AFF Neoowslerrtte r ottf thhe Aeebra h aPmP Lieencoooln Appssoclliaeteion V ol ume 8, Numb er 1 Spr i n g 2006 Spr i n g f i el d, I l l i n oi s

Lincoln’s Springfield The Underground Railroad By Richard E. Hart The colony was representative of what was then called Farmington, now or a number of years I have been the New England strain of early Illinois Farmingdale, near Springfield. . . . My curious about the possible pres - settlers who in the 1830s and 1840s father, as well as myself, helped many Fence of the Underground Rail - settled in a random pattern of dots fugitives afterwards.” 6 road in Lincoln’s Springfield. As a child across the central and northern Illinois Two years later, Willard, who was on Sunday afternoon drives west of prairies. Their customs and culture then a student at Illinois College, suc - Springfield, my parents pointed out the contrasted sharply with that of the ear - cessfully assisted a fugitive slave move small village of Farmingdale and told lier settlers in Central Illinois, who had along the Underground Railroad from me that there had once been an Under - come from the upland South. In addi - Jacksonville to Farmington. His writ - ground Railroad station there. I later tion to being farmers, some of them ten account, “My Second Adventure learned that in the nineteenth century, were teachers, ministers, abolitionists, with a Fugitive Slave: And How It was Farmingdale was known as Farming - and conductors on the Underground Won,” told of secreting runaway slave ton 1 and that indeed its reputation as an Railroad. In September 1837 seven - Jack out of Jacksonville and on to the active station on the Underground teen men of the colony 3 expressed their Farmington underground railroad sta - Railroad could be documented. strong opposition to by signing tion. The story of the Underground Elijah P. Lovejoy’s call for Illinois’ first Railroad at Farmington began on antislavery convention to be held at A few days later the conductors of the October 25, 1833, when a colony of Upper Alton on October 26. Four of Under-Ground R.R. were ready. Lewis fifty-two New Englanders, many of the Farmington signers attended the knew the way to Laurie’s so I went with them abolitionists, arrived at Spring- convention. 4 At least four of the him one night to take the negro over the field after a ten-week journey from St. colony, Dr. John Lyman, Stephen next stage. We had to come back to the Lawrence County in upstate New Child, Luther Ransom, and Reverend Movastar bridge, and then to take an York. The Sangamo Journal reported Billious Pond, and several of their oblique course across fields thru groves and on their arrival: “Emigrants are com - neighbors, Jay Slater and Reverend thickets to a certain school-house a mile or ing by thousands into Illinois and from Thomas Galt, became active conduc - more east of the town, on the old railroad all quarters of the Union. On Friday tors on the Underground Railroad at track and near the high road to Springfield. last fifteen large wagons from St. the Farmington station. On the way Jack sighed and said, “it’s a Lawrence County, N. York, loaded In 1841 Samuel Willard, 5 a twen - long way to !” We assented. Once a with emigrants, arrived in our village, ty-year-old Jacksonville, Illinois, aboli - little noise in the bush near us startled him: and drove up in front of the market tionist, had his first experience in out came his pistol and I heard the click of house, in grand style. These emigrants assisting a runaway slave move north the cocking. When we struck the railroad, had been about ten weeks on the jour - on the underground railroad. Willard’s we were near the rendezvous: there were ney, and enjoyed good health during written account of that adventure, my father [Julius A. Willard ] and [William ] the time. They design to settle in Sang - “My First Adventure with a Fugitive Chauncey Carter 7 on horses, leading a third amo County—to which we bid them Slave: The Story of It and How It horse for the negro: he was soon mounted welcome.” 2 Failed,” acknowledged that he was not and the trio were on the way to Farming - The day following their Spring- familiar with the Farmington station ton; while two over-tired men trudged field arrival, the colony moved eight on the Underground Railroad at that back to College, but I had to meet my miles west to the Sangamon River vil - time. “It seemed to my father [Julius ] classes next day as usual. 8 lage of Sangamo Town. They spent the that the easiest thing for us would be winter there and in the spring moved a to take her [the fugitive slave ] to some As a result of this activity, Samuel few miles west to an open prairie where one on the line of what was known as was arrested and charged with assisting they settled, purchased farmland, and the Under-Ground Rail-Road. But we in the escape of a runaway slave. His established the community of Farm - knew nothing about it. In later adven - case went to the Supreme Court and ington. tures of this sort we went direct to continued on page 4 2 For the People

Lincoln Birthday Events Culminate with Doris Kearns Goodwin Address he Associa - the time for photographs. Throughout from her book in which she detailed tion celebrated the 197th the course of the two days it is estimat - how Lincoln’s abilities and character Tanniversary of Lincoln’s birth ed she signed over eight hundred outshined those of his fellow Republi - in grand fashion. The theme of the books. Her banquet address was drawn can rivals for the 1860 presidency. Mark your calendar now for the 2007 events. The symposium theme is “Lincoln in the 1850s,” and the ban - quet speaker will be Newsweek colum - nist Jon Meacham, author of the recent book American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation.

Shown above are the Lincoln symposium organizers and participants: (l to r) Old State Capitol superintendent Justin Blandford, Gerald Prokopow - icz, Catherine Clinton, Joshua Wolf Shenk, Daniel Mark Epstein, and Kim Matthew Bauer. symposium was “The Lincoln Family,” Richard Norton Smith with thought-provoking papers from Catherine Clinton, Daniel Mark Epstein, and Joshua Wolf Shenk, and commentary from Gerald Prokopow - icz. Lincoln curator Kim Matthew Bauer presided over the symposium for the final time as he leaves for a position as Lincoln heritage coordinator for the city of Decatur, Illinois, where he resides. Paper topics included “Wife v. Widow: Clashing Perspectives on Mary Lincoln’s Legacy,” “The Road to Washington, 1847,” and “Lincoln’s Emotional Life.” Doris Kearns Good - win, the banquet speaker, spent most of February 11 and 12 signing copies of her best-selling book, Team of Rivals. She graciously signed every copy presented to her and even took Outgoing President Roger D. Bridges Doris Kearns Goodwin For the People 3

THE ABRAHAM LINCOLN ASSOCIATION RICHARD E. H ART President President’s Message BARBARA HUGHETT ROBERT J. L ENZ By Richard E. Hart tinued to hone her skills on many a ROBERT WILLARD ebruary 12, 2006, will be summer afternoon at Boston’s Fenway Vice-Presidents remembered as one of ALA’s Park by telling her three sons about THOMAS F. S CHWARTZ Fmost popular celebrations of their grandfather, who died before the Secretary Lincoln’s birth. Doris Kearns Good - boys got to know him. ROBERT A. S TUART JR. Treasurer win arrived in Springfield on Saturday The ALA has two big events in the ROGER D. B RIDGES evening and began a whirlwind of near future. In 2008, we will celebrate Immediate Past-President speaking engagements and signings of the one-hundredth anniversary of the MARY SHEPHERD her best selling book, Team of Rivals- Abraham Lincoln Association, and in Executive Assistant The Political Genius of Abraham Lin - 2009 we will participate in the national Board of Directors coln. On Sunday afternoon prior to the celebration of Lincoln’s two-hundredth Kenneth L. Anderson Molly M. Becker Symposium, Doris signed her book at birthday. The ALA’s Bicentennial Com - Michael Burlingame the Old State Capitol. Admirers mittee has started planning for both Brooks Davis arrived early and formed a line from events and the preliminary plans are Rodney O. Davis Robert S. Eckley the first floor, up the grand stairs, exciting. If you have any thoughts or Allen C. Guelzo around the second floor rotunda, and ideas on how to best celebrate these Kathryn M. Harris into the room where Doris was gra - important events, please e-mail them to Earl W. Henderson Jr. Fred B. Hoffmann cious to every signature seeker. So not me at [email protected]. If you prefer David Joens to interfere with the Symposium, the mail, you can write to me c/o Abra - Ron J. Keller Doris and her team of fans moved ham Lincoln Association, 1 Old State Lee McTurnan Richard W. Maroc down the street to the Abraham Lin - Capitol Plaza, Springfield, IL 62701. Myron Marty coln Presidential Museum where she We all thank our past President, Richard Mills finished the signings. It is estimated Roger Bridges for his service not only Susan Mogerman Georgia Northrup that she signed well over eight hun - as President, but also for more than Phillip S. Paludan dred books. three decades of Abraham Lincoln James W. Patton III Symposium attendees packed the Association leadership. Roger was Mark Plummer Marvin Sanderman chamber of the House of Representa - present at the beginning of the Sympo - William G. Shepherd tives in the Old State Capitol where sium and was responsible for its form - Brooks D. Simpson Kim Bauer welcomed Catherine Clin - ative years. Daniel W. Stowell Nicky Stratton ton, Daniel Epstein, and Joshua Shenk. I look forward to being your Pres - Louise Taper They each presented thought-provok - ident during these exciting days and Donald R. Tracy ing glimpses into the lives of Mary and welcome your continued participation Andy Van Meter Margaret Van Meter Abraham. Gerald Prokopowicz’s com - and support. Please feel free to contact Daniel R. Weinberg ments were insightful. me at any time to offer your ideas and Stewart L. Winger On Sunday evening the banquet suggestions. The best is yet to come. Kenneth J. Winkle was a sell out. After dinner and before Honorary Directors Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Doris began to speak, Georgia Senator Richard Durbin Northrup was able to squeeze a few Senator Barack Obama more waiting-list people into the cen - Congressman Ray LaHood For the People (ISSN 1527–2710 ) is Congressman John Shimkus ter aisle of the banquet hall. Doris’s published four times a year and is a Justice Rita Garman speech confirmed her reputation as a Mayor Timothy J. Davlin benefit of membership of the master storyteller. She attributes that Abraham Lincoln Association Emeritus Directors skill to her father. As a young girl Cullom Davis 1 Old State Capitol Plaza John J. Trutter Doris lived in Brooklyn, New York. Springfield, Illinois Harlington Wood Jr. While her father was off at work dur - 62701 Distinguished Directors ing the summers, he required Doris to Mario M. Cuomo listen to the radio broadcasts of the David Herbert Donald Editorial and design services by John Hope Franklin Brooklyn Dodger baseball games. At William B. Tubbs Harry V. Jaffa the end of the work day when her ([email protected] ) Robert W. Johannsen father returned home, Doris would Garry Wills give him a play-by-play recount of the afternoon game. Years later Doris con - 4 For the People

Lincoln’s Springfield Th e Un der g r oun d R ai l r oad

continued from page 1 road and near the branch, he [Lyman ] of runaway slaves move north from the he eventually plead guilty and was had a little shanty, and a family of dark - Farmington station. John Carroll Pow - fined $1.00. 9 ies living in it. It had the name of Dr. ers’s 1876 Early Settlers of Sangamon In a later written reminiscence, Lyman’s Under-ground Depot. He was County described Child: Willard identified Reverend Bilious accused of secreting run-away slaves, on Pond, Dr. John Lyman, and Luther their way to Canada. It was said that the Mr. [Stephen ] Child was a farmer and Ransom as among his active allies on southern slave holders offered a thou - teacher all his life. He was an original abo - the Sangamon County Underground sand dollars for the Dr.’s scalp.” 14 litionist, and as an agent of the under - Railroad. 10 Helen Blankmeyer’s 1935 history, The Sangamon Country, con - tains a brief account of the Under - ground Railroad and also identifies the conductors at the Farmington station. “In Sangamon county there were at least two of these [Underground Rail - road ] stations near Farmingdale. Dr. John Lyman and a few of his neighbors (including Jay Slater, Stephen Child, Luther Ransom, Rev. Billious Pond, Rev. Gault, and probably others ), agreed to help each other hide any slaves brought to them, and to take them further on their way to free - dom.” 11 So who were these men that Willard and Blankmeyer deemed con - Residence of Jay Slater on North Lincoln Trail, Gardner Township, ductors on the Underground Railroad Sangamon County, Illinois at Farmington? Dr. John Lyman, a New England Jay Slater, a farmer, was born on ground railroad, he assisted hundreds of doctor, was born on April 2, 1780, at February 25, 1795, in Massachusetts. colored people in their flight from Lebanon, New Hampshire. He mar - He was married on March 12, 1826, in bondage. He conducted a company of ried there to Martha Storrs and attend - Sangamon County, to Lucretia Car - twenty-one at one time. It was his custom ed medical lectures at Dartmouth Col - man, who was born in 1806 in New to go as far as he could travel in one night lege. He practiced medicine in New York. Slater was a conductor on the and return, but on some occasions he has Haven Township, Vermont, and dur - Underground Railroad and his home, gone as far sixty miles, and then left them ing the War of 1812, was an Army sur - a small, neat brick house that still in the hands of friends who would conduct geon. In 1824, John moved with his stands just a short distance from Farm - them onward. The last time the writer of family to Potsdam, New York, 12 and in ington, 15 was most likely an active sta - this, conversed with Mr. Child, he 1833, came to Farmington with the tion on the Underground Railroad. expressed special satisfaction that he had colony of fifty-two. John signed the Stephen Child, a farmer and assisted so many human beings on their call for and attended Elijah Lovejoy’s teacher, was a New Englander, born way to freedom, and gratitude that he had 1837 antislavery convention at Upper on June 12, 1802, in Waitsfield, Ver - lived to see the day that there was not a Alton. On February 26, 1839, The mont. In 1820 Child moved to Pots - slave in the United States of America. 16 Genius of Universal Emancipation, an dam, New York, where he taught abolitionist newspaper published at school. He married Lyman’s daughter, Reverend Billious Pond, who Hennepin, Illinois, reported that John Hannah, and they had two children acted as the pastor for the colony of Lyman was one of five Sangamon while living in Potsdam. Child and his fifty-two during their ten-week journey County delegates to the Illinois Anti- family came to Sangamon County in from upstate New York, was a New Slavery Society annual meeting. 13 1833 as a part of the colony of fifty- Englander, born on June 26, 1781, in A neighbor described “Dr. two and settled near Farmington. Plymouth, Connecticut. From 1842 to Lyman’s Underground Depot” at Child was a conductor on the Under - January 1844 Pond was pastor of the Farmington: “Down the hill near the ground Railroad who helped hundreds Farmington Presbyterian Church. 17 For the People 5 Pond and his son, Marvin, were con - soul and how brave the runaway slaves dren came to Farmington in 1833 with ductors on the Underground Railroad. were to risk their lives to escape slavery. the colony of fifty-two. Luther was On June 11, 1845, Abraham Lincoln I wondered if there was anyone in Clerk of Session of the Farmington appeared in the Menard County Cir - Springfield, just eight miles east, who Presbyterian Church from 1834 to cuit Court as an attorney for Marvin shared this nobility. Was there an 1835. 23 In 1835 Luther sold his prop - Pond, who had been indicted for har - Underground Railroad station in erty at Farmington and moved eight boring a slave. 18 The jury found him Springfield? If so, who were the con - miles south of Springfield to what is not guilty. 19 ductors and where were the stations now Chatham. Here he purchased Thomas Galt, a Presbyterian min - located? Was Lincoln aware of its pres - twenty-one hundred acres, laid out the ister, was born on September 12, ence? town of Chatham, built a house, 1805, in Lancaster County, Pennsylva - Perfect answers to these questions organized Chatham Presbyterian nia. He was educated at Jefferson Col - will probably never be given. Success Church and hired an abolitionist lege in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, and of the Underground Railroad rested preacher. Luther appears to have envi - at the Presbyterian Theological Semi - upon a strict code of secrecy and it is sioned a New England town on the nary in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. difficult to find primary source materi - prairie. In 1834 he was licensed to preach by als on the Underground Railroad. The Luther was an early abolitionist. the Presbytery of , and shortly name of one underground conductor He signed Elijah Lovejoy’s 1837 call thereafter married Sarah Happer. In was often not known to the next con - for an antislavery convention at Upper the spring of 1835 they moved west to ductor along the line. Because of the Alton, Illinois, and attended that con - Peoria, Illinois, where Galt preached secrecy, the Underground Railroad’s vention in October 1837. He was also for a few months, and in the autumn of presence in Lincoln’s Springfield has was one of five Sangamon County del - that year moved to Springfield. On been shrouded in mystery. 22 egates to the 1839 Illinois Anti-Slavery April 10, 1836, he became the first Over the years, I have collected Society annual meeting. 24 John Carroll pastor of the Farmingdale Presbyterian information that refers to Springfield’s Powers’s 1876 Early Settlers of Sanga - Church. The Galts lived one mile east Underground Railroad. It is often a mon County, described Luther thus: of Farmington where they set apart serendipitous experience as I will find “He was an original abolitionist, an three acres of ground for a church and something while researching an unre - uncompromising temperance man, a cemetery, now the Farmington lated topic. When these random find - scrupulously honest in his dealings, Cemetery. Galt signed the call for and ings are pasted together, a picture and it was believed by those who knew attended Elijah Lovejoy’s 1837 anti - emerges that leads one to the conclu - him well, that he was honest and con - slavery convention at Upper Alton. He sion that there was an active Under - scientious in all he did. His erratic was also was one of five Sangamon ground Railroad system in Springfield course was regarded more as the man - County delegates to the 1839 Illinois from at least 1841 until after Lincoln’s ifestations of an unsettled mind than of Anti-Slavery Society annual meeting. 20 departure in 1861. The Springfield sta - a depraved disposition.” 25 Galt remained pastor at Farming - tions had a close connection with those In 1840 Luther moved to ton until April 1842, when the Farm - at Farmington. One station existed Springfield, and by October 18, 1841, ington Presbyterian Church split over near the Globe Tavern at the time that he operated an Underground Railroad the issue of slavery. The “Old School” newly married Abraham and Mary Lin - station there at his boarding house advocates, who wanted a slow resolu - coln lived there in 1841. In the 1850s near the Globe Tavern. 26 Luther’s par - tion of the slavery issue, retained con - at least two stations were close to the ticipation in Springfield’s underground trol of the Farmington church. Galt, a Lincoln home at Eighth and Jackson. railroad is evidenced by a St. Louis “New School” advocate who wanted These two stations and two others not slave owner’s October 18, 1841, hand - the immediate abolition of slavery, as close to the Lincoln home were bill offering a $200 reward for the resigned his pastorate, and in July operated by African Americans who return of an African American woman, 1842 became pastor of the Center knew and had close contacts with Lin - Rittea or Henrietta Jones, and her chil - Presbyterian Church, a “New School” coln. Lincoln must have known of the dren, Martha, age six, Sarah, age four, Presbyterian church. Sangamon Coun - Underground Railroad activities of and James, age two, and her husband, ty’s first antislavery convention was these African American friends. Yes, Nicholas, a “free dark mulatto.” 27 A held at Center Church. 21 there were a few noble souls in Lin - “P.S.” at the end of the handbill stated Coming back to Springfield from coln’s Springfield who conducted an that Rittea and her family were “seen those Sunday afternoon drives, I imag - active Underground Railroad system. at L. N. Ransom’s boarding house, at ined runaway slaves being taken in and Springfield Ill., on yesterday morn - hidden at Farmington and then trans - Luther N. Ransom ing.” 28 ported in the dead of night to the next Samuel Willard remembered that stop on the Underground Railroad. Luther N. Ransom was born about in 1843 Luther, “noted as a very stren - How noble these people were to risk 1800 in Clinton County, New York. uous abolitionist,” advised his father, their all for the freedom of another He and his wife, Zerviah, and two chil - continued on page 6 6 For the People

Lincoln’s Springfield Th e Un der g r oun d R ai l r oad

continued from page 5 some of the events around the proslav - enth Infantry Regiment on September Julius A. Willard, in selecting an attor - ery mob killing of Elijah P Lovejoy. 5, 1862, and acted as the surgeon for ney to represent them in a case charg - Henry Tanner, The Martyrdom of Love - the regiment. He resided in Spring- ing them with assisting in the escape of joy. An Account of the Life, Trials and field, Illinois, from October 1863 to a fugitive slave at Jacksonville. “In Perils of Rev. Elijah P. Lovejoy, Who Was September 1870, when he moved to preparation for the trial of our case it Killed by a Pro-Slavery Mob, at Alton, Chicago. Doctor Samuel Willard died was necessary to get lawyers to defend Ill., on the Night of November 7, 1837. on February 9, 1913, in Chicago, Illi - us . . . friends thot it best to have coun - By an Eye-Witness (Chicago: Fergus nois. Kim Torp, trans., The Under - sel of eminence from outside, my Printing Co., 1881 ). Samuel con - ground Railroad, Historical Encyclope - father went to Springfield, taking me tributed several pages to Tanner’s book. dia of Illinois, 1901 , http:// genealogy - with him. We were the guests of Samuel and his father, Julius A. Willard, trails.com/ill/underground-road.html. Luther Ransom, noted as a very stren - were charged with assisting in the 6Samuel Willard, “My First Adven - uous abolitionist. . . . Lincoln was escape of a fugitive at Jacksonville, in ture with a Fugitive Slave: The Story of mentioned by L. Ransom, who dismist 1843, while Samuel was a student in It and How It Failed,” TS, Abraham him with the remark that he did not Illinois College. “The National Corpo - Lincoln Presidential Library, Spring- [have ] any reputation, and we wanted ration Reporter,” gave an account of field, Ill. a man of note. L. Ransom added that this affair, together with a letter from 7William Chauncy Carter was born Lincoln was not afraid of a negro Samuel, in which he states that, after in New Canaan, Connecticut, on April case.” 29 protracted litigation, during which the 2, 1820, and died in Jacksonville, Illi - case was carried to the Supreme Court, nois, on December 9, 1896. At age * Part 2, which will include more sto - it was ended by his pleading guilty thirteen William was brought by his ries of those involved in Springfield’s before Judge Samuel D. Lockwood, parents to Illinois. In the spring of Underground Railroad, will appear in when he was fined one dollar and costs. 1834 the family located on a farm the summer issue of For the People . He enlisted in the Illinois Ninety-sev - about four miles south of Jacksonville,

1James N. Adams, comp., Illinois Place Names, ed. William E. Keller, Occasional Publications 54 (Spring- field: Illinois State Historical Society, New Members 1968 ), 360. 2Paul M. Angle, Here I Have Lived Thomas P. Abbott, Hampstead, MD Mark Janus, Springfield, IL (Springfield, Ill.: Abraham Lincoln Mr. Kelly Bailey, Des Moines, IA Susan Fox Larson, Association, 1935 ), 40. Paul E. Bender, Normal, IL La Grange Park, IL 3The Farmington signers were: Larry Binkovitz, New Albany, OH Patrick McKenna, Springfield, IL Peter Bates, Asahel Stone, Azel Vicki Bonnett, Havana, IL Mildred A. Meyer, Springfield, IL Lyman, Alvan Lyman, Harooldus Roberta Booher, Henning, IL Tracy Meyer, Chatham, IL Estabrook, Ezra Lyman, Bishop Seely, Robert Bray, Bloomington, IL Erika Nunamaker, Lincoln, IL B. B. More, Jay Slater, H. P. Lyman, Steve Edison, St. Louis, MO Patrick Oberholtzer, Washington, DC Oliver Bates, Stephen Child, O. L. Paul Essington Bloomington, IL David O’Reilly, Palo Alto, CA Stone, A. S. Lyman, Joel Buckman, Curt Evoy, Springfield, IL Carlos E.Rivera, San Juan, PR John Lyman, and T. Galt. Paul Finkelman, Tulsa, OK Jeff Roquen, Palatine, IL 4The Farmington attendees at the Joseph R. Fornieri, Fairport, NY Michael Ross, New Orleans, LA first Illinois antislavery convention Robert H. Forsyth Jr., Springfield, IL William Sawisch, Oak Park, IL held at Upper Alton on October 26, John R. Gehlbach, Elkhart, IL Peter W. Schramm, Ashland, OH 1837, were: C. [Cornelius ] Lyman, Robert C. Gilbert, Kennesaw, GA Mark Skesavage, Freehold, NJ John Lyman, L. [Luther ] N. Ransom Beth Gilliland, Mooresville, IN Mark D. Streed, Woodbury, MN and Thos. Galt. Rob Gilliland, Mooresville, IN Dr. Gerald Trigg, 5Doctor Samuel Willard was born Betty Green, Springfield, IL Colorado Springs, CO on December 30, 1821, in Lunenburg, Clifford & Shirley Greenwalt, Mrs. Gerald Trigg, Essex County, Vermont. On the night Springfield, IL Colorado Springs, CO of November 7, 1837, he witnessed Mark Irving, O’Fallon, MO Dixie Watterson, Evanston, IL For the People 7 where his father had purchased eighty nepin, Illinois, reported on February Dayton, Ohio: Morningside, 1991 ), acres. William graduated from Illinois 26, 1839, that the Sangamon County 253. College in 1845. For four years, he delegates to the Illinois Anti-Slavery 19 Ibid., 259; Power, 576–77. Mar - farmed and taught school near Jack - Society annual meeting were: Thomas vin B. Pond, born on November 3, sonville during the winter. He pur - Galt, L. [Luther ] N. Ransom, E. 1807, in New York, married there and chased a farm and spent his active life [Erastus ] Wright, J. W. Little, and came to Sangamon County in 1837. In farming. William’s barn was an Under - John Lyman. 1839 he moved to Menard County, ground Railroad station. Historical 14 Taken from “diary pages typed in where he died in July 1871. Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of 1926–27 by James A. Stone,” James 20 Genius of Universal Emancipation. Morgan County (Chicago: Munsell Asahel Stone, “The Memoirs of James 21 Farmingdale Presbyterian Church Publishing Co., 1906 ). Asahel Stone,” comp. Marilyn Reed Website, http://www.farmpreschurch. 8Willard, “My Second Adventure Pierson, 2001, 22, Sangamon Valley org/History.dsp. with a Fugitive Slave: And How It was Collection, Lincoln Library, Spring- 22 Pamela R. Peters, Journey to the Won,” TS, Abraham Lincoln Presiden - field, Illinois. Underground Railroad in Floyd County, tial Library. 15 The house may be reached by Indiana, http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/ 9“Beecher Hall Added to National going west on Route 97 (Jefferson www/ihb/ugrr/pampeters.html. Underground Railroad Network,” IC Street ) from Springfield to Bradford - 23 Stone, 69. News & Events, http://www.ic.edu/ ton; two miles from the intersection of 24 Genius of Universal Emancipation. alumni/news/news_story.asp?iNewsI Jefferson Street and Veterans Parkway. 25 Power, 593. D=775&strBack=%2Falumni%2Fnews At Bradfordton, continue west for one 26 Lincoln to Joshua F. Speed, May %2Fnews_archive.asp. mile on Route 97 to the first road on 18, 1843, in Roy P. Basler, ed., The 10 Martyrdom of Lovejoy ; Wilbur the right (north ), Lincoln Trail. The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln Siebert, The Underground Railroad intersection of Lincoln Trail and Route (New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers Uni - from Slavery to Freedom (New York: 97 is marked as 5.5 West and 1.95 versity Press, 1953–1955 ), 1:323–24. Macmillan Co., 1898 ). A book review North, being the distance from the 27 The handbill is in the Henry by Samuel Willard was published in intersection of First and Washington Horner Collection, Abraham Lincoln The Dial of Chicago. streets in Springfield. Turn right on Presidential Library. 11 Helen Van Cleave Blankmeyer, Lincoln Trail and go one mile north. The Sangamon Country (Springfield, The house sits back on the left (west ) $200 Ill.: Sangamon County Historical Soci - side of the road. REWARD ety, 1965 ), 126–28. 16 Power, 198. Ran off from the subscriber on Thurs - 12 John Carroll Power, History of 17 Mary E. Stone, “Communicant day morning, 14th inst, one Negro the Early Settlers, Sangamon County, Register of Farmington-Farmingdale Woman, named Rittea or Henrietta Jones, Illinois (Springfield: E. A. Wilson & United Presbyterian Church,” TS, 82, with her three children, Martha, Sarah and Co., 1876 ), 467–68. Sangamon Valley Collection. James. The woman is large and fleshy, of a 13 The Genius of Universal Emanci - 18 Earl Schenck Miers and William dark complexion and very sullen counte - pation, an abolitionist newspaper pub - E. Baringer, Lincoln Day By Day, A nance; the oldest daughter, Martha is six lished by Benjamin Lundy at Hen - Chronology, 1809–1865 (1960; rpt. continued on page 8

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP Please enroll me as a member of the Mail this application (or a photocopy ) Abraham Lincoln Association in the and a check to: category indicated: The Abraham Lincoln Association Railsplitter $35 1 Old State Capitol Plaza ($25 Student ) Springfield, Illinois Postmaster $75 62701 Lawyer $200 Congressman $500 Name President $1,000 Street Website: www.alincolnassoc.com City Members residing outside the U.S. add State $3.00. Zip 8 For the People

Lincoln’s Springfield Th e Un der g r oun d R ai l r oad

continued from page 7 P. S. Since the above was written I Globe Tavern. Would that be “just years old, the second Sarah is 4, and the have been informed that Nicholas, his wife above the Globe”? Was this Ransom’s son James is 2. The children are of a lighter and three children were seen at L. N. Ran - boarding house referred to in the 1841 color than their mother. som’s boarding house, at Springfield Ill., handbill for the runaway slaves? In The husband of Rittea, Nicholas on yesterday morning. August 1844 Luther’s wife, Zerviah, Jones, is a free dark mulatto about thirty- Springfield, October 18th, 1841. died, and Luther and his two sons five years old, slightly spotted with the moved to Utopia, Ohio, on the Ohio smallpox, about 5 feet 8 or 9 inches high, 28 On May 18, 1843, Abraham Lin - River. There he joined a group of 250 and quite impertinent when spoken to. coln wrote a letter to Joshua F. Speed, Frenchmen who were members of a Said Nicholas had a white man at Alton, to part of which addressed business mat - communal society known as the carry his family to Carlinville Ill. in a two ters. In explaining his attempts to col - Fourierite Association. He married horse box wagon, covered with white linen lect on a debt owed Speed, Lincoln there and he and his new wife had one or cotton. reported that the debt was to be paid child, Albert. In December 1847 the I will give One hundred dollars for the from all rent due a Mr. Jewett after the flooded and a very large delivery of Nicholas in St. Louis, if taken previous January 12. Lincoln wrote: brick building, owned and occupied by out of the State, or fifty dollars if appre - “The rent is for the house Ransom did the Fourierites, was flooded and col - hended in it, or the latter sum if confined in live in just above the Globe [the Globe lapsed killing one hundred persons, any Jail in the United States, so that I can Tavern where the Lincoln’s then including Luther’s wife and two eldest get him. I will also give One hundred dol - lived ].” The reference to “Ransom” is children. Albert survived. In 1848 lars for the delivery of Rittea and her chil - most likely Luther N. Ransom and the Ransom and his baby son left the dren in St. Louis, if taken out of this State, reference to “Jewett” was probably Fourierites and joined the Shakers at or fifty dollars if apprehended in it, or the Benjamin F. Jewett. A review of the Lebanon, Ohio. He remained with the latter sum if confined in any Jail in the records of the Sangamon County Shakers until August 1859, when he United States so that I can get them. In Recorder of Deeds records reveals that and his son moved west to Lawrence, addition to the above reward all reasonable on March 3, 1838, Benjamin F. Jewett Kansas, where Luther lived until his expenses will be paid by me. purchased property at the northwest death in July 1872. St. Louis, Mo. corner of First and Washington streets, 29 The Underground Railroad, His - JOHN FINNLY. just three blocks northwest from the torical Encyclopedia of Illinois, 1901 .

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