HUSBAND AND WIFE MEETING,
AFTER BEING SEPARATED TWELVE YEARS BY AMERICAN
SLAVERY
" John Hedgman was a fugitive slave from the State of Alabama. Twenty-five years ago, he was sold from his wife, in the State of Kentucky. At the time of the sale, Hedgman besought his owner to permit his wife to be sold to the same party which had bought him. To that the master replied, that he had sold him in order that he might be punished by the separation. Hedgman's wife was permitted to come and shake hands with him, and then she bade him a long and sad farewell. The thought of separation overcame her, and she fell to the ground.
Her husband left with his new master for the cotton fields of Alabama, where he was put to work amongst other slaves. He worked steadily, but he continued to think about his dear wife and their sad parting, and as he thought, he often wept bitter tears. He was a man who believed in God; and he made his wife's case a subject of prayer to God. His work on the plantation was, generally, very hard; but sometimes he was taken from the fields and sent on errands for his master. Three years had now elapsed; and he had, apparently, the confidence of master and overseer. The overseer, in accordance with the directions of the master, one day sent Hedgman on horseback twenty miles from home, and gave him a "Pass" from the master. It just then occurred to Hedgman's mind, that that was a good chance to escape to Canada. Instead, therefore, of returning to the farm, he took the liberty of keeping his master's horse for the time being, and made his way as expeditiously as possible to the State of Missouri. He had taken another liberty while travelling, namely, to feed his master's horse upon the corn of other planters. He obtained bread for himself by saying that he was the slave of Mr. Beal, looking for some stray cows. This plan had enabled him to effect his escape to the last-named State, and he thought it unwise to try the same any more. He therefore left the horse in one of the main roads, and went into the forest for fear of being betrayed. He was now puzzled to know the course he ought to take to reach the Missouri river; but as he had heard that it was north, he kept his eye nightly upon the North Star, until he reached a plantation near St. Louis. There he sought an opportunity to speak with one of the slaves, and at night he saw a coloured man coming from his cabin. Him he accosted, and informed him that he had missed his way in seeking for the river, and asked for direction thereto. The man kindly informed him that St. Louis was only twelve miles off, and that if he would go to the main road, pointing the way, he would be led directly to the city he wished to find, and to the river on whose bank it stands. Hedgman then ventured to ask for a little bread, as he was very hungry. The man asked Hedgman to wait until he could go to his cabin to get it, and, when he brought it, went with Hedgman to the main road. Hedgman that night came in sight of the anxiously looked for city, but would not enter the town, for fear of meeting with the policemen of the city, who would most likely ask too many questions. He knew the law of the city, because he had been there before he was taken to the plantation from which he was now escaping. He remained outside of the corporation limits until day, and then went into the city. He met some coloured friends there, who arranged that he should be sent to the other side of the river into the State of Illinois, which is nominally free. He was conveyed to Alton, where Lovejoy, the noble martyr to liberty, was shot years ago. At this point he obtained further assistance; soon reached Michigan, another free State; and, soon after, crossed over into Canada.
He remained a few months in the town of Sandwich, after which he settled in a township called Mount Pleasant. His devotedness to God and zeal for religion soon caused the people of the community to pay great respect to him, and he afterwards became deacon of the Baptist Church.
In all this time, Hedgman had not heard anything of his wife. He had resolved to wait for her coming, earnestly praying all the while that they might meet. Twelve years had now elapsed. In the month of September, the organisation of Baptist ministers and lay delegates, called "The Amherstburgh Baptist Association," met in annual session. Among the delegates was Mr. Hedgman, who had been deputed by the church, of which he was a member. The association had met that morning in the Baptist Chapel, and Hedgman was seated upon the platform with the other delegates. The boat plying between Sandusky city and the city of Detroit came up the lake that day about twelve o'clock, and, as it stopped at the wharf, there stepped off a woman--a stranger apparently, for she went from corner to corner inquiring. At last, she came to this Baptist Chapel, and made inquiry of a man standing at the door. She told this man, who it seems was a deacon of the church, that she was a stranger, and had no place where she could stop. The deacon asked her where she was from. She said, from the State of Kentucky. To this, she added, that she was a widow. He then asked her how long she had been a widow? She replied, twelve years. "Your husband is dead, then?" said he inquiringly. "I don't know," she replied, "he was sold from me twelve years ago." "To what State was he sold?" She replied, "to Alabama," and added "I have not heard from him since." The deacon then asked the name. "Hedgman," she answered. "What was his complexion?" "He was a yellow person"--and added a particular description, as to age and appearance. Upon this Deacon Valentine, out of courtesy, gave her his name, and told the woman if what she had said was correct, her husband must be in that chapel. With this he opened the chapel door, and the woman, feeling somewhat elated, was quick in her steps. She saw, upon the platform, a man sitting, whom she thought she recognised. Hedgman's eyes were placed upon the strange woman, and he arose from his seat and started down the aisle of the chapel. They met half-way down the aisle, and they threw their arms around each other's necks, and for thirty minutes they remained so, without being able to speak one to the other, so much overcome were they by this joyful re-union. When Hedgman did speak, he said, "Lord, my prayers are answered. All things do surely work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Let me here inform my readers that I have often had the pleasure of being in company with the man whose narrative I have just given. I have often preached to the church with which he is connected. When we have talked over the days gone by, we have frequently found ourselves weeping together in deep sympathy, and over God's goodness in permitting such a happy re-union. The long interval of twelve years brought its seasons and its sorrows; but no changes, however great, had blighted their affection, an affection which burns brightest often in the darkest nights, and which triumphs over the severest trials. Deacon Hedgman is a man of industry, and the man and wife live together happily. They have several children now; they had none before they left slavery and its curses. I speak thus of slavery because it is really a curse to its victims. Its victims are the masters as well as the slaves. I have witnessed sufficient to satisfy my own mind that the master suffers, but will not acknowledge it. I do not need to read "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to learn ideas of slavery's cruelties, for I read from boyhood the lines of blood running down the back of many a poor slave. I have seen Legrees by fifties, and auction-blocks and slave-pens, and the other accompaniments of American slavery in a thousand forms."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.
Her husband left with his new master for the cotton fields of Alabama, where he was put to work amongst other slaves. He worked steadily, but he continued to think about his dear wife and their sad parting, and as he thought, he often wept bitter tears. He was a man who believed in God; and he made his wife's case a subject of prayer to God. His work on the plantation was, generally, very hard; but sometimes he was taken from the fields and sent on errands for his master. Three years had now elapsed; and he had, apparently, the confidence of master and overseer. The overseer, in accordance with the directions of the master, one day sent Hedgman on horseback twenty miles from home, and gave him a "Pass" from the master. It just then occurred to Hedgman's mind, that that was a good chance to escape to Canada. Instead, therefore, of returning to the farm, he took the liberty of keeping his master's horse for the time being, and made his way as expeditiously as possible to the State of Missouri. He had taken another liberty while travelling, namely, to feed his master's horse upon the corn of other planters. He obtained bread for himself by saying that he was the slave of Mr. Beal, looking for some stray cows. This plan had enabled him to effect his escape to the last-named State, and he thought it unwise to try the same any more. He therefore left the horse in one of the main roads, and went into the forest for fear of being betrayed. He was now puzzled to know the course he ought to take to reach the Missouri river; but as he had heard that it was north, he kept his eye nightly upon the North Star, until he reached a plantation near St. Louis. There he sought an opportunity to speak with one of the slaves, and at night he saw a coloured man coming from his cabin. Him he accosted, and informed him that he had missed his way in seeking for the river, and asked for direction thereto. The man kindly informed him that St. Louis was only twelve miles off, and that if he would go to the main road, pointing the way, he would be led directly to the city he wished to find, and to the river on whose bank it stands. Hedgman then ventured to ask for a little bread, as he was very hungry. The man asked Hedgman to wait until he could go to his cabin to get it, and, when he brought it, went with Hedgman to the main road. Hedgman that night came in sight of the anxiously looked for city, but would not enter the town, for fear of meeting with the policemen of the city, who would most likely ask too many questions. He knew the law of the city, because he had been there before he was taken to the plantation from which he was now escaping. He remained outside of the corporation limits until day, and then went into the city. He met some coloured friends there, who arranged that he should be sent to the other side of the river into the State of Illinois, which is nominally free. He was conveyed to Alton, where Lovejoy, the noble martyr to liberty, was shot years ago. At this point he obtained further assistance; soon reached Michigan, another free State; and, soon after, crossed over into Canada.
He remained a few months in the town of Sandwich, after which he settled in a township called Mount Pleasant. His devotedness to God and zeal for religion soon caused the people of the community to pay great respect to him, and he afterwards became deacon of the Baptist Church.
In all this time, Hedgman had not heard anything of his wife. He had resolved to wait for her coming, earnestly praying all the while that they might meet. Twelve years had now elapsed. In the month of September, the organisation of Baptist ministers and lay delegates, called "The Amherstburgh Baptist Association," met in annual session. Among the delegates was Mr. Hedgman, who had been deputed by the church, of which he was a member. The association had met that morning in the Baptist Chapel, and Hedgman was seated upon the platform with the other delegates. The boat plying between Sandusky city and the city of Detroit came up the lake that day about twelve o'clock, and, as it stopped at the wharf, there stepped off a woman--a stranger apparently, for she went from corner to corner inquiring. At last, she came to this Baptist Chapel, and made inquiry of a man standing at the door. She told this man, who it seems was a deacon of the church, that she was a stranger, and had no place where she could stop. The deacon asked her where she was from. She said, from the State of Kentucky. To this, she added, that she was a widow. He then asked her how long she had been a widow? She replied, twelve years. "Your husband is dead, then?" said he inquiringly. "I don't know," she replied, "he was sold from me twelve years ago." "To what State was he sold?" She replied, "to Alabama," and added "I have not heard from him since." The deacon then asked the name. "Hedgman," she answered. "What was his complexion?" "He was a yellow person"--and added a particular description, as to age and appearance. Upon this Deacon Valentine, out of courtesy, gave her his name, and told the woman if what she had said was correct, her husband must be in that chapel. With this he opened the chapel door, and the woman, feeling somewhat elated, was quick in her steps. She saw, upon the platform, a man sitting, whom she thought she recognised. Hedgman's eyes were placed upon the strange woman, and he arose from his seat and started down the aisle of the chapel. They met half-way down the aisle, and they threw their arms around each other's necks, and for thirty minutes they remained so, without being able to speak one to the other, so much overcome were they by this joyful re-union. When Hedgman did speak, he said, "Lord, my prayers are answered. All things do surely work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."
Let me here inform my readers that I have often had the pleasure of being in company with the man whose narrative I have just given. I have often preached to the church with which he is connected. When we have talked over the days gone by, we have frequently found ourselves weeping together in deep sympathy, and over God's goodness in permitting such a happy re-union. The long interval of twelve years brought its seasons and its sorrows; but no changes, however great, had blighted their affection, an affection which burns brightest often in the darkest nights, and which triumphs over the severest trials. Deacon Hedgman is a man of industry, and the man and wife live together happily. They have several children now; they had none before they left slavery and its curses. I speak thus of slavery because it is really a curse to its victims. Its victims are the masters as well as the slaves. I have witnessed sufficient to satisfy my own mind that the master suffers, but will not acknowledge it. I do not need to read "Uncle Tom's Cabin" to learn ideas of slavery's cruelties, for I read from boyhood the lines of blood running down the back of many a poor slave. I have seen Legrees by fifties, and auction-blocks and slave-pens, and the other accompaniments of American slavery in a thousand forms."
© Hair-breadth Escapes from Slavery to Freedom: Electronic Edition
This work is the property of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It may be used freely by individuals for research, teaching and personal use as long as this statement of availability is included in the text.