THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD xxiii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SETH CONCKLIN ...... 1
UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD LETTERS ...... 13
WILLIAM PEEL, ALIAS WILLIAM BOX PEEL JONES ...... 21
WESLEY HARRIS, ALIAS ROBERT JACKSON, AND THE MATTERSON BROTHERS ...... 23
DEATH OF ROMULUS HALL—NEW NAME GEORGE WEEMS ...... 25
JAMES MERCER, WM. H. GILLIAM, AND JOHN CLAYTON ...... 28
CLARISSA DAVIS ...... 33
ANTHONY BLOW, ALIAS HENRY LEVISON ...... 34
PERRY JOHNSON, OF ELKTON, MARYLAND ...... 35
ISAAC FORMAN, WILLIAM DAVIS, AND WILLIS REDICK ...... 36
JOSEPH HENRY CAMP ...... 38
SHERIDAN FORD ...... 38
JOSEPH KNEELAND, ALIAS JOSEPH HULSON ...... 39
EX-PRESIDENT TYLER’S HOUSEHOLD LOSES AN ARISTOCRATIC “ARTICLE” ...... 39
EDWARD MORGAN, HENRY JOHNSON, JAMES AND STEPHEN BUTLER ...... 41
HENRY PREDO ...... 42
DANIEL HUGHES ...... 42
THOMAS ELLIOTT ...... 43
MARY EPPS, ALIAS EMMA BROWN—JOSEPH AND ROBERT ROBINSON ...... 44
GEORGE SOLOMON, DANIEL NEALL, BENJAMIN R. FLETCHER AND MARIA DORSEY ...... 47
HENRY BOX BROWN ...... 49
TRIAL OF THE EMANCIPATORS OF COL. J. H. WHEELER’S SLAVES, JANE JOHNSON AND HER TWO LITTLE BOYS ...... 53
THE ARRIVALS OF A SINGLE MONTH ...... 61
ASLAVE GIRL’S NARRATIVE ...... 74
ARRIVAL OF JACKSON, ISAAC AND EDMONDSON TURNER FROM PETERSBURG ...... 77
ROBERT BROWN, ALIAS THOMAS JONES ...... 80
ANTHONY LONEY, ALIAS WILLIAM ARMSTEAD ...... 82
CORNELIUS SCOTT ...... 82
SAMUEL WILLIAMS, ALIAS JOHN WILLIAMS ...... 82
BARNABY GRIGBY, ALIAS JOHN BOYER, AND MARY ELIZABETH, HIS WIFE; FRANK WANZER, ALIAS ROBERT SCOTT; EMILY FOSTER, ALIAS ANN WOOD ...... 83 xxiv THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD
WILLIAM JORDON, ALIAS WILLIAM PRICE ...... 87
JOSEPH GRANT AND JOHN SPEAKS ...... 89
WILLIAM N. TAYLOR ...... 91
LOUISA BROWN ...... 92
JACOB WATERS AND ALFRED GOULDEN ...... 92
ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE ...... 92
SEVERAL ARRIVALS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES ...... 93
ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND ...... 95
EIGHT ARRIVALS ...... 97
CHARLES THOMPSON ...... 99
BLOOD FLOWED FREELY ...... 102
JOHN PETTIFOOT ...... 104
EMANUEL T. WHITE ...... 105
THE ESCAPE OF A CHILD FOURTEEN MONTHS OLD ...... 106
ESCAPE OF A YOUNG SLAVE MOTHER ...... 108
SAMUEL W. J OHNSON ...... 109
FAMILY FROM BALTIMORE ...... 110
ELIJAH HILTON ...... 111
SOLOMON BROWN ...... 112
WILLIAM HOGG, ALIAS JOHN SMITH ...... 113
TWO FEMALE PASSENGERS FROM MARYLAND ...... 114
CAPTAIN F. AND THE MAYOR OF NORFOLK ...... 114
ARRIVALS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES ...... 120
“FLEEING GIRL OF FIFTEEN,” IN MALE ATTIRE ...... 123
FIVE YEARS AND ONE MONTH SECRETED ...... 133
THE ESCAPE OF HEZEKIAH HILL ...... 144
JAMES—(BROTHER OF JOHN HENRY HILL) ...... 145
FROM VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND DELAWARE ...... 146
SAMUEL BUSH, ALIAS WILLIAM OBLEBEE ...... 147
JOHN SPENCER AND HIS SON WILLIAM, AND JAMES ALBERT ...... 147
HETTY SCOTT, ALIAS MARGARET DUNCANS AND DAUGHTER PRISCILLA ...... 147
ROBERT FISHER ...... 148
HANSEL WAPLES ...... 149
ROSE ANNA TONNELL, ALIAS MARIA HYDE ...... 149
MARY ENNIS ALIAS LICIA HEMMIN ...... 149
“SAM,” “ISAAC,” “PERRY,” “CHARLES,” AND “GREEN” ...... 150
FROM RICHMOND AND NORFOLK, VA...... 151
SUSAN BROOKS ...... 152 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD xxv
WILLIAM HENRY ATKINS ...... 153
FOUR ARRIVALS ...... 154
FROM VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, DELAWARE, NORTH CAROLINA, WASHINGTON, D.C., AND SOUTH CAROLINA ...... 161
CHARLES GILBERT ...... 170
LIBERTY OR DEATH ...... 173
SALT-WATER FUGITIVE ...... 174
SAMUEL GREEN, ALIAS WESLEY KINNARD, AUGUST 28TH, 1854 ...... 177
AN IRISH GIRL’S DEVOTION TO FREEDOM ...... 180
“SAM” NIXON ALIAS DR. THOMAS BAYNE ...... 183
SUNDRY ARRIVALS ...... 187
HEAVY REWARD ...... 197
SLAVE TRADER HALL IS FOILED ...... 198
THE PROTECTION OF SLAVE PROPERTY IN VIRGINIA ...... 200
ESCAPING IN A CHEST ...... 203
ISAAC WILLIAMS, HENRY BANKS, AND KIT NICKLESS ...... 205
ARRIVAL OF FIVE FROM THE EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND ...... 206
SUNDRY ARRIVALS, ABOUT AUGUST 1ST, 1855 ...... 207
DEEP FURROWS ON THE BACK ...... 212
“PETE MATTHEWS,” ALIAS SAMUEL SPARROWS ...... 213
“MOSES” ARRIVES WITH SIX PASSENGERS ...... 214
ESCAPED FROM “A WORHTLESS SOT” ...... 216
WILLIAM BUTCHER, ALIAS WILLIAM T. MITCHELL ...... 217
“WHITE ENOUGH TO PASS” ...... 218
ESCAPING WITH MASTER’S CARRIAGES AND HORSES ...... 218
EIGHT AND A HALF MONTHS SECRETED ...... 220
ARTHUR FOWLER, ALIAS BENJAMIN JOHNSON ...... 220
SUNDRY ARRIVALS ...... 221
SUNDRY ARRIVALS ABOUT JANUARY FIRST, 1855 ...... 223
SLAVE-HOLDER IN MARYLAND WITH THREE COLORED WIVES ...... 227
CAPTAIN F. A RRIVES WITH NINE PASSENGERS ...... 228
OWEN AND OTHO TAYLOR’S FLIGHT WITH HORSES, ETC...... 231
HEAVY REWARD ...... 234
CAPTAIN F. A RRIVES WITH FOURTEEN “PRIME ARTICLES” ON BOARD ...... 235
SUNDRY ARRIVALS—LATTER PART OF DECEMBER, 1855, AND BEGINNING OF JANUARY, 1856 ...... 242
PART OF THE ARRIVALS IN DECEMBER, 1855 ...... 245
THE FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL OF 1850 ...... 248 xxvi THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD
THE SLAVE-HUNTING TRADGEDY IN LANCASTER COUNTY, IN SEPTEMBER, 1851 ...... 251
THE LAW OF TREASON, AS LAID DOWN BY JUDGE KANE ...... 258
WILLIAM AND ELLEN CRAFT ...... 265
ARRIVALS FROM RICHMOND ...... 271
PASSENGERS FROM NORTH CAROLINA ...... 273
THOMAS CLINTON, SAUNEY PRY AND BENJAMIN DUCKET ...... 275
ARRIVALS IN APRIL, 1856 ...... 275
FIVE FROM GEORGETOWN CROSS ROADS ...... 278
PASSENGERS FROM MARYLAND, 1857 ...... 280
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 281
ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., ETC., 1857 ...... 281
ARRIVAL FROM UNIONVILLE, 1857 ...... 282
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1857 ...... 283
ARRIVAL FROM CAMBRIDGE, 1857 ...... 283
“THE MOTHER OF TWELVE CHILDREN” ...... 284
BENJAMIN ROSS, AND HIS WIFE HARRIET ...... 285
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1857 ...... 285
ARRIVAL FROM DELAWARE, 1857 ...... 286
ARRIVAL FROM ALEXANDRIA, 1857 ...... 287
ARRIVAL FROM UNIONVILLE, 1857 ...... 289
ARRIVAL FROM NEW ORLEANS, 1857 ...... 291
ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, D. C...... 293
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1857 ...... 295
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 295
ARRIVAL FROM GEORGETOWN CROSS-ROADS, 1857 ...... 296
ARRIVAL FROM ALEXANDRIA ...... 296
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 297
ARRIVAL FROM NORFOLK, VA...... 298
ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, D.C...... 298
FOUR ABLE-BODIED “ARTICLES” IN ONE ARRIVAL, 1857 ...... 299
ARRIVAL FROM ARLINGTON, MD. 1857 ...... 300
FIVE PASSENGERS, 1857 ...... 302
ARRIVAL FROM HOWARD CO., MD., 1857 ...... 303
ARRIVAL FROM PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD...... 304
ARRIVAL FROM RAPPAHANNOCK COUNTY, 1857 ...... 304
ARRIVAL FROM NORTH CAROLINA, 1857 ...... 305
ALFRED HOLLON, GEORGE AND CHARLES N. RODGERS ...... 309
ARRIVAL FROM KENT COUNTY, 1857 ...... 310 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD xxvii
ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE COUNTY, 1857 ...... 311
MARY COOPER AND MOSES ARMSTEAD, 1857 ...... 311
ARRIVAL FROM NEAR WASHINGTON, D.C...... 311
HON. L. MCLANE’S PROPERTY, SOON AFTER HIS DEATH, TRAVELS VIA THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD—WILLIAM KNIGHT, ESQ., LOSES A SUPERIOR “ARTICLE.” ...... 312
ARRIVAL FROM HARFORD CO., 1857 ...... 313
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1857 ...... 314
ARRIVAL FROM NORFOLK, VA., 1857 ...... 315
ARRIVAL FROM HOOPESVILLE, MD., 1857 ...... 316
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1858 ...... 317
ARRIVAL FROM QUEEN ANN COUNTY, 1858 ...... 318
ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE ...... 318
ARRIVAL FROM DUNWOODY COUNTY, 1858 ...... 319
ARRIVED FROM ALEXANDRIA, VA., 1857 ...... 319
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1858 ...... 320
ARRIVAL FROM PETERSBURG, 1858 ...... 321
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 321
ARRIVAL OF A PARTY OF SIX, 1858 ...... 322
ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1858 ...... 324
ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1858 ...... 325
ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE, 1858 ...... 325
ARRIVAL FROM HIGHTSTOWN, 1858 ...... 326
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1858 ...... 327
ARRIVAL FROM BELLEAIR ...... 328
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1858 ...... 329
ARRIVAL FROM NEW MARKET, 1858 ...... 331
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1858 ...... 331
ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1858 ...... 333
ARRIVAL FROM NORFOLK, VA., 1858 ...... 334
ARRIVAL FROM NEAR BALTIMORE, 1858 ...... 334
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1858 ...... 335
ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, 1858 ...... 335
ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1858 ...... 336
ARRIVAL FROM THE OLD DOMINION ...... 336
ARRIVAL FROM DELAWARE, 1858 ...... 340
ARRIVAL FROM DELAWARE, 1858 ...... 341
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1858 ...... 341
ARRIVAL FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND DELAWARE ...... 342 xxviii THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 343
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 345 ARRIVAL FROM THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 1858 ...... 346 ARRIVAL FROM HONEY BROOK TOWNSHIP, 1858 ...... 347 ARRIVAL FROM ALEXANDRIA, VA., 1858 ...... 347 ARRIVAL FROM THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT ...... 348 CROSSING THE BAY IN A SKIFF ...... 349 ARRIVAL FROM KENT COUNTY, MD., 1858 ...... 352 ARRIVAL FROM WASHINGTON, 1858 ...... 353 ARRIVAL FROM CECIL COUNTY, 1858 ...... 353 ARRIVAL FROM GEORGETOWN, D.C., 1858 ...... 353 ARRIVAL FROM SUSSEX COUNTY, 1858 ...... 354 SUNDRY ARRIVALS IN 1859 ...... 356 ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1859 ...... 358 ARRIVAL FROM DELAWARE, 1858 ...... 358 ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1859 ...... 360 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1859 ...... 362 SUNDRY ARRIVALS, 1859 ...... 363 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1859 ...... 364 ARRIVAL FROM DELAWARE, 1859 ...... 364 ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1859 ...... 365 SUNDRY ARRIVALS FROM MARYLAND (1859) ...... 365 ARRIVALS FROM RICHMOND, 1859 ...... 367 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 367 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ...... 368 SUNDRY ARRIVALS FROM MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA ...... 369 ARRIVAL FROM SEAFORD, 1859 ...... 370 ARRIVAL FROM TAPPS’NECK, MD., 1859 ...... 370 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1859 ...... 371 SUNDRY ARRIVALS FROM VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND DELAWARE ...... 373 ARRIVAL FROM DIFFERENT POINTS ...... 374 SUNDRY ARRIVALS FROM MARYLAND, 1860 ...... 376 ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1860 ...... 377 ARRIVAL FROM BALTIMORE, 1860 ...... 379 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 379 ARRIVAL FROM FREDERICKSBURG, 1860 ...... 380 SUNDRY ARRIVALS FROM MARYLAND, 1860 ...... 381 CROSSING THE BAY IN A BATTEAU ...... 382 ARRIVAL FROM DORCHESTER CO., 1860 ...... 384 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD xxix
ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND, 1860 ...... 385 TWELVE MONTHS IN THE WOODS, 1860 ...... 385 ARRIVAL FROM MARYLAND ...... 386 ASLAVE CATCHER CAUGHT IN HIS OWN TRAP ...... 386 ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1858 ...... 388 ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND, 1859 ...... 390 ARRIVAL FROM RICHMOND ...... 391 “AUNT HANNAH MOORE” ...... 396 KIDNAPPING OF RACHEL AND ELIZABETH PARKER—MURDER OF JOSEPH C. MILLER IN 1851 AND 1852 ...... 398 ARRIVAL FROM VIRGINIA, 1854 ...... 401 ARRIVAL FROM NORFOLK ...... 403 ARRIVAL OF FIFTEEN FROM NORFOLK, VIRGINIA ...... 404 THE CASE OF EUPHEMIA WILLIAMS ...... 409 HELPERS AND SYMPATHIZERS AT HOME AND ABROAD—INTERESTING LETTERS ...... 420 PAMPHLET, AND LETTERS ...... 426 WOMAN ESCAPING IN A BOX, 1857 ...... 437 ORGANIZATION OF THE VIGILANCE COMMITTEE ...... 438 PORTRAITS AND SKETCHES ...... 440 ESTHER MOORE ...... 440 ABIGAIL GOODWIN ...... 443 THOMAS GARRETT ...... 448 DANIEL GIBBONS ...... 462 LUCRETIA MOTT ...... 467 JAMES MILLER MCKIM ...... 470 WILLIAM H. FURNESS, D.D...... 473 WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON ...... 477 LEWIS TAPPAN ...... 486 ELIJAH F. P ENNYPACKER ...... 492 WILLIAM WRIGHT ...... 494 DR. BARTHOLOMEW FUSSELL ...... 497 THOMAS SHIPLEY ...... 499 ROBERT PURVIS ...... 508 JOHN HUNN ...... 508 SAMUEL RHOADS ...... 514 GEORGE CORSON ...... 515 CHARLES D. CLEVELAND ...... 517 WILLIAM WHIPPER ...... 525 ISAAC T. HOPPER ...... 528 xxx THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD
SAMUEL D. BURRIS ...... 531 MARIANN, GRACE ANNA, AND ELIZABETH R. LEWIS ...... 533 CUNNINGHAM’S RACHE ...... 537 FRANCES ELLEN WATKINS HARPER ...... 538
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE AUTHOR ...... vi PETER STILL, THE KIDNAPPED AND THE RANSOMED ...... 13 CHARITY STILL, TWICE ESCAPED FROM SLAVERY ...... 13 DESPERATE CONFLICT IN A BARN ...... 25 DEATH OF ROMULUS HALL ...... 27 RESURRECTION OF HENRY BOX BROWN ...... 51 RESCUE OF JANE JOHNSON AND HER CHILDREN ...... 55 JANE JOHNSON ...... 59 PASSMORE WILLIAMSON ...... 59 ESCAPING FROM NORFOLK IN CAPT. LEE’S SKIFF ...... 64 TWENTY-EIGHT FUGITIVES ESCAPING FROM EASTERN SHORE OF MARYLAND ...... 68 ESCAPING FROM ALABAMA ON TOP OF A CAR ...... 70 CROSSING THE RIVER ON HORSEBACK IN THE NIGHT ...... 81 ABOLD STROKE FOR FREEDOM ...... 85 ABRAM GALLOWAY ...... 103 THE MAYOR AND POLICE OF NORFOLK SEARCHING CAPTAIN FOUNTAIN’S SCHOONER ...... 116 MARIA WEEMS ESCAPING IN MALE ATTIRE ...... 129 JOHN HENRY HILL ...... 135 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD xxxi
DRY-GOODS MERCHANT SEARCHING THE CARS ...... 155
ESCAPE WITH A LADY, AS HER COACHMAN, WITH MASTER’S HORSE AND CARRIAGE ...... 156
SIX ON TWO HORSES ...... 159
UPATREE ...... 171
SAMUEL GREEN SENTENCED TO THE PENITENTIARY FOR TEN YEARS FOR HAVING A COPY OF “UNCLE TOM’S CABIN” IN HIS HOUSE ...... 179
LEAR GREEN ESCAPING IN A CHEST ...... 204
ESCAPE OF ELEVEN PASSENGERS FROM MARYLAND IN TWO CARRIAGES ...... 219
THE CHRISTIANA TRAGEDY ...... 253
WILLIAM AND ELLEN CRAFT ...... 265
MEMBERS OF THE ACTING COMMITTEE: N. W. DEPEE ...... 289 JACOB C. WHITE ...... 289 CHARLES WISE ...... 289 EDWIN H. COATES ...... 289
KNIFING HIS VICTIM ...... 306
LIVING IN A HOLLOW TREE ...... 306
LIVING INACAVE ...... 307
ANARROW ESCAPE ...... 327
SUSPENDED BY THE HANDS WITH BLOCK AND TACKLE ...... 340
CROSSING THE BAY ...... 350
BREAKING HIM IN ...... 359
MOTHER ESCAPING WITH SEVEN CHILDREN ...... 371
FIGHT IN CHESAPEAKE BAY ...... 383
JOHN W. D UNGY ...... 392
MARY MILBURN (SECRETED IN A BOX) ...... 403
HEAVY WEIGHTS—ARRIVAL OF A PARTY AT LEAGUE ISLAND ...... 405
SKETCHES AND PORTRAITS OF STATION-MASTERS, PROMINENT ANTI-SLAVERY MEN, AND SUPPORTERS OF THE U. G. R. R.
ABIGAIL GOODWIN ...... 447
THOMAS GARRETT ...... 447
DANIEL GIBBONS ...... 447
LUCRETIA MOTT ...... 447
J. MILLER MCKIM ...... 473
WILLIAM H. FURNESS ...... 473
WILLIAM LLOYD GARRISON ...... 473 xxxii THE UNDERGROUND RAIL ROAD
LEWIS TAPPAN ...... 473 ELIJAH F. P ENNYPACKER ...... 493 WILLIAM WRIGHT ...... 493 DR. BARTHOLOMEW FUSSELL ...... 493 ROBERT PURVIS ...... 493 JOHN HUNN ...... 513 SAMUEL RHOADS ...... 513 WILLIAM WHIPPER ...... 513 SAMUEL D. BURRIS ...... 513 GRACE ANNA LEWIS ...... 534 MRS. FRANCES E. W. HARPER ...... 534 JOHN NEEDLES ...... 534