The Underground Railroad
his house. This sign was interpreted to mean that James, if not others,
would have to be sold before long. The master was much puzzled to decide
which way to turn. He owned but three other adult slaves besides James,
and they were females. One of them was his chief housekeeper, and with
them all his social relations were of such a nature as to lead James and
others to think and say that they "were all his wives." Or to use
James's own language, "he had three slave women; two were sisters, and
he lived with them all as his wives; two of them he was very fond of,"
and desired to keep them from being sold if possible. The third, he
concluded he could not save, she would have to be sold. In this dilemma,
he was good enough to allow James a few days' holiday, for the purpose
of finding him a good master. Expressing his satisfaction and
gratification, James, armed with full authority from his master to
select a choice specimen, started for Baltimore.
On reaching Baltimore, however, James carefully steered clear of all
slave-holders, and shrewdly turned his attention to the matter of
getting an Underground Rail Road ticket for Canada. After making as much
inquiry as he felt was safe, he came to the conclusion to walk of nights
for a long distance. He examined his feet and legs, found that they were
in good order, and his faith and hope strong enough to remove a
mountain. Besides several days still remained in which he was permitted
to look for a new master, and these he decided could be profitably spent
in making his way towards Canada. So off he started, at no doubt a very
diligent pace, for at the end of the first night's journey, he had made
much headway, but at the expense of his feet.
His faith was stronger than ever. So he rested next day in the woods,
concealed, of course, and the next evening started with fresh courage
and renewed perseverance. Finally, he reached Columbia, Pennsylvania,
and there he had the happiness to learn, that the mountain which at
first had tried his faith so severely, was removed, and friendly hands
were reached out and a more speedy and comfortable mode of travel
advised. He was directed to the Vigilance Committee in Philadelphia,
from whom he received friendly aid, and all necessary information
respecting Canada and how to get there.
James was thirty-one years of age, rather a fine-looking man, of a
chestnut color, and quite intelligent. He had been a married man, but
for two years before his escape, he had been a widower--that is, his
wife had been sold away from him to North Carolina, and in that space of
time he had received only three letters from her; he had given up all
hope of ever seeing her again. He had two little boys living in
Baltimore, whom he was obliged to leave. Their names were Edward and
William. What became of them afterwards was never known at the
Philadelphia station.
James's master was a man of about fifty years of age--who had never been
lawfully married, yet had a number of children on his place who were of
great concern to him in the midst of other pressing embarrassments. Of
course, the Committee never learned how matters were settled after James
left, but, in all probability, his wives, Nancy and Mary (sisters), and
Lizzie, with all the children, had to be sold.
* * * * *
CAPTAIN F. ARRIVES WITH NINE PASSENGERS.
NAMES OF PASSENGERS.
PETER HEINES, Eatontown, North Carolina; MATTHEW BODAMS, Plymouth, North
Carolina; JAMES MORRIS, South End, North Carolina; CHARLES THOMPSON,
CHARITY THOMPSON, NATHANIEL BOWSER, and THOMAS COOPER, Portsmouth,
Virginia; GEORGE ANDERSON, Elkton, Maryland.
Their arrival was announced by Thomas Garrett as follows:
WILMINGTON, 7th mo., 19th, 1856.
RESPECTED FRIEND, WILLIAM STILL:--I now have the pleasure of
consigning to thy care four able-bodied human beings from North
Carolina, and five from Virginia, one of which is a girl twelve
or thirteen years of age, the rest all men. After thee has seen
and conversed with them, thee can determine what is best to be
done with them. I am assured they are such as can take good care
of themselves. Elijah Pennypacker, some time since, informed me
he could find employment in his neighborhood for two or three
good hands. I should think that those from Carolina would be
about as safe in that neighborhood as any place this side of
Canada. Wishing our friends a safe trip, I remain thy sincere
friend,
THOS. GARRETT.
After conferring with Harry Craige, we have concluded to send
five or six of them tonight in the cars, and the balance, if
those go safe, to-morrow night, or in the steam-boat on Second
day morning, directed to the Anti-Slavery office.
There was much rejoicing over these select passengers, and very much
interesting information was elicited from them.
Peter was only twenty-one years of age, composed of equal parts of
Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-African blood--rather a model-looking "article,"
with a fair share of intelligence. As a slave, he had fared pretty
well--he had neither been abused nor stinted of food or clothing, as
many others had been. His duties had been to attend upon his master (and
reputed father), Elias Heines, Esq., a lawyer by profession in North
Carolina.
No charges whatever appear to have been made against Mr. Heines,
according to the record book; but Peter seemed filled with great delight
at the prospects ahead, as well as with the success that had attended
his efforts thus far in striking for freedom.
James was twenty-seven years of age. His experience had been quite
different from that of Peter's. The heel of a woman, by the name of Mrs.
Ann McCourt, had been on James's neck, and she had caused him to suffer
severely. As James recounted his grievances, while under the rule, he by
no means gave her a very flattering character, but, on the contrary, he
plainly stated, that she was a "desperate woman"--that he had "never
known any good of her," and that he was moved to escape to get rid of
her. In other words she had threatened to sell him; this well nigh
produced frenzy in James's mind, for too well did he remember, that he
had already been sold three times, and in different stages of his
bondage had been treated quite cruelly. In the change of masters he was
positive in saying, that he had not found a good one, and, besides, he
entertained the belief that such personages were very rare.
Those of the Committee who listened to James were not a little amazed at
his fluency, intelligence and earnestness, and acknowledged that he
dealt unusually telling blows against the Patriarchal Institution.
Matthew was twenty-three years of age, very stout--no fool--a man of
decided resolution, and of the very best black complexion produced in
the South. Matthew had a very serious bill of complaints against Samuel
Simmons, who professed to own him (Matthew), both body and mind, while
in this world at least. Among these complaints was the charge of
ill-treatment. Nevertheless Matthew's joy and pleasure were matchless
over his Underground Rail Road triumph, and the prospect of being so
soon out of the land and reach of Slavery, and in a land where he could
enjoy his freedom as others enjoyed theirs. Indeed the entire band
evinced similar feelings. Matthew left a brother in Martin county.
Further sketches of this interesting company were not entered on the
book at the time, perhaps on account of the great press of Underground
Rail Road business which engaged the attention of the acting Committee.
However, they were all duly cared for, and counselled to go to Canada,
where their rights would be protected by a strong and powerful
government, and they could enjoy all the rights of citizenship in common
with "all the world and the rest of mankind." And especially were they
advised to get education; to act as men, and remember those still in
bonds as bound with them, and that they must not forget to write back,
after their arrival in Canada, to inform their friends in Philadelphia
of their prospects, and what they thought of the "goodly land." Thus,
with the usual Underground Rail Road passports, they were again started
Canada-ward. Without difficulty of any kind they duly reached Canada,
and a portion of them wrote back as follows:
"TORONTO, C.W., Aug. 17th, 1856.
MR, STILL:--Dear Sir--These few lines may find you as they leave
us, we are well at present and arrived safe in Toronto. Give our
respects to Mrs. S.---- and daughter. Toronto is a very
extensive place. We have plenty of pork, beef and mutton. There
are five market houses and many churches. Female wages is 62-1/2
cents per day, men's wages is $1 and york shilling. We are now
boarding at Mr. George Blunt's, on Centre street, two doors from
Elm, back of Lawyer's Hall, and when you write to us, direct
your letter to the care of Mr. George Blunt, &c. (Signed), James
Monroe, Peter Heines, Henry James Morris, and Matthew Bodame."
This intelligence was very gratifying, and most assuredly added to the
pleasurable contemplation of having the privilege of holding out a
helping hand to the fleeing bondman. From James Morris, one of this
company, however, letters of a painful nature were received, touching
his wife in bonds, setting forth her "awful" situation and appealing to
the Committee to use their best endeavors to rescue her, with her child,
from Slavery. One of these letters, so full of touching sentiments of
affection and appeal on behalf of his wife, is as follows:
TORONTO, Canada West, upper, 18th day of the 9th mo., 1856.
MR. WILLIAM STILL:--Dear Sir--I hope these lines may find you
and your family as they leave me give my respects to little
Caroline and her mother.
Dear Sir, I have received two letters from my wife since I saw
you, and the second was awful. I am sorry to say she says she
has been treated awful since I left, and she told the lady she
thought she was left free and she told her she was as much slave
as ever she was that the state was not to be settled until her
death and it would be a meracle if she and her child got it then
and that her master left a great many relations and she diden no
what they would do. Mr. Still dear sir I am very sorry to hear
my wife and child are slaves if you please dear sir inform me
what to do for my dear wife and child. She said she has been
threatened to be put in jail three times since I left also she
tells me that she is washing for the captain of a vesel that use
to run to Petersburg but now he runs to Baltimore and he has
promas to take her to Delaware or New York for 50 dollars and
she had not the money, she sent to me and I sent her all I had
which was 5 dollars dear sir can you inform me what to do with a
case of this kind the captains name is Thomas.
My wife is name lucy an morris my child is name lot, if you
please dear sir answer me as soon as you can posable.
HENRY JAMES MORRIS, Toronto C.W.
Henry James Morris in care of Wm. George Blunt, Centre st., 2
doors from Elam.
This sad letter made a mournful impression, as it was not easy to see
how her deliverance was to be effected. One feature, however, about this
epistle afforded much satisfaction, namely, to know, that James did not
forget his poor wife and child, who were in the prison-house. Many
months after this first letter came to hand, Mrs. Dr. Willis, one of the
first ladies in Toronto, wrote on his behalf as follows:
TORONTO, 15th June, Monday morning, 1857.
To MR. STILL, DEAR SIR:--I write you this letter for a