Glendale in Hamilton County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Eliza House

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, April 30, 2019

1. The Eliza House Marker

Inscription. Three hundred yards east of this location on Oak Road, overlooking the Miami & Erie Canal, was the house of abolitionist John Van Zandt 1791-1847). For years this house was known as one of the most active "stations” on the Underground Railroad. In 1842, two bounty hunters from Sharonville caught Van Zandt helping eight runaway slaves who had escaped from owner Wharton Jones of Kentucky. Defended in court by Salmon P. Chase, who became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1864-1873. Van Zandt was convicted and fined. Chase appealed the case to the U. S. Supreme Court, where he tested the constitutionality of the 1793 Fugitive Slave Law. When writing her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe used Van Zandt as the abolitionist character John Van Trompe. Van Zandt's house became associated with the book and was known as "The Eliza House" named for one of the novel's main characters

Erected 2005 by National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Villages of Evendale, Glendale and Woodlaw, The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 31-66.)

Topics and series. This historical

Paid Advertisement

Click or scan to see
this page online

marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Law Enforcement. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1842.

Location. 39° 15.726′ N, 84° 27.041′ W. Marker is in Glendale, Ohio, in Hamilton County. It is at the intersection of Oak Road and Chester Road, on the right when traveling west on Oak Road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cincinnati OH 45246, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cincinnati.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Ohio River Valley.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Tucker's Station (a few steps from this marker); The McGuire House (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Van Cleve House

Looking east from Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, April 30, 2019

2. Looking east from Marker

(approx. 0.7 miles away); Haaf House (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Carrigan House (approx. 0.7 miles away); The Edward Dooley House (approx. 0.7 miles away); Reardon House (approx. 0.7 miles away); The McLaren House (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Glendale.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 9, 2019. It was originally submitted on May 7, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 1,890 times since then and 68 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 7, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.