Tazewell County, Illinois - Chapter 9: Underground Railroad Black Laws, 1879

Chapter 9: Underground Railroad Black Laws

THE early settlers of this county, although mainly from the Southern or slave States, entertained a deep-seated prejudice against the negro, for which it is hard for us to account at the present day. This prejudice, we may remark, was not held altogether and only in this county, for by referring to the Revised Statutes of this State, approved March 3, 1845, we find the following in chapter 54, under the head of " Negroes and Mulattoes : "

Section 8. Any person who shall hereafter bring into this State any black or mulatto person, in order to free him or her from slavery, or shall directly or indirectly bring into this State, or aid or assist any person in bringing any such black and mulatto person to settle and reside therein, shall be fined one hundred dollars on conviction and indictment, before any justice of the peace in the county where such offense shall be committed.

Section 9. If any slave or servant shall be found at a distance of ten miles from the tenement of his or her master, or person with whom he or she lives, without a pass or some letter of token whereby it may appear that he or she is proceeding by. authority from his or her master, employer or overseer, it shall and may be lawful for any person to apprehend and carry him or her before a justice of the peace, to be by his order punished with stripes, not exceeding thirtyfive, at his discretion.

Section 10. If any slave or servant shall presume to come and be upon the plantation or at the dwelling of any person whatsoever, without leave from his or her owner, not being sent upon lawful business, it shall be lawful for the owner of such plantation or dwelling house to give or order such slave or servant ten lashes on his or her bare back.

slave or slaves, servant or servants of color, to the number of three or more, to assemble in his, her or their outhouse, yard or shed, for the purpose of dancing or revelling, either by night or by day, the person or persons so offending shall forfeit and pay the sum of twenty dollars with cost to any person or persons who will sue for and recover the same by action of debt or indictment, in any court of record proper to try the same.

Section 13. It shall be the duty of all coroners, sheriffs, judges and justices of the peace, who shall see or know of, or be informed of any such assemblage of slaves or servants, immediately to commit such slaves or servants to the jail of the county, and on view or proof thereof to order each and every such slave or servant to be whipped not exceeding thirty-nine stripes on his or her bare back.

Mode Of Running The U. G. R. R.

Very likely all of our readers have heard of the famous Underground Railroad, but ver^- few know anything of its system of work. Happily the corporation does not now exist, the necessity for the enterprise not being apparent at the present time, as the class of freight or passengers transported over the line are not now produced.

The question of slavery has always been a mixed one, from the time the first slave was imported into our country until, by the emancipation proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, all men were made free and equal in the eyes of the law. A strong anti-slavery party has long existed in the country. The framers of our constitution upon the organization of the Government had to deal with the question of slavery ; the successive administrations from Washington to Lincoln had to grapple with it ; various compromises were adopted which it was thought would quiet its spirit ; but like Banquo's ghost, it would not down at the bidding of any man or party. The death of Lovejoy at Alton, in 1837, a martyr to the anti-slavery cause, gave an impetus to the agitation of the question which never ceased until the final act was consumated which broke in pieces the shackles that bound the slave.

Growing out of the agitation of this question, and the formation of a party in sympathy with the slaves, was the organization of the so-called Underground Railroad, for the purpose of aiding fugitives to escape to a land of freedom. The secrecy of its workings justified its name. Notwithstanding the system was an organized one.

those engaged in it had no signs or passwords by which they might be known, save now and then a preconcerted rap at the door when a cargo of freight was to be delivered. Each relied npon the honor of the other, and, as the work was an extra-hazardous one, few cowards ever engaged in it. Pro-slavery men complained bitterly of the violation of the law by their abolition neighbors, and persecuted them as much as they dared : and this was not a little. But the friends of the slaves were not to be deterred by persecution. " The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church, " and persecution onlv made them more determined than ever to carrv out their just convictions of right and duty. No class of people ever made better neighbors than the Abolitionists, or better conductors on a railroad. It is well, perhaps, in this connection, to note how the passengers over this road were received in Canada, the northern termination. From mere goods and chatties in our liberty-boasting nation they were transformed into men and women ; from being hunted with fire-arms and blood-hounds, like wild beasts, they Avere recognized and respected as good and loyal subjects by the Queen as soon as their feet touched British soil. At the same time there stood, with open arms. Rev. Hiram Wilson, the true, noble-hearted missionary, ready to receive these refugees from " freedom's (?) soil, " and administer to their wants. In February, 1841, there came a day of jubilee to the doubting ones, when Queen Victoria's proclamation was read to them : " That every fugitive from United States slavery should be recognized and protected as a British subject the moment his or her foot touched the soil of her domain."

A very singular circumstance in connection with this road was the fact that, although people well knew who were engaged in it, and where the depot was located, freight could seldom be found, search as carefullv as thev miojht. A consignment would be forwarded over the line, notice of which would reach the ears of slave hunters, and when ready to ])lace their hands on the fugitives, like the Irishman's flea, they wouldn't be there. The business of this road for a number of years was quite extensive, but to-day all its employes are discharged, and, strange to relate, none are sorry, but all rejoice in the fact. As illustrating the peculiarities of this line we append several incidents that occurred in this countv : at Josiali Matthews', on section 24. Mr. Matthews was an earnest anti-slavery man, and helped to gain freedom for many slaves. He prepared himself with a covered wagon especially to carry black freight from his station on to the next. On one occasion there were three negroes to be conveyed from his station to the next, but they were so closely watched that some time elapsed before they could contrive to take them in safety. At last a happy plan was conceived, and one which proved successful. Their faces were well whitened with flour, and with a son of Mr. Matthews' went into the timber coon-hunting. In this way they managed to throw their suspicious neighbors off their guard, and the black freight was safely conducted northward.

One dav there arrived a box of freio-ht at ]Mr. Matthews', and was hurriedly consigned to the cellar. On the freight contained in this box there was a reward of $1,500 offered, and the pursuers were but half an hour behind. The wagon in which the box containing the negro was brought was immediately taken apart and hid under the barn. The horses, which had been driven very hard, were rubbed off, and thus all indications of a late arrival were covered up. The pursuers came up in hot haste, and, suspecting that Mr. Matthews' house contained the fugitive, gave the place a very thorough search, but failed to look into the innocent-looking box in the cellar. Thus, by such stratagem, the slave-hunters were foiled and the fugitive saved. The house was so closely watched, however, that Conductor Matthews had to keep the negro a Meek before he could carry him further. This station was watched so closely at times that Mr. Matthews came near being caught, in which case, in all probability, his life would have been very short.

The Crosby Depot

Mr. Uriah H. Crosby, of Morton township, was an agent and conductor of the U. G. E,. R., and had a station at his house. On one occasion there was landed at his station by the conductor just south of him, a very weighty couple, - a Methodist minister and wife. They had a Bible and hymn book that they might conduct religious exercises where they found an opportunity along the way. On conducting them northward Mr. Crosby was obliged to furnish each of them an entire seat, as either of them were of such size as to well fill a seat in his wagon. The next station beyond was at Mr, Kern's, nine miles. He arrived there in safety, and his heavy cargo was transported on to free soil - Canada.

The next passenger along the route that stopped at Crosby station arrived on election day. A company had passed on northward when a young man hastily came up. He had invented a cotton gin, and was in haste to overtake the others of the party as they had the model of his invention. He was separated from them by fright. J. M. Roberts found this young man in the morning hid away in his hay-stack, fed him, and sent his son, Junius, with him in haste to Mr. Crosby's. On his arrival Conductor Crosby put him in his wagon, covered him with a buffalo robe, and drove through Washington and delivered him to Mr. Kern, who took him in an open buggy to the (Quaker settlement. He overtook his companions.

An Accident On The U. G. R. R.

One of the saddest accidents that ever occurred on the U. G. Road in Tazewell county was the capture of a train by slave hunters. Two men, a woman and three children, were traveling together. The woman and children could journey together only from Tremont toward Crosby station, as they had only one buggy. The negro men concluded to walk, but stopped on the way to rest. Waiting as long as they dared for the men to come up, Messrs. Roberts started on with the women and children, but had not gone far before they were stopped by some slave hunters and their load taken from them. The mother and her three children, who were seeking their liberty, were taken to St. Louis and sold, as the slave hunters could realize more by selling them than by returning them to the owner and receiving the reward.

When the two men came up it was thought best to take them on bv a different route, the people determining they should not be captured. J. M. Roberts arranged to take them ou horseback to Peoria lake. Several men accompanied them, riding out as far into the water as they could, and by a preconcerted signal parties brought a skiff to them, into which the men were taken and conveyed across the river and sent on the Farmington route in safety. All other routes were too closely watched.

Anti-Slavery Meeting

In those exciting days of the U. G. R. R. old Father Dickey and Owen Lovejoy, strong anti-slavery men, made an appointment to speak at Washington. On the notice of the meeting being announced the pro-slavery men took forcible and armed possession of

A prominent man of conservative views on the slavery question advised the anti-slavery men not to attempt to hold the meeting as they were determined to do, as the mob, he said, were frenzied with liquor, and he feared the consequences. So they concluded to go to Pleasant Grove church, Groveland, where they addressed one of the most enthusiastic anti-slavery meetings ever held in this part of the State. Owen Lovejoy was the orator of the day. The mob were determined to follow and break up that meeting also, but were deterred by being told that as the anti-slavery men were on their own ground they would fight, and doubtless blood would be shed.