The Underground Railroad, Ushering 70,000 slaves Out of Slavery to Canada

Above: Harriet Tubman and a 'train' of fugitive slaves

Aaron L. Benedict's House and Barn, a station in Morrow County, Ohio on the Underground  Railroad. Alum Creek Friends' Settlement (Marengo). Sixty fugitive slaves were at Benedict's house in a single month. Below: Aaron Benedict.

Below: Photograph of Addison White, a fugitive slave whose freedom was purchased in part by the city of Mechanicsburg, Champaign County, Ohio.

Below: Photograph of Calvin Fairbank (1816-1898), an abolitionist who devoted himself to freeing fugitive slaves and was imprisoned twice in the penitentiary at Frankford, Kentucky for a total of more than seventeen years. During his imprisonment, several thousand lashes were recorded across his bare back.

Below: Photograph of Captain Richard C. Rankin (1821-1899), son of the Reverend John Rankin and guide of fugitive slaves at Ripley, Brown County, Ohio.

Below: Photograph showing the raising of the lantern on the flagpole at the John Rankin House in Ripley, Ohio. The lantern was a signal to fugitive slaves to cross the Ohio River.

Below: Photograph of Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893), lawyer, soldier, politician, and President of the United States. As a lawyer, Hayes was often engaged defending fugitive slaves and had an understanding with directors and officers of the Underground Railroad that his services would be provided at no charge.

These and other images from the underground railroad are available the Library of Congress

Chorus
Follow the drinking gourd
Follow the drinking gourd
For the old man is waitin' to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd.

When the sun goes back and the first quail calls
Follow the drinking gourd
The old man is waitin' for to carry you to freedom
Follow the drinking gourd. (Chorus)

The river bed makes a mighty fine road,
Dead trees to show you the way
And it's left foot, peg foot, traveling on
Follow the drinking gourd. (Chorus)

The river ends between two hills
Follow the drinking gourd
There's another river on the other side
Follow the drinking gourd. (Chorus)

I thought I heard the angels say
Follow the drinking gourd
The stars in the heavens gonna show you the way
Follow the drinking gourd. (Chorus)

From 1833 onward, the Emancipation Act of the British Empire outlawed slavery. As a consequence, slaves began migrating northward, to freedom, with the assistance of many American citizens along the way.

The number of those involved in the underground railroad was tremendous. An incomplete list of those from New York alone, for example exists:

ALLEGANY COUNTY

Babcock, Luke, Friendship, NY [PH-110]
Bassett, Bayless S., Alfred, NY [PH-119]
Bliss,  (Rev) J.F., Friendship, NY [PH-110]
Case, (Deacon) ----, [SI-414]
Cotton, Samuel C., Friendship, NY (possible site) [PH-110]
Hammond, ----, Friendship, NY [PH-111]
Hatch, Jeremiah and Lucy, Friendship, NY [PH-108]
King, John, Ceres, NY [PH-101-103]
Knight, William, Scio, NY [PH-111]
Lanphear, Ethan, Nile, NY [PH-108]
Lyle, (Rev.) John, Oramel, NY [PH-112]
Randall, C.H. [PH-114]
Renwick, Robert, Belfast, NY [PH-112]
Richmond, Alanson A. Short Tract, NY [PH-113]
Sortore, William, Belmont, NY [PH-111-112]

CATTARAUGUS COUNTY

Brooks, James (Judge), Pleasant Valley, NY [PH-104,106]
Chapman, Hiram (Capt), Versailles, NY [PE-41-45; SI-414]
Cooper, William , Perrysburg, NY [PE-45-56; SI-414]
Scott, Hollis, Hinsdale, NY [PH-106]
Searl, Isaac, Ishua, NY [PH-106]
Remington, Joseph, Riceville, NY [PH-106]
Welles, ----, Leon, NY [PE-46; SI-414]

CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY

Andrew, ---- [SI-414]
Backus, Norman, Busti, NY [PH-88]
Broadhead, Jabez, Busti, NY [PH-88]
Broadhead, John (Rev), Busti, NY [ME-108]
Brown (Dr), Busti, NY [PH-87]
Cooper, William, Perrysburg, NY [PH-87,95]
Cranston, ---- [SI-414]
Curtis, ---- Busti, NY [PH-89-90]
Crossman, Phineas, Jamestown, NY? [PH-91]
Denney, Cassadaigua, NY [PH-93]
Fenton, George Washington, Frewsburg, NY [PH-87]
Frink, ---- (Rev) [SI-414]
Green, ---- Busti, NY [PH-89]
Frost, George H., Cherry Creek, NY [PH-95]
Hall, Hervay (Harvay), Ripley, NY [PH-56, 82]
Harris, Katherine, Jamestown, NY [PH-91-3;ME-111]
Hedges, William (Dr.), Jamestown, NY? [PH-91]
Knowlton, ---- Westfield, NY [SI-414; PH-82]
Jones, Levi, Busti, NY [PH-88; ME-108]
Lee, Oliver, Cherry Creek, NY [PH-95]
Little, John, Arkwright, NY [PE-14; SI-414]
Miller, Benjamin, Cassadaigua, NY? [PH-93]
Nessle, Joseph B., Ellington, NY [ME-111]
Page, Addison A., Jamestown, NY? [PH-91]
Pettit, Eber M., Versailles, NY [PH-87,95-96;SI-414]
Pettit, James (Dr.), Fredonia, NY [PH-93; SI-414]
Plumb, Alvin (Squire), Busti, NY [ME-108]
Pratt, Humphrey, Busti, NY [ME-108]
Price, Addison, Jamestown, NY [PH-90]
Sackett, Joseph, Cassadiagua, NY [PH-93]
Shearman, Silas (Sr.), Jamestown, NY [PH-90,91;ME-110-11]
Storum, William, Busti, NY [PH-87-88; ME-108]
Thayer, Hiram, Frewsburg, NY [ME-111]
Webster, Luther, Fredonia, NY [PH-93]
Wells, Ed, Busti, NY [PH-87]
Windsor, Clinton, Jamestown, NY [PH-91]
Work, Edward, Falconer, NY [ME-111]
Vail, Holman, Cherry Creek, NY [PH-95]
Van Dusen, Frank, Jamestown, NY? [PH-91]

ERIE COUNTY

Aldrich, ---- [SI-414]
Baker, Benjamin  [GR-76; ME-106]
Baker, Obadiah, Orchard Park, NY [ME-100]
Barker, Gideon [SI-414]
Brown, William Wells, Buffalo, NY [GR-80; ME-106]
Butler, Morris, Buffalo, NY [SE-195; GR-78-79; ME-105]
Dodge, Cheesham, Buffalo, NY [GR-76]
Dodge, Hampton, Buffalo, NY [ME-105]
E---, ---- (Deacon), Springville, NY [PE-70-71]
Fosdick, John Spencer, Buffalo, NY [GR-78]
“Friend Andrew” (Quaker), Brant?, NY [PE-14,18,94]
Hathaway, ---- Collins, NY [PE-46; PH-87]
Haywood, William [SI-414]
Hill, Roswell, Eden, NY [ME-99]
Johnson, George W. [SI-414]
Love, Thomas C., Buffalo, NY [GR-77]
Maxwell, John, Buffalo, NY [ME-105]
Moore, Henry (Deacon) [SI-414]
Murray, Samuel, Buffalo, NY [GR-79; ME-106]
Orr, Abner, Holland, NY [ME-99]
Orton,---- (father of Edward), Buffalo, NY [SE-189]
Webster, Mary Willis, Town Line, NY [PH-97;ME- 100]
Wilkes, John, Rice Corners, Sardinia, NY [ME-99]
Williams, ---- [SI-414]
Ziegler, Black Rock (Buffalo), NY [ME-106]
Zimmer, Carl, Buffalo, NY [GR-79]

GENESEE COUNTY

Brewster, Judge [SI-414]
Comstock, Dea. [SI-414]
Huftelen, E. [SI-414]
McDonald, Daniel [LE; SI-414]
Thomlinson, George [LE]

NIAGARA COUNTY

Binmore, Thomas, Lockport, NY [SI-414]
Childs, W.H., Niagara Falls, NY [SI-414]
Comstock, Darius, Lockport, NY (rescue) [ME-101]
Hichens, Francis, Lockport, NY [ME-101-2]
Jackson, Ben, Niagara Falls [PE 85]
P---, ----, Niagara Falls, NY [PE-85-86]
Richardson, Moses, Lockport, NY [SI-414; ME-102]
Spaulding, Lyman, Lockport, NY [SI-414; ME-102]
Tryon, Joshua (Rev), Lewiston, NY [ME-103-4]
W---, Dennis, Lockport, N.Y. [PE 86-88]

ORLEANS COUNTY

Anderson, Robert, Gaines, NY [ME-100]

WYOMING COUNTY

Andrews, Josiah, Perry,NY [SI 415]
Breck, Allen Y., Warsaw, NY [SI 415]
Chapin, Willard J., Perry, NY [SI 415]
Frank, Dr. Augustus, Warsaw, NY [SI 415]
Galusha, Rev. Ellin, Perry, NY [SI 415]
Gates, Seth M., Warsaw, NY [SI 415]
Lyman, Ralston W., Arcade, NY [SI-415; PE-79]
McKay, F.C.D., Warsaw, NY [SI 415]
Miller, Frank, Warsaw, NY [SI 415]
Poenix, Samuel F., Perry (?), NY [SI 415]
Shepard, (Col.) Charles O., Arcade, NY [SI 415; PE-79-80]
Waldo, H.N., Arcade, NY [SI 415 PE -79]
Young, Andrew W., Warsaw, NY [SI 415]

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