The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.

The Underground Railroad eBook

William Still
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 1,446 pages of information about The Underground Railroad.

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ARRIVAL FROM DORCHESTER CO., 1860.

HARRIET TUBMAN’S LAST “TRIP” TO MARYLAND.

STEPHEN ENNETS and wife, MARIA, with three children, whose names were as follows:  HARRIET, aged six years; AMANDA, four years, and a babe (in the arms of its mother), three months old.

The following letter from Thomas Garrett throws light upon this arrival: 

    WILMINGTON, 12th mo., 1st, 1860.

RESPECTED FRIEND:—­WILLIAM STILL:—­I write to let thee know that Harriet Tubman is again in these parts.  She arrived last evening from one of her trips of mercy to God’s poor, bringing two men with her as far as New Castle.  I agreed to pay a man last evening, to pilot them on their way to Chester county; the wife of one of the men, with two or three children, was left some thirty miles below, and I gave Harriet ten dollars, to hire a man with carriage, to take them to Chester county.  She said a man had offered for that sum, to bring them on.  I shall be very uneasy about them, till I hear they are safe.  There is now much more risk on the road, till they arrive here, than there has been for several months past, as we find that some poor, worthless wretches are constantly on the look out on two roads, that they cannot well avoid more especially with carriage, yet, as it is Harriet who seems to have had a special angel to guard her on her journey of mercy, I have hope.

    Thy Friend,

    THOMAS GARRETT.

    N.B.  We hope all will be in Chester county to-morrow.

These slaves from Maryland, were the last that Harriet Tubman piloted out of the prison-house of bondage, and these “came through great tribulation.”

Stephen, the husband, had been a slave of John Kaiger, who would not allow him to live with his wife (if there was such a thing as a slave’s owning a wife.) She lived eight miles distant, hired her time, maintained herself, and took care of her children (until they became of service to their owner), and paid ten dollars a year for her hire.  She was owned by Algier Pearcy.  Both mother and father desired to deliver their children from his grasp.  They had too much intelligence to bear the heavy burdens thus imposed without feeling the pressure a grievous one.

Harriet Tubman being well acquainted in their neighborhood, and knowing of their situation, and having confidence that they would prove true, as passengers on the Underground Rail Road, engaged to pilot them within reach of Wilmington, at least to Thomas Garrett’s.  Thus the father and mother, with their children and a young man named John, found aid and comfort on their way, with Harriet for their “Moses.”  A poor woman escaping from Baltimore in a delicate state, happened to meet Harriet’s party at the station, and was forwarded on with them.  They were cheered with clothing,

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Project Gutenberg
The Underground Railroad from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.