Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
In 1856, the Boston publisher of John Jewett, printed a compilation of interviews conducted
and collected by Benjamin Drew. Titled: "A North-side View of Slavery: The Refugee: Or,
The Narratives of Fugitive Slaves in Canada, Related by Themselves.” Drew lived in what
he called “Upper Canada” and wrote that most of the 30,000 persons of color living
in that region were overwhelmingly people who braved the ordeal of escaping to Canada,
where, as of 1833, enslavement had been abolished. Traveling through fourteen communities, Drew
wrote the accounts of 118 arrivals. As Drew put it: “While the informants talked, I
wrote.” One informant Drew listened to and transcribed was George Johnson whose life
began in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
GEORGE JOHNSON. The Journey of George Johnson: I arrived in
St. Catharines’ about two hours ago, April 17, 1855. I was raised near Harper's Ferry.
I was used as well as the people about there are used. My master used to pray in his family
with the house servants, morning and evening. I attended these services until I was eighteen,
when I was put out on the farm, and lived in a cabin.We were well supplied with food.
We went to work at sunrise, and quit work between sundown and dark.
Some were sold from my master's farm, and many from the neighborhood. If a man did any
thing out of the way, he was in more danger of being sold South than of being whipped.
The slaves were always afraid of being sold South. The Southern masters were believed
to be much worse than those about us. I had a great wish for liberty when I was a boy.
I always had it in my head to clear.
But I had a wife and children. However, my wife died last year of cholera, and then I
determined not to remain in that country. When my old master died, I fell to his son.
I had no difficulty with him, but was influenced merely by a love of liberty. I felt disagreeably
about leaving my friends, — but I knew I might have to leave them by going South.
There was a fellow-servant of mine named Thomas. My master gave him a letter one day, to carry
to a soul-driver. Thomas got a man to read it, who told him he was sold. Thomas then
got a free man to carry the letter. They handcuffed the free man, and put him in jail. Thomas,
when he saw them take the free man, dodged into the bush. He came to us. We made up a
purse, and sent him on his way. Next day, the man who had carried the letter, sent for
his friends and got out. The master denied to us that he intended to sell Thomas. He
did not get the money for him. Thomas afterward wrote a letter from Toronto to his friend.
I prepared myself by getting cakes, etc., and on a Saturday night in March, I and two
comrades started off together. They were younger than I. We travelled by night and slept by
day until we reached Pittsburgh.
When we had got through the town, I left the two boys, and told them not to leave while
I went back to a grocery for food.
When I returned, they were gone, — I do not know their fate. I stopped in that neighborhood
two nights, trying to find them — I did not dare to inquire for them. The second
night, I made up my mind to ask after them, but my
heart failed me. I am of opinion that they got to Canada, as they knew the route.
At length I was obliged to come off without them.
This is an account of the route George Johnson very likely took to Pittsburgh, as written
by one of the very few people, directly involved who would write about it. Johnson and others
like him were usually being hunted, because the nationally-legislated Fugitive Slave Act
was in effect when he escaped. The law allowed Johnson’s legal owner to pursue him into
the free state of Pennsylvania, recapture him, and, literally prosecute the escapee
and any person hiding him, for possessing his stolen property. And the charge would
be recognized by the local sheriff and the court as legitimate.
The relevant portion of the text from the eye-witness, Howard Wallace, which he published
in 1903, is reproduced here in its entirety because such first-hand accounts are so rare
and important and because it very likely describes George Johnson’s own experience during that
leg of his journey. Whether Johnson traveled to Erie, Pennsylvania or found a way to cross
Lake Erie is unknown. A railroad line connected Pittsburgh to Erie and was used as one route.
Johnson, was helped by a well-run network of helpers, usually free African-Americans
and sympathetic Quakers, who fed the fugitives and hid them in cellars. Secrecy had to be
absolute because he would likely be hunted. The usual plan for the Canada-bound fugitive
was to start as summer approached, hide by day and travel by night - an allowable distance
during one night of about ten miles.
I find in 1903 that I am the only one living that aided in helping the slaves through between
Uniontown and Pittsburgh. In the first place it was a mystery how they found their way
North through the mountains, wilderness and deep ravines, but many of them told that the
North Star was their guide. Some by another guide, the moss on the trees always growing
on the North side of the trees. They were trying to come North, hearing that the Northern
States were free.
They encountered great hardships - were weeks on their journey, were greatly fatigued, starved
and sustained bruised feet from walking. They would walk all night and hide under rocks
and brambles during the day. It took great courage, and many times they were almost ready
to give up and die. In fact, many did. I have conversed with many who made the trip. It
was heart-rending to hear them tell of the many difficulties.
It was almost life or death with them. They were hunted as the partridge on the prairie.
It was only by the hand of Providence that they ever reached the free states. When they
arrived at Uniontown, they were received by Messrs. Curry and Payne. At times they were
closely pursued by their masters, but were kept concealed until a proper time came to
move them. Often large sums of money were offered as rewards, so the whole affair had
to be kept very quiet.
At Hopwood, a small settlement near Uniontown, the inhabitants at that time were considered
very rough and many of them would have betrayed the escaping slaves for a very small sum.
So it took well-planned schemes to help the slaves through. I have talked with many who
thought they would be pretty safe when they reached Uniontown. But, alas! There were still
many difficulties before they reached the goal of absolute security. They were piloted
by night to Brownsville by John Payne and others. They were welcomed by other colored
men, namely Lloyd Demas, Simeon Artis and Thomas Cain, Andrew Hopkins, James Moffitt,
Esq. and others who contributed clothing and other means to help them along.
I might recall an incident that happened at Mr. Curry’s house. A number of slaves were
secreted in his house one day when their masters and others who were on their trail arrived
at Mr. Curry’s house in search of them. The slaves heard their pursuers talking, but
fortunately there was a trap door leading into the cellar where they were concealed
that was overlooked. So the slaves were not deprived of their liberty. I will now describe
the route from Brownsville to William Wallace’s, my father, who lived on the farm now owned
by Lewis Deems near Centerville.
When they left Brownsville in company with Lloyd Demas and others, they would generally
go up the (Monongahela) river to where they were piloted by the old pioneers until they
reached the old National Pike coming out between C. I. Dorsey’s residence and Malden, thence
up the Pike to where the gate now stands on the farm owned by William Pepper, thence to
the Pike Run road, then across the field to William Wallace’s, the house now pccupied
by Lewis Deems. It was considered about the best stopping place on the route. I cannot
tell just how long the underground railroad was carried on, but this place was on the
main route for a number of years.
It was mostly through the Summer season that they would travel. This was a house having
a large cellar where the slaves liked to stay during the day. Some of them would venture
out at night and walk around while others were very much afraid of the white people
and would stay very close. Sometimes they were almost worn out when they arrived and
were glad to have an opportunity to rest. We generally made it a point to solicit aid
from the farmers and neighbors who were always willing to help, especially the Quakers. I
do not think I ever had one to refuse me. Their contributions were always liberal. I
shall always have a warm place in my heart for the Friends.
After they were fed, our guests were ready for the trip to Ginger Hill that night. We
always had plenty of help. Benjamin Wheeler, Sam Wheeler, Joseph Steward and Henry Smith
always assisted when they were needed. Some of our trips were made to Ginger Hill where
a man by the name of Milton Maxwell lived. He would then take charge of them and forward
them to Pittsburgh.
But the main route from Williamn Wallace’s was to Maple Creek, but sometimes we went
by way of Ginger Hill. When they were taken to Maple Creek they were kept by George Norris,
also the Bowmans. They were conveyed from their houses to the river someplace near where
Donora is now. They were taken in skiffs across to some place near Belle Vernon, where a small
settlement of colored people lived, namely Rosses’, Basiers’ and Minneys’, who
were all willing to help.
From their homes they were taken to Robstown, now called West Newton; from there to Pittsburgh
where many of the slaves found employment and remained there until the fugitive slaves
law was enacted. Some of them were fortunate and had saved up and had homes, but after
that they were afraid to remain there and even sacrificed their homes and fled to Canada
by the scores.
George Johnson’s account of his journey to Canada as he turned north from Pittsburgh
is when he parts company with his two companions.
When we had got through the town, I left the two boys, and told them not to leave while
I went back to a grocery for food. When I returned, they were gone, — I do not know
their fate. I stopped in that neighborhood two nights, trying to find them — I did
not dare to inquire for them. The second night, I made up my mind to ask after them, but my
heart failed me. Johnson reflected on his own experiences with
the horrors of enslavement:
I think that slavery is not the best condition for the blacks. Whipping and slashing are
bad enough, but selling children from their mothers and husbands from their wives is worse.
At one time I wanted to marry a young woman, not on the same farm. I was then sent to Alabama,
to one of my master's sons for two years. When the girl died, I was sent for to come
back. I liked the work, the tending of cotton, better than the work on the farm in Virginia,
— but there was so much whipping in Alabama, that I was glad to get back.
One man there, on another farm, was tied up and received five hundred and fifty lashes
for striking the overseer. His back was awfully cut up. His wife took care of him. Two months
after, I saw him lying on his face, unable to turn over or help himself. The master seemed
ashamed of this, and told the man that if he got well, he might go where he liked. My
master told me he said so, and the man told me so himself. Whether he ever got well, I
do not know; the time when I saw him, was just before I went back to Virginia.
References:
Uniontown-Brownsville-Denbo-Centerville-Maple Creek-Donora-blackcommunity at Belle Vernon-West
Newton-Pittsburgh Monongahela- Switala, William J. (2001). “Underground
Railroad in Pennsylvania.” Mechanicsburg, PA: Stackpole Books, Inc. p. 55
http://books.google.com/books?id=WPFYoBL6bGsC&pg=PA55&lpg=PA55&dq=Underground+Railroad+Uniontown+Pittsburgh&source=bl&ots=RhS1_7n410&sig=ne1mhj45ZILbTs4Ctjyej6cn64s&hl=en&sa=X&ei=mMf-UvHyEc3F0AGMo4CIBw&ved=0CCcQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://tools.wmflabs.org/geohack/geohack.php?pagename=St._Catharines¶ms=43_11_N_79_14_W_type:city_region:CA-ON
Siebert, Wilbur H. (1898). “The Underground Railroad from Slavery to Freedom.” New York,
NY: The Macmillan Company. Print. https://archive.org/details/cihm_13617
Wallace, Howard. (1903). “Historical Sketch of the Underground Railroad from Uniontown
to Pittsburgh.”
http://www.scribd.com/doc/156682970/Historical-Sketch-of-the-Underground-Railroad-from-Uniontown-to-Pittsburgh-by-Howard-Wallace
p. 59 John Fairfield bought disguises and bought tickets for those escaping at Harper’s
Ferry and placed them on the train to Pittsburgh. By 1849, Pittsburgh shared a line with Wheeling
and in 1850, a line reached Erie.
Images Credits: Eastman Johnson (American painter, 1824-1906)
Winnowing Grain (1873) Boston Museum of Fine Arts
Eastman Johnson (American painter, 1824-1906) The Young Sweep 1863
Eastman Johnson (American painter, 1824-1906) Musical Instrument c 1860
Eastman Johnson (American painter, 1824-1906) Eastman Johnson (American painter, 1824-1906)
Kitchen at Mount Vernon 1857 http://bjws.blogspot.com/2013/07/eastman-johnson-1824-1906-genre.html
Old Kentucky Home (*** Life at the South), 1859
Eastman Johnson (American, 1824-1906) http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/american_stories_met_lacma/poel_mma_1109_15.htm
Dressing for the Carnival, 1877 Winslow Homer (American, 1836-1910)
http://arthistory.about.com/od/from_exhibitions/ig/american_stories_met_lacma/poel_mma_1109_20.htm
detail from Thomas Moran, Slave Hunt, Dismal Swamp, Virginia,
1862, oil on canvas, Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gift of Laura A. Clubb, Image
© 2012 Philbrook Museum of Art, Inc., Tulsa, Oklahoma.