Near Denton in Caroline County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

William Still: "Father of the Underground Railroad"

Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 3, 2022

1. William Still: "Father of the Underground Railroad" Marker

Inscription.

William Still: "Father of the Underground Railroad". . , often called the "Father of the Underground Railroad" (UGRR) and second in importance only to Harriet Tubman, William Still joined the UGRR in the late 1840s as a result of decisions made decades earlier by the owner of a tract of land in Caroline County called "Edmondson's Reserve", now the Caroline County 4-H Park., In 1806, William's enslaved mother and sisters had escaped from enslavement by the owner of Edmondson's Reserve, who in retaliation sold William's two young brothers to the Deep South. Over 40 years later, William met his recently-freed brother Peter, who described his decades of slavery in Kentucky and Alabama., Born free in 1822, educated in New Jersey, and motivated by what happened to his enslaved family, William had moved to Philadelphia in the 1840s and became a leader of one of the busiest UGRR stations in America. From 1852 to 1860 he documented nearly 1,000 self-liberators on their journeys north to freedom., Specifically, he recorded the names of each freedom seeker as well as their age, departure point, injuries, motivations, family Ties, enslaver(s), personality, objectives and arrival date. After the Civil War, he published his records in an 800-page book, entitled The Underground Railroad. No similar record for the UGRR exists., [Caption:] , William Still's description of Harriet Tubman's parents, UGRR agents who ran an UGRR station with their daughter in Caroline County, then fled in 1857 to avoid arrest.,

Benjamin Ross and His Wife Harriet , Fled from Caroline County, Eastern Shore of Maryland, June, 1857. This party stated that Dr. Anthony Thompson had claimed them as his property. They gave the Committee a pretty full report of how they had been treated in slavery, especially under the doctor. A few of the interesting points were noted as follows: The doctor owned about twenty head of slaves when they left; formerly he had owned a much larger number, but circumstances had led him to make frequent sales during the few years previous to their escape, by which the stock had been reduced. As well as having been largely interested in slaves, he had at the same time been largely interested in real estate, to the extent of a dozen farms at least. But in consequence of having reached out too far, several of his farms had slipped out of his hands., Upon the whole, Benjamin pronounced him a rough man towards his slaves, and declared, that he had not given him a dollar since the death of his (the master's) father, which had been at least twenty years prior to Benjamin's escape. But Ben, did not stop here, he went on to speak of the religious character of his master, and also to describe him physically; he was a Methodist preacher, and had been "pretending to preach for twenty years." Then the fact that a portion of their children had been sold to Georgia by this master was referred to with much feeling by Ben and his wife; likewise the fact that he had stinted them for food and clothing, and led them a rough life generally, which left them no room to believe that he was anything else than "a wolf in sheep's clothing." They described him as a "spare-built man, bald head, wearing a wig.", These two travelers had nearly reached their three score years and ten under the yoke. Nevertheless they seemed delighted at the idea of going to a free country to enjoy freedom, if only for a short time. Moreover, some of their children had escaped in days past, and these they hoped to find. Not many of those thus advanced in years ever succeeded in getting to Canada.

often called the "Father of the Underground Railroad" (UGRR) and second in importance only to Harriet Tubman, William Still joined the UGRR in the late 1840s as a result of decisions made decades earlier by the owner of a tract of land in Caroline County called "Edmondson's Reserve", now the Caroline County 4-H Park.

In 1806, William's enslaved mother and sisters had escaped from enslavement by the owner of Edmondson's Reserve, who in retaliation sold William's two young brothers to the Deep South. Over 40 years later, William met his recently-freed brother Peter, who described his decades of slavery in Kentucky and Alabama.

Born free in 1822, educated in New Jersey, and motivated by what happened to his enslaved family, William had moved to Philadelphia in the 1840s and became a leader of one of the busiest UGRR stations in America. From 1852 to 1860 he documented nearly 1,000 self-liberators on their journeys north to freedom.

Specifically, he recorded the names of each freedom seeker as well as their age, departure point, injuries, motivations, family Ties, enslaver(s), personality, objectives and arrival date. After the Civil War, he published his records in an 800-page book, entitled The Underground Railroad. No similar record for the UGRR exists.

[Caption:]
William

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Still's description of Harriet Tubman's parents, UGRR agents who ran an UGRR station with their daughter in Caroline County, then fled in 1857 to avoid arrest.

Benjamin Ross and His Wife Harriet
Fled from Caroline County, Eastern Shore of Maryland, June, 1857 This party stated that Dr. Anthony Thompson had claimed them as his property. They gave the Committee a pretty full report of how they had been treated in slavery, especially under the doctor. A few of the interesting points were noted as follows: The doctor owned about twenty head of slaves when they left; formerly he had owned a much larger number, but circumstances had led him to make frequent sales during the few years previous to their escape, by which the stock had been reduced. As well as having been largely interested in slaves, he had at the same time been largely interested in real estate, to the extent of a dozen farms at least. But in consequence of having reached out too far, several of his farms had slipped out of his hands.

Upon the whole, Benjamin pronounced him a rough man towards his slaves, and declared, that he had not given him a dollar since the death of his (the master's) father, which had been at least twenty years prior to Benjamin's escape. But Ben, did not stop here, he went on to speak of the religious character of his
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 3, 2022

2. William Still: "Father of the Underground Railroad" Marker
master, and also to describe him physically; he was a Methodist preacher, and had been "pretending to preach for twenty years." Then the fact that a portion of their children had been sold to Georgia by this master was referred to with much feeling by Ben and his wife; likewise the fact that he had stinted them for food and clothing, and led them a rough life generally, which left them no room to believe that he was anything else than "a wolf in sheep's clothing." They described him as a "spare-built man, bald head, wearing a wig."

These two travelers had nearly reached their three score years and ten under the yoke. Nevertheless they seemed delighted at the idea of going to a free country to enjoy freedom, if only for a short time. Moreover, some of their children had escaped in days past, and these they hoped to find. Not many of those thus advanced in years ever succeeded in getting to Canada.

Erected by Maryland Heritage Area Authority; project of Caroline Co. Historical Society & MD Heritage Area Authority.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Abolition & Underground RR • African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music. In addition, it is included in the 4-H Youth Program series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1857.

Location. 38°

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49.976′ N, 75° 50.152′ W. Marker is near Denton, Maryland, in Caroline County. It can be reached from Detour Road east of Harmony Road (Maryland Route 16), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8230 Detour Rd, Denton MD 21629, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the Eastern Shore.

It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic,

on the Delmarva Peninsula,

and in the Tidewater.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies

and also the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Peter Still: The Kidnapped and the Ransomed (a few steps from this marker); The Food Sources of Enslaved Afro-Marylanders (a few steps from this marker); Sydney Still: "Sydney's Choice" (a few steps from this marker); The Doncaster Dwelling: A Perfect Substitute (within shouting distance of this marker); White Tenant Farmers (within shouting distance of this marker); Early Commercial Agriculture (within shouting distance of this marker); Edmondson's Reserve (within shouting distance of this marker); William Still Center (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Denton.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 4, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 4, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 832 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 4, 2022, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.