Tales From The Underground Railroad
By CASEY TOMINACK
POSTED: August 14, 2007
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Hays, a St. Clairsville native and associate professor of communication studies at Ohio University Eastern, said that as a child she was always a bit fascinated with Lundy.
“I feel fortunate to have taken the time to read about him, as that experience served only to deepen my interest and respect for him,” said Hays. “He was not a mighty person by any means and yet his dedication and peaceful persistence in the face of continuous hardship I find truly remarkable.”
Lundy was born Jan. 4, 1789, at Greensville in Hardwick Township, Sussex County, N.J. He left his hometown in 1809 to seek out his livelihood and place in the world. After traveling a bit, though, Lundy found himself in what was then Wheeling, Va., and began his work as an apprentice to a saddler.
The upsurge of cotton plantations led to an explosion in the slave trade industry, and Wheeling served as a gathering location that exposed Lundy to the horrors of slavery. He was a first-hand witness to the shackled and chained slaves who passed through the streets of Wheeling. It was then that Lundy discovered his true passion and purpose in life was to fight against the institution of slavery.
Although Lundy is considered an important pioneer in the Abolitionist movement, pockets of anti-slavery activity had existed for decades prior to his entrance to the cause. On Jan. 4, 1816, the date of his 27th birthday, Lundy invited several friends to his home in St. Clairsville to lay the groundwork for a national anti-slavery society. On April 20, 1816, the constitution of the Union Humane Society was adopted in Mount Pleasant, Ohio. The society grew to more than 500 members, but a long journey remained before Lundy.
In 1817, an outspoken Quaker minister named Charles Osborn encouraged Lundy to fight slavery in a journal called “The Philanthropist” in Mount Pleasant. Soon after, Lundy established his own paper, “The Genius of Universal Emancipation,” and over time he became editor of the Philadelphia-based “National Enquirer.”
Hays said Lundy dedicated his entire adult life to fighting against the institution of slavery — and most of that life was spent in poverty and disappointment. Despite hardships, Hays noted, Lundy never gave up and is reported to have always maintained the hope and determination that one day slavery would be abolished, because it was simply inhumane.
“Benjamin Lundy had a dream ... ,” said Hays. “He performed his deeds and he fulfilled his destiny. Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.”
Hays, along with her husband, Gabe, and Patricia and Mike McTeague, purchased the former home of Lundy, located in downtown St. Clairsville. Together they operate a business out of the home. “It is a wonderful place,” Hays said of the historical structure.
Following Hays’ presentation, Mattox offered an interesting take on the Underground Railroad, as well as information pertaining to the Underground Railroad Museum in Flushing. Mattox, a retired insurance agent from Flushing, has an extensive collection of publications, books, memorabilia—or as he performed to call it, “Americana,” — and other articles that he has combined and displayed at the museum over the years.
As curator, Mattox shares his knowledge of the Underground Railroad and the thousands of slaves who escaped the brutal effects of slavery in the south. He explained that by sharing his heritage with other people, “together we will learn what we have in common and be able to strengthen our network of understanding, which in turn will stimulate our youth.”
Mattox strives to preserve and support culture and community by contributing to a better quality of life in the 21st century. The establishment of the museum, said Mattox, will allow people to exchange ideas and experiences that will “enlighten” and inform others about the condemnation of slavery.
The museum offers a glimpse into the past and a display that Mattox said accurately portrays the history of slavery. For additional information about the museum, call (740) 968-2080.
