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Home : Quarterly Archives : Volume 12 |
Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society |
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Source: October 1962 Volume 12 Number 2, Pages 37–40 Quaker participation in the Underground Railroad in Chester County The antislavery movement in the Society of Friends in general was a century ahead of that of the country at large, as it was agitated in 1750, and by 1775 all members were called upon to free their slaves or be disowned by the Meeting. The Underground Railroad as such is thought to have begun about 1804 in Columbia, Pennsylvania. The name came from slave-owners, who found that their chattel disappeared as though "there must be an underground railroad somewhere." The agents were called "conductors" and their homes "stations"; these were located on "lines" and their charges were "packages" or "freight." Estimates run from 40,000 to 100,000 as the number of slaves thus helped to freedom. Although most members of the Society of Friends were in agreement, few took an active part in this movement and Friends would not allow their meeting houses to be used for antislavery lectures. The north star was the guide for the slaves who knew no one to seek out en route to Canada. Others were able to get slips of paper with names of abolitionists, directions for finding the stations, and so forth. The Christiana Riot, known to you who read of it in the "Quarterly", brought to the Nation's attention very dramatically the situation of the slave pursued by his former owner, with or without warrants for search; and of the determination of the former slaves to remain free, at all cost, even threat of death. The first stations nearest the Maryland line were Gettysburg and York, although other routes came from Havre-de-Grace (into Lancaster County) and Wilmington (into Chester County). A group of fugitives gathered at Gettysburg would be divided, one to Harrisburg, the other to Columbia. The latter was chiefly used as it was considered the better means of escape. Stations were established from here approximately ten miles apart. The principal agents for the so-called Northern Route through Chester County were: James Fulton, Gideon Pierce, Joseph Haines, Thomas Ponsall, Gravner Marsh, Zebulon Thomas, Thomas Vickers, John Vickers, Micajah and William A, Speakman, Esther Lewis and daughters; Dr. Edwin Fussell, William Fussell, Norris Maris, Emmor Kimber, and Elijah F. Pennypacker. From Chester County, usually from the Phoenixville area, the fugitives were passed along to Norristown, frequently being paddled across the Schuylkill in canoes at Port Providence or taken over the Phoenixville bridge. Those in need of nursing care or overly fatigued were taken to Esther Lewis's and carefully nursed until once more able to continue. Coming up from Wilmington the main route was by way of the Agnews, Mendenhalls, Dr. Bartholomew Fussell, and Cox's near Kennett; the Barnards, East Marlborough and Pocopson; Thamazine Meredith and the Hayes of Newlin; John Fulton, Jr., and Gideon Pierce of Ercildoun; Dr. Eshelman, Zebulon Thomas and daughters of Downington; Micajah and William Speakman, Uwchlan; Esther Lewis and daughters Mary, Elizabeth, and Graceanna, William Fussell, Dr. Edwin Fussell, and Norris Maris, of Vincent; Emmor Kimber of Kimberton; a station at the Highley homestead east of Moore Hall Mill on the bank of Pickering Creek; and finally Elijah F. Pennypacker near Phoenixville. Another branch passed up into West Chester where it divided, one picking up the northern route via John Vickers at Lionville, the other to Nathan Evans of Willistown. Here it again divided, one branch to Philadelphia, the other to Elijah F. Pennypacker's near Phoenixville. One of the most noted stations in Chester County was Ercildoun, or Fallowfield, where the Fulton and Pierce families lived close by in the same village, making it as one station. Most slaves who arrived here came across the Susquehanna at Wrightsville, and others crossed at Havre-de-Grace. The men came on foot, but women and children were transported by wagon. Sometimes the groups were as large as twenty-five, all arriving at once, to be fed and sheltered, then passed furtively along. It took a benevolent spirit indeed to have a station -the danger involved, social ostracism, quantities of food to be provided together with transportation. No thought of repayment of any material kind ever entered these deeds, nor of any type of personal gain or promotion. The home of John Vickers in Lionville was a great central station too. Fugitives came from the Lancaster County route as well as from Kennett and others of the southeastern part of the County. Frequently when good enough clothing could be procured, the fugitives were put on the Reading Railroad from the Pennypacker station near Phoenixville and thereby were through passengers and went directly to Canada. If there were enough of a group to look conspicuous they were put on the train at various depots so as not to arouse undue suspicion. It might be noted that the handbills printed by the slaveowners with full description of the runaways were valuable to the station-owners as they knew for whom to look. One of the busiest stations in this area was that of Lewis Peart who moved from Pampeter, Lancaster County, to near Valley Forge in 1844. He received slaves mostly from the Lewis' and Norris Maris who was by then living near Kimberton. He kept plenty of horses and either took or sent the fugitives to Dr. J.L. Paxson or the Corsons in Norristown. One of the best-known men to maintain a station was Elijah F. Pennypacker of Schuylkill Township near Phoenixville. He was well known in public life: State Legislature four sessions, 1831-1833, and 1834- 1836; a member of the Canal Board; with the Temperance movement; vast interest in improving the railroad and canal systems. He became a member of the Society of Friends, having come from a Mennonite background. Nathan Evans of Willistown was a minister of the Society of Friends who, because of his many discourses on the subjects of slavery and temperance, was finally disowned from membership. He was inflexible and almost alone in the cause in his neighborhood. However, he continued to attend meeting regularly and to preach in spite of the opposition. The fugitives came to him from West Chester and the western and southern parts of Chester County. He then forwarded them to Pennypacker's, to Philadelphia, and to James Lewis's in Delaware County. The first antislavery meeting in Willistown was held in the Friends Meeting Schoolhouse, twelfth month, 17th, 1836, presided over by Nathan Evans. The first Negroes to be taken to the antislavery office in Philadelphia were four delivered by Evans, August 19, 1842. Probably the most well known fugitive to come under the roof of Emmor Kimber was "Cunningham's Rache," well known in "West Chester as Rachel Harris. She finally arrived at Kimbers' and, they being in need of a servant, she was employed and served long and faithfully. In time she married Isaac Harris and moved to West Miner Street in West Chester where she industriously worked for many families. A large reward had been offered for her and a local man interested in monetary gains had her arrested. While on trial at Church and Miner Streets she managed to escape, scaling a seven-foot board fence. Speeding up and down alleys, through a hat-cleaning establishment, over a vat of boiling liquid, and finally through another alley, she arrived at the kitchen of John T. Worthington. Here she was hidden in a garret cubbyhole by Mrs. Worthington. That night Rachel was dressed in male attire and was delivered by carriage through Norristown to William H. Johnson in Bucks County, about forty-five miles from West Chester. Thence she made her way to Canada. The advent of the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation put an end to the necessity felt by the abolitionists to secrete the slaves. During the days when the Fugitive Slave Law was in force, their lives were in very real danger, as their actions were treasonable. So I have attempted to describe to you the main routes employed in Chester County and the families therein involved, along with a few character sketches of the persons participating, and finally a scene from the life of an industrious, well-liked former slave. TopReferences Franklin L. Burns, Manuscript- "The Local Section of the Underground Railway." Dr. R. C. Smerley- "History of the Underground Railroad in Chester and the Neighboring Counties of Pennsylvania." Encyclopaedia Britannica Futhey and Cope- "History of Chester County." Tredyffrin-Easttown History Club Quarterly, Vol. XI, #I. Chester County Historical Society clipping files- "Village Record" 12/12/1878. May I at this time thank Miss Dorothy B. Lapp of the Chester County Historical Society, George N. Highley of Malvern, and- Conrad Wilson of Berwyn for their words of wisdom, criticism, encouragement, and generous time-consuming contributions, without which this article would have become hopelessly bogged down. To my father, J. Craig Janney, Marshallton, who patiently read over and corrected the entire manuscript.
Stations of the Underground Railroad in Chester County |
