Record #78 from Abstracts from William Still's Underground Railroad - Enduring Connections

Traveler's Names	John Chambers
Age	26
Description	stout made, chestnut color, good-looking, not quite medium height
Alias	–
Origin- Town/City	–
Origin- County	–
Origin- State	Maryland
Destination	Canada
Birthplace	–
Slaveowner's Name	Thomas Murphy
Chapter Title	Sundry Arrivals--Latter part of December, 1855 and Beginning of January, 1856
Page Number	338
Other Travelers	Joseph Cornish, Lewis Francis, Alexander Munson, Samuel and Ann Scott, Wm Henry Laminson, Henry and Eliza Washington, Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, Thomas Anderson
Other Conductors	–
Additional Names	–
Method of Travel	–
Additional Resources	–
Items in Possession	–
Full Narrative	HENRY CHAMBERS, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, and Jonathan Fisher. This party represented the more promising-looking field-hand slave population of Maryland. Henry and John were brothers, twenty-four and twenty- six years of age, stout made, chestnut color, good-looking, but in height not quite medium. Henry " owed service or labor," to a fellow-man by the name of William Rybold, a farmer living near Sassafras Neck, Md. Henry evidently felt, that he did master Rybold no injustice in testifying that he knew no good of him, although he had labored under him like a beast of burden all his days. He had been " clothed meanly," and " poorly fed." He also alleged, that his mistress was worse than his master, as she would "think nothing of knocking and beating the slave women for nothing." John was owned by Thomas Murphy. From that day to this, Thomas may have been troubling his brain to know why his man John treated him so shabbily as to leave him in the manner that he did. Jack had a good reason for his course, nevertheless. In his corn field-phrase he declared, that his master Murphy would not give you half clothes, and besides he was a " hard man," who kept Jack working out on hire. Thereiore, feeling his wrongs keenly, Jack decided, with his other friends, to run off and be free.

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[Author (if known)], Abstracts from William Still's Underground Railroad, [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

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Traveler's Names Joseph Cornish

Age 40

Description much natural ability, quite dark, well-made

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Origin- County Dorchester Co

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Chapter Title Sundry Arrivals--Latter part of December, 1855 and Beginning of January, 1856

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Full Narrative JOSEPH CORNISH was about forty years of age when he escaped. The heavy bonds of Slavery made him miserable. He was a man of much natural ability, quite dark, well-made, and said that he had been
" worked very hard." According to his statement, he had been an " acceptable preacher in the African Methodist Church," and was also " respected by the respectable white and colored people in his neighborhood." He would not have escaped but for fear of being sold, as he had a wife and five chil-
dren to whom he was very much attached, but had to leave them behind. Fortunately they were free.
Of his ministry and connection with the Church, he spoke with feelings of apparent solemnity, evidently under the impression that the little flock he left would be without a shepherd. Of his master, Captain Samuel Le Count, of the U. S. Navy, he had not one good word to speak ; at least nothing of the kind is found on the Record Book ; but, on the contrary,
he declared that "he was very hard on his servants, allowing them no chance whatever to make a little ready money for themselves." So in turning his face towards the Underground Rail Road, and his back against slavery, he felt that he was doing God service.
The Committee regarded him as a remarkable man, and was much impressed with his story, and felt it to be a privilege and a pleasure to aid him.

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Traveler's Names Alexander Munson

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Traveler's Names Alexander Munson

Age 18

Description a well grown lad, quite smart and of a chestnut color

Alias Samuel Garrett

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Page Number 335-336

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Full Narrative ALEXANDER Muxsox, alias Samuel Garrett. This candidate for Canada was only eighteen years of age ; a well-grown lad, however, and had the one idea that " all men were born free " pretty deeply rooted in his mind. He was quite smart, and of a chestnut color. By the will of his original owner, the slaves were all entitled to their freedom, but it appeared, from Alexander's story, that the executor of the estate did not regard this freedom clause in the will. He had already sold some of the slaves, and others ? he among them ? were expecting to be sold before coming into possession of their freedom. Two of them had been sold to Alabama, therefore, with
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Traveler's Names Anna Scott

Age –

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Origin- Town/City Cecil Cross-Roads

Origin- State Maryland

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Slaveowner's Name Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Lushy

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Traveler's Names Anna Scott

Age –

Description –

Alias –

Origin- Town/City Cecil Cross-Roads

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Slaveowner's Name Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Lushy

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Full Narrative ANNA SCOTT and husband, Samuel Scott. This couple escaped from Cecil Cross-Roads, Md. The wife, in this instance, evidently took the lead, and acted the more manly part in striking for freedom ; therefore, our notice of this arrival will chiefly relate to her.
Anna was owned by a widow, named Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Lushy, who resided on a farm of her own. Fifteen slaves, with other stock, were kept on the place. She was accustomed to rule with severity, being governed by a "high temper," and in nowise disposed to allow her slaves to enjoy even ordinary privileges, and besides, would occasionally sell to the Southern market. She was calculated to render slave life very unhappy. Anna portrayed her mistress's treatment of the slaves with much earnestness, espe-
cially when referring to the sale of her own brother and sister. Upon the whole, the mistress was so hateful to Anna, that she -resolved not to live in
the house with her. During several years prior to her escape, Anna had been hired out, where she had been treated a little more decently than her
mistress was wont to do; on this account she was less willing to put up with any subsequent abuse from her mistress.
To escape was the only remedy, so she made up her mind, that she would leave at all hazards. She gave her husband to understand, that she had resolved to seek a home in Canada. Fortunately, he was free, but
slavery had many ways of putting the yoke on the colored man, even though he might be free; it was bound to keep him in ignorance, and at the same
time miserably abject, so that he would scarcely dare to look up in the presence of white people.

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Traveler's Names Samuel Scott, her husband

Age –

Alias –

Origin- Town/City –

Origin- State –

Destination –

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name –

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Traveler's Names Samuel Scott, her husband

Age –

Description –

Alias –

Origin- Town/City –

Origin- County –

Origin- State –

Destination –

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name –

Chapter Title Sundry Arrivals--Latter part of December, 1855 and Beginning of January, 1856

Page Number 336

Other Travelers Joseph Cornish, Lewis Francis, Alexander Munson, Samuel and Ann Scott, Wm Henry Laminson, Henry and Eliza Washington, Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, Thomas Anderson

Other Conductors –

Additional Names –

Method of Travel –

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Items in Possession –

Full Narrative SAM, apparently, was one of the number who had been greatly wronged in this particular. He had less spirit than his wife, who had been directly goaded to desperation. He agreed, however, to stand by her
in her struggles while fleeing, and did so, for which he deserves credit. It must be admitted, that it required some considerable nerve for a free man even to join his wife in an effort of this character.
In setting out, Anna had to leave her father (Jacob Trusty), seven sisters and two brothers. The names of the sisters were as follows: Erne- line, Susan Ann, Delilah, Mary Eliza, Rosetta, Effie Ellender and Eliza-
beth; the brothers ? Emson and Perry. For the commencement of their journey they availed themselves of the Christmas holidays, but had to suffer from the cold weather they encountered. Yet they got along tolerably well, and were much cheered by the attention and aid they received from the
Committee.

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Traveler's Names Henry Chambers

Age 24

Alias –

Origin- Town/City Sassafras Neck

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name William Rybold

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Traveler's Names Henry Chambers

Age 24

Description stout made, chestnut color, good-looking, not quite medium height

Alias –

Origin- Town/City Sassafras Neck

Origin- County Kent

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name William Rybold

Chapter Title Sundry Arrivals--Latter part of December, 1855 and Beginning of January, 1856

Page Number 338

Other Travelers Joseph Cornish, Lewis Francis, Alexander Munson, Samuel and Ann Scott, Wm Henry Laminson, Henry and Eliza Washington, Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, Thomas Anderson

Other Conductors –

Additional Names –

Method of Travel –

Additional Resources –

Items in Possession –

Full Narrative HENRY CHAMBERS, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, and Jonathan Fisher. This party represented the more promising-looking field-hand slave population of Maryland. Henry and John were brothers, twenty-four and twenty- six years of age, stout made, chestnut color, good-looking, but in height not quite medium. Henry " owed service or labor," to a fellow-man by the name of William Rybold, a farmer living near Sassafras Neck, Md. Henry evidently felt, that he did master Rybold no injustice in testifying that he
knew no good of him, although he had labored under him like a beast of burden all his days. He had been " clothed meanly," and " poorly fed." He also alleged, that his mistress was worse than his master, as she would "think nothing of knocking and beating the slave women for nothing." John was owned by Thomas Murphy. From that day to this, Thomas may
have been troubling his brain to know why his man John treated him so shabbily as to leave him in the manner that he did. Jack had a good reason for his course, nevertheless. In his corn field-phrase he declared, that his master Murphy would not give you half clothes, and besides he was a " hard man," who kept Jack working out on hire. Thereiore, feeling his wrongs keenly, Jack decided, with his other friends, to run off and be free.

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Traveler's Names Samuel Fall

Age 21

Alias –

Origin- Town/City Sassafras Neck

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name Willaim Rybold

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Traveler's Names Samuel Fall

Age 21

Description dark chestnut color, and of medium size

Alias –

Origin- Town/City Sassafras Neck

Origin- County Kent

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name Willaim Rybold

Chapter Title Sundry arrivals--latter part of December 1855 and beginning of January 1856

Page Number 338

Other Travelers Joseph Cornish, Lewis Francis, Alexander Munson, Samuel and Ann Scott, Wm Henry Laminson, Henry and Eliza Washington, Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, Thomas Anderson

Other Conductors –

Additional Names –

Method of Travel –

Additional Resources –

Items in Possession –

Full Narrative SAM, another comrade, was also owned by William Rybold. Sam had just arrived at his maturity (twenty-one), when he was invited to join in the plot to escape. At first, it might be thought strange, why one so young should seek to escape. A few brief words from Sam soon explained the mystery. It was this : his master, as he said, had been in the habit of
tying him up by the hands and flogging him unmercifully; besides, in the allowance of food and clothing, he always " stinted the slaves yet worked
them very hard." Sam's chances for education had been very unfavorable, but he had mind enough to know that liberty was worth struggling for. He was willing to make the trial with the other boys. He was of a dark chestnut color, and of medium size.

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Traveler's Names Jonathan Fisher

Age 19

Alias –

Origin- Town/City –

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name A. Rybold

All Fields in This Record

Traveler's Names Jonathan Fisher

Age 19

Description –

Alias –

Origin- Town/City –

Origin- County –

Origin- State Maryland

Destination Canada

Birthplace –

Slaveowner's Name A. Rybold

Chapter Title Sundry Arrivals--Latter part of December, 1855 and Beginning of January, 1856

Page Number 339

Other Travelers Joseph Cornish, Lewis Francis, Alexander Munson, Samuel and Ann Scott, Wm Henry Laminson, Henry and Eliza Washington, Henry Chambers, John Chambers, Samuel Fall, Thomas Anderson

Other Conductors –

Additional Names –

Method of Travel –

Additional Resources –

Items in Possession –

Full Narrative JONATHAN belonged to A. Rybold, and was only nineteen years of age. All that need be said in relation to his testimony, is, that it agreed with his
colleague's and fellow-servant's, Samuel. Before starting on their journey, they felt the need of new names, and in putting their wits together, they
soon fixed this matter by deciding to pass in future by the following names: James and David Green, John Henry, and Jonathan Fisher.
In the brief sketches given in this chapter, some lost ones, seeking information of relatives, may find comfort, even if the general reader should fail to
be interested.

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