Kinda got side-tracked this week with a cold, or sinus, or something, but getting back to normal. The sunshine helps tremendously.
Gave a presentation at "Our Heritage", Vernon, this morning to the Third Grade, Scipio - on "The Underground Railroad" through Jennings County.......thought it was going to be two groups, but turned into four, and by the time I got through talking was down to a whisper. Don't know how our teachers can talk all day! The Heritage has a quilt made by some local quilters with blocks depicting different aspects of the slaves' journeys north, and I added what I knew about our local "Safe Houses"......
Of course, it was all secret at the time, as Bounty Hunters were after them, and the Indians even were looking for the run-a-ways, as they would turn them over to the Bounty Hunters for a few coins.
The Row Houses along the highway - across from the courthouse - had a tunnel dug out underneath. I remember as a girl being in the red brick - in the basement - and a fireplace being there - with no backing.........only a big gaping hole that led into the tunnel. As I underestand, the tunnel was quite small, they would have had to crawl through. The entrance was down along the river - in a cave-like situation. And as I understand, the tunnel also ran under the other buildings next to the red brick, so they could have escaped, if need be. I was in this basement years later and the fireplace had been bricked up - but I remember it as it was originally......One of the little Third Grade boys asked me if I went in the tunnel, and I told him loudly "NO. Looked scary to me!"
Another "Safe House" was in a barn, just below Vernon, in the area where a new subdivision has been built, and I'm sure the barn is long gone. But many years ago, I had heard about this barn, and Bob and I went looking for it, and found it. It had a silo type bricked up part of the barn that supposedly had been used for the run-a-ways to stop over.
And another "Safe House" was in the southern part of the county, closer to Madison, in a big old brick farm house. The house had been bought by younger people who, in remodeling, found under a closed off area under a stairwell - straw, mounded out, where the slaves had slept.
When it clears off tonight, I'm going out and look for THE NORTH STAR - which was their compass......
With all our current problems, at least we have our freedom. The rest we can figure out!
