James W. Seward

How do we know that James W. Seward was involved with the underground railroad?

1840? Letter from James W. Seward to Gerrit Smith Papers, Syracuse University

James W. Seward was an African American from Schroeppel, N.Y. When he travelled to Cincinnati to work with fugitives from slavery, he was captured and jailed in Louisiana, accused of being a fugitive himself. Sympathizers such as Starr Clark appealed to New York State governor William Henry Seward to help rescue James W. Seward.

"From the William Henry Seward Collection, Rush Rhees Library, University of Rochester."

RETURN TO CONTENTS PAGE