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Permission for posting this letter from the Siebert Collection was granted by
the Ohio Historical Society on April 21, 2001.  The reference is as follows:

     MIC 192  Wilbur H. Siebert Collection, Notes from N.B. Sisson:  Ohio
     Historical Society.

[NOTE:  the spelling, grammar, and punctuation were copied exactly as appeared
in the original document.  The only change was to capitalizing all surnames.MH]

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                                [Ohio, Gallia county]

                             Notes from N. B. SISSON¹

                     Additional incidents under this heading.

     Some time near 1850  Rev. Elijah ANDERSON, a pious and intelligent colored
Baptist who had aided on the U.G.R.R., was decoyed to Maysville, Kentucky,
arrested, and his nephew informed me was taken to Frankfort, Kentucky, though
I now understand and did at the time that nothing was proved against him or
could be.

     When his friends found where he was they went after him and found those
holding him would not release the man until all jail fees, costs of some kind, all
amounting to some $200.00 were paid, these parties being informed when they
paid these charges their brother would be released and not before. They came
home to Ohio, Morgan, Gallia County, raised the money and returned and on
reaching the jail were told their brother and friend was dead and boxed up and
not to be opened.  When they reached the grave only three miles from this place,
some one suspected he, had been murdered In the jail.  The box was opened
and a bullet hole found in his temple and his skull smashed.

2nd.

     Prior to 1850 a man by the name of      GILES was abducted or decoyed from
Rutland, Meig County (this village being from four to six miles from the Ohio river)
and taken to the jail in Point Pleasant, then Old Virginia.  This man was supposed
by  the slaveholders in Va. to be helping fugitives from bondage liberty.

     This bold crime of a black despotism was followed by an equally bold act in
favor of liberty and humanity.  Four men from somewhere came to the house of
James EBBEN two miles from Porter, and the five went to the Ohio river, crossed,
went to the jail, broke it open took out GILES, and all were at EBBEN's home next
morning?  There is a man living about 84 years old who is said to know all the
particulars, and his son, said to me a few days ago- "I will see father and I will
write out the particulars as he remembers them."

3rd

     One fugitive slave was captured in Morgan, Gallia County, Ohio, about 1857
by four slave hunters mostly from Morgan Township.  When they were moving
along a ridge In Cheshire Township some four miles from Porter, Gallia County,
Ohio and were approaching a clearing where a medium sized man by the name of
Austin who had served in the Mexican war was at work with his son, a lad some
eighteen years old, and seeing them coming, the colored man's hands tied behind
him, he at once took In the situation and ran up the road and asked the man if he
wanted to go back to slavery.  He answered "No Sah".  "Then" said Austin, "I'll be
d--d if you shall."  took out his knife and cut the cords that bound him and said
"now defend yourself".  The four men began to threaten Austin, savagely and he
called to his son to bring a hand spike, telling the men he did not think he would
need It but It would do no harm to have it, that the American soldier that could
beat five  Mexicans led by Santa Anna at Monterey need not fear four slave holders.
The slave now told Austin they had taken his revolver, and they were told to give it
back to him which was done.  When he was told, "Go, and if any man attempts to
stop you, kill him," and he went.

4th

     The following statement is furnished me by Mrs. Martha JAMES, a very
intelligent and excellent colored woman now, eighty-four years old, the widow
of Howell JAMES.  Both were liberal and energetic agents on the U.G.R.R. from
1840 to 1861.

     About 1854 seventeen fugitives passed through Porter and reached the
residence of Howell JAMES, were first concealed and then forwarded on the
route.  Soon after a company of pursuers came to the house, supposing the
fugitives were still there and broke into the house to search.  The force in the
house being strong a general fight ensued, during which two of the pursuers
were knocked out and all made a retreat.

     At another time slave hunters went to this house in close pursuit of fugitives
who had been there and had been carried forward, and the carriers had returned
and gone up a ladder to hide in the garret.  The pursuers came to the house and
entered. There were only two or three hundred in the gang and by some means
they thought they had found the fugitives upstairs; and one strong bold fellow
counting on the general timidity of the slave, said he would go up the ladder,
and as he stuck his head up the hole at the top of the ladder, Wm. P. ELLISON
(colored) who had been helping the fugitives, knocked him down the ladder with
a chair and they left.

     Reported to me by Mrs. Martha JAMES.  Occurred at her house.

5th

      On one occasion about 1848 a fugitive woman, fine looking and nearly white
reached George J. PAYNE's in the night.  It was early learned that the slave
hunters were in pursuit and the fugitive must be started from PAYNE's as early
as one or two in the morning.  Mrs. HOGSETT, wife of a Presbyterian minister
and boarding at PAYNE's, and Mrs. Lucevia BAKELY (soon after wife of Dr. N. B.
SISSON) dressed this slave In Mrs. HOGSETT's dress, shawl and bonnet and then
Miss BLAKELY walked with the fugitive out of the front door into the street and
through the village to the residence of Rev. H. R. HOWE, and from there she was
rapidly moved on to Wilkesville, Albany, and beyond.  Thus women were efficient
U.G.R.R. agents and workers.

     These Incidents probably could be continued but I presume you will receive
many others and these perhaps are sufficient to Indicate the heroism and
philanthropy on the one side and the cruelties and crimes of an exerable
despotism more hateful over the minds, souls, and bodies of men than ever
existed among barbarians, Turks or Algerians. The Spanish Inquisition, the Black
Hole of Calcutta, the St. Bartholomew Massacre and the French Revolution
horrors of American Slavery.

Personal

     First in honor stands the name of Julius A. BINGHAM, a princely abolitionist,
a moral hero, medium size, large head, well stored with knowledge, a good writer,
and the leader and organizer of the U.G.R.R.

     Second stands the name of George J. PAYNE, a merchant, the equal in
moral courage to any man.  A man of knowledge, zeal, efficiency, tact and
push.  These men were co-workers and aided hundreds perhaps thousands
to liberty.

6th

     The U.G.R.R. was so completely organized and managed by BINGHAM and
PAYNE that about all many others could do was to "stand still and see the
salvation of the Lord."

     In 1849 I was married to Miss Lucevia BLAKELY already an active and
efficient worker on the U.G.R.R. and a sister-in-law of George PAYNE, with
whom she lived prior to marriage, and my connection with the U.G.R.R. is so
blended with her efficient labor of love as scarcely to be separated from hers
from 1849 to 1861. Her work, songs and prayers and tears were for the fleeing
fugitives and as good a woman has lived if any better I do not know.

     In 1849 a fugitive came to our home, ragged, hungry, frozen. "I took him in,
he was clothed, fed and nursed as tenderly, as an infant for three weeks, when
it was found he must be moved.

     He was told to go to a window and listen and "when at nine o'clock P.M.
you hear three shrill whistles, go they are friends and you are safe with them."
By her singing "Be free 0 man, be free" men were aroused to deeds of valor for
the poor slave, and when "The Poor Blind Boy" from the old "Liberty Minstrel" was
sung the heart was softened and tears told of the sympathy within for the poor
wanderers in search of liberty.

     Woman's value, valor, tact, courage, love and power in reform never can be
measured or known on this side Jordan.

7th

     On one occasion during the anti-slavery excitement, discussion of the Fugitive
Slave Law, the writer had gone to bed early by reason of weariness in a bedroom
11 x 14 feet opening into a room 14 x 20.  In the night I saw in my dream a
woman coming from the south, running, an infant In her arms, ragged, haggard,
and the picture of wretchedness and despair.  In a very short time saw a man
coming on a fine horse whip in his hand, and as- he came nearer and nearer,
saw that he had chains and handcuffs and was in pursuit of his slave to take
her back to slavery.  "Now" I said "What must be done?" Then came the words
"What so ever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them" and
then "Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of the least of my disciples ye did it
not unto me."  It was then my determination to "obey God rather than man."
And the next thing I knew I was stopped by the wall of the house thirty feet
from bed, bruised and partly knocked down and the bed clothes scattered from
the bed to the wall.  My wife came running in with a light to see what was the
matter and I told her I had saved that poor slave from the slave hunter.  It was
then decided that sleeping or waking, Fugitive Slave Law or not, we would feed
the hungry, clothe the naked and tell the fugitive the safest road to liberty, and
so we did.

No. 7. Personal.

     The writer was born July, 17, 1820, In Gallipolis, Ohio.  Studied medicine at
the Medical Department of the University of Louisville, Ky., graduated In March,
1846; was a medical officer in the 92nd Regiment, Ohio Vol. inf. two years.
Voted for Chase for Governor In 1855.  One Of the Presidential Electors for James
A. GARFIELD and ever a firm believer In the U.G.R.R.

N. B. SISSON, M.D.

FOOTNOTES:

¹Probably from his letter to Dr. Siebert dated 16 September, 1894.

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