, rarely less than four. Servitude of this kind existed as late as 1800 in York County. Many European mechanics, as well as farmers, came here under such conditions, and some of both classes, after serving the ing that the mother of the negro had been term of their indenture, became prosperous set free before the birth of her son. The

days. Sometimes "three cents reward" was offered for their return.

The most remarkable case was that of James Annesley, son of Arthur Annesley, (Lord Altham) who, as an orphan boy, was enticed on board by an uncle who wanted to get possession of his legacy. The boy was landed at Philadelphia and sold as a ser- vant by the captain, to fulfill the contract with the uncle. His place of servitude was forty miles west of Philadelphia, where he remained twelve years. In 1740 he was discovered by two Irish emigrants to America from his native place. He was taken from his condition of servitude, re- turned home, and in 1743 brought suit against the uncle for the recovery of his property and gained his case; but pending an appeal to the House of Lords, he died. A story by the celebrated novelist, Charles Reade, entitled the "Wandering Heir," was founded upon this incident.

The sale of redemptioners became a business during colonial days. They were brought to this country and then taken through the land and sold by indenture. On this account those who sold them were called "soul-drivers." The following tra- ditional story records an incident said to have taken place in York County. One of these venders of human beings had dis- posed of all except one, who proved to be as ingenious at making a bargain as his owner. Having put up at a tavern for the night, the sagacious servant rose' first and sold his master to the landlord, recovering a handsome sum. He quickly departed, but first warning the landlord that the servant he sold him had a vicious habit of telling falsehoods and warned him that he might try to pass off as the master.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 107

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372