BLACK HISTORY NEWS & NOTEStS) NL," r ' AUGUST 2001 NUMBER 85 Dear Sergeant Teacher: World War I Letters to Irven Armstrong Hoosier Irven Armstrong (7 bom to this union including Isaac, good penmanship, contain the March 1892-10 May 1996) and four Ezekial “Zeek,” Charles, and signatures and addresses of the of his brothers served in the United Lindzey. Edward Armstrong was students, all who lived within blocks States Army during World War I. married prieviously to Laura Bell of the near west side school. All Armstrong was inducted in the army Hord. Their children were Orvid letters are dated 7 November 1918 during Spring 1918. By June, he Woody and Harvey L. Armstrong. and appear to have been written by was in France serving in the 351st The Armstrong brothers were eighth graders. (Four days later the Field Artillery Regiment. This was among the 1,095 men who served war ended with the signing of the one of the numerous regiments that from Hamilton County during armistice.) A synopsis of the letters made up the 92nd Division. The World War I. follow: 92nd was organized in 1917 from Before graduating from Indiana Mildred Carpenter. 930 N. Milev the first group of black draftees who University in 1915, Irven Armstrong Aye. Parents are buying Liberty arrived in camps throughout the was a schoolteacher in Hamilton Bonds; students purchasing Thrift United States. All of the enlisted County and Indianapolis. After he and War Saving Bonds. Also sav­ men in the 92nd were black. Most received his degree, he taught at ing pits of fruit and nuts to furnish of the staff and officers of the units Indianapolis Public School #17. carbon for gas masks. She misses were white. Armstrong served as a While he was in France, Armstrong him even though she was not one of sergeant in his regiment. sent at least one letter home that was his pupils. Armstrong was bom in Westfield read to students at School #17. Earlee A. Griffin. 719 N. (Hamilton County), Indiana, in (School #17 was one of the many Roanoke St. The Spanish Influenza 1892. He was the second son of “colored” elementary and junior has caused a four-week vacation Edward “Ned” Armstrong (1844- high schools that would later from school. A successful Liberty 1924) and Sarah Roberts Armstrong become feeder schools for Crispus Loan drive during October—all (1856-1939). Four other sons were Attucks High School, when it counties in Indiana reached their opened in 1927. These schools had quota. She is in the 8B and is glad names such as Frederick Douglass that Armstrong is thinking of Old School #19, Charles Sumner School Seventeen. Election Day was the #23, William D. McCoy School #24, 5th of November. and John Hope School #26.) Minnie Hooks. 538 W. 16th St. Apparently, as a class assignment, Students are still buying Thrift students were directed to respond to Stamps. They are bringing peach, Sergeant Armstrong. Ten of these apricot, and plum seeds to school for letters are contained in the Irven carbon to make gas masks. The Armstrong Papers (M0745), a one- fourth Liberty Bond is out and box collection at the Indiana everyone is urged to buy one to help Historical Society. the soldiers during the winter. In general, the letters wish Elnora Landes. 930 N. Senate Armstrong well, commend his war Ave. Glad to get your interesting service, express homefront support letter read to us. You make Seven­ of American soldiers, comment on teen proud. The Influenza Epidemic Edward and Sarah Armstrong with the effects of the 1918 Influenza had kept students out of school. In­ their five sons who served during Epidemic, thank him for keeping World War I. From left to right: Charles, diana went “over the top” in the America safe for Democracy, and Lindzey, Irven, Ezekiel, and Isaac fourth Liberty Loan drive. Armstrong. Photo courtesy of Coy bid him a safe return. The Robbins. expressive letters, executed with (Continued on page 8) BHNN_2001-08_NO85 Sheltering a Famous Fugitive Slave by Thomas A. Hendrickson Part I “Escape . offers a tremendous psychological boost to the struggle rjtk.- , and a great publicity blow against the enemy.” —Nelson Mandela Editor’s Note: This is the first part of a two- southern Ohio when kidnapped to part article. Thomas A. Hendrickson is an the South and sold. As Loguen grew attorney. He is indebted to Professor John older he further considered that he McKivigan for analysis of an earlier revi­ could not be a slave, nor that free­ sion of this article. The author invites your dom should be purchased, because comments. Please send comments to 7979 God created him.2 Lantern Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46256, or E-mail: [email protected] Planning and audacity were pay­ ing off for the fugitives, although Jermain Loguen and John Famey along the way they had been forced reined their horses toward to change part of their intended route Indianapolis, a town of about 1,700 to Canadian freedom from Illinois people, including about 80 free Jermain Loguen to Indiana.3 Their pistols were Reprinted from the Onondaga African Americans.1 It was the end primed and powder dry. They still Historical Association Collection. of January or early February 1835 had money, useful at inns while pos­ and the burly twenty-year-old ing as free blacks. Their horses were became acquainted when Overall fugitive slaves had a lot going for fit and fast. And they had received lived in Harrison County.4 them in their flight from southern assurance from their black protec­ Upon entering Indiana, Loguen Tennessee. Their immediate tor at Corydon, Indiana, that Mr. and Famey led their horses across destination was Indianapolis, “a Overrals, a black man in Indianapo­ the frozen Ohio River to, possibly, village of no great importance.” lis, would help them. In Corydon a “Boone’s [or “Bell’s”] Landing.” Although Loguen grew up in sla­ true hearted colored man sheltering This crossing site was two or three very, he did not consider that he was them during the daylight hours was miles upriver from Brandenburg, a slave. Under American law the likely free black Oswell (or Oswald) Kentucky. At first blush this ac­ child of a slave mother was a slave; Wright who, with the white Bell count appears hardly credible, but the child of a free mother was free. family, became noted later for work the river easily froze before mod­ Loguen’s mother, Cherry, told him in the Underground Railroad. em dams raised its level. Slaves that she was a free black child in Wright and James Overall probably contemplating flight across the river 2 often waited until it was frozen. tives, these black farmers might The tavern the fugitives left as Calvin Fletcher reported running have been in the Farmington area they rode toward Indianapolis was thick ice in the river at Cincinnati two miles southeast of present-day likely near present Amity, near on 9 January 1835 and “very cold” Seymour or a dozen miles farther Sugar Creek. At the tavern Loguen weather in southern Ohio and Indi­ northeast at Sand Creek. Free blacks had picked up a newspaper and pre­ ana into March. Loguen experienced such as the Parks, Bishops, and tended to be able to read it. That “an intensely cold day” north of Newbys settled both areas prior to ploy had almost given them away. Indianapolis about mid-February.5 1835. Many were from Perquemous The only part of the alphabet When they landed in Indiana and County, North Carolina. These Loguen recognized was capital “A.” fired their pistols in jo y o f arriving blacks likely accompanied Quakers He looked for its shape in the news­ on free soil, they acknowledged to settling the areas, such as the ex­ paper, found it, and was dismayed the friend providentially present, tended Cox family, known for their to discover that he was holding the that they were escaped slaves; but Underground Railroad work newspaper upside down!12 to no other person did they, admit throughout several counties. East­ Jermain (Jarm) Loguen’s account it, until they found Mr. Overrals. ern abolitionist speaker Sydney of his escape from slavery with fel­ The black man who providen­ Howard Gay was a guest at Sand low slave John Famey and his later tially met Loguen and Famey on the Creek in early October 1843. eventful life was published in 1859 Indiana side of the Ohio River might Gay characterized Indiana in and narrates the last leg of their trip have been emancipated slave Tho­ 1843 as a “mob state,” but also ob­ to Indianapolis as follows: Having mas Mitchem, who bought land in served many fugitive slaves on their finished their purpose at the tavern, 1833 immediately northeast of way north in southern Indiana and they started for Indianapolis, and Boone’s Landing. The fugitives Ohio. “It was gratifying to me to arrived safely at Mr. Overrals of then spent an uncomfortable night find how complete are all the ar­ that city, in a day or two without any in the bam of an unidentified “Dutch rangements for aiding those who occurrence worth relating. Mr. groggery” on the road to Corydon.6 escape from the slave states, on their Overrals, though colored, was an After the fugitives left Corydon way to Canada. The slaves them­ educated man, and had a large char­ their wandering took them eastward selves have means of information, acter and acquaintance among col­ by happenstance to a Samaritan to some extent, and friends about ored people; and was much re­ white couple near New Albany who them in the slave states, both which spected by white ones, for his pro­ also recommended Indianapolis as put them in the way of watching bity, industry and good sense.