The Underground Railroad
counted the cost of slavery thoroughly, besides having experienced the
effects of it. Accordingly he resolved to "be free or die," "to kill or
be killed, in trying to reach free land somewhere!"
Having "always been hired out amongst very hard white people," he was
"unhappy." His owner, George Coleman, lived near Fairfax, Va., and was a
member of the Methodist Church, but in his ways was "very sly," and
"deadly against anything like Freedom." He held fifteen of his
fellow-men in chains.
For John's hire he received one hundred and fifty dollars a year. He
was, therefore, ranked with first-class "stock," valued at $1,500.
William was about thirty-five years of age, neat, and pleasing in his
manners. He would be the first selected in a crowd by a gentleman or a
lady, who might want a very neat-looking man to attend to household
affairs. Though he considered Captain Cunningham, his master, a
"tolerable fair man," he was not content to be robbed of his liberty and
earnings. As he felt that he "could take care of himself," he decided to
let the Captain have the same chance--and so he steered his course
straight for Canada.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM UNIONVILLE, 1857.
ISRAEL TODD, AND BAZIL ALDRIDGE.
Israel was twenty-three years of age, yellow, tall, well made and
intelligent. He fled from Frederick county, Md. Through the sweat of his
brow, Dr. Greenberry Sappington and his family had been living at ease.
The doctor was a Catholic, owning only one other, and was said to be a
man of "right disposition." His wife, however, was "so mean that nobody
could stay with her." Israel was prompted to escape to save his wife,
(had lately been married) and her brother from being sold south. His
detestation of slavery in every shape was very decided. He was a
valuable man, worth to a trader fifteen hundred dollars, perhaps.
Bazil was only seventeen years of age. About as near a kin to the "white
folks" as to the colored people, and about as strong an opponent of
slavery as any "Saxon" going of his age. He was a brother-in-law of
Israel, and accompanied him on the Underground Rail Road. Bazil was held
to service or labor by Thornton Pool, a store-keeper, and also farmer,
and at the same time an ardent lover of the "cretur," so much so that
"he kept about half-drunk all the time." So Bazil affirmed. The good
spirit moved two of Bazil's brothers to escape the spring before. A few
months afterwards a brother and sister were sold south. To manage the
matter smoothly, previous to selling them, the master pretended that he
was "only going to hire them out a short distance from home." But
instead of doing so he sold them south. Bazil might be put down at nine
hundred dollars.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1857.
ORDEE LEE, AND RICHARD J. BOOCE.
Both of these passengers came from Maryland. Ordee was about thirty-five
years of age, gingerbread color, well made, and intelligent. Being
allowed no chances to make anything for himself, was the excuse offered
for his escape. Though, as will appear presently, other causes also
helped to make him hate his oppression.
The man who had daily robbed him, and compelled him to call him master,
was a notorious "gambler," by the name of Elijah Thompson, residing in
Maryland. "By his bad habits he had run through with his property,
though in society he stood pretty tolerably high amongst some people;
then again some didn't like him, he was a mean man, all for himself. He
was a man that didn't care anything about his servants, except to get
work out of them. When he came where the servants were working, he would
snap and bite at them and if he said anything at all, it was to hurry
the work on."
"He never gave me," said Ordee, "a half a dollar in his life. Didn't
more than half feed, said that meat and fish was too high to eat. As for
clothing, he never gave me a new hat for every day, nor a Sunday rag in
his life." Of his mistress, he said, "She was stingy and close,--made
him (his master) worse than what he would have been." Two of his
brothers were sold to Georgia, and his uncle was cheated out of his
freedom. Left three brothers and two sisters in chains. Elijah Thompson
had at least fifteen hundred dollars less to sport upon by this bold
step on the part of Ordee.
Richard was about twenty-two years of age, well grown, and a very
likely-looking article, of a chestnut color, with more than common
intelligence for a slave.
His complaints were that he had been treated "bad," allowed "no
privileges" to make anything, allowed "no Sunday clothing," &c. So he
left the portly-looking Dr. Hughes, with no feeling of indebtedness or
regret. And as to his "cross and ill-natured" mistress, with her four
children, they might whistle for his services and support. His master
had, however, some eighteen or twenty others to rob for the support of
himself and family, so they were in no great danger of starving.
"Would your owner be apt to pursue you?" said a member of the Committee.
"I don't think he will. He was after two uncles of mine, one time, saw
them, and talked with them, but was made to run."
Richard left behind his mother, step-father, two sisters, and one
brother. As a slave, he would have been considered cheap at sixteen
hundred dollars. He was a fine specimen.
* * * * *
ARRIVAL FROM CAMBRIDGE, 1857.
Silas Long and Solomon Light. Silas and Solomon both left together from
Cambridge, Md.
Silas was quite black, spare-built and about twenty-seven years of age.
He was owned by Sheriff Robert Bell, a man about "sixty years of age,
and had his name up to be the hardest man in the county." "The Sheriff's
wife was about pretty much such a woman as he was a man--there was not a
pin's point of difference between them." The fear of having to be sold
caused this Silas to seek the Underground Rail Road. Leaving his mother,
one brother and one cousin, and providing himself with a Bowie-knife and
a few dollars in money, he resolved to reach Canada, "or die on the
way." Of course, when slaves reached this desperate point, the way to
Canada was generally found.
Solomon was about twenty-three years of age, a good-natured-looking
"article," who also left Cambridge, and the protection of a certain
Willis Branick, described as an "unaccountable mean man." "He never gave
me any money in his life," said Sol., "but spent it pretty freely for
liquor." "He would not allow enough to eat, or clothing sufficient." And
he sold Sol.'s brother the year before he fled, "because he could not
whip him." The fear of being sold prompted Sol. to flee. The very day he
escaped he had a serious combat with two of his master's sons. The thumb
of one of them being "badly bit," and the other used roughly--the ire of
the master and sons was raised to a very high degree--and the verdict
went forth that "Sol. should be sold to-morrow." Unhesitatingly, he
started for the Underground Rail Road and Canada--and his efforts were
not in vain. Damages, $1,500.
* * * * *
"THE MOTHER OF TWELVE CHILDREN."
OLD JANE DAVIS--FLED TO ESCAPE THE AUCTION-BLOCK.
The appended letter, from Thomas Garrett, will serve to introduce one of
the most remarkable cases that it was our privilege to report or assist:
WILMINGTON, 6 mo., 9th, 1857.
ESTEEMED FRIEND--WILLIAM STILL:--We have here in this place, at
Comegys Munson's an old colored woman, the mother of twelve
children, one half of which has been sold South. She has been so
ill used, that she was compelled to leave husband and children
behind, and is desirous of getting to a brother who lives at
Buffalo. She was nearly naked. She called at my house on 7th day
night, but being from home, did not see her till last evening. I
have procured her two under garments, one new; two skirts, one
new; a good frock with cape; one of my wife's bonnets and
stockings, and gave her five dollars in gold, which, if properly
used, will put her pretty well on the way. I also gave her a
letter to thee. Since I gave them to her she has concluded to
stay where she is till 7th day night, when Comegys Munson says
he can leave his work and will go with her to thy house. I write
this so that thee may be prepared for them; they ought to arrive
between 11 and 12 o'clock. Perhaps thee may find some fugitive
that will be willing to accompany her. With desire for thy
welfare and the cause of the oppressed, I remain thy friend,
THOS. GARRETT.
Jane did not know how old she was. She was probably sixty or seventy.
She fled to keep from being sold. She had been "whipt right smart,"
poorly fed and poorly clothed, by a certain Roger McZant, of the New
Market District, Eastern Shore of Maryland. His wife was a "bad woman
too." Just before escaping, Jane got a whisper that her "master" was
about to sell her; on asking him if the rumor was true, he was silent.
He had been asking "one hundred dollars" for her.
Remembering that four of her children had been snatched away from her
and sold South, and she herself was threatened with the same fate, she
was willing to suffer hunger, sleep in the woods for nights and days,
wandering towards Canada, rather than trust herself any longer under the
protection of her "kind" owner. Before reaching a place of repose she
was _three weeks in the woods_, almost wholly without nourishment.
Jane, doubtless, represented thousands of old slave mothers, who, after
having been worn out under the yoke, were frequently either offered for
sale for a trifle, turned off to die, or compelled to eke out their
existence on the most stinted allowance.
* * * * *
BENJAMIN ROSS, AND HIS WIFE HARRIET.
FLED FROM CAROLINE COUNTY, EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND, JUNE, 1857.
This party stated that Dr. Anthony Thompson had claimed them as his
property. They gave the Committee a pretty full report of how they had
been treated in slavery, especially under the doctor. A few of the
interesting points were noted as follows: The doctor owned about twenty
head of slaves when they left; formerly he had owned a much larger
number, but circumstances had led him to make frequent sales during the
few years previous to their escape, by which the stock had been reduced.
As well as having been largely interested in slaves, he had at the same
time been largely interested in real estate, to the extent of a dozen
farms at least. But in consequence of having reached out too far,
several of his farms had slipped out of his hands.
Upon the whole, Benjamin pronounced him a rough man towards his slaves,
and declared, that he had not given him a dollar since the death of his
(the master's) father, which had been at least twenty years prior to
Benjamin's escape. But Ben. did not stop here, he went on to speak of
the religious character of his master, and also to describe him
physically; he was a Methodist preacher, and had been "pretending to
preach for twenty years." Then the fact that a portion of their children
had been sold to Georgia by this master was referred to with much
feeling by Ben and his wife; likewise the fact that he had stinted them
for food and clothing, and led them a rough life generally, which left
them no room to believe that he was anything else than "a wolf in
sheep's clothing." They described him as a "spare-built man, bald head,
wearing a wig."
These two travelers had nearly reached their three score years and ten
under the yoke. Nevertheless they seemed delighted at the idea of going
to a free country to enjoy freedom, if only for a short time. Moreover