- A PRELIMINARY LIST OF POSSIBLE UNDERGROUND
- RAILWAY SITES
OSWEGO COUNTY, NEW YORK
The following list of people involved in abolitionism and
the underground railroad in
Oswego County is taken from:
Frieda Schuelke, "Activities of the Underground Railroad
in Oswego County," Journal,
Oswego County Historical Society (1940), 1-14.
Elizabeth Simpson, Mexico, Mother of Towns (Mexico, 1949), 336-358.
1850 and 1855 censuses--African Americans in the City of Oswego
who listed their
birthplaces as Canada or a southern state.
Index to Wilbur H. Siebert, The Underground Railroad (1898, reprint
Arno Press,
1968), as listed by Bob Shear in www.NYHistory.com.
List of Oswego County Vigilance Committee members, Friend of
Man, July 4, 1838. Vigilance Committees were designed to help
fugitives escape.
Much work has already been done on some of these people and
sites, but most of them
need further research. *Indicates people or sites for which we
already have considerable research. If anyone would like to work
on any of these, please contact Helen Breitbeck, Heritage Foundation
of Oswego (343-3354); Barbara Dix, County Historian (349-8460;
Terry Prior, Director, Oswego County Historical Society (343-1342);
or Judith Wellman,
Professor, History Department, SUNY, Oswego (341-3249).
Fulton
Charles G. Case--South First Street
John E. Dutton--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Zenas Emery--Simpson, 350.
Lewis Falley--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Israel P. Knox--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Rev. Luther Lee--active in Oswego County Anti-Slavery Society--Siebert
Index.
George Salmon--Siebert Index.
William Lyman Salmon--tanner, involved in Jerry Rescue--Siebert
Index.
Isaac and William Schenck--active in Oswego County Anti-Slavery
Society
James Watkins Seward--Af. Am. from "near Fulton" who
was captured and enslaved in
Louisiana in the early 1840s--Friend of Man, Starr Clark letter
to Governor William Henry Seward.
Granby
*Henry Bakeman--Revolutionary War soldier, Af. Am., who settled
in Granby.
*Jacob Bakeman--miller owner, African American
Hannibal
Silas Brewster, Simpson; Schuelke, 10.
Barstow--Schuelke, 10.
Bunnel--Schuelke, 10.
Farnham--Schuelke, 10.
Fitch--Schuelke, 10.
Kent--Schuelke, 10.
Phelps--Schuelke, 10.
Reed--Schuelke, 10.
Worster--Schuelke, 10.
Mexico
First house standing east of site of former county home (home
of E.N. Robbins in
1854)--Simpson, 349.
Shubal Alfred--barn on 104 west of Mexico--Simpson, 349.
Harlow Ames--barn on Mexico-Colosse Road--Simpson, 349.
Leonard Ames, Jr., Peter Chandler House--5897 Main Street--Jay
Benton
*Orson Ames--(5800 West Main)--Jerry Rescue, Vigilance Committee,
1838--
Simpson, 352, 355-6.
Joseph M. Barrows--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
*Asa and Mary Beebe and son, Winsor Beebe--Jerry Rescue, barn
at Toad Hollow
(south of the bridge in Simpson, 349, but north on 1867 atlas)--Simpson,
352, 356-8.
*Starr and Harriet Clark--house and tin shop-- East Main Street,
Vigilance Committee, 1838--Simpson, 349, 353-4.
Elijah Everts--Fort Leazer district--Simpson, 349
James Caleb and Lucretia BrewsterJackson--very active in abolitionism--
home on
Lambs Corners-Grafton Square Road, 1833-1839--Simpson, 337- 342,
349; Siebert Index.
Hosea Johnson--Simpson, 342
Solomon Peck, Jr.--Simpson, 354-5.
Peter Sandhovel--Simpson, 350
Algernon Savage--Simpson, 338, 340.
Amby H. Savage--led 200 ex-slaves to Liberia, 1834--Simpson,
337.
Dr. Clark D. Snell--Pulaski Street, second house from North Street.--Simpson,
349.
Stone shop on Maple View road--Simpson, 349
Rev. Thomas Weed--Simpson, 343.
Alfred Wells--Quaker--Simpson, 337, 339.
Ransom Goss Williams--Simpson, 339-340.
*Asa and Caroline Wing (Mexico-Colosse Roa) and monument--monument
dedicated
by Frederick Doublass--Simpson, 343-349; Siebert Index
City of Oswego
Cheney Ames
*Leonard Ames, Jr.
Barnes--Schuelke, 13.
Jesse Bennett--Schuelke, 13.
Andrew Benton (Block 31, lot 122--92 W. Fourth St. in 1866-67)--Af
Am, b. Maryland, 1850
Amelia Bromey. Af Am--possible fugitive, b. Canada, 1855
James Brown (E. Oneida, between Second and Third, next to former
Episcopal
Church). Lawyer--Schuelke, 13.
Abram Buckhout--Schuelke, 13.
Edwin W. Clarke (E. Seventh and Mohawk). Lawyer, historian, village
clerk--
Schuelke, 11-12; J.J. Clarke's memoirs, OCHS--Rachel Weinreb
Alex Cole --possible fugitive. Lists birthplace as Maryland,
1850.
William Cole--possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1855.
William Cromwell--Possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1850.
Lucinda Dickens. Af Am, barber--possible fugitives, b. Canada,
1850.
Abram Dowly--Possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1850.
James Dowley--possible fugitive, b. Virginia, 1855.
*John B. Edwards (corner E. Utica and E. Third St., across from
Old Ladies' Home?).
Gerrit Smith's agent--Scheulke, 7,12-13
*Tudor E. Grant and Marie Grant (lot 96, subdivision 5--Vigilance
Committee, 1838.
In 1854: 122 West Bridge). Af Am, barber.--T.E. b. Maryland,
1850, Westchester
Co, 1855; Marie b. Maryland, 1855.
Henry Gray, Af Am, barber-possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1850.
*Nathan and Clarissa Green family (lot 10?, lots 82-3, 1852-3--West
Eighth near
Cayuga, 1857--60 W. Eight). Possible fugitives, Clarissa and
Caroline b. Canada,1850, 1855.
John Gridley--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
James Hale--possible fugitive, b. Virginia, 1855.
David and Mary Hannah. Possible fugitives Benjamin Hockley (Hawkley/Nockley),
Af Am. Possible fugitive--Schuelke, 12.
Albert Jackson--possible fugitive, b. "South," 1855.
Eleanor Jackson--possible fugitive, b. Canada, 1855.
Mary Ann John, Af Am, b. Canada, possible fugitive, lives in
Daniel Gordon household.Mary Ann Johnson--possible fugitive,
b. Canada, 1855.
Robert and Mary Jones--Af Am. Possible fugitives
William Jutrcabe?--possible fugitive, b. Canada, 1850.
*Hamilton Littlefield (24 E. Oneida). Merchant. Very active in
political abolitionism--Schuelke, 11.
Henry Lucas--possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1855.
John, Harriet, and Nelly McKenzie (MacKenrie) (lot 69, south
quarter, 1857 58 W.
Eighth St.) Af Am. Possible fugitives, b. George and S. Carolina,
1855.
Thomas and Eliza Mayberry family. Af Am. Possible fugitives,
b. Maryland, 1850,1855.
Jackson Moore--possible fugitive Sarah Odel--possible fugitive,
b. Canada, 1850.
Robert Oliver (51 W. Seneca). Rumored to be involved but no evidence
so far.
Lee Ovitton--possible fugitive, b. Virginia 1850.
Oswego City Library (E. 2nd and Oneida). Built with money from
Gerrit Smith.
Oswego County Historical Society (135 E. Third). Doubtful.
Joseph and Mary Ann Platner (block 69, subdivisions 11 and 9--1854--West
9th
between Erie and Albany)--Af Am. Possible fugitives Ann Smith--Af
Am. Possible fugitive
*Charles Smith--possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1850, 1855.
David and June Smith. Af Am. Possible fugitives. n. Vsnsfs, 2866.
John Smith. Af Am. Possible fugitive, b. Canada, 1855.
Mary Smith--possible fugitive, b. Maryland, 1850.
Prince Smith--possible fugitive, b. Virginia, 1855.
William Thomas--possible fugitive, b. Virginia, 1850
William Thompson, Af Am, involved in Jerry Rescue.
J. Pithing Wells--possible fugitive, b. Canada, 1855.
Jno. Williams family--Af Am. Possible fugitives, b. Del., 1850
Nuopout? Ward--possible fugitive, b. Ireland, 1850
Town of Oswego
*Daniel and Levi Pease--Schuelke.
New Haven
[Ralph] French--Schuelke, 9; Siebert Index.
E. Kilburne--Friend of Man, 1836
Palermo
George Glossom--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
W.C. Burt--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Loring Prince--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Richland
*George L. Bragdon--Siebert Index, map.
Edward Fox--Siebert Index.
Thomas Meacham
Rev. Ralph Robinson--Friend of Man
Ard H. Stevens--Siebert Index; Friend of Man
Scriba
Deodatus Clarke--Simpson, 341.
*Sidney Clarke and Olive Jackson Clarke--Vigilance Committee,
1838--Simpson,
341, 352-3; John Jackson Clarke memoirs, Oswego County Historical
Society; Schuelke, 11-12
Mr. Robinson, Af. Am--"first house over the city line on
the East Oneida Street State
highway between Oswego and New Haven"--Schuelke, 10.
Schroeppel
Andrus Gilbert--Simpson, 340.
*Hiram Gilbert--mentioned in "Fugitive George," Friend
of Man, July 4, 1838; Simpson, 340.
Theodosia Gilbert?
Daniel Gordon--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Amos Mason--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Andrew B. Slater--Vigilance Committee, 1838.
Prepared by
Judith Wellman
Oswego County Freedom Trail Project
April 1998
Oswego County
Freedom Trail Project
April 1998 |