Journal C of Station No. 2, William Still, 1856, 9

Home Journal C of Station No. 2, William Still, 1856, 9

Journal C of Station No. 2, William Still, 1856, 9

May 13th Arrived_ per Harriet Tubman 4 men[1]_ young and able bodied_   (4)  of this history however no account was gleaned further than the fact that they were genuine Cases_  They stopped with Mrs. Buchannon[2]_ were attended to by Myself & Mr. Depee_ and forwarded on their way

                             May 14/56
(5)  Five by one arrived_ Abe Piner[3], Sam’l Davis[4], Henry Saunders, Wm Henry Thompson[5], & Thos. Peaker[6] all arrived safely, from Georgetown Cross Roads Md._  They are all young and hearty looking, and were owned the following Masters.
       Abe belonged to Geo, Spencer, Farmer; he was a hard man, would work his men hard, stint them for food, and flog them in the bargain.  He was addicted to intemperance, was rich & stood pretty high in his neighborhood_ Abe is about is about 23_ quite black_ medium size &c.
       Sam’l is about 30, dark, medium size &c.  He had been badly abused, the marks of which he bears_  His owner was, James Hirt, Farmer;  He was very Blustery occasionally_ Sam’l, left becaused he wanted to do better for himself_
                             Sam’l left a wife Phillis Ann_ and one child_  they were free_
              Wm Henry T. is about 24 chesnut color, and medium size_  &c. &c.

                             May 16/56
(1) Arrived_ Jesse Slycum from Dorchester, Md_ Safely arrived_  He is a dark young men about 23 or 24 yr’s of age.

                             May 16/56
(2) Arrived_ Winey Petty[7] and her daughter Elizabeth, Safely arrived from from Norfolk. Va_  The Mother is about 22 yr’s of age good looking, chesnut color, and Seems Sensible_ Certainly heroic_  From the latter part of last Oct. to the latter part of last March, she & her cl child were confined in a cave, under a house occupied by a Slave family_ during which time they Suffered extreemly from the dampness & cold, getting frosted Somewhat.  All this She imndured rather than be sold_ having been warned that doom awaited her,
       On three previously occasions She had been sold, hence knew what it was and did not want any further experience about the matter.
              Jacob Shuster, a Farmer, Methodist, and very hard Slave holder, & tyrant owned her_ Many others he had owned but had sold but a few having broke up the Farming business of late


[1] While these four men are not identified by name, they are mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 386.

[2] Mrs. Buchannon operated a boarding house where the Vigilance Committee often housed fugitives.

[3] Further details of the life of Abe Fineer in slavery are contained in Still, Underground Rail Road, 386.

[4] The life of Sam Davis in slavery is briefly recounted in Still, Underground Rail Road, 387.

[5] William Henry Thompson is briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 387.

[6] Thomas Parker is briefly mentioned in Still, Underground Rail Road, 387.

[7] The trials of Winnie Patty and her daughter, Elizabeth, are recounted in Still, Underground Rail Road, 387-88.

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