Free African Communities in Columbia

Free African Communities in Columbia. . , Sawneytown , Sawneytown was the free African community in Columbia. Per the History of Lancaster County (published in 1883) written by Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, in 1813 Robert Magill laid out lots on Filbert Street (present day Union Street - between Lancaster Avenue and S. 5th Street) and named the area after Mr. and Mrs. Sawney, ex-slaves from Virginia. Mrs. Louisa Sawney became known as the "Queen" and resided heavy handedly over its residents. This neighborhood, which was known as the "Capital of Tow Hill", retained its name until about 1873., Tow Hill , In 1819,56 manumitted slaves (men, women and children) arrived in Columbia from the Henrico County, Va. plantation of the late Captain Izard Bacon. Shortly after their arrival the Wright family presented land for their use and another free African community was established. This community became known as Tow Hill. Tow Hill is located above S. 5th Street to Lancaster Avenue between Union and Cherry Streets to include Concord Lane, Elbow Alley, Hill Street, Corn Alley and Tann Alley. About 1819-1820 another 100 manumitted slaves arrived from Sally Bells plantation in Hanover County, Va. In 1874 the borough tried to change the name of Tow Hill to "Columbia Heights". It did not catch on. Tow Hill was used to refer to the neighborhood into the early 1900's. Through the years the community expanded beyond the original boundaries to include adjoining streets., Why the name Tow Hill? , It is unknown why the community was named Tow Hill. It may be because… ,

1. The area where Tow Hill is located was adjacent to hemp fields, or , 2. When the manumitted slaves arrived in Columbia they may have been wearing "tow cloth" which is a coarse and heavy linen.