USA > Pennsylvania > Delaware County > Chester > History of the Underground railroad in Chester and the neighboring counties of Pennsylvania > Part 7
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Young Parker's grandmother being cook at the "great house," could only do him her little acts of kind- ness when she had the opportunity of going to the "Quarters."
As he grew older, "his rights at the fire-place," he re-
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marked, "were won by his childish fists. And this ex- perience in his boyhood," he adds, " has since been re- peated in his manhood, when his rights as a freeman were, under God, secured by his own right arm."
Neither of his young masters would allow his slaves to be beaten or abused, as many slaveholders did, al- though the overseers sometimes whipped or struck them; but every year a number of them were sold-sometimes as many as six or seven at a time.
One day the slaves were told they need not go to work, but come to the "great house." As they were preparing to go, a number of strange white men drove up. They proved to be slave-traders. Parker and a companion of his about the same age, became alarmed, ran away and climbed a pine tree where they remained all day listening to the cries and wailings of men, women, and children as one by one they were being sold, and family connections and ties were being sundered. These slave sales were more solemn occasions in reality to the blacks than the funerals of loved ones among the whites. Families separated, not by deaths, but by sales; and those who remained seldom ever knew the fate of those who were driven off to be sold again in other markets.
It was while in the pine tree that day, that the idea first entered his mind of running away to the Free States to escape being sold. He was then about ten or eleven years of age. He proposed it to his companion, Levi. But he thought if they got clear this time, per- haps they would not be sold.
Night came on. Its darkness added to the solemnity of the day's sadness. Levi wanted to go back to see if
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they had sold his mother; but Parker, in speaking of that occasion some years after, said, "I did not care about going back, as I had no mother to be sold. How desolate I was! No home, no protector, no mother, no attachments. As we turned our faces toward the quarter where we might at any moment be sold to satisfy a debt, or to replenish a failing purse, I felt myself to be what I really was-a poor friendless slave-boy."
On seeing his mother, Levi ran to her and asked- "Mother, were you sold ?"
"No, child."
She then told the boys who of their uncles and aunts had been sold.
About a year after this Levi was sold. Parker re- mained on the plantation until he was about seventeen ; still harboring in his mind thoughts of and desire for freedom; yet not for once thinking that it was a possi- ble thing for him to leave without some exciting provo- cation. So one day when his master was going to whip him with an ox-gad for refusing to go out in the rain to work, young Parker thought that was his opportunity, and seizing the stick, whipped his master and bade him good-bye. On his way past a field he beckoned to his brother, who joined him, and they pursued their way northward. Once having started, the fires of liberty glowed in his bosom; he liad cast off the shackles of slavery, and never more would he submit to a return to them.
The fugitives' liberty was not always secured without a struggle, and thus these two boys found it. When near to the town of York they were interrupted by three white mien. After some conversation one of them,
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a very large man, said : " You are the fellows this ad- vertisement calls for," at the same time reading to them out of a paper. It was their description exactly. The man continued:
"You must go back."
Parker signified that they would not.
"I have taken many a runaway and I can take you," replied the man as he put one hand in his pocket as if to draw a pistol, and reached the other toward Parker, who struck him across the arm with a heavy stick. The arm fell as if broken. Battle commenced. The men ran. The boys gave chase, determined to inflict still greater injuries, but the men outran them.
When nearing Columbia, in the darkness of night, they heard men coming behind them ; they dropped into a fence-corner to let them pass. They recognized the voice of one as that of their master.
They both arrived safely in Lancaster county and hired with farmers. Kidnapping and rumors of kid- nappers were of frequent occurrence and kept the col- ored people in a constant state of apprehension. They formed an organization for self-protection, and to pre- vent any of their number from being carried into slavery. In that part of Lancaster county the majority of white people were very hostile to negroes; and if slaveholders or kidnappers wished to enter a house they did not hesitate to break open doors and forcibly make their entrance.
This unwelcome intrusion was made at the house of one of Parker's friends while he was there visiting and discussing the dangers to which they were subjected from these parties of white men. About three or four came and
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knocked. Upon refusing to tell who they were, admit- tance was denied them. They opened the door and walked in. The leader drew a pistol on Parker who seized a pair of heavy tongs, struck him a severe blow in the face which knocked him senseless for a few mo- ments ; the others did not dare to risk an encounter, but lifting up their injured comrade, walked sullenly away. This began to give Parker a reputation among both the colored people and the kidnapping fraternity for un- daunted boldness and remarkable power. He had re- solved that "no slaveholder or kidnapper should take back a fugitive if he could but get his eye on him." And they had abundant testimony of how faithfully he kept his word. Neither unequal numbers, nor pistols pointed at him could impress him with a thought of fear. It was a remark of Lindley Coates that " he was bold as a lion, the kindest of men, and the warmest and most steadfast of friends."
He led a few colored men against far superior num- bers at the Court-house in Lancaster to rescue a man whom the slave-owner had proved to be his property. Pistols were fired, stones and brick-bats thrown at him, but he heeded them not. They unbound the man, but he was so bewildered by the sudden struggle that he stood still and allowed himself to be bound again and taken back to the jail. During this time the slave- owners and their posse, with a number of pro-slavery co-adjutors were trying to arrest the blacks. Three times they had Parker, but they were to him as the green withes to Samson. One after another fell before the heavy blows dealt by his strong arm, until the others turned and fled. The friends of the recaptured man
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then raised a sufficient amount of money to purchase his freedom-the master undoubtedly thinking it better to sell him then than to attempt again to take him back.
At another time kidnappers seized a man and were hastening with him to Maryland. Parker with six others pursued, and on coming up to them pistols and guns were freely used on both sides. Parker received a shot in the leg, which brought him to the ground. He quickly rose; the kidnappers called for quarter; the man was released and the victors returned. Arriving home Parker cut the ball out of his leg with a pen- knife and kept the secret of his being wounded to him- self.
These are but a few of the many incidents in which he was the leading spirit, and chief instrument in pre- venting the colored people of his section, both free and slave, from being bound and carried off. How many more might have been swept away from their homes without legal warrants, by those mercenary negro- stealers who infested that party of Lancaster county, had they not been afraid of, and measurably held at bay by the the powerful and dauntless Parker, it would be impossible to tell. So frequently did colored men go to work in the fields and never return, and were colored girls snatched from the homes of their employers, or whole families carried off in the night and never again heard from, that it was an almost daily question with them, " Whose turn will come next?" No law threw its guards around the free negroes to prevent their being stolen; and there was no law to protect the fugitives, who loved even the imperfect freedom they possessed better than the bondage in which they once lived.
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Such was the condition of things in that section of country adjacent to Christiana for some time prior to the riot, and which prepared the colored people for, and incited them to the resolute stand which they took in self-defence on that occasion.
For some days before this conflict two or three men were travelling through the neighborhood peddling goods. Their looks and actions aroused suspicion that they were spies, and this feeling was impressed still more upon the colored people by reports afloat that an attack was soon to be made on Parker's house. He gave but little thought to the rumors, although he did not question the probability of their truthfulness. He and his two brothers-in-law, Alexander Pinkney and Abraham Johnson, lived in a tenement belonging to Levi Pownall, one and three-fourths miles southwest from Christiana. Saralı Pownall, wife of Levi, had a conver- sation with him the night before the riot, and urged him, if slaveholders should come, not to lead the colored people to resist the Fugitive Slave Law by force of arms, but to escape to Canada. He replied that if the laws protected colored men as they did white men, he too would be non- resistant and not fight, but would appeal to the laws. "But," said he, "the laws for personal protection are not made for us, and we are not bound to obey them. If a fight occurs I want the whites to keep away. They have a country and may obey the laws. But we have no country."
When Parker went home that evening he found two of his colored neighbors there very much excited over a report that slaveholders with a United States officer were on their way to that place to capture slaves. The
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Managers of the Underground Railroad depot in Phila- delphia, who were iu close communication and knew everything of importance that was transpiring, learned that Edward Gorsuch, of Maryland, with several others, was in the city arranging plans for the capturing of some of Gorsuch's slaves at Christiana. So adroitly and successfully did these managers, or Vigilance Commit- tee, carry out their part of the work, that they ascer- tained the whole plan of the slaveholders and their allies, and sent one of their trusty agents, Samuel Wil- liams, a colored man, to accompany the party, and. when he had the most favorable opportunity, to notify the colored inhabitants of. that section of the approach- ing danger. He left the cars at Penningtonyille (now Atglen), and proceeded hastily to Christiana and gave the information before the party, who had separated and taken different routes, had met at the place they had designated.
Parker's friends remained in the house all night. In the morning before daylight, (September 11th, 1851), when one of them started out, he was met by two men, while others came up simultaneously on either side. He ran back to the house, and up stairs where Parker and his wife were sleeping, and shouted " Kidnappers ! Kid- nappers!" He was followed by the men, one of whom, Henry H. Kline, started up stairs after him. He was met by Parker who asked, " Who are you ?"
" I am the United States Marshal," answered Kline. Parker cautioned him against advancing further.
"I am United States Marshal," bawled Kline again with the evident assurance that the announcement of his legal authority would intimidate the negroes.
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" I don't care for you nor the United States," replied Parker with an emphasis that convinced Kline it was not an ordinary " nigger" he was encountering.
Pinkney then spoke, and said " they might as well give up."
Parker rebuked him. A colloquy then ensued be- tween Kline and Parker, when Edward Gorsuch ad- vanced, and with some remarks began ascending the stairs.
Parker told him he might come, but warned him of the consequences.
Kline told Gorsuch to stop and he would read the warrant to Parker. He did so. But he might as well have read it to the Rock of Gibralter and commanded it to come down and crumble at his feet. Gorsuch then told Kline to go up as he was marshal. He started again, saying, " I am coming."
" Come on," said Parker.
But Kline's vaunted interpidity failed him. He went back and urged the negroes to " give up with- out any more fuss, that he was bound to take them anyhow."
But all talk availed nothing. Kline then threatened to burn the house, and ordered his men to bring straw. "Burn us," said Parker, " but you can't take us. None but a coward would talk like that."
By this time daylight was appearing. Parker's wife asked if she should blow the horn. He assented. She blew it from a garret window. Kline wanted to know what it meant. Parker made no answer. It was an understanding among the colored people that when a horn was blown they were to run to the spot. Kline
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told his men to shoot any one they saw blowing a horn. When Parker's wife went to the window a second time and commenced blowing, two men fired at her, but missed her. She dropped below the window, and blew continuously, and the men kept firing, but without effect. The colored people of the neighborhood were now aroused, and came in from different directions, armed with guns, clubs, etc. About twenty or more white men came out of the woods close by, whom Parker supposed to be members of the Gap gang in collusion with the slaveholders, and whose object was, after Gorsuch should discover that he and his brothers-in-law were not his slaves, to take advan- tage of the occasion to kidnap them. These men were immediately enrolled by Kline as " Special Constables."
When Pinkney saw the white men there in superior numbers, he thought there was no use in fighting them ; they might as well give up, and started down stairs. Parker threatened to turn his battery on him if he showed any more such pusillanimity. "Yes," remarked Kline, "they would give up if it was not for you." There was a lull in the firing. The blacks had not yet returned a shot. Elijah Lewis and Castner Hanway now came up, the latter on horseback. Kline read his warrants to them and demanded their assistance. They refused, and told the slaveholders if they attempted to take those men they would get hurt. They paid no heed to the admonition. While they were talking, Parker, followed by the four men in his house, came to the door. Gorsuch thought they intended to escape. He drew out his revolver and signalled his men into line. They numbered about three or four times as many as the blacks. Parker stepped up immediately in front of
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him, and placing his hand upon his shoulder, said, " Look here, old man, I have seen pistols before to-day." Turning to Kline, he said, "you said you would take us; now you have a chance." Dickerson Gorsuch entreated his father to come away, but he asserted with an oath that he would have his property. Parker still main- taining his position said, " We don't want to hurt you, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself to be in this business, and you a class-leader at home."
Dickerson's face flushed, and he said, "father, I would not take that insult from a d-d nigger ;" at the same time he raised his revolver and fired, the ball passing close to Parker's head, cutting the hair. Before he could fire another, Parker knocked the pistol out of his hand. Fighting then commenced in earnest. Dicker- son fell wounded. He arose and was shot again. The old man, after fighting valiantly, was killed. The others of the slaveholders with the United States Mar- shal and his aids fled, pursued by the negroes. While Dickerson lay bleeding in the edge of the woods, Joseph P. Scarlett, a Quaker, came up and protected him from the infuriated negroes, who pressed forward to take his life. One was in the act of shooting, when Joseph pushed him aside, saying : "Don't kill him."
Dickerson remarked: "I did not think our boys (meaning the slaves), would have treated us in this way."
Joseph asked if he had seen any of them.
" Yes," he replied, "I have seen four."
When the fight had ended Parker returned to his house. There lay Edward Gorsuch near by dead. Dickerson, he heard, was dying, and others were wounded. The victor viewed the field of his contest,
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but he possessed too much of the noble spirit of man- hood to feel a pride in the death of his, adversary. He offered the use of anything in his house that might be needed for the comfort of the wounded.
He then went to Levi Pownall's and asked if Dickerson could not be brought there and cared for, remarking that one death was enough. He regretted the killing, and said it was not he who had done it.
He then inquired of Levi Pownall, Jr., what he thought best for him and Pinkney and Johnson to do. Levi advised them to start for Canada that night.
Dr. A. P. Patterson was sent for and examined Dick- erson's wounds. He pronounced them serious, but not fatal. Levi Pownall put a soft bed in a wagon and had Dickerson conveyed upon it to his house, where for three weeks he received as assiduous care and attention as though he had been one of their own household. He did not expect this from Quakers, whom he had learned to despise as abolitionists. As each became acquainted with the other during his stay, they grew to esteem him for the noble characteristics which he possessed, and he manifested gratitude for the kind and home-like nursing he received at their hands. They told him they had no , sympathy with the institution of slavery, but that should not deter them from giving him the kind care and sym- pathy due from man to man.
In the afternoon Levi Pownall, Jr., went to the house of Parker to look after clothing, etc. To his surprise he found a great number of letters put away in safe places. He carried them home, and on examination they proved to be from escaped fugitives, many of whom Parker had assisted. Had these letters been
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found by the slaveholders or the United States Marshall they would have led to the detection of the slaves, and would have divulged the means by which they had escaped. He destroyed them all.
When night came Levi Pownall's house was crowded with friends of the wounded man, together with com- missioners, deputy marshalls, lawyers, etc., all of whoni were there entertained. A police force filled the front porch and yard, as the party feared they might be at- tacked by colored people and abolitionists.
After dark, Parker, Pinkney and Johnson, who were unaware of what was going on at the house, were ob- served by the family cautiously approaching the kitchen part of the dwelling. One of the women went out, quickly brought them in at that door, which fortunately was not guarded, and apprised them of their danger. On entering, they had to pass so near to one of the guards at a partly open door that the lady's dress rubbed against them.
A counsel was held in a whisper, in a dark room. It was decided to dress the men in good clothes, especially hats, and let them walk boldly out the front door, ac- companied by some of the ladies. Sarah Pownall, wife of Levi, with her characteristic thoughtfulness and motherly kindness inquired of them if they had eaten anything during the day. They said they had not. She filled a pillow case with provisions and gave it to one of the younger children who put it under a tree at some distance from the house, and returning, told the men where to find it. All things being in readiness, and the men admonished to silence, they walked out past the guards, accompanied by E. B. Pownall and her sister, F
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1 ...
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who conversed with them upon some ordinary topic as though they had been friendly callers, and bade them good-bye at the gate. The darkness of the night pre- vented the guards from discovering the color of the men.
As they were about to start out of the house, Pinkney and Johnson appeared in a thoughtful mood, as if weighing in their minds the chances before them. The one was leaving behind him a mother, the other a wife and child. Tears came to their eyes. But their faltering appeared to arise from a feeling of fear and a wavering of resolution at the critical step they were about to take. But not so with Parker. His was a resolution as fixed as the law of gravitation. He had determined years before that no slaveholder should ever again fasten upon him the inexorable chains of a degrading and inhuman bondage. He compressed his lips, and with a look and tone of Roman firmness, commanded them to "follow him and not to flinch." Obeying him, and accompanied by the women, they passed out of the house.
After leaving this family, with whom they had lived for several years, they truly were, as Parker remarked the evening before, "without a country "-homeless wanderers in a "Land of Freedom," soon to be hunted by men as eager as bloodhounds to seize them and carry them back into the possession of incensed slaveholders, to be sold or treated according as their feelings or pas- sions should dictate-and this hunting ground was the soil of free Pennsylvania.
" Where all Europe with amazement saw The soul's high freedom trammelled by no law ; Here where the fierce and warlike forest men Gathered, in peace, around the home of Penn, Where Nature's voice against the bondsman's wrong, First found an earnest and indignant tongue."
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When vague rumors came floating in to the Pownall's that Parker had been killed, or that he had been fatally wounded, Dickerson invariably ejaculated, " I hope that is not true," adding in his Southern vernacular " he's a noble nigger."
It might here be remarked, that when Edward Gor- such resolved to come North to capture his slaves, Dickerson endeavored to prevail with him against it. But the old man was "determined to have his property," and would not be counselled. Dickerson then accom- panied him as a filial duty. In the fight he was the bravest of them all, refusing to leave when the others fled, and his son remained with him until the one re- ceived his fatal blow and the other his almost mortal wound.
A few days after the riot a lawyer came to Pownall's, read a paper to them giving notice of a suit, and claim- ing damages for harboring the slaves of Edward Gor- such. The names of Gorsuch's slaves with alleged aliuses were given. Among the aliases were the names of Parker, Pinkney and Johnson. The date of the escape of Gorsuch's slaves was given correctly, but Parker, Pinkney and Johnson had been in the neighborhood several years before. Sarah Pownall noticed this error, and when the lawyer finished reading, she asked to see the paper. It was given to her. She handed it to a friend who was present, and called his attention to the date. He read it, and testified that Parker had worked for him and for others two years before that time. See- ing the clearness of this error the lawyer took the paper again in his hands. Sarah remarked to him, " We are witnesses to the date in that paper, and it cannot be
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changed. It proves that there was no warrant for the arrest of the men living in our house, but for other men; and we have a legal claim for damages against those who entered our house and destroyed property. Thee has no legal claim against us." Nothing further was ever said about a suit for damages.
This action of Parker, Pinkney, and Johnson in self- defense against slaveholders who had no legal claim to them, nor any warrant, actually, for their arrest, who fired the first shot in the affray, and the refusal of Cast- ner Hanway, Elijah Lewis and others to assist in ar- resting these colored men, under the Fugitive Slave Act, was considered by Southerners as Treason, which means, in the language of the Constitution, " levying war against the United States, or in adhering to their enemies, giving theni aid and comfort." Hanway was the first, and only one tried under that charge. Theo- dore Cuyler, Esq., in his speech for the defense said; " Do the facts of the case sustain the charge?
"Sir-Did you hear it? That three harmless, non- resisting Quakers, and eight and thirty wretched, miser- able, penniless negroes, armed with corn-cutters, clubs, and a few muskets, and headed by a miller, in a felt hat, without a coat, without arms, and mounted on a sorrel nag, levied war against the United States? Blessed be God that our Union has survived the shock."
When the Southern men with the United States Mar- shal and his aids fled from the fight, a gentleman from Baltimore, whose name we withold, ran precipitately across a field to the house of Thomas Pownall, and without stopping at the door to knock, or to ask permis- sion to enter, rushed in, got under a bed, and begged
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