I've been looking for information specific to The Underground Railroad (UGRR) in
Washington Co., PA but have not had access to newspapers lately. Then on
July 12, 2007, Lorraine Perry sent me an
email asking about submitting information for Washington County.
Ms. Perry wrote, "Thank you so much for this website. I have been looking for something from Washington County and finally found it.
Four years ago I self published a book entitled Reaping the Harvest: A History of the Crockett Family so I have a lot to share."
"Both sides of my family ... Crockett's and Walls's .. lived in Washington County back in the 1800's thru 2002. I grew up in "Little Washington" and graduated from Wash High. My great-grandfather, Alfred Crockett was an escaped slave and settled in Washington County about 1860 and purchased property at 136 E. Walnut Street in Washington about 1 block from W&J College. I have reason to believe this house was an underground railroad station before Grandpap Crockett purchased it in 1865. Ironically, an ancestor of my father, George Walls, was a conductor on the UGRR and hid slaves in this house during the 1840's and 1850's."
Update from Ms. Perry Nov. 11, 2008:
"I wrote to you about a year ago with information on the Underground RR in Washington County. I have since learned that my family home at 136 East Walnut Street in Washington was indeed an UGRR site. Dr. Thomas Mainwaring, a history professor from W & J College helped me in my research. A man named Samuel Skinner and a relative of mine, George Walls were conductors on the UGRR. Together they hid slaves in that house. I am sooo excited to learn this history. Ironically George Walls was a relative of my father and the house was later owned by my mother's family. Who would have guessed???
Lorraine Walls-Perry
Pittsburgh, PA."
If you know about the Underground Railroad history in Washington
County Pennsylvania, Ms. Perry would love to
compare notes.
Reprint of an article written in the Washington Observer, Washington,
PA, November 6, 1884 (2 parts):
OLD SLAVERY DAYS:
HISTORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Continuation of a Thrilling Story – Adventures of the Runaways Near
Pittsburg
More Light on an Old Mystery Persons in this Vicinity who Conducted the
Organization – Episodes -- Part 1: THE RANDOLPH RUSE
OLD SLAVERY DAYS:
HISTORY OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Continuation of a Thrilling Story – Adventures of the Runaways Near
Pittsburg
More Light on an Old Mystery Persons in this Vicinity who Conducted the
Organization – Episodes -- Part 2: A SLY MASTER OUTWITTED : Old
George’s Story continues
A reprint of an article from the Washington
Observer Washington PA
October 16, 1884…Introduction and Gathering the Threads
AUSTIN BRYANT’S STORY
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