USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Chester > History of the Underground railroad in Chester and the neighboring counties of Pennsylvania > Part 2
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caster and Chester counties in Congress two terms, purchased a young slave, named Stephen Smith, of a Mr. Cochrane, living a few miles south of Harrisburg. Smith would have been free at 28, but was given his liberty before that time. In the same year Smith's mother ran away from Cochrane and went to General Boude's. In a few weeks a spinster rode up to the house, dismounted, and walked into the kitchen without any ceremony. Meeting Mrs. Smith she ordered her to "pack up her duds and come with her." Mrs. Smith refuscd, whereupon she seized her and endeavored to carry her to the horse and bear her off. Young Stephen ran out and told the General, who came to the house and ordered the woman away. This was the first case of attempted kidnapping that occurred in Columbia so far as is known. The General afterwards purchased Mrs. Smith.
About this time a wealthy planter of Virginia manu- mitted his slaves, fifty-six in number. The heirs en- deavored to retain them as their property, but after two years of litigation the Legislature of Virginia and the courts decreed their freedom. They were brought to Columbia in wagons.
A year later Sally Bell, a Friend, of Virginia, emanci- pated about 75 or 100 slaves, who also settled in Columbia. Quite a number of slaves fled from their masters and went there. Frequent attempts were made by pursuers to capture and return theni to slavery, some of which were successful.
WILLIAM WRIGHT.
William Wright, of Columbia, who had become an uncompromising hater of slavery, was an active man of
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strong nerve power, possessing a thorough knowledge of the law pertaining to the institution, and a presence of mind equal to any occasion. He assisted all fugitives who applied to him, and when he heard of any being captured, he lost no opportunity by his broad deep strategy, in court or out of it, to secure the captive's escape.
On several occasions when fugitives came to his place closely pursued by their hunters, he hastily dressed them in women's clothes and sent them to Daniel Gibbons, about six miles cast of Lancaster.
The slaves were now escaping in such large numbers, and passing through Columbia, that the slaveholders de- termined to intercept them by employing men to watch the place and arrest every fugitive. They paid a man named Eaton several hundred dollars a year to remain there and give information; and also stipulated with Charles Taylor, who drove stage between Columbia, York and Baltimore, for the same purpose. Notwith- standing this, few arrests were made, and of those appre- hended some were rescued by the active abolitionists before they could be returned to bondage. The colored people of the town manifested no particularly tender feelings toward any one that came there for the purpose of carrying them back into slavery. They made a swoop one day upon a slave catcher, named Isaac Brooks, bore him through a deep snow to the back part of town, stripped him of his clothing and whipped him soundly with hickory-withes. He was never seen in Columbia afterwards.
The increased numbers now arriving made it neces- sary to establish other and reliable agencies along some
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direct line to the Eastern States and Canada, whither most of the fugitives desired to go, although many pre- ferred remaining with friendly farmers along the road and taking their chances for safety. This line very naturally shaped itself by way of some of the noblest hearted, earnest, sympathizing Abolitionists in Adams, York, Lancaster, Chester, Montgomery, Berks and Bucks counties to Phoenixville, Norristown, Quaker- town, Reading, Philadelphia and other places. The two first stations nearest the Maryland line were Gettys- burg and York. When ten or twenty fugitives arrived in a gang at Gettysburg, half were sent to Harrisburg and half to Columbia. The Columbia branch was chiefly used as it had better facilities for escape. Sta- tions were established southward from Columbia toward the Maryland line, and northward or eastward at dis- tances about 10 miles apart.
The principal agents on the line running northward and eastward were Danicl Gibbons, Thomas Peart, Thomas Whitson, Lindley Coates, Dr. Eshleman, James Moore, Caleb C. Hood, of Lancaster county ; James Fulton, Gideon Pierce, Joseph Haines, Thomas Bonsall, Gravner Marsh, Zebulon Thomas, Thomas Vickers, John Vickers, Micajah and William A. Speakman, Esther Lewis and daughters, Dr. Edwin Fussell, William Fussell, Norris Maris, Emmor Kimber, and Elijah F. Pennypacker, of Chester county ; Rev. Samuel Aaron, Isaac Roberts, John Roberts, Dr. Wm. Corson, Dr. Jacob L. Paxson, Daniel Ross, colored, and others of Norristown. This was subsequently called the northern route through Chester county.
Thus was the Underground Railroad established and
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put into successful operation until, as Thomas Garrett said, " the government went into the business, and made a wholesale emancipation." And to William Wright, of Columbia, grandson of John Wright, is due the credit of being one of the first anti-slavery advocates who arranged and put into practice, at the risk of his life, this well-known but secretly conducted transit of the slave from bondage to freedom.
The inherent spirit of liberty now impelled still greater numbers along the border counties, and further south, to leave their masters, and in pursuing a northern course the majority of them came through the southern part of Lancaster and Chester counties. The ever benevolent abolitionists assisted them from friend to friend, until another route, more travelled than the first, was, almost as if by spontaneity, established among them. This, with its branches, was called the southern and middle route. Being contiguous to the border slave States, a rapid transit of passengers had to be made, which was not unfrequently attended with excit- ing incidents of close pursuit and of narrow escapes.
Many who came on this route crossed the Susque- hanna at points in the vicinity of Havre-de-Grace, and were forwarded by Joseph Smith, Oliver Furniss, and others in Lancaster county. A still greater number came from Wilmington through the hands of Thomas Garrett, Benjamin, William and Thomas Webb, and Isaac S. Flint. Many others came direct from the more Southern Slave States, travelling by night only, and guided solely by the North star-their universal guide- until they reached some abolition friends along the line, who fed them, secreted them by day, and either took
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them to the next station at night, or gave them notes with the names of agents, and directions how to find them.
Every slave that came from the South knew the North Star, and that by following it he would reach a land of freedom. Trusting to this beacon light before them as a celestial pilot, thousands successfully made their escape. The slaveholders knowing this, freely ex- pressed their hatred for that star, and declared, if they could, they would tear it from its place in the heavens. But Josiah Henson, who was the character selected by Harriet Beecher Stowe as " Uncle Tom" in her " Uncle Tom's Cabin," said, "Blessed be God for setting it there."
Some of the branches of this line interlaced with the northern route, particularly at the Pierces and the Fultons in Ercildoun; Levi Coates, near Cochran- ville; Gravner Marsh, Caln; Esther Lewis and daugh- ters, Vincent; John Vickers, near Lionville, and Elijah F. Pennypacker's, near Phoenixville. At this place quite a number crossed the river into Montgomery county, and were sent in different directions, many of them to Norristown.
One route from Havre-de-Grace was by way of Thomas, Eli and Charles Hambleton's in Penn town- ship to Ercildoun, thence to Gravner Marsh's, John Vickers', and so on. Those who were sick or worn out were taken to Esther Lewis's and carefully nursed until able to proceed further.
After leaving Wilmington, the main route came by way of Allen and Maria Agnew, Isaac and Dinah Mendenhall, Dr. Bartholomew Fussell, and John and
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Hannah Cox, near Kennet; Simon and Sarah D. Barnard, East Marlborough; Eusebius and Sarah Marsh Barnard and Wm. Barnard, Pocopsin ; Isaac and Thamazine P. Meredith, Mordecai and Esther Hayes, Newlin ; James Fulton, Jr., and Gideon Pierce, Ercil- doun ; Dr. Eshelman, Zebulon Thomas and daughters, Downingtown; Micajah and William Speakman, Uwchlan ; John Vickers and Charles Moore, Lionville ; Esther Lewis and daughters, Mary, Elizabeth and Graceanna, William Fussell, Dr. Edwin Fussell and Norris Maris, West Vincent ; Enmor Kimber, Kimber- ton, and Elijah F. Pennypacker, near Phoenixville.
Another branch passed by way of Chandler Dar- lington, Kennet ; Benjamin Price, East Bradford; the Darlington sisters and Abraham D. Shadd, West Chester. Dividing here, one portion united with the northern and middle routes at John Vickers', and the other went to Nathan Evans, Willistown. Again divid- ing, one branch went to Philadelphia, the other to Elijah F. Pennypacker's, near Phoenixville.
When fugitives arrived at any of the stations in large numbers, and close together, many were frequently sent off the direct route to well known abolitionists in order to elude pursuit should slave-hunters be on their track. Among these, on the northern route, were Jeremiah Moore, Christiana ; Dr. Augustus W. Cain, West Sads- bury ; Joseph Brinton, Salisbury, Lancaster county ; Joseph Moore, Sadsbury, Lancaster county ; Joseph Fulton, West Sadsbury ; J. Williams Thome and James Williams, Sadsbury -- the latter known as " Abolition Jim," in contradistinction to one of same name near by, but of opposite principles-Seymour C. Williamson, B*
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Caln ; William Trimble, West Whiteland, and Charles Moore, Lionville.
Along the lower route were Mahlon and Amos Pres- ton, and Wm. Jackson, near West Grove; Benjamin and Hannah Kent, Penn township, and others who oc- casionally gave willing aid when required, but whose residences were not so located as to give them advantages whereby they could expedite travel to the safety of the fugitive.
To convey passengers successfully over the great trunk lines and branches of this road from its beginning to its terminus, to prevent captures, and to escape ar- rests and the mulcting punishments attached to slave- holding laws, required men of firmness, courage, sa- gacity, coolness and intrepidity in time of danger, pre- dominant philantrophy impelling them to do unto the liberty-seeking slave as they would be done by under similar circumstances, and having firm reliance on Him who commanded to " undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free." And it is a notable fact that nearly all who thus assisted the fugitive to freedom were members of the Society of Friends; although the ma- jority of that society, while averse to slavery, took no part in the labors, and, with few exceptions, refused the use of their meeting-houses for anti-slavery lectures.
In the early part of this concerted management slaves were hunted and tracked as far as Columbia. There the pursuers lost all trace of them. The most scrutinizing inquiries, the most vigorous search, failed to educe any knowledge of them. Their pursuers seemed to have reached an abyss, beyond which they could not see, the depths of which they could not fathom, and in
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their bewilderment and discomfiture they declared there must be an underground railroad somewhere. This gave origin to the terin by which this secret passage from bondage to freedom was designated ever after.
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CHAPTER II.
Slaves Escape in Large Numbers from Harford and Baltimore Coun- ties, Md .- Agents at Gettysburg .- At York Springs .- William Wright .- Twenty-Six Fugitives .- Another Party of Sixteen .- Another of Four .- Death of WM. WRIGHT, York Springs .- Agents in York .- Attempts to Intercept Fugitives at Columbia .- SAMUEL W. MIFFLIN .- Incidents.
The counties of Frederick, Carroll, Washington, Har- ford and Baltimore, Md., emptied their fugitives into York and Adams counties across the line in Pennsylva- nia. The latter two counties had settlements of Friends and abolitionists. The slaves learned who their friends were in that part of the Free State; and it was as natural for those aspiring to liberty to move in that direction, as for the waters of brooks to move toward larger streams.
Among the most active agents at Gettysburg, the station nearest the Maryland line, was a colored man whose residence was at the southern boundary of the the town, and Hamilton Everett, who lived a short dis- tance north of the suburbs. Thaddeus Stevens, as a young lawyer, first practising his profession, rendered valuable assistance.
There was a very friendly feeling in Gettysburg towards the abolitionists. The professors at the Col- lege and at the Theological Seminary were anti-slavery in sentiment and contributed to the cause ; but they had to do it cautiously, as many of their students were from the Southern States.
At the next important station, York Springs, Adams
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WILLIAM WRIGHT.
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county, one of the most noted and successful managers was WILLIAM WRIGHT, a Friend. While possessing wisdom, sagacity and firmness to an eminent degree, he was as unassuming in manner as he was earnest and efficient in action.
He was born 12th mo. (December) 21st, 1788. In 11th mo. (November), 1817, he married Phebe Wier- man, sister of Hannah W. Gibbons, the wife of that sage and sympathizing friend of the slave, Daniel Gib- bons. William and Phebe Wright resided during their entire lives in a very old settlement of Friends, near the southern slope of South Mountain, a spur of the Alleghanies, which extends into Tennessee. This loca- tion placed them directly in the way to render great and valuable aid to fugitives, as hundreds guided by that mountain range northward, came into Pennsyl- vania, and were directed to their home.
A party of twenty-six came to York about 1842, from Anne Arundel county, Md. It was one night's walk from there to Wrightsville, the next important station. The night being cloudy they became bewildered on their way, and concluded they could travel in day time. They turned around and were coming back, when they met a colored man near York who knew they were slaves, and told them they were going toward Maryland. He put them on the right road, with directions northward. Early next morning, when near Wrightsville, they fol- lowed some wagons which they knew were going there. After crossing the bridge into Columbia they were happy, and lay around on the ground, thinking they were safe in Canada. They were spoken to by a person who knew they were fugitives, and told of their danger.
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They looked astonished, and asked if they were not in Canada. When told not, they were frightened, and some started off in the midst of his talking, and could scarcely be persuaded to wait for directions. They were armed with clubs, pistols and guns. He finally induced them to listen to him long enough to give them direc- tions how they should pass through Columbia. But they started off in one gang through the streets, defying any authority that might attempt to apprehend them.
When nearing Lancaster they met a man who knew from their appearance that they were slaves. He stopped and tried to converse with them; but they seemed to distrust his purpose, and appeared determined to proceed headlong despite all counsel. But finally he convinced them that he was their friend, and that there was a large town a short distance ahead where they would be in danger unless they listened to and obeyed his directions. He then told them how to enter the town, to pass the Court-house, and to go on until they came opposite an office-describing it so they would know it. They were then to enter and walk up to a man, who was Thaddeus Stevens, and give him a paper upon which had been written an account of the men. They did so. He told them to sit down and he would get them something to eat. After refreshing themselves he gave them directions to Daniel Gibbons.
Daniel was sitting on his piazza when they came up. He accosted them with, "come in boys; I know who you are; I have been looking for you." After giving them food he separated the party, and sent them in dif- ferent directions.
A party of sixteen came to York about 1843, and were
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consigned to Joel Fisher of that place, who was in con- stant correspondence with William Wright and Dr. Lewis, of Lewisburg. When they arrived, William Wright and Dr. Lewis happened to be at Joel Fisher's house. The fugitives were taken into a neighboring cornfield and hidden under the shocks. The following night Dr. Lewis piloted them to hear his house at Lew- isburg on the Conewago, where they were concealed sev- eral days, the doctor carrying them provisions in his saddle-bags. When their pursuers had ceased hunting for them in William Wright's neighborhood, he went down to Lewisburg, and in company with Dr. Lewis took the sixteen across the river, fording it on horse- back, taking the men and women behind them, and car- rying the children in their arms. It was a gloomy night in November. Dark heavy clouds swept across the sky, obscuring at intervals the light of the moon, and casting their sombre shadows upon the waters which, swollen by recent rains, were rolling in a dangerous tor- rent. When the last one had got safely over, the doctor, who professed to be an atheist, looked upon the party and their midnight surroundings, and upon the efforts being made in behalf of these poor creatures, and from the depth of a heart filled with sympathy he exclaimed : "Great God! is this a Christian land ; and are Chris- tians thus forced to flee for their liberty ?" William Wright took the party to his house that night, and con- cealed them in a forest near by until it was safe to start them on their way to Canada.
In the early part of harvest, 1851, four slaves came to William Wright's house from Maryland. They were in a state of semi-nudity, their clothing being nearly all
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torn off and hanging in tatters. At this hospitable home they were furnished with clothing and shoes. Learning that the slaveholders had gone to Harrisburg in search of them, two were concealed at William Wright's place, and the other two sent for concealment to Joel Wierman, his brother-in-law, two miles distant. In a day or two while William Wright with the colored men and some workmen was at the barn, a party of hunters came up and recognized the two slaves as be- longing to one of their numbers. The negroes, appar- ently giving themselves up, said they had left their coats at the house. William Wright told them to go and get them. One was seen by the family to take his coat hastily from one of the out-buildings. Giving them time to get their coats, William Wright and the slave- holders walked leisurely to the house.
Stepping upon the piazza where his wife was seated, he said, giving her a significant and piercing glance, " Phebe, these are Mr. - and Mr. - and Mr. - from Maryland, and Mr. - from Pennsylvania. Gentlemen, this is my wife. These gentlemen claim to be the owners of Tom, Fenton, Sam and George. Gen- tlemen, be seated." Taking from her husband's look that they were to be entertained and thus delayed for a purpose, Phebe Wright arose in her dignified manner and seconded her husband in his invitation. Her eldest daughter coming to the door she cast at her a glance that told the story. William Wright sent for some fresh water and some cherries that were near by in the dining room. After these elaborate preliminaries, which took some time, had been gone through with, Phebe Wright said, in rather a surprised tone: "Do I under-
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stand you to say that you claim to be the owners of these colored men?" On their replying in the affirmative, she said : " Do you recognize the Scripture as the guide of your lives ?" "Certainly, madame," said one, assum- ing a a very sanctimonious air, "I am an elder in the Baptist church." He proved, although, as subsequent events showed, a very bad man, to be not without fear of the higher law, for, when Phebe Wright, sending for the Bible, proved to him from its pages the sin that he was committing in holding slaves, his teeth chattered with terror. After three-quarters of an hour thus spent, they arose saying that it was time to proceed to business, and asked William Wright to produce the men. He replied: "Oh! that is not my business at all; if they are you slaves, as you assert, you saw them, it was your business to take them." In answer to their assertion that he was hiding their slaves, he said : "Haven't I been here all the time? How can I have concealed your slaves? If you have your lawful authority here is the house ; search it. I shall not help you, but I can't pre- vent you." With this they showed their warrants and proceeded to search the house. After this they went through the out-buildings, William Wright saying: "I will go with you. You charge me with being responsi- ble for your slaves; this I deny, as they were within your grasp half an hour ago." Continuing, he said : "Gentlemen, I protest against this whole proceeding and consider the Fugitive Slave Law no law in that it contravenes the law of God. But, you have the wicked law of the land on your side. I can't prevent you." Of course all this was done to detain the slaveholders and to give the slaves a chance to escape. In the search
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they passed the carriage-house, which stood a little to one side of the path between the house and the barn. They never seemed to think of entering this building. After the search was over, they having been induced to enter every nook and corner and to look into the most out-of-the-way and absurd places William Wright stood in the path a little beyond the carriage-house and indi- cating it, his out-buildings and house with a sweeping gesture of the hand, said : " Now, gentlemen, you will acknowledge that you have searched my house and out- buildings to your hearts' content. If you are still un- satisfied, we'll search the barn." So they searched the barn and then departed, expressing, with muttered oaths, much discontent at being, as they said, "hood- winked."
After their departure, the old slave Tom was found in the carriage-house, between the seats of the carriage, on his knees. He said that all the time the search was going on he was praying that the Lord would blind the searchers' eyes and confuse their understandings. To Phebe Wright's question, whether he was afraid, he re- plied, "No, madame, no. I felt dat de Lawd was about dah." It then appeared that William Wright, as he was escorting the slaveholders from the barn to the house, had seen this man's heels disappearing within the carriage-house door.
Fenton, who, by the way, was the son of the Baptist deacon, had taken refuge in a rye field. Beyond the house was a ditch which, at this time, was overgrown with reeds and tall grass. Into this he jumped and crawling, on his hands and knees, the distance of one field, entered the second which was the rye field afore-
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said. Here he remained till eleven o'clock at night when he came to the house, indicated his presence by whistling and rejoined Tom. They were fed and sent back to the rye field where they remained for several days, being fed at night.
The other two were taken to the farm of Joel Wier- man, where they remained concealed for several days in the barn. One of them, tiring of the monotony, begged to be allowed to go into the corn field where there were some men at work. Joel Wierman did not wish him to do this, but he persisted. To this field came the masters, fresh from their searchi at William Wright's. As soon as he saw them he ran across two fields, they following at full speed, and Joel Wierman bringing up the rear. Coming to a large stream, he plunged in and reached the opposite bank, which was very steep. As he began to climb it, they shouted to him that if he persisted, they would shoot him, they having fair aim. In dread of sudden death, he hesitated and they caught up with and captured him. His hands were tied behind him, the master holding the rope. Thus he was brought to William Wright's house. Phebe Wright quoted Serip- ture to the master, and used every argument she was mistress of, to induce him to promise not to sell Sam to the far South. "I assure you, madame," was his reply, "I am a paternal master. I don't desire the money this man would bring or even his services, but only to make him comfortable. Just look at the rags he is in. He would make you believe that he is kept in this way. I assure you he is not. He has run away and hidden in the mountains till he is in this condition. I shall take him home and clothe and shoe him." While this was
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going on at the house, one of the daughters went down to where the poor negro was tied, and said, "Sam, is your pistol with Fenton's things in the house ?" "No, Miss, I left my pistol in the barn at Mr. Wierman's." Then she filled his pockets with cherries-all she could do, alas! and advised him to run away again the first chance that he had. This he promised to do. The "paternal" master was seen dragging him through Get- tysburg tied as has been described. Instead of taking him to his home in Washington county, Md., he took him to Frederick City and sold hin to a slave dealer who, at that time was getting up a drove for the far South! He was never heard of again. The other three men, with the help of the managers of the Underground Railroad, reached Canada in safety.
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