HISTORY OF JOSEPH SANFORD,
A FUGITIVE SLAVE FROM THE STATE OF KENTUCKY
"Graves, Sanford's master, was a man of great passion, and threatened to flog him; but at the time set apart for the infliction of the punishment, Sanford and his wife (who lived on the same plantation) were missing. The master suspected them of trying to escape to some free State, and, as the State of Ohio was the nearest of any, thought they had gone thither; so he hastened to the city of Cincinnati, in Ohio, as the surest way to overtake the runaways. On reaching that city, he was informed that some runaway slaves had passed through, but the route they had taken could not be discovered. Graves, the master, therefore contented himself with offering a large reward for the apprehension of his walking property, and returned to his home.
In the course of three weeks, some of the slave-catchers in the State of Ohio found out where Sanford and his wife were stopping in that State, which proved to be in the neighbourhood of Dayton, about forty miles from the city of Cincinnati. Graves, the master, was immediately informed of this, and a company of men went to the spot and arrested the runaways. The party without delay proceeded towards the office of the magistrate or "squire," to go through the forms of a mock-trial. While on the road, some of the friends of freedom interposed, and Sanford, emboldened by this kind act of his friends, swore, by all that was good and bad, that he would not go back to slavery. I can account for his swearing and cursing only upon the supposition that he was intensely excited; for before he left Kentucky he belonged to the Baptist Church, and seemed to be a consistent member of it. But the friends of freedom succeeded in rescuing Sanford from the hands of his oppressors, and he and his poor wife were borne off amid shouts of "Hurrah for freedom."
The affrighted slaves were soon landed in the town of Amherstburgh, Canada West, where they are living in the sweet enjoyment of freedom. They are members of the Baptist Church of that town, are devoted Christians, and respected by all who know them.
Sanford, although far away from his so-called master, seems to entertain fears of being taken back to slavery. In fact, the old man is rather superstitious, and often says he believes that the slaveholders have some sort of charms by which they can make a slave follow them, if they can once get near enough for the charms to operate. Since Sanford has been living in Canada, Graves, his old master, came to Amherstburgh. The news of his coming reached Sanford's ears, and that night he refused to stop in his own house for fear he might see his old master: thinking, superstitiously, that by the power of the master's charms he would be constrained to return to slavery. Liberty was too sweet for him to put it in the remotest degree in danger. I have talked with Sanford upon the subject of his superstition, and he will still persist that Graves, his master, is a "conjurer." Therefore, he did not wish to see him again. I once made conjuration the subject of a discourse, and laboured very hard to show, by simple reasoning, that conjuration is only a delusion of the human mind; but my sermon failed to remove the deep-rooted superstition. Sanford said to me, when I had concluded my subject, "Brother Troy, I believe you to be a good man, and I can believe you upon any other subject; but I have seen so much of the slaveholders, that I believe they can do anything they wish when they come near to you. But, if I am wrong in this, I hope the Lord will pardon me and make me to know better. I believe He is a good and merciful God, and I try to serve Him the best way I know. That is all He requires according to my understanding."
Sanford is now about sixty-five years of age, but, as might have been anticipated, you still see the debasing marks of slavery upon his person. He is not able to read a word, and must go down to his grave without the knowledge of letters. All this is the result of slavery in that so-called land of freedom."
© 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.
In the course of three weeks, some of the slave-catchers in the State of Ohio found out where Sanford and his wife were stopping in that State, which proved to be in the neighbourhood of Dayton, about forty miles from the city of Cincinnati. Graves, the master, was immediately informed of this, and a company of men went to the spot and arrested the runaways. The party without delay proceeded towards the office of the magistrate or "squire," to go through the forms of a mock-trial. While on the road, some of the friends of freedom interposed, and Sanford, emboldened by this kind act of his friends, swore, by all that was good and bad, that he would not go back to slavery. I can account for his swearing and cursing only upon the supposition that he was intensely excited; for before he left Kentucky he belonged to the Baptist Church, and seemed to be a consistent member of it. But the friends of freedom succeeded in rescuing Sanford from the hands of his oppressors, and he and his poor wife were borne off amid shouts of "Hurrah for freedom."
The affrighted slaves were soon landed in the town of Amherstburgh, Canada West, where they are living in the sweet enjoyment of freedom. They are members of the Baptist Church of that town, are devoted Christians, and respected by all who know them.
Sanford, although far away from his so-called master, seems to entertain fears of being taken back to slavery. In fact, the old man is rather superstitious, and often says he believes that the slaveholders have some sort of charms by which they can make a slave follow them, if they can once get near enough for the charms to operate. Since Sanford has been living in Canada, Graves, his old master, came to Amherstburgh. The news of his coming reached Sanford's ears, and that night he refused to stop in his own house for fear he might see his old master: thinking, superstitiously, that by the power of the master's charms he would be constrained to return to slavery. Liberty was too sweet for him to put it in the remotest degree in danger. I have talked with Sanford upon the subject of his superstition, and he will still persist that Graves, his master, is a "conjurer." Therefore, he did not wish to see him again. I once made conjuration the subject of a discourse, and laboured very hard to show, by simple reasoning, that conjuration is only a delusion of the human mind; but my sermon failed to remove the deep-rooted superstition. Sanford said to me, when I had concluded my subject, "Brother Troy, I believe you to be a good man, and I can believe you upon any other subject; but I have seen so much of the slaveholders, that I believe they can do anything they wish when they come near to you. But, if I am wrong in this, I hope the Lord will pardon me and make me to know better. I believe He is a good and merciful God, and I try to serve Him the best way I know. That is all He requires according to my understanding."
Sanford is now about sixty-five years of age, but, as might have been anticipated, you still see the debasing marks of slavery upon his person. He is not able to read a word, and must go down to his grave without the knowledge of letters. All this is the result of slavery in that so-called land of freedom."
© 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.