The Underground Railroad
and are working at my ole branch of business with meny of my
friends. I want you to send those to toronto to Mr Tueharts on
Edward St what I have been talking about is my Clothes I came
from Richmond Va and expect my things to come to you. So when
they come to you then you will send them to Jesse Tuehart Edward
St no 43.
I must close by saying I have no more at present. I still remain
your brother,
ELIJAH HILTON.
* * * * *
SOLOMON BROWN.
ARRIVED PER CITY OF RICHMOND.
This candidate for Canada managed to secure a private berth on the
steamship City of Richmond. He was thus enabled to leave his old
mistress, Mary A. Ely, in Norfolk, the place of her abode, and the field
of his servitude. Solomon was only twenty-two years of age, rather under
the medium size, dark color, and of much natural ability. He viewed
Slavery as a great hardship, and for a length of time had been watching
for an opportunity to free himself. He had been in the habit of hiring
his time of his mistress, for which he paid ten dollars per month. This
amount failed to satisfy the mistress, as she was inclined to sell him
to North Carolina, where Slave stock, at that time, was commanding high
prices. The idea of North Carolina and a new master made Solomon rather
nervous, and he was thereby prompted to escape. On reaching the
Committee he manifested very high appreciation of the attention paid
him, and after duly resting for a day, he was sent on his way rejoicing.
Seven days after leaving Philadelphia, he wrote back from Canada as
follows:
ST. CATHARINES, Feb. 20th, 1854.
MR. STILL--DEAR SIR:--It is with great pleasure that I have to
inform you, that I have arrived safe in a land of freedom.
Thanks to kind friends that helped me here. Thank God that I am
treading on free soil. I expect to go to work to-morrow in a
steam factory.
I would like to have you, if it is not too much trouble, see Mr.
Minhett, the steward on the boat that I came out on, when he
gets to Norfolk, to go to the place where my clothes are, and
bring them to you, and you direct them to the care of Rev. Hiram
Wilson, St. Catharines, Niagara District, Canada West, by
rail-road via Suspension Bridge. You mentioned if I saw Mr.
Foreman. I was to deliver a message--he is not here. I saw two
yesterday in church, from Norfolk, that I had known there. You
will send my name, James Henry, as you knew me by that name;
direct my things to James Henry. My love to your wife and
children.
Yours Respectfully,
SOLOMON BROWN.
* * * * *
WILLIAM HOGG, ALIAS JOHN SMITH.
TRAVELER FROM MARYLAND.
William fled from Lewis Roberts, who followed farming in Baltimore
county, Md. In speaking of him, William gave him the character of being
a "fierce and rough man," who owned nine head of slaves. Two of
William's sisters were held by Roberts, when he left. His excuse for
running away was, "ill-treatment." In traveling North, he walked to
Columbia (in Pennsylvania), and there took the cars for Philadelphia.
The Committee took charge of him, and having given him the usual aid,
sent him hopefully on his way. After safely reaching Canada, the thought
of his wife in a land of bondage, pressed so deeply upon his mind, that
he was prompted to make an effort to rescue her. The following letter,
written on his behalf by the Rev. H. Wilson, indicates his feelings and
wishes with regard to her:
ST. CATHARINES, Canada West, 24th July, 1854.
DEAR FRIEND, WILLIAM STILL:--Your encouraging letter, to John
Smith, was duly received by him, and I am requested to write
again on his behalf. His colored friend in Baltimore county, who
would favor his designs, is Thomas Cook, whom he wishes you to
address, Baltimore post-office, care of Mr. Thomas Spicer.
He has received a letter from Thomas Cook, dated the 6th of
June, but it was a long time reaching him. He wishes you to say
to Cook, that he got his letter, and that he would like to have
him call on his wife and make known to her, that he is in good
health, doing well here, and would like to have her come on as
soon as she can.
As she is a free woman, there will, doubtless, be no difficulty
in her coming right through. He is working in the neighborhood
of St. Catharines, but twelve miles from Niagara Falls. You will
please recollect to address Thomas Cook, in the care of Thomas
Spicer, Baltimore Post-office. Smith's wife is at, or near the
place he came from, and, doubtless, Thomas Cook knows all about
her condition and circumstances. Please write again to John
Smith, in my care, if you please, and request Thomas Cook to do
the same.
Very respectfully yours in the cause of philanthropy.
HIRAM WILSON.
* * * * *
TWO FEMALE PASSENGERS FEOM MARYLAND.
As the way of travel, _viâ_ the Underground Rail Road, under the most
favorable circumstances, even for the sterner sex, was hard enough to
test the strongest nerves, and to try the faith of the bravest of the
brave, every woman, who won her freedom, by this perilous undertaking,
deserves commemoration. It is, therefore, a pleasure to thus transfer
from the old Record book the names of Ann Johnson and Lavina Woolfley,
who fled from Maryland in 1857. Their lives, however, had not been in
any way very remarkable. Ann was tall, and of a dark chestnut color,
with an intelligent countenance, and about twenty-four years of age. She
had filled various situations as a Slave. Sometimes she was required to
serve in the kitchen, at other times she was required to toil in the
field, with the plow, hoe, and the like. Samuel Harrington, of Cambridge
District, Maryland, was the name of the man for whose benefit Ann
labored during her younger days. She had no hesitation in saying, that
he was a very "ill-natured man;" he however, was a member of the "old
time Methodist Church." In Slave property he had invested only to the
extent of some five or six head. About three years previous to Ann's
escape, one of her brothers fled and went to Canada. This circumstance
so enraged the owner, that he declared he would "sell all" he owned.
Accordingly Ann was soon put on the auction block, and was bought by a
man who went by the name of William Moore. Moore was a married man, who,
with his wife, was addicted to intemperance and carousing. Ann found
that she had simply got "out of the fire into the frying-pan." She was
really at a loss to tell when her lot was the harder, whether under the
"rum drinker," or the old time Methodist. In this state of mind she
decided to leave all and go to Canada, the refuge for the fleeing
bondman. Lavina, Ann's companion, was the wife of James Woolfley. She
and her husband set out together, with six others, and were of the party
of eight who were betrayed into Dover jail, as has already been
described in these pages. After fighting their way out of the jail, they
separated (for prudential reasons). The husband of Lavina, immediately
after the conflict at the jail, passed on to Canada, leaving his wife
under the protection of friends. Since that time several months had
elapsed, but of each other nothing had been known, before she received
information on her arrival at Philadelphia. The Committee was glad to
inform her, that her husband had safely passed on to Canada, and that
she would be aided on also, where they could enjoy freedom in a free
country.
* * * * *
CAPTAIN F. AND THE MAYOR OF NORFOLK.
TWENTY-ONE PASSENGERS SECRETED IN A BOAT. NOVEMBER, 1855.
CAPTAIN F. was certainly no ordinary man. Although he had been living a
sea-faring life for many years, and the marks of this calling were
plainly enough visible in his manners and speech, he was, nevertheless,
unlike the great mass of this class of men, not addicted to intemperance
and profanity. On the contrary, he was a man of thought, and possessed,
in a large measure, those humane traits of character which lead men to
sympathize with suffering humanity wherever met with.
It must be admitted, however, that the first impressions gathered from a
hasty survey of his rough and rugged appearance, his large head, large
mouth, large eyes, and heavy eye-brows, with a natural gift at keeping
concealed the inner-workings of his mind and feelings, were not
calculated to inspire the belief, that he was fitted to be entrusted
with the lives of unprotected females, and helpless children; that he
could take pleasure in risking his own life to rescue them from the hell
of Slavery; that he could deliberately enter the enemy's domain, and
with the faith of a martyr, face the dread slave-holder, with his
Bowie-knives and revolvers--Slave-hunters, and blood-hounds, lynchings,
and penitentiaries, for humanity's sake. But his deeds proved him to be
a true friend of the Slave; whilst his skill, bravery, and success
stamped him as one of the most daring and heroic Captains ever connected
with the Underground Rail Road cause.
At the time he was doing most for humanity in rescuing bondsmen from
Slavery, Slave-laws were actually being the most rigidly executed. To
show mercy, in any sense, to man or woman, who might be caught assisting
a poor Slave to flee from the prison-house, was a matter not to be
thought of in Virginia. This was perfectly well understood by Captain
F.; indeed he did not hesitate to say, that his hazardous operations
might any day result in the "sacrifice" of his life. But on this point
he seemed to give himself no more concern than he would have done to
know which way the wind would blow the next day. He had his own
convictions about dying and the future, and he declared, that he had "no
fear of death," however it might come. Still, he was not disposed to be
reckless or needlessly to imperil his life, or the lives of those he
undertook to aid. Nor was he averse to receiving compensation for his
services. In Richmond, Norfolk, Petersburg, and other places where he
traded, many slaves were fully awake to their condition. The great slave
sales were the agencies that served to awaken a large number. Then the
various mechanical trades were necessarily given to the Slaves, for the
master had no taste for "greasy, northern mechanics." Then, again, the
stores had to be supplied with porters, draymen, etc., from the slave
population. In the hearts of many of the more intelligent amongst the
slaves, the men, as mechanics, etc., the women, as dress-makers,
chamber-maids, etc., notwithstanding all the opposition and hard laws,
the spirit of Freedom was steadily burning. Many of the slaves were half
brothers, and sisters, cousins, nephews, and nieces to their owners, and
of course "blood would tell."
It was only necessary for the fact to be made known to a single reliable
and intelligent slave, that a man with a boat running North had the love
of Freedom for all mankind in his bosom to make that man an object of
the greatest interest. If an angel had appeared amongst them doubtless
his presence would not have inspired greater anxiety and hope than did
the presence of Captain F. The class most anxious to obtain freedom
could generally manage to acquire some means which they would willingly
offer to captains or conductors in the South for such assistance as was
indispensable to their escape. Many of the slaves learned if they could
manage to cross Mason and Dixon's line, even though they might be
utterly destitute and penniless, that they would then receive aid and
protection from the Vigilance Committee. Here it may be well to state