The Underground Railroad

The Underground Railroad was a system of trustworthy people and marked routes used by African, Americans to escape from slavery. Thousands of men, women and children guided by "conductors" traveled on foot or in special vehicles along this network of hiding places or "stations." In 1819 John Dimery became the first known passenger to use the route which linked Greensboro to Indiana, and his escape was arranged by a Quaker. Vestal Coffin. Guilford County Quakers had opposed slavery for decades, and many were active in this movement, which placed human rights above property rights. Levi Coffin, who was born at New Garden (Guilford College) in 1789 and moved to Indiana in 1826. also worked for the "railroad" and is identified as its "president." The woods near the New Garden Friends Meetinghouse and Boarding School were known as a railroad station, as were Richard Mendenhall's Inn at Jamestown and Joshua Stanley's house at Centre. Little was written about the Underground Railroad at the time, but the Reminiscences of Levi Coffin describe how the "baggage" or fugitives were handled and the way to freedom was marked.