Hadley Township near Barry in Pike County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Free Frank and Free Lucy McWorter
Founders of New Philadelphia
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 5, 2026
1. Free Frank and Free Lucy McWorter Marker
Free Frank McWorter was born in slavery in South Carolina in 1777. His owner took him to Kentucky, where he met his wife Lucy, enslaved on a neighboring farm. With the permission of his owner, Frank worked for wages. He eventually established saltpeter works in Kentucky, bought land and purchased freedom for his wife, himself and his eldest son, Young Frank.
Frank and Lucy had seven children, four in slavery and three in freedom. Juda, Sarah and Solomon remained in bondage in Kentucky when Free Frank and Free Lucy came to Illinois in 1830. The first settlers in Hadley Township, they established a farm and freed Solomon. In 1836, they laid out the town of New Philadelphia south of their farm. They hoped to sell enough lots to secure the freedom of their two eldest daughters and their grandchildren.
Frank McWorter lived to see all of his children free and living in the New Philadelphia community by 1850. However, several grandchildren remained in bondage and work continued to free them after Frank's death in 1854. Lucy McWorter lived to be nearly 100 years old, dying on her farm north of town in 1870.
Erected by NPS Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, and the New Philadelphia Association.
Topics. This historical
this page online
Location. 39° 41.884′ N, 90° 57.68′ W. Marker is near Barry, Illinois, in Pike County. It is in Hadley Township. It is at the intersection of County Road 2 and 306th Lane/Broad Street (County Road 2159E), on the right when traveling east on County Road 2. Marker is under the New Philadelphia National Historic Site pavilion. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 29766 306th Lane, Barry IL 62312, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Illinois River Valley. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Corn Belt, and in the Great River Road Region. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: New Philadelphia: The Town, The Community (here, next to this marker); New Philadelphia Town Site (here, next to this marker); The Archaeological Conservancy (here, next to this marker); New Philadelphia (here, next to this marker); New Philadelphia and the Underground Railroad (here, next to this marker); The Burdick Families of New Philadelphia (here, next to this marker); New Philadelphia in the Civil War Era
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 5, 2026
2. Free Frank and Free Lucy McWorter Marker
Left marker
Also see . . . New Philadelphia National Historic Site. (Submitted on June 12, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 12, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 5 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 12, 2026, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
