Historic Underground Railroad Site

Many heroic men and women joined forces with others in a vast network that helped fugitive slaves secure freedom. Three groups of people were most active in the Underground Railroad movement in Ross County. They were the Presbyterians, the Quakers and Free People of Color. These courageous Ross Countians risked the loss of property, money and imprisonment if caught hiding or helping fugitives.

In 1836, the Chillicothe Presbytery issued a letter to a sister church in Mississippi outlining a strong stand against slavery. Many of the Chillicothe Presbyterians were OGRR operators. Among that group were Rev. Hugh Fullerton, the Renicks, Rev. W.H. Beecher, J.R. Allston, John Harmon, David Pricer, J. Anderson, and James, John, and Sam Steel. Others in Ross County who assisted in the work were A. Douglas, F. Silvey, R. Stewart, I. Claypool, E. Tulley, the Morgans, A. Dean, I. Robertson, R. Scott, Satterfield Scott, J. Cumbeck, J. Sampler, and K. Galbraith.

The African American community began to assist fugitve
slaves as early as 1815 and continued until there was
no need for the Underground Railroad. People of Color
who participated were Richard Chancellor and his sons,
Rev. W.M. Mitchell, John and Jesse Fidler, Charles Langston,
James Leach, Thomas Woodson, Andrew Redman, J. Stillguess, T. Isaacs, J. Jackson, Harrison



Valentine and the Butler, Hubbard, and Hamilton families.
The First Baptist Church, an Anti-slavery Baptist Church, and Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, were both active in the movement.

The Quaker settlements east of Chillicothe cooperated with
other Quakers in assisting runaway slaves.

In spite of opposition from slavecatchers. pro-slavery
advocates and bounty hunters, the Underground
in Ross County and Chillicothe aided many thousands of
runaway slaves in their quest for freedom.

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Show me all markers in:  Chillicothe, OH  |  Ross County  |  45601  |  Ohio  |  United States of America

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Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church
Donald E. McHenry
Birthplace of Lucy Ware Webb Hayes / Lucy Webb Hayes, 1831 - 1889
Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Ohio
Court House Renovation
Site of Ohio's First Statehouse
Abrams' Big House

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