Archive and History Center Database

Items

• 1862--Sam and Bob jailed in Boone County
  Late in 1862, two men were captured and jailed in Boone County. The names they gave were Sam Sanders and Bob Barnett. The men were from Dyer Co, Tennesee. In late Feb, 1863, Lewis Loder recorded that two freedom seekers who had been caught the previous fall by slave catchers "Botts & Riddell" were put on a mail boat to Tennessee.
• 1859--Kentucky Freedom Seekers Flee Missouri
  On April 16th, 1859, three freedom seekers escaped Missouri enslavers David & John Williams, who lived in Pettis Co. Sandford, 30, had a wife in Bath County, KY; 20 year old Daniel was raised in Southern KY and Bill (no age given) was from Boone County and had a Free father who lived in Louisville. A reward of up to $600 was offered for their return.
• 1862 - Captured during wartime
  In late December, 1862, a freedom seeker named Bill was caught and jailed in Boone County. He was described as 5'9" tall, 158 lbs, and about 24 years old. He had fled from enslaver Samuel Davis of Knox Co., TN.
• 1859--Boone Co., Freedom seeker changes his mind
  In late November, 1859, an unnamed male freedom seeker escaped enslaver James N. Reynolds who was living in the Hamilton district of Boone County. It was reported that the man returned to Reynolds voluntarily a day later. The article misidentified the enslaver as "Mr. Reynoldson."
• 1864--William Stinson's attempt to be free
  On April 5, 1864, 30-yr-old William Stinson was captured in Anderson County, KY and jailed as a runaway. Stinson revealed he was enslaved by Bruce Sanders of Boone County. It's not clear if he was ever claimed or auctioned.
• 1854--Freed by her father
  In the Summer of 1854, Jesse Johnston, a formerly enslaved man who had been manumitted by famous abolitionist James G. Birney, "stole" his daughter from enslavement in Boone County. A notice of her successful escape was printed in Frederick Douglass paper.
• 1853-- Twenty-Five Enslaved Seek Freedom after Reading Uncle Tom's Cabin
  Twenty-five enslaved persons fled slavery in Boone County, Kentucky, allegedly after one of them read Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin to the group of them. A month later it was reported that none of them had been captured.
• 1853--Arrest of Thomas Trundle for enticement of: Jackson, enslaved by Joseph Kendrick and Mike, enslaved by William Anderson
  Dr. Thomas Trundle was arrested in 1853 for "enticement of slaves." Fearing for his life, he asked for and received a change of venue to Kenton County, where he died of mysterious causes on the morning of his trial. Conflicting news reports claimed Trundle was either an abolitionist or a slave stealer who sold slaves south for financial gain.
• 1856--Several Escape Stories
  Twelve enslaved persons from the Monroe family escaped--a mother, ten daughters and one son. Boone County is named, but is possible that the family was based further southeast considering their escape route description.
• 1855--Boone Co., Multiple Group Escapes
  Possible Boone County enslaved persons escaped through Boone County crossing points. A report is made of seven separate groups of freedom seekers arriving in Cincinnati within a week, many may have come through Boone County. The first three and the fifth escaped group from Kentucky were comprised of 3 males, 3 males, two males and one male, respectively. The sixth escape was two men from Louisiana, who came on foot. The seventh was a woman and three children on a mail boat from Louisville.
• 1852--Boone Co., Mass Escape of at Least Thirty Freedom Seekers
  On November 11, 1852, Jonas Crisler wrote to his family: “there has been at least 30 ran off this faul (sic) 14 at and about Burlington and the rest about Petersburg. Abraham Piatts, Thomas Graves, and William Whittaker all the most valuable I have no doubt if things continue negroes slaves (sic) will be scarce neare the O. River particularly if old Mat Bots and his clan continues their privilege they have had I believe thay have been their pilots and is yet.” Crisler was referring to the other escape of 14 enslved the week before from the aforementioned slaveholders.
• 1865--Boone Co., Escape of Nancy Mcgruder
  Nancy Mcgruder was the only slave on the Dinsmore property that is known to have run away. She left the Dinsmore family in September of 1865, after most slaves in the United States had been freed but before those in Kentucky were. She was "excluded" from her church for leaving the state "in a disorderly manner."
• 1842--Boone Co., George Hamilton Escapes to Canada
  George Hamilton escaped to Canada. He was seemingly involved in a money-making scam whereby he expressed a desire to return to the ownership of John Barton and requested funds to enable his return. In a letter, mentions Eliza Harris, Lloyd Graves, as well as a person known as Delaney.
• 1851--Boone Co., Nine Freedom Seekers
  Joshua Zimmerman's nine enslaved people were reported as "fugitives" after being allowed to visit Billy (and others), who formerly enslaved to Zimmerman, in Clermont County. The enslaved group did not return to Boone County. It was probably an emancipation, but was reported as otherwise.
• between 1863-1864--Boone Co.,, Evans Corneal Escapes
  Evans Corneal was taken from Boone County to Chariton County, MO in 1857, and escaped in 1863 or 1864 with two other men. He settled in Hiawatha, Kansas. He returned to Missouri for his wife and children after the close of the war and brought them back to Hiawatha. He died in 1923, and is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha, KS. His name is possibly a derivative of "Carneal," but he may have been sold to another slaveholder in Boone County before moving to MO.
• 1854--Boone Co., Escape of Nine
  Nine enslaved persons escape from Boone County.
• between 1850-1860--Boone Co., Piatt Coachman Escapes to Indiana
  A coachman of the Piatt family escaped to Rising Sun and was helped to freedom by Woodford Barkshire (a free man of color), a conductor who regularly helped people on the path to Canada. (Escape was circa the mid 1850s).
• 1852--Boone Co., Five Freedom Seekers
  Five enslaved people escaped through Rising Sun. They were hidden by Nancy Hawkins, a former enslaver who became a part of the UGRR network. The man who claimed the five freedom seekers was James Stephens. The group consisted of three men and two momen.
• 1854--Boone Co., Nine Freedom Seekers Caught in Boone County
  Several enslaved men and women escaped from Burlington, Ky. The freedom seekers included Shadrach, 60, enslaved by Jonas Crisler; his wife Susan, 29, and their two boys, Almeda, 26, and her daughter Sarah Jane; Lewis, 24, enslaved by William Walton; Lee, 21, enslaved by John Gaines; and Anderson, 22, enslaved by John P. Scott.
• 1864--Boone Co., Freedom Seeker Jailed
  On March 31, 1864, Tom was committed to the jail in Kenton County, KY. He is "supposed to belong" to Nancy Rogers, a Boone County slaveholder. The jailer placed an ad with a description of Tom, asking the owner to come forward and retrieve him.
• 1852--Boone Co., Disaster on the River
  In 1852 ten freedom seekers of slaveholder and emancipationist Ephraim Porter, made their escape to freedom. Sadly, the wagon they were in overturned near the Ohio River, and, fearing capture, they fled without all of their belongings. Later, several of this group contacted Ephraim Porter, who, according to his obituary, sent them supplies to their new home in Malden, Ontario.
• 1863--Boone Co., Seven Escape
  E. Bannister of Walton loses 7 enslaved people. These escapes could be related to the 1849 escape of Mary Ann French. Dennis (an enslaved man) and John Weaver were accused of stealing these enslaved persons. Both were tried, Dennis was acquitted and Weaver was later released.
• 1859--Boone Co., Escape From Sinking Steamer
  Six enslaved to C. Blackburn of Covington, were sold to B. P. Buckner (of Boone County) and were to be shipped south on the steamer “Cambridge.” The steamer sunk and the enslaved people escaped, presumably.
• 1857--Boone Co., Freedom Seeker Captured
  One freedom seeker belonging to William Sanford is captured at Lochry Creek.
• 1863--Boone Co., Six Freedom Seekers Caught Owned by G. Weaver
  Six slaves escape from G. Weaver, but are caught. A free man of color is implicated, as is a white man named John Edwards.