Journal
C of Station No. 2 of the Underground Railroad, Agent William Still (excerpt),
June 2-29, 1855
(1) June 2/55
Arrived— Lewis
Chiles1 arrived per Sch. 2 From Richmond.
Brought by Cap.
_____ Had been owned by Lewis
Hill. His business was to hire out servants.
Lewis Chiles is stout, 6ft high, fine look dark chesnut color intelligent
&c Had been used pretty well with the exception of having been sold several
times.
He left on the 23rd of Ap. and had been
meeting with obstructions up to Last Sunday night. Paid $25–. for his passage.
Left a wife, Louisa,
slave.Knews nothing of her husbands intentions of leaving.
175
June 11/55
Arrived. (4) David
Bennett, new name Henry Washington,3 and wife Martha,
& their two children. Oldest, Geo.,
youngest 1 month old without a name— From Lowdon Co. Aldee P.O Had been owned
by Capt.
James Taylor his wife was owned by Geo.
Carter.
The wife’s master was the owner of only two, but a most brutal
man. Flogging Females when stripped naked was common with him. Martha had been
stripped and flogged shamely after her marriage. David is about 32, his wife
about 27, two young children. All hail and “likely” &c
June 19/55
Arrived. (2) Henry
Washington new name Anthony Henley, safely arrived from
Norfolk where he had been held by Seth
March, a mild tempered man. Was excessively close,
in money matters however, allowing Henry only $1.50 a week to pay his board and
find his clothes for th his wife therefore he could do nothing for.
Henry is turned of 50, dark, intelligent well made&c. Left a wife. named Polly.—
Henry left to purely because he was allowed no priviledge to do any
thing for his wife. Had not been treated very ruffly .
Henry
Stewart also came in company with the above named
individuals He left Plymouth N.C. left about a week since. Is 23 yrs of
age dark, very intelligent and active, and had been hired out
177
for $182– Dols. per year. Would bring in the Market $1500. Had
been owned by James Monroe
Woodhouse, Farmer. A moderate man, dident flog, but would not give a
slave a cent of money, scarcely, upon any consideration. He left a wife, Martha Bell, and two children,
Mary Ann&Susan Jane. He was obliged
thought it most prudent not to tell his wife of his designs to escape. Had
procured a pass to go to Norfolk, for a week.
(5) June 22/55
Arrived. Wm
Nelson and Susan
his wife, and his son Wm
Thomas; also Louisa
Bell&Ellias
Jasper, all arrived from Norfolk, per Capt.
B.
Wm. is about 40, dark chesnut, medium size,
very intelligent, member of the Methodist Church, under the charge of the Rev.
Mr. Jones. His owner’s name was Turner
& Whitehead.wh with whom he had served for 20 yr’s in the
capasity of “Packer”. He had been treated with mildness in some
respects, though had been very tighly worked, allowed only $1.50 per week to
board & clothe himself and family upon. Consequently he was
obliged to make up the balance as he could. Had been sold once one sister had
been sold also. He was prompted to escape because he wanted his liberty—was not
satisfied with not having the blpriviledge of providing for his family,
His value $1000–. Paid $240– for himself, wife & child &Mrs Bell.4
Susan is about 30, dark, rather above medium
size, well made, good looking, intelligent
&c, and a member of the same church to which her husband belonged. Was
owned by Thos.
Bottimore with whom she had lived for 7 yr’s. Her
treatment had been a part of the time had been mild, the marriage of her
master however made a change, afterward she had been treated badly. Her master
to gratify his wife constantly threatening to sell her. 4 of her Sisters had
been sold away to parts unknown years ago. Left Father & mother, 3 Brothers
& one sister. Still in Verginia , living about 100 miles from Norfolk.
$1000 was the demand of the owner for Susan & her child 22 mos. old.
Louisa
Bell is the wife of a
free man.
is about 28 chesnut color, good looking, intelligent, genteel, and a member of
no church. Was owned Stassen by L.
Stasson,
Confectioner. [Her] lot had been terrible on account of the continual
threats to sell her. Had once been sold, had also had 5 sisters sold besides
her Mother. Th Louisa was oblige to leavetwo
of her children behind. a boy 6 yrs& a girl 2½ yrs —the boys name was Robt.& the girls Mary. Her husband, James Bell. is to come on.
Elias
Jasper is about 32 yrs , stout dark, well
featured, very gifted with his tounge& hands, had worked at the following
trades, Rope Making, Carpentering, Engineering, Chair Making
Painting, Mechanist &DeDegaurreotyping , at which calling he was emplyoy
employed when he left.5
For several yrs he had been in the habit of hiring his time for which he had
paid $10. per month. In learning the above trades so he was obliged to
gain the insight by his own ingenuity, paying occasionally for a lesson. His
Master’s Bayham,
a retired gentleman. Had been sold once. Had suffered by various exposures, by
flogging, envy,&c. Left a wife, Mary,
but no child. Was not at liberty to inform her of his scheme to leave. She is
owned by Mrs the Miss.
Portlock‘s. Has been used tolerable well. pays $55–
per year, washes &c.
181
He is a member of the Methodist Ch. Often
heard his mPaster preach up obedience to the slaves.
Value $1200–
(1) June 23/55
Mrs. Maria Joiner arrived per Capt. F., is 33 yr’s of
age, Molato,6 a fine hearty looking, and intelligent woman. Left a her
husband, and one Sister. The name of her husband was Peter Joiner, the Sister, Ann. Had not been
badly treated until lately, after the death of the old Master. when she fell
into the hands of his daughter who drank and was very abuseful. using great
violence. For this she was induced to leave. For 8 mos she was kept in private
quarters where she suffered severely from Cold &c. Owner, Catherine Gordon Value $800–
June 29th 1855
Arrived— (2) Richd
Greennew name Wm Smith&
his Bro. Geo.
arrived from Baltimore where they had been owned by Geo.
Chambers. Richd is about 25, his Bro. Geo. 23, both
are well made, rather tall, dark chesnut& color, &intelligente
They were caused to escape because they had been denied the priviledge of going
to visit their Parents any more.
The master, about 30 yrs ago when living in
Cabot Co. released Dinato
her husband (the mother of those boys) of all claim, and
gave her writings signed, & witnessed by his wifes Mother, Mary
Ann Meed. The masters motives in releasing her
however for was merely to get out of M. of her; Dina being in misrable
health with no signs of recovery was a fit subject in the master’s opinion to
Set free. He was particular to give the paper of release to So in case
the law should requirehim to look after her he would be prepared for his
defence.
Dinna was then the wife of a Slave by the name of Jacob Green, then owned by Nathan Childs for a term of
years only— After the Father’s times expired, he moved with his wife,
Dinna, to Baltimore, where her health, in the course of a few yrs improved, and
she became the Mother of another child, boy. The boy grew finely in the hands
of his parents, unmolested, until a little over a year ago when her old Master
got wind of the existence of the child, (having himself moved to Baltimore with
his Slaves,) and very slyly to approach the house taking Geo. with him. He was no sooner in before he
wished to know of Dinna whose child was this, pe pointing to the little
boy. Ask Jacob was the reply of the Mother, the question was then put to the
Father, to which he replied: I did not think that you would request any thing
like that of him. he had the priviledge of
any one he pleased in his house. “Where
is he from” inquired the
Master. He is mine replied the
Father. “I have a right to have who I please in
my house I I am my own man &c: “[Well?] replied the slave
hunter, I found out whose it is presently I am going to take it home with me
seizing the little fellow, at the same time ordering Dinna
to put itshis clothes on, The father by this time had also
seized the bo his son, and told the slave holder to take [notion?]
that he was not in the Country pulling an hauling people about &c. “I
will have him or leave my heart blood in the house, was the savage answer of
the Monster. He also threatened to shoot the Father. In the mids of the
excitement Geo
called in two officers to settle the difficulty. The officers inquired of the
slaveholder to know what he was doing there. “I am after my rights, ans’ed
thehe answered. this boy” ans’d the Master. Have you ever seen it
inquired the officers. No, said the the Master. How
185
do you know he belongs to you, then”? I believe he is
mine” said the savage. All they were then taken before an alderman,
Before the aldern The Father owned the child but the Mother did not The
child was then given to its Father. The Master then thought he would gain some
satisfaction at least, then claimed the Mother, proceedings being thrown in
Court nearly 1 year transpired before It the trial was concluded.
Happily, however, by the Mothers having carefully preserved herher the
release given her, the Court pronounced her free, about two mos. since
Looking for a Similar Assignment? Order now and Get 10% Discount! Use Coupon Code "Newclient"
