The Underground Railroad
Direct your letter to the International Hotel, Niagara Falls.
Anthony was thirty-six years of age, and by blood, was quite as nearly
related to the Anglo-Saxon as the Anglo-African. He was nevertheless,
physically a fine specimen of a man. He was about six feet high, and
bore evidence of having picked up a considerable amount of intelligence
considering his opportunities. He had been sold three times. Anthony was
decidedly opposed to having to pass through this ordeal a fourth time,
therefore, the more he meditated over his condition, the more determined
he became to seek out an Underground Rail Road agent, and make his way
to Canada.
Concluding that Josiah Wells, who claimed him, had received a thousand
times too much of his labor already, Anthony was in a fit state of mind
to make a resolute effort to gain his freedom. He had a wife, but no
children. His father, one sister, and two brothers were all dear to him,
but all being slaves "one could not help the other," Anthony reasoned,
and wisely too. So, at the command of the captain, he was ready to bear
his part of the suffering consequent upon being concealed in the hold of
a vessel, where but little air could penetrate.
Arthur was forty-one years of age, six feet high--chestnut color, well
made, and possessed good native faculties needing cultivation. He
escaped from a farmer, by the name of John Jones, who was classed, as to
natural temperament, amongst "moderate slave-holders."
"I wanted my liberty," said Arthur promptly and emphatically, and he
declared that was the cause of his escape. He left his mother, two
sisters, and three brothers in Slavery.
Isaiah was about twenty-two, small of stature, but smart, and of a
substantially black complexion. He had been subjected to very hard
treatment under Samuel Simmons who claimed him, and on this account he
was first prompted to leave. His mother and three brothers he left in
bondage.
Joseph was twenty-three years of age, and was, in every way,
"likely-looking." According to the laws of Slavery, he was the property
of David Morris, who was entitled to be ranked amongst the more
compassionate slave-holders of the South. Yet, Joseph was not satisfied,
deprived of his freedom. He had not known hardships as many had, but it
was not in him notwithstanding, to be contented as a slave. In leaving,
he had to "tear himself away" from his parents, three brothers, and two
sisters.
Henry escaped from S. Simmons of Plymouth, North Carolina, and was a
fellow-servant with Isaiah. Simmons was particularly distinguished for
his tyrannical rule and treatment of his slaves--so Henry and Isaiah had
the good sense to withdraw from under his yoke, very young in life;
Henry being twenty-three.
John was about twenty-one years of age, five feet eight inches high,
dark color, and well-grown for his years. Before embarking, he had
endured seven months of hard suffering from being secreted, waiting for
an opportunity to escape. It was to keep his master from selling him,
that he was thus induced to secrete himself. After he had remained away
some months, he resolved to suffer on until his friends could manage to
procure him a passage on the Underground Rail Road. With this determined
spirit he did not wait in vain.
Arrival No. 9. Robert Jones and wife:--In the majority of cases, in
order to effect the escape of either, sad separations between husbands
and wives were unavoidable. Fortunately, it was not so in this case. In
journeying from the house of bondage, Robert and his wife were united
both in sympathies and in struggles. Robert had experienced "hard times"
just in what way, however, was not recorded; his wife had been
differently treated, not being under the same taskmaster as her husband.
At the time of their arrival all that was recorded of their bondage is
as follows--
August 2d, 1855, Robert Jones and wife, arrived from Petersburg, Va.
Robert is about thirty-five, chestnut color, medium size, of good
manners, intelligent, had been owned by Thomas N. Lee, "a very hard
man." Robert left because he "wanted his liberty--always had from a
boy." Eliza, his wife, is about forty years of age, chestnut color,
nice-looking, and well-dressed. She belonged to Eliza H. Richie, who was
called a "moderate woman" towards her slaves. Notwithstanding the
limited space occupied in noting them on the record book, the Committee
regarded them as being among the most worthy and brave travelers passing
over the Underground Rail Road, and felt well satisfied that such
specimens of humanity would do credit in Canada, not only to themselves,
but to their race.
Robert had succeeded in learning to read and write tolerably well, and
had thought much over the condition and wrongs of the race, and seemed
to be eager to be where he could do something to lift his
fellow-sufferers up to a higher plane of liberty and manhood. After an
interview with Robert and his wife, in every way so agreeable, they were
forwarded on in the usual manner, to Canada. While enjoying the sweets
of freedom in Canada, he was not the man to keep his light under a
bushel. He seemed to have a high appreciation of the potency of the pen,
and a decidedly clear idea that colored men needed to lay hold of many
enterprises with resolution, in order to prove themselves qualified to
rise equally with other branches of the human family. Some of his
letters, embracing his views, plans and suggestions, were so encouraging
and sensible, that the Committee was in the habit of showing them to
friendly persons, and indeed, extracts of some of his letters were
deemed of sufficient importance to publish. One alone, taken from many
letters received from him, must here suffice to illustrate his
intelligence and efforts as a fugitive and citizen in Canada.
Hamilton, C.W., August 9th, 1856.
MR. WM. STILL;--_Dear Friend_:--I take this opportunity of
writing you these few lines to inform you of my health, which is
good at present, &c. * * * *
I was talking to you about going to Liberia, when I saw you
last, and did intend to start this fall, but I since looked at
the condition of the colored people in Canada. I thought I would
try to do something for their elevation as a nation, to place
them in the proper position to stand where they ought to stand.
In order to do this, I have undertaken to get up a military
company amongst them. They laughed at me to undertake such a
thing; but I did not relax my energies. I went and had an
interview with Major J.T. Gilepon, told him what my object was,
he encouraged me to go on, saying that he would do all he could
for the accomplishment of my object. He referred to _Sir Allan
McNab, &c._ * * * * I took with me Mr. J.H. Hill to see him--he
told me that it should be done, and required us to write a
petition to the _Governor General_, which has been done. * * * *
The company is already organized. Mr. Howard was elected
Captain; J.H. Hill, 1st Lieutenant; Hezekiah Hill, Ensign;
Robert Jones, 1st Sergeant. The company's name is, Queen
Victoria's Rifle Guards. You may, by this, see what I have been
doing since I have been in Canada. When we receive our
appointments by the Government. I will send by express, my
daguerreotype in uniform.
My respects, &c. &c., Robert Jones.
* * * * *
HEAVY REWARD.
Two Thousand Six Hundred Dollars Reward--Ran away from the
subscriber, on Saturday night, November 15th, 1856, Josiah and
William Bailey, and Peter Pennington. Joe is about 5 feet 10
inches in height, of a chestnut color, bald head, with a
remarkable scar on one of his cheeks, not positive on which it
is, but think it is on the left, under the eye, has intelligent
countenance, active, and well-made. He is about 28 years old.
Bill is of a darker color, about 5 feet 8 inches in height,
stammers a little when confused, well-made, and older than Joe,
well dressed, but may have pulled kearsey on over their other
clothes. Peter is smaller than either the others, about 25 years
of age, dark chestnut color, 5 feet 7 or 8 inches high.
A reward of fifteen hundred dollars will be given to any person
who will apprehend the said Joe Bailey, and lodge him safely in
the jail at Easton, Talbot Co., Md., and $300 for Bill and $800
for Peter.
W.R. Hughlett
John C. Henry,
T. Wright.
When this arrival made its appearance, it was at first sight quite
evident that one of the company was a man of more than ordinary parts,
both physically and mentally. Likewise, taking them individually, their
appearance and bearing tended largely to strengthen the idea that the
spirit of freedom was rapidly gaining ground in the minds of the slaves,
despite the efforts of the slave-holders to keep them in darkness. In
company with the three men, for whom the above large reward was offered,
came a woman by the name of Eliza Nokey.
As soon as the opportunity presented itself, the Active Committee
feeling an unusual desire to hear their story, began the investigation
by inquiring as to the cause of their escape, etc., which brought simple
and homely but earnest answers from each. These answers afforded the
best possible means of seeing Slavery in its natural, practical
workings--of obtaining such testimony and representations of the vile
system, as the most eloquent orator or able pen might labor in vain to
make clear and convincing, although this arrival had obviously been
owned by men of high standing. The fugitives themselves innocently
stated that one of the masters, who was in the habit of flogging adult
females, was a "moderate man." Josiah Bailey was the leader of this
party, and he appeared well-qualified for this position. He was about
twenty-nine years of age, and in no particular physically, did he seem
to be deficient. He was likewise civil and polite in his manners, and a
man of good common sense. He was held and oppressed by William H.
Hughlett, a farmer and dealer in ship timber, who had besides invested
in slaves to the number of forty head. In his habits he was generally
taken for a "moderate" and "fair" man, "though he was in the habit of
flogging the slaves--females as well as males," after they had arrived
at the age of maturity. This was not considered strange or cruel in
Maryland. Josiah was the "foreman" on the place, and was entrusted with
the management of hauling the ship-timber, and through harvesting and
busy seasons was required to lead in the fields. He was regarded as one
of the most valuable hands in that part of the country, being valued at
$2,000. Three weeks before he escaped, Joe was "stripped naked," and
"flogged" very cruelly by his master, simply because he had a dispute
with one of the fellow-servants, who had stolen, as Joe alleged, seven
dollars of his hard earnings. This flogging, produced in Joe's mind, an
unswerving determination to leave Slavery or die: to try his luck on the
Underground Rail Road at all hazards. The very name of Slavery, made the
fire fairly burn in his bones. Although a married man, having a wife and
three children (owned by Hughlett), he was not prepared to let his
affection for them keep him in chains--so Anna Maria, his wife, and his
children Ellen, Anna Maria, and Isabella, were shortly widowed and
orphaned by the slave lash.
William Bailey was owned by John C. Henry, a large slave-holder, and a
very "hard" one, if what William alleged of him was true. His story
certainly had every appearance of truthfulness. A recent brutal flogging
had "stiffened his back-bone," and furnished him with his excuse for not