(2)                         Sep. 7/55
Arrived_ Anthony & Albert Brown[1] (Bros.) from Tanners Creek, within 5 miles of Norfolk.  They had belonged to John & Henry Holland, oysterman_ poor men.
       They had much fault to find with their treatment_  Their owners being hard & profane men who could never be satisfied_  The plan they adopted to escape were as follows_ They took one of the small oyster Boats (sale boat) having prevailed upon two other fr’ds to accompany them, and thus sale themselves away_ Coming about 25 miles this side of Baltimore.  There they landed not, knowing the danger of that locality_ fortunately however they persued on and succeeded in safely reaching this place.  Brave men.
              Anthony is 29, Albert 27 yrs of age.  Both smart & intelligent. Both left their wife, free.  Anthony’s is named Alexenia Albert’s, Ellen.  both live in Norfolk

(1)                         Sep. 26/55
W^m Govan[2], arrived (per C.B.) from Petersburg where he had been owned by Mark Davis, a gentleman retired_ had been a Negro Trader.  W^m is about 33 yrs of age, bright orange color.  Left purely because he naturally desired his freedom.  In Stature he is medium size, well made & fine look, & intelligent  Valued at $1000.
(10) Ten arrived and were care for during the two last weeks in Sept. while one of the cor^er [?] was on a visit to Canada.

                             Oct 1/55
(2) Mary Jane Freeman & Emily Clark, from Md_ were attended to tickets furnished at Kimberton

(1)                         Oct. 6/55
John Williams of Maryland reached here last evening.  He is about 25 yr’s of age, smart and intelligent.

[1] Brothers Anthony and Albert Brown settled in Hamilton, Canada West, soon after leaving Philadelphia.  They found employment in local hotels.  They wrote regularly to William Still and especially sought information on their wives back in Virginia.  Apparently, by June 1856, Anthony’s wife, Alexenia, had arrived in Philadelphia and he was very anxious for her to be forwarded safely to him in Canada.  Still, Underground Rail Road, 291-93.

[2] William Govan escaped enslavement in Petersburg, Virginia on the schooner of Captain Bayliss.  Still, Underground Rail Road, 293-94.

back                                                                                                         forward