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.
To WM. STILL.  SIR:—­I take the liberty of writing to you a few lines concerning my children, for I am very anxious to get them and I wish you to please try what you can do for me.  Their names are Charles and Patrick and are living with Mrs. Joseph G. Wray Murphysborough Hartford county, North Carolina; Emma lives with a Lawyer Baker in Gatesville North Carolina and Susan lives in Portsmouth Virginia and is stopping with Dr. Collins sister a Mrs. Nash you can find her out by enquiring for Dr. Collins at the ferry boat at Portsmouth, and Rose a coloured woman at the Crawford House can tell where she is.  And I trust you will try what you think will be the best way.  And you will do me a great favour.

    Yours Respectfully,

    JEFFERSON PIPKINS.

    P.S.  I am living at Yorkville near Toronto Canada West.  My wife
    sends her best respects to Mrs. Still.

* * * * *

SEVERAL ARRIVALS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES.

In order to economize time and space, with a view to giving an account of as many of the travelers as possible, it seems expedient, where a number of arrivals come in close proximity to each other, to report them briefly, under one head.

Henry Anderson, alias WILLIAM ANDERSON.  In outward appearance Henry was uninteresting.  As he asserted, and as his appearance indicated, he had experienced a large share of “rugged” usage.  Being far in the South, and in the hands of a brutal “Captain of a small boat,” chances of freedom or of moderate treatment, had rarely ever presented themselves in any aspect.  On the 3d of the preceding March he was sold to a negro trader—­the thought of having to live under a trader was so terrible, he was moved to escape, leaving his wife, to whom he had only been married three months.  Henry was twenty-five years of age, quite black and a little below the medium size.

He fled from Beaufort, North Carolina.  The system of slavery in all the region of country whence Henry came, exhibited generally great brutality and cruelty.

CHARLES CONGO AND WIFE, MARGARET.  Charles and his wife were fortunate in managing to flee together.  Their attachment to each other was evidently true.  They were both owned by a farmer, who went by the name of David Stewart, and resided in Maryland.  As Charles’ owner did not require their services at home, as he had more of that kind of stock than he had use for—­he hired them out to another farmer—­Charles for $105 per annum; how much for the wife they could not tell.  She, however, was not blessed with good health, though she was not favored any more on that account.  Charles’ affection for his wife, on seeing how hard she had to labor when not well, aroused him to seek their freedom by flight.  He resolved to spare no pains, to give himself no rest until they were both free.  Accordingly the Underground Rail Road was sought and found.  Charles was twenty-eight, with a good head and striking face, as well as otherwise well made; chestnut color and intelligent, though unable to read.  Left two sisters in bondage.  Margaret was about the same age as her husband, a nice-looking brown-skinned woman; worth $500.  Charles was valued at $1200.

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The Underground Railroad from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.