The Underground Railroad
keeping his feet on their necks, to their sore grievance. Susan endured
his bad treatment as long as she could, then left, destitute and alone.
Her mother and father were at the time living in Elkton, Md. Whether
they ever heard what became of their daughter is not known.
Amarian was twenty-one years of age, a person of light color, medium
size, with a prepossessing countenance and smart; she could read, write,
and play on the piano. From a child, Amarian had been owned by Mrs.
Elizabeth Key Scott, who resided near Braceville, but at the time of her
flight she was living at Westminster, in the family of a man named
"Boile," said to be the clerk of the court. In reference to treatment,
Amarian said: "I have always been used very well; have had it good all
my life, etc." This was a remarkable case, and, at first, somewhat
staggered the faith of the Committee, but they could not dispute her
testimony, consequently they gave her the benefit of the doubt. She
spoke of having a mother living in Hagerstown, by the name of Amarian
Ballad, also three sisters who were slaves, and two who were free; she
also had a brother in chains in Mississippi.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM NORFOLK, VA. 1857.
WILLIAM CARNEY AND ANDREW ALLEN.
William was about fifty-one years of age, a man of unmixed blood.
Physically he was a superior man, and his mental abilities were quite
above the average of his class.
He belonged to the estate of the late Mrs. Sarah Twyne, who bore the
reputation of being a lady of wealth, and owned one hundred and twelve
slaves. Most of her slave property was kept on her plantation not far
from Old Point Comfort. According to William's testimony "of times Mrs.
Twyne would meddle too freely with the cup, and when under its influence
she was very desperate, and acted as though she wanted to kill some of
the slaves."
After the evil spirit left her and she had regained her wonted
composure, she would pretend that she loved her "negroes," and would
make a great fuss over them. Not infrequently she would have very
serious difficulty with her overseers. Having license to do as they
pleased, they would of course carry their cruelties to the most extreme
verge of punishment. If a slave was maimed or killed under their
correction, it was no loss of theirs. "One of the overseers by the name
of Bill Anderson once shot a young slave man called Luke and wounded him
so seriously that he was not expected to live." "At another time one of
the overseers beat and kicked a slave to death." This barbarity caused
the mistress to be very much "stirred up," and she declared that she
would not have any more white overseers; condemned them for everything,
and decided to change her policy in future and to appoint her overseers
from her own slaves, setting the property to watch the property. This
system was organized and times were somewhat better.
William had been hired out almost his entire life. For the last twelve
or fifteen years he had been accustomed to hire his time for one hundred
and thirty dollars per annum. In order to meet this demand he commonly
resorted to oystering. By the hardest toil he managed to maintain
himself and family in a humble way.
For the last twenty years (prior to his escape) the slaves had
constantly been encouraged by their mistress' promises to believe that
at her death all would be free, and transported to Liberia, where they
would enjoy their liberty and be happy the remainder of their days.
With full faith in her promises year by year the slaves awaited her
demise with as much patience as possible, and often prayed that her time
might be shortened for the general good of the oppressed. Fortunately,
as the slaves thought, she had no children or near relatives to deprive
them of their just and promised rights.
In November, previous to William's escape, her long looked-for
dissolution took place. Every bondman who was old enough to realize the
nature and import of the change felt a great anxiety to learn what the
will of their old mistress said, whether she had actually freed them or
not. Alas! when the secret was disclosed, it was ascertained that not a
fetter was broken, not a bond unloosed, and that no provision whatever
had been made looking towards freedom. In this sad case, the slaves
could imagine no other fate than soon to be torn asunder and scattered.
The fact was soon made known that the High Sheriff had administered on
the estate of the late mistress; it was therefore obvious enough to
William and the more intelligent slaves that the auction block was near
at hand.
The trader, the slave-pen, the auction-block, the coffle gang, the rice
swamp, the cotton plantation, bloodhounds, and cruel overseers loomed up
before him, as they had never done before. Without stopping to consider
the danger, he immediately made up his mind that he would make a
struggle, cost what it might. He knew of no other way of escape than the
Underground Rail Road. He was shrewd enough to find an agent, who gave
him private instructions, and to whom he indicated a desire to travel
North on said road. On examination he was deemed reliable, and a mutual
understanding was entered into between. William and one of the
accommodating Captains running on the Richmond and Philadelphia Line, to
the effect that he, William, should have a first class Underground Rail
Road berth, so perfectly private that even the law-officers could not
find him.
The first ties to be severed were those which bound him to his wife and
children, and next to the Baptist Church, to which he belonged. His
family were slaves, and bore the following names: his wife, Nancy, and
children, Simon Henry, William, Sarah, Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Louis, and
Cornelius. It was no light matter to bid them farewell forever. The
separation from them was a trial such as rarely falls to the lot of
mortals; but he nerved himself for the undertaking, and when the hour
arrived his strength was sufficient for the occasion.
Thus in company with Andrew they embarked for an unknown shore, their
entire interests entrusted to a stranger who was to bring them through
difficulties and dangers seen and unseen.
Andrew was about twenty-four years of age, very tall, quite black, and
bore himself manfully. He too was of the same estate that William
belonged to. He had served on the farm as a common farm laborer. He had
had it "sometimes rough and sometimes smooth," to use his own language.
The fear of what awaited the slaves prompted Andrew to escape. He too
was entangled with a wife and one child, with whom he parted only as a
friend parts with a companion when death separates them. Catharine was
the name of Andrew's wife; and Anna Clarissa the name of his child left
in chains.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM HOOPESVILLE, MD., 1857.
JAMES CAIN, "GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON," AND ANNA PERRY.
These passengers came from the field where as slaves very few privileges
had been afforded them.
Jim was about thirty-five years of age, a dark brown skin with average
intellect for one in his condition. He had toiled under John Burnham, in
Dorchester county, from whom he had received hard treatment, but harder
still from his mistress. He averred that she was the cause of matters
being so hard with the slaves on the place. Jim contented himself under
his lot as well as be could until within a short time of his escape when
he learned that measures were on foot to sell him. The fear of this
change brought him directly to meditate upon a trip to Canada. Being a
married man he found it hard to leave his wife, Mary, but as she was
also a slave, and kept in the employment of her owners at some distance
from where he lived, he decided to say nothing to her of his plans, but
to start when ready and do the best he could to save himself, as he saw
no chance of saving her.
"GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON." When the above "article" gave the Committee
his name they were amused and thought that he was simply jesting, having
done a smart thing in conquering his master by escaping; but on a fuller
investigation they found that he really bore the name, and meant to
retain it in Canada. It had been given him when a child, and in Slavery
he had been familiarly called "Andy," but since he had achieved his
freedom he felt bound to be called by his proper name.
General Andrew was about twenty-seven years of age, a full black, and a
man of extraordinary muscular powers, with coarse hard features, such as
showed signs that it would not be safe for his master to meddle with him
when the General's blood was up.
He spoke freely of the man who claimed him as a slave, saying that his
name was Shepherd Houston, of Lewistown, Delaware, and that he owned
seven head of "God's poor," whom he compelled to labor on his farm
without a cent of pay, a day's schooling, or an hour's freedom;
furthermore, that he was a member of the Ebenezer Methodist Church, a
class-leader, and an exhorter, and in outward show passed for a good
Christian. But in speaking of his practical dealings with his slaves,
General said that he worked them hard, stinted them shamefully for food,
and kept them all the time digging.
Also when testifying with regard to the "weaker vessel," under whose
treatment he had suffered much, the General said that his master's wife
had a meaner disposition than he had; she pretended to belong to church
too, said General, but it was nothing but deceit.
This severe critic could not read, but he had very clear views on the
ethics of his master and mistress, agreeing with Scripture concerning
whited sepulchres, etc.
The question of Christian slave-holders, for a great while, seriously
puzzled the wise and learned, but for the slave it was one of the
easiest of solution. All the slaves came to the same conclusion,
notwithstanding the teaching of slave-holders on the one idea, that
"servants should obey their masters," etc.
General had a brother in Baltimore, known by the name of Josephus, also
two sisters Anna and Annie; his father was living at Cannon's Ferry.
Anna Perry was the intended of General. She was about nineteen years of
age, of a dark brown color, and came from the same neighborhood.
According to law Anna was entitled to her freedom, but up to the time of
her escape she had not been permitted to enjoy the favor. She found that
if she would be free she would have to run for it.
John Smith. A better specimen of one who had been ill treated, and in
every way uncared for, could not be easily found. In speech, manners,
and whole appearance he was extremely rude. He was about twenty years of
age, and in color was of a very dark hue.
That John had received only the poorest kind of "corn-field fare" was
clearly evidenced both by body and mind. Master George H. Morgan was
greatly blamed for John's deficiencies; it was on his farms, under mean
overseers that John had been crushed and kept under the harrow.
His mother, Mary Smith, he stated, his master had sold away to New
Orleans, some two years before his escape. The sad effect that this
cruel separation had upon him could only be appreciated by hearing him
talk of it in his own untutored tongue. Being himself threatened with
the auction-block, he was awakened to inquire how he could escape the
danger, and very soon learned that by following the old methods which
had been used by many before him, resolution and perseverance, he might
gain the victory over master and overseers. As green as he seemed he had
succeeded admirably in his undertaking.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1858.
GEORGE RUSSELL AND JAMES HENRY THOMPSON.