— Historic Underground Railroad —

The Underground Railroad was neither underground nor arailroad, but a system of loosely connected safe havenswhere those escaping the brutal conditions of slaverywere sheltered, fed, clothed, nursed, concealed, disguised,and instructed during their journey to freedom. Althoughthis movement was one of America's greatest social,moral, and humanitarian endeavors, the details about itwere often cloaked in secrecy to protect those involvedfrom the retribution of civil law and slave-catchers.

Ohio's history has been permanentlyshaped by the thousands of runawayslaves passing through or finding permanent residence in this state.

Black Conductors of Columbus. Early legislators did not want slavery In Ohio, nor did theywant Blacks to settle here. Declaring people of color a menace,they passed the Black Laws. Outside the Statehouse, Blackswent unnoticed. The turnover of black waiters and porters atthe Buckeye House aroused no suspicion. White customers overlooked barbers James Poindexter and Andrew Redmond. No onesaw John T. Ward, clerk at Zettler's. These men were invisibleto all but the desperate faces secreted in attics, barns, smokehouses, and in wagons traveling northward at night to Clintonville.Teamsters Louis Washington and his son Thomas were drivers."The UGRR was actually going on here in Columbus when Icame in 1828," recounted James Poindexter. Conductors DavidJenkins, NB Ferguson, and John Bookel were all members ofPoindexter's Antislavery Baptist Church.

In 1842, John T. Ward began assisting Shepherd Alexanderto convey runaway slaves through Columbus. William Washington,William Ferguson, Jeremiah Freeland, and others were involvedas well. "Some one or the other of us was with Alexanderon every trip," stated Ward.

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The Ohio Statehouse / Lincoln at the Statehouse
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Peace
Here Stood Lincoln
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Ohio State House
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