The Underground Railroad
No. 22, Cheapside, opposite City Hall.
My Dear Friend:--Yours of the 3d inst. reached me safely in the
midst of my misfortune. I suppose you have learned that my
office and other buildings burned down during the recent fire.
My loss is $550, insured $350.
I would have written you before, but I have been to R.I. for
some time and soon after I returned before I examined the books,
the fire took place, and this accounts for my delay. In regard
to the books I am under many obligations to you and all others
for so great a piece of kindness, and shall ever feel indebted
to you for the same. I shall esteem them very highly for two
reasons, first, The way in which they come, that is through and
by your Vigilance as a colored man helping a colored man to get
such knowledge as will give the lie to our enemies.
Secondly--their contents being just the thing I needed at this
time. My indebtedness to you and all concerned for me in this
direction is inexpressible. There are some books the Doctor says
I must have, such as the Medical Dictionary, Physician's
Dictionary, and a work on Anatomy. These I will have to get, but
any work that may be of use to a student of anatomy or medicine
will be thankfully received. You shall hear from me again soon.
Truly Yours,
THOS. BAYNE.
NEW BEDFORD, March 18th, 1861.
Mr. Wm. Still:--Dear Sir--Dr. Powell called to see me and
informed me that you had a medical lexicon (Dictionary) for me.
If you have such a book for me, it will be very thankfully
received, and any other book that pertains to the medical or
dental profession. I am quite limited in means as yet and in
want of books to prosecute my studies. The books I need most at
present is such as treat on midwifery, anatomy, &c. But any book
or books in either of the above mentioned cases will be of use
to me. You can send them by Express, or by any friend that may
chance to come this way, but by Express will be the safest way
to send them. Times are quite dull. This leaves me well and hope
it may find you and family the same. My regards to your wife and
all others.
Yours, &c.,
THOMAS BAYNE,
22 Cheapside, opposite City Hall.
Thus the doctor continued to labor and improve his mind until the war
removed the hideous institution of Slavery from the nation; but as soon
as the way opened for his return to his old home, New Bedford no longer
had sufficient attractions to retain him. With all her faults he
conceived that "Old Virginia" offered decided inducements for his
return. Accordingly he went directly to Norfolk, whence he escaped. Of
course every thing was in the utmost confusion and disorder when he
returned, save where the military held sway. So as soon as the time drew
near for reorganizing, elections, &c., the doctor was found to be an
aspirant for a seat in Congress, and in "running" for it, was found to
be a very difficult candidate to beat. Indeed in the first reports of
the election his name was amongst the elected; but subsequent counts
proved him to be among the defeated by only a very slight majority.
At the time of the doctor's escape, in 1855, he was thirty-one years of
age, a man of medium size, and about as purely colored, as could readily
be found, with a full share of self-esteem and pluck.
* * * * *
SUNDRY ARRIVALS
FROM LOUDON CO., VA., NORFOLK, BALTIMORE, MD., PETERSBURG, VA., &C.,
ABOUT THE MONTH OF JUNE, 1855.
Arrival 1st. David Bennett and family.
Arrival 2d. Henry Washington, alias Anthony Hanly, and Henry Stewart.
Arrival 3d. William Nelson and wife, William Thomas, Louisa Bell, and
Elias Jasper.
Arrival 4th. Maria Joiner.
Arrival 5th. Richard Green and his brother George.
Arrival 6th. Henry Cromwell.
Arrival 7th. Henry Bohm.
Arrival 8th. Ralph Whiting, James H. Forman, Anthony Atkinson,
Arthur Jones, Isaiah Nixon, Joseph Harris, John Morris, Henry Hodges.
Arrival 9th. Robert Jones and wife.
The first arrival to be here noticed consisted of David Bennett, and his
wife Martha, with their two children, a little boy named George, and a
nameless babe one month old. This family journeyed from Loudon county,
Va. David, the husband, had been in bonds under Captain James Taylor.
Martha, the wife, and her two children were owned by George Carter.
Martha's master was represented as a very barbarous and cruel man to the
slaves. He made a common practice of flogging females when stripped
naked. This was the emphatic testimony of Martha. Martha declared that
she had been so stripped, and flogged by him after her marriage. The
story of this interesting young mother, who was about twenty-seven years
of age, was painful to the ear, particularly as the earnestness and
intelligence of this poor, bruised, and mangled soul bore such strong
evidence to the truthfulness of her statements. During the painful
interview the mind would involuntarily picture this demon, only as the
representative of thousands in the South using the same relentless sway
over men and women; and this fleeing victim and her little ones, before
escaping, only as sharers of a common lot with many other mothers and
children, whose backs were daily subjected to the lash. If on such an
occasion it was hard to find fitting words of sympathy, or adequate
expressions of indignation, the pleasure of being permitted to give aid
and comfort to such was in part a compensation and a relief. David, the
husband of this woman, was about thirty-two years of age. No further
notice was made of him.
Arrival No. 2 consisted of Henry Washington, alias Anthony Hanly, and
Henry Stewart. Henry left Norfolk and a "very mild master," known by the
name of "Seth March," out of sheer disgust for the patriarchal
institution. Directly after speaking of his master in such flattering
terms he qualified the "mild," &c. by adding that he was excessively
close in money matters. In proof of this assertion, Henry declared, that
out of his hire he was only allowed $1.50 per week to pay his board,
clothe himself, and defray all other expenses; leaving no room whatever
for him to provide for his wife. It was, therefore, a never-failing
source of unhappiness to be thus debarred, and it was wholly on this
account that he "took out," as he did, and at the time that he did. His
wife's name was "Sally." She too was a slave, but "had not been treated
roughly."
For fifty long years Henry had been in the grasp of this merciless
system--constrained to toil for the happiness of others, to make them
comfortable, rich, indolent, and tyrannical. To say that he was like a
bird out of a cage, conveys in no sense whatever the slightest idea of
his delight in escaping from the prison house. And yet, his pleasure was
sadly marred by the reflection that his bosom companion was still in
bondage in the gloomy prison-house. Henry was a man of dark color, well
made, and of a reflective turn of mind. On arriving in Canada, he
manifested his gratitude through Rev. H. Wilson, as follows--
ST. CATHARINES, Aug. 20th, 1855.
DEAR BR. STILL:--I am requested by Henry Washington to inform
you that he got through safe, and is here in good business. He
returns to you his sincere thanks for your attention to him on
his way. I had the pleasure of receiving seven fugitives last
week. Send them on, and may God speed them in the flight. I
would like to have a miracle-working power, that I could give
wings to them all so that they could come faster than by
Railroads either underground or above.
Yours truly,
HIRAM WILSON.
While he was thus hopefully succeeding in Canada, separated from his
companion by many hundreds of miles, death came and liberated her from
the yoke, as the subjoined letter indicates--
ST. CATHARINES, C.W. Nov. 12, 1855.
MR. WILLIAM STILL:--_Dear Sir_:--I have received a letter from
Joseph G. Selden a friend in Norfolk, Va., informing me of the
death of my wife, who deceased since I saw you here; he also
informs me that my clothing will be forwarded to you by Jupiter
White, who now has it in his charge. You will therefore do me a
great favor, if you will be so good as to forward them to me at
this place St. Catharines, C.W.
The accompanying letter is the one received from Mr. Selden
which I send you, that you may see that it is all right. You
will please give my respects to Mrs. Still and family. Most
respectfully yours,
HENRY WASHINGTON.
Henry Stewart, who accompanied the above mentioned traveler to Canada,
had fled a short while before from Plymouth, North Carolina. James
Monroe Woodhouse, a farmer, claimed Stewart as his property, and "hired
him out" for $180 per annum. As a master, Woodhouse was considered to be
of the "moderate" type, according to Stewart's judgment. But respecting
money matters (when his slaves wanted a trifle), "he was very hard. He
did not flog, but would not give a slave a cent of money upon any
consideration."
It was by procuring a pass to Norfolk, that Henry managed to escape.
Although a father and a husband, having a wife (Martha) and two children
(Mary Ann and Susan Jane), he felt that his lot as a slave utterly
debarred him from discharging his duty to them; that he could exercise
no rights or privileges whatever, save as he might obtain permission
from his master. In the matter of separation, even although the ties of
husband and wife, parents and children were most closely knit, his
reason dictated that he would be justified in freeing himself if
possible; indeed, he could not endure the pressure of Slavery any
longer. Although only twenty-three years of age, the burdens that he had
been called upon to bear, made his naturally intelligent mind chafe to
an unusual degree, especially when reflecting upon a continued life of
Slavery. When the time decided upon for his flight arrived, he said
nothing to his wife on the subject, but secured his pass and took his
departure for Norfolk. On arriving there, he sought out an Underground
Rail Road captain, and arranged with him to bring him to Philadelphia.
Whether the sorrow-stricken wife ever afterwards heard of her husband,
or the father of his two little children, the writer is unable to say.
It is possible that this narrative may reveal to the mother and her
offspring (if they are still living), the first ray of light concerning
the missing one. Indeed it is not unreasonable to suppose, that
thousands of anxious wives, husbands and children, who have been
scattered in every direction by Slavery, will never be able to learn as
much of their lost ones as is contained in this brief account of Henry
Stewart.
Arrival No. 3, brought William Nelson, his wife, Susan, and son, William
Thomas, together with Louisa Bell, and Elias Jasper. These travelers
availed themselves of the schooner of Captain B. who allowed them to
embark at Norfolk, despite the search laws of Virginia. It hardly need
be said, however, that it was no trifling matter in those days, to evade
the law. Captains and captives, in order to succeed, found that it
required more than ordinary intelligence and courage, shrewdness and
determination, and at the same time, a very ardent appreciation of
liberty, without which, there could be no success. The simple
announcement then, that a party of this number had arrived from Norfolk,
or Richmond, or Petersburg, gave the Committee unusual satisfaction. It
made them quite sure that there was pluck and brain somewhere.
These individuals, in a particularly marked degree, possessed the