1853

Feb. 10^th        Philadelphia

Arrived W^m Allen alias Parnet, from Perrysville Md.___by Henry Chamberlin

Expence for forwarding &c                                                    2.00

8          Arrived Thos. Wilson of Md  Examined by J.C. White [1] & forwarded to J.R.G.

                   Expences                                                                          1.50

Mar. 1           Arrived Geo. Moore from near Cantwells Bridge, Del.  Left on the 20^th ulti.  Was duly examined by J.C. White & N.W. Depee[2], and forwarded to J.R.G.  Expences                                                                                      3.00   

       26         Arrived Alice Thomas from Frederick Co. Md__  Left James Short on the 19^th inst.__ duly examined and forwarded to J.R.G.  Expence                      1.50

Mar. 31         Philadelphia

                   Arrived__ James Gibbs and 2 sons, from Greensburg Md. Duely attended to, examined & forwarded to J.R.G.

                   No Exp.                                                                            0.00

Apr. 6           Arrived__ Helen & Mary Parker  the orig. n.^s of the ab. were as follows: Rebeca Brown (held by T.C. Howard of Annapolis Md.) and Jane Matilda Media [?] (held by Rich^d Ducket near Annapolis Md)  Duely Exam. & forwarded to J.R.G.

                   Expen.                                                                              2.50

       7          Arrived__ Mary Kelly (now Charlotte Spriggs,) of Baltimore held by Wm Watkins__ This case was examined and forwarded by C.L.R.[3]

                   Expences       3.25

Notes

[1] Jacob C. White, Sr. (1806-1872) was a leading entrepreneur in black Philadelphia and a tireless opponent of slavery and racial discrimination.  In 1854, he lived at 223 Lombard Street.  He launched his career as a barber and dentist and in 1847 purchased land that he converted into one of the city’s handful of black-owned burial grounds—Lebanon Cemetery.  He was a leading member of both the Vigilant Committee of the 1840s and of the Vigilance Committee of the 1850s, serving on its Acting Committee.  He also was an ardent advocate of the free produce movement which was centered in Philadelphia.  This movement promoted the purchase of only those agricultural goods which could be certified as produced exclusively by free labor.  Jacob’s son, Jacob Jr., would become a leading member of postbellum black Philadelphia.

[2]  Nathaniel W. Depee had long been active in the Philadelphia black community.  In 1845, he helped form the short-lived Colored American National Society with several other black Philadelphians.  He was instrumental in the creation of the Vigilance Committee in late 1852 and served on its Acting Committee.  He was a dedicated operative in the underground railroad.  In 1854, he lived at 334 South Street.

[3] Charles Lewis Reason (1818-1893) was born in New York City to parents who had immigrated from Haiti.  He excelled as a student and became an instructor of mathematics at the city’s African Free School by 1832.  In 1849, he was appointed professor of literature and languages at the interracial New York Central College.  In the early 1850s, he came to Philadelphia to teach at the Quaker-sponsored Institute for Colored Youth where he dramatically increased enrollment.  He also served on the board of the Vigilance Committee and regularly assisted fugitives.  In 1855, he returned to New York City to teach and eventually became a principal in the city’s public school system.

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