The Underground Railroad
forwarded on North; but for some reason they were led to stop short of
Canada, readily finding employment and going to work to take care of
themselves. How they were received and in what way they were situated,
the subjoined letter from Edward will explain:
SKANEATELES, Dec. 17, 1857.
DEAR SIR:--As I promised to let you hear from me as soon as I
found a home, I will now fulfill my promise to you and say that
I am alive and well and have found a stopping place for the
winter.
When we arrived at Syracuse we found Mr. Loguen ready to receive
us, and as times are rather hard in Canada he thought best for
us not to go there, so he sent us about twenty miles west of
Syracuse to Skaneateles, where George Upshur and myself soon
found work. Henry Grimes is at work in Garden about eight miles
from this place.
If you should chance to hear any of my friends inquiring for me,
please direct them to Skaneateles, Onondaga county, N.Y.
If you can inform me of the whereabouts of Miss Alice Jones I
shall be very much obliged to you, until I can pay you better. I
forgot to ask you about her when I was at your house. She
escaped about two years ago.
Please not to forget to inquire of my wife, Rachel Land, and if
you should hear of her, let me know immediately, George Upshur
and myself send our best respects to you and your family.
Remember us to Mrs. Jackson and Miss Julia. I hope to meet you
all again, if not on earth may we so live that we shall meet in
that happy land where tears and partings are not known.
Let me hear from you soon. This from your friend and well
wisher,
EDWARD LEWIS,
formerly, but now WILLIAM BRADY.
GEORGE UPSHER.--The third in this arrival was also a full man. Slavery
had robbed him shamefully it is true; nevertheless he was a man of
superior natural parts, physically and intellectually. Despite the
efforts of slave-holders to keep him in the dark, he could read and
write a little. His escape in the manner that he did, implied a direct
protest against the conduct of Dr. Thomas W. Upsher, of Richmond, Va.,
whom, he alleged, deprived him of his hire, and threatened him with
immediate sale. He had lived in North Carolina with the doctor about two
years. As a slave, his general treatment had been favorable, except for
a few months prior to his flight, which change on the part of his master
led him to fear that a day of sale was nigh at hand. In fact the seventh
of July had been agreed upon when he was to be in Richmond, to take his
place with others in the market on sale day; his hasty and resolute move
for freedom originated from this circumstance. He was well-known in
Norfolk, and had served almost all his days in that city. These
passengers averaged about six feet, and were of uncommonly
well-developed physical structure.
The pleasure of aiding such men from the horrors of Carolina Slavery was
great.
* * * * *
ALFRED HOLLON, GEORGE AND CHARLES N. RODGERS.
The loss of this party likewise falls on Maryland. With all the efforts
exerted by slave-holders, they could not prevent the Underground Rail
Road from bringing away passengers.
Alfred was twenty-eight years of age, with sharp features, dark color,
and of medium size. He charged one Elijah J. Johnson, a commissioner of
Baltimore Co., with having deprived him of the fruits of his labor. He
had looked fully into his master's treatment of him, and had come to the
conclusion that it was wrong in every respect, for one man to make
another work and then take all his wages from him; thus decided, Alfred,
desiring liberty, whereby he could do better for himself felt that he
must "took out" and make his way to Canada. Nevertheless, he admitted
that he had been "treated pretty well" compared with others. True, he
had "not been fed very well;" Elijah, his master, was an old man with a
white head, tall and stout, and the owner of fifteen head of slaves. At
the same time, a member of St. John's church.
Alfred had treasured up the sad remembrance against him of the sale of
his mother from him when a little boy, only three years old. While he
was then too young to have retained her features in his memory, the fact
had always been a painful one to reflect upon.
George was twenty-six years of age, stout, long-faced, and of dark
complexion. He looked as though he might have eagerly grasped education
if the opportunity had been allowed him. He too belonged to Elijah J.
Johnson, against whom he entertained much more serious objections than
Alfred. Indeed, George did not hesitate to say with emphasis, that he
neither liked his old master, mistress, nor any of the family. Without
recording his grievances in detail, a single instance will suffice of
the kind of treatment to which he objected, and which afforded the
pretext for his becoming a patron of the Underground Rail Road.
It was this, said George: "I went into the corn-field and got some corn.
This made my master and mistress very mad, and about it Dr. Franklin
Rodgers, my young mistress' husband, struck me some pretty heavy blows,
and knocked me with his fist, etc." Thus, George's blood was raised, and
he at once felt that it was high time to be getting away from such
patriarchs. It was only necessary to form a strong resolution and to
start without delay.
There were two others who, he believed, could be trusted, so he made
known his intentions to them, and finding them sound on the question of
freedom he was glad of their company. For an emergency, he provided
himself with a pair of pistols and a formidable-looking knife, and
started, bent on reaching Canada; determined at least, not to be taken
back to bondage alive. Charles was twenty-four years of age, a very
dark-colored individual, and also belonged to said Johnson.
Charles was well acquainted with his old master and mistress, and made
very quick work of giving his experience. After hearing him, from the
manner in which he expressed himself, no one could doubt his earnestness
and veracity. His testimony ran substantially thus:
"For the last three years I have been treated very hard. In the presence
of the servants, old Johnson had me tied, stripped, and with his own
hands, flogged me on the naked back shamefully. The old mistress was
cross too." It was some time before the smarting ceased, but it was not
long ere the suffering produced very decided aspirations to get over to
John Bull's Dominions. He resolved to go, at all hazards. In order that
he might not be surprised on the Underground Rail Road without any
weapons of defense, determined as he was to fight rather than be dragged
back, he provided himself with a heavy, leaden ball and a razor. They
met, however, with no serious difficulty, save from hard walking and
extreme hunger. In appearance, courage, and mother-wit, this party was
of much promise.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM KENT COUNTY, 1857.
SAMUEL BENTON, JOHN ALEXANDER, JAMES HENRY, AND SAMUEL TURNER.
These passengers journeyed together from the land of whips and chains.
Sam Benton was about twenty-six years of age, medium size, pretty dark
color, and possessed a fair share of intelligence. He understood very
well how sadly Slavery had wronged him by keeping him in ignorance and
poverty.
He stated as the cause of his flight that William Campbell had oppressed
him and kept him closely at hard labor without paying him, and at the
same time "did not give him half enough to eat, and no clothing."
John Alexander was about forty-four years of age, a man of ordinary
size, quite black, and a good specimen of a regular corn-field hand.
"Why did you leave, John?" said a member of the Committee. He coolly
replied that "Handy (his master was named George Handy) got hold of me
twice, and I promised my Lord that he should never get hold of me
another time."
Of course it was the severity of these two visitations that made John a
thinker and an actor at the same time. The evil practices of the master
produced the fruits of liberty in John's breast.
James Henry, the third passenger, was about thirty-two years of age, and
quite a spirited-looking "article." A few months before he fled he had
been sold, at which time his age was given as "only twenty." He had
suffered considerably from various abuses; the hope of Canada however
tended to make him joyful.
The system of oppression from which these travelers fled had afforded
them no privileges in the way of learning to read. All that they had
ever known of civilization was what they perchance picked up in the
ordinary routine of the field.
Notice of the fourth passenger unfortunately is missing.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY, 1857.
ELIZABETH WILLIAMS.
Elizabeth fled in company with her brother the winter previous to her
arrival at the Philadelphia station. Although she reached free land the
severe struggle cost her the loss of all her toes. Four days and nights
out in the bitter cold weather without the chance of a fire left them a
prey to the frost, which made sad havoc with their feet
especially--particularly Elizabeth's. She was obliged to stop on the
way, and for seven months she was unable to walk.
Elizabeth was about twenty years of age, chestnut color, and of
considerable natural intellect. Although she suffered so severely as the
result of her resolution to throw off the yoke, she had no regrets at
leaving the prison-house; she seemed to appreciate freedom all the more
in consequence of what it cost her to obtain the prize.
In speaking of the life she had lived, she stated that her mistress was
"good enough," but her "master was a very bad man." His name was Samuel
Ward; he lived in Baltimore county, near Wrightstown. Elizabeth left her
mother, four brothers and one sister under the yoke.
* * * * *
MARY COOPER AND MOSES ARMSTEAD, 1857.
Mary arrived from Delaware, Moses from Norfolk, Virginia, and happened
to meet at the station in Philadelphia.
Mary was twenty years of age, of a chestnut color, usual size, and well
disposed. She fled from Nathaniel Herne, an alderman. Mary did not find
fault with the alderman, but she could not possibly get along with his
wife; this was the sole cause of her escape.
Moses was twenty-four years of age, of a chestnut color, a
bright-looking young man. He fled from Norfolk, Virginia, having been
owned by the estate of John Halters. Nothing but the prevailing love of
liberty in the breast of Moses moved him to seek his freedom. He did not
make one complaint of bad treatment.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM NEAR WASHINGTON, D.C.
JOHN JOHNSON AND LAWRENCE THORNTON.
John escaped from near Washington. He stated that he was owned by an
engraver, known by the name of William Stone, and added that himself and
seven others were kept working on the farm of said Stone for nothing.
John did not, however, complain of having a hard master in this
hard-named personage, (Stone); for, as a slave, he confessed that he had
seen good times. Yet he was not satisfied; he felt that he had a right
to his freedom, and that he could not possibly be contented while
deprived of it, for this reason, therefore, he dissolved his
relationship with his kind master.
John was about twenty-seven years of age, smart, possessed good manners,
and a mulatto.
Lawrence was about twenty-three years of age, tall and slender, of dark
complexion, but bright intellectually. With Lawrence times had been