The Utica Rescue

The Utica Rescue. Oneida County Freedom Trail Walking Tour - Stop 5.

“The brave colored men of Utica, armed with clubs, broke into the prison and … rescued the slaves.” – Jermain Loguen

On this spot on December 28, 1836, two freedom seekers, Harry Bird and George, were rescued by “The brave colored men of Utica” and their White abolitionist partners. Two slave-catchers from Virginia, with the help of local constables, had bought them here to be tried before Judge Chester Hayden. , Harry Bird and George escaped from enslavement and made their way to Utica by way of the Underground Railroad. They were being pursued by two agents who followed them from Mary Geyer's plantation in Woodstock, Virginia to return them to their enslaver. , Local law enforcement was required to cooperate in the capturing of the freedom seekers. By law any agent could apply to a local judge for a certificate allowing them to escort their captives back to the South. , Spencer Kellogg, a nearby merchant, spotted Harry Bird and George as they were being taken to Judge Hayden's law office at 96-98 Genesee Street. Kellogg summoned local abolitionist lawyer, Alvan Stewart, from his office at 120 Genesee Street. Stewart demanded that he represent the two men. , He argued that Harry Bird and George were free men of color and should therefore be released. Hayden postponed a decision until he returned from his duties at the County Courthouse. Hayden detained Harry and George with the “man stealers” in an upstairs back room of this building. , While Hayden was away, a crowd of Black and White men broke into the building, overpowered their jailers, and rescued the freedom seekers. , Harry and George were guided to Mexico, New York. There, Starr and Harriet Clark helped guide them to Oswego, NY, before they eventually departed for freedom in Canada. Rev. George Stores encountered Harry and George in Mexico, where he learned their story first-hand, which is how we know much of the history today. , The Utica Rescue bolstered Oneida County's reputation as a major center of the Abolitionist Movement. An active Underground Railroad was widespread, and sometimes operated openly. This illustrates the cooperation of Black people, such as Charles H. Wills of New Hartford, and White people, such as Alvan Stewart, which was essential to the success of the movement. , [Captions] , . Left: 98 Genesee Street, The Hayden Building 2020 , . Top center: Alvan Stewart; Spencer Kellogg , . Top right: Routes of the Underground Railroad Map by the National Geographic Society , . Bottom right: Charles H. Wills 1818-1865 whose New Hartford farm was a station on the Underground Railroad.