The Underground Railroad
Sundry Arrivals from Maryland, 1860
WILLIAM CHION AND HIS WIFE, EMMA, EVAN GRAFF, AND FOUR OTHERS.
William and Emma came from Dorchester county, Maryland. The cords of Slavery had been tightly drawn around them. William was about twenty-seven years of age, of a dark hue, and of a courageous bearing. On the score of treatment he spake thus: “I have been treated as bad as a man could be.” Emma, his wife, had seen about the same number of years that he had, and her lot had been similar to his. Emma said, “My master never give me the second dress, never attempted such a thing.” The master was called Bushong Blake. William was owned by a Mr. Tubman. After leaving Slavery, William changed his last name to Williams, and if he and his wife are now living, they are known only by their adopted names.
Evan Graff was of square solid build, dark, and smart, age twenty-five. He fled in company with four others (whose narratives were not written), from Frederick county, Maryland. Henry Heart, residing at Sam’s Creek, exercised authority over Evan. With this master, said Evan, I have known hard times. I have been treated as bad as a man could be. I have been married three years and have not received five dollars in money since, towards supporting my family. “How have you lived then?” inquired one who sympathized. “My wife has kept house for a colored gentleman, and got her board for her services,” said Evan. “In what other particulars have you been treated hard?” was next asked. “Sometimes I hadn’t half clothes enough to keep me warm, through all weathers,” answered Evan. “What put it into your head to leave?” was the third query. “Well, sir,” said Evan, “I thought to try and do better.” How did you make up your mind to leave your wife and child in Slavery? “Well, sir, I was very loth to leave my wife and child, but I just thought in this way: I had a brother who was entitled to his freedom, but he fell out with one of his young masters, and was just taken up and sold South, and I thought I might be taken off too, so I thought I would stand as good a chance in leaving, as if I stayed.” Had you a mother and father, brothers and sisters? inquired a member of the Committee. “Yes, sir,” was the prompt reply. Evan then gave their names thus: “My father’s name was Sam Graff, my mother’s name was Becky.” Ruth Ann Dorsey, Isaac Hanson (and two brothers of Evan), Grafton and Allen accompanied him in his flight. James, Harriet, Charles Albert, Thomas Ephraim, Adeline Matilda, John Israel and Daniel Buchanan (brothers and sisters of Evan), were all left in Slavery.
Polly Pool was their mistress, rather had owned them up to within a short time before the flight of Evan and his comrades, but she had lately been unfortunate in business, which resulted in a thorough scattering of the entire family. Some fell into the hands of the mistress’ children, and some into the hands of the grandchildren. In Evan’s opinion she was a tolerable good mistress; his opportunities of judging, however, had not been very favorable, as he had not been in her hands a great while.
Luke Goines came from Harper’s Ferry, where he was owned by Mrs. Carroll. Luke first made his way to Baltimore and afterwards to Philadelphia.
Henson Kelly was owned by Reason Hastell, of Baltimore. Slavery did not agree with him, and he left to better his condition.
Stafford Smith fled from Westmoreland county, Virginia, where he was owned by Harriet Parker, a single woman, advanced in years, and the owner of many slaves “As a mistress, she was very hard. I have been hired to first one and then another, bad man all along. My mistress was a Methodist, but she seemed to know nothing about goodness. She was not in the habit of allowing the slaves any chance at all.”