Six Penny Creek and the Underground Railroad: Difference between revisions

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The Underground Railroad, in its early stages, was comprised of Quakers and their friends and acquaintances or of members of other religious groups who would shelter and assist self-emancipated individuals on their journeys North<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. The Underground Railroad grew in strength with the passage of the Federal Fugitive Slave Acts[https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fugitive-slave-acts]<ref>LaRoche 2017, 118</ref>. At the edge of a boarder state, Southeastern Pennsylvania was identified as a location early on where self-emancipated individuals could seek freedom<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. The Six Penny Creek community grew near the home of Quaker Elizabeth Scarlett (1787-1839)<ref>Find a Grave</ref>and her son Joseph (1821-1882)<ref>Find a Grave</ref><ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. They owned Scarlett Mill<ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. Self-emancipated individuals from the South would come across the border into Pennsylvania and travel to Berks County, PA<ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. The Scarlett family housed self-emancipated individuals<ref>National Park Service 2015</ref> in "Quaker Valley," Robeson Township, PA near Birdsboro,<ref>Claussen 1968</ref> Berks County, PA. Joseph Scarlett was active in aiding self-emancipated individuals beyond providing shelter at the family home. According to a newspaper article following his death, he was "an ardent friend of fugitive slaves, and did not hesitate at personal danger in assisting them"<ref>Reading Times, 25 July 1882</ref>. He was once in Pennington (now Atglen), PA, when he noticed an individual chained to a bar rail in a public house and learned that the man was to be taken away by slave hunters<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Overnight, the bar rail was sawed through and the man was gone, along with the handcuffs<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. A pair of damaged handcuffs appeared in the Scarlett home after the event and hung on the wall<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was also involved in the Christiana Tragedy in 1851[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiana_Riot] in Lancaster, PA,<ref>The Times, 30 January 1882</ref> which can be seen as an important precursor to the Civil War<ref>The Daily Evening Express, 21 August 1875</ref>. During the incident, Joseph Scarlett refused to help the "Gap Gang" arrest a group of self-emancipated individuals and prevented the death of a wounded man after the action of the event had concluded<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was charged with treason and levying war against the United States government and spent ninety-seven days in Lancaster County Prison following the event<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. He was one of three White men from the event to spend time in prison<ref>The Saturday Express, 15 November 1851</ref>. In 1870 Joseph Scarlett held a celebration for the anniversary of the emancipation proclamation on his property<ref>The Lancaster Examiner, 28 September 1870</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was married<ref>Find a Grave</ref> and was engaged in the green grocery business before his death<ref>The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 July 1882</ref>.
The Underground Railroad, in its early stages, was comprised of Quakers and their friends and acquaintances or of members of other religious groups who would shelter and assist self-emancipated individuals on their journeys North<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. The Underground Railroad grew in strength with the passage of the Federal Fugitive Slave Acts[https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fugitive-slave-acts]<ref>LaRoche 2017, 118</ref>. At the edge of a boarder state, Southeastern Pennsylvania was identified as a location early on where self-emancipated individuals could seek freedom<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. The Six Penny Creek community grew near the home of Quaker Elizabeth Scarlett (1787-1839)<ref>Find a Grave</ref>and her son Joseph (1821-1882)<ref>Find a Grave</ref><ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. They owned Scarlett Mill<ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. Self-emancipated individuals from the South would come across the border into Pennsylvania and travel to Berks County, PA<ref>LaRoche 2017, 96</ref>. The Scarlett family housed self-emancipated individuals<ref>National Park Service 2015</ref> in "Quaker Valley," Robeson Township, PA near Birdsboro,<ref>Claussen 1968</ref> Berks County, PA. Joseph Scarlett was active in aiding self-emancipated individuals beyond providing shelter at the family home. According to a newspaper article following his death, he was "an ardent friend of fugitive slaves, and did not hesitate at personal danger in assisting them"<ref>Reading Times, 25 July 1882</ref>. He was once in Pennington (now Atglen), PA, when he noticed an individual chained to a bar rail in a public house and learned that the man was to be taken away by slave hunters<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Overnight, the bar rail was sawed through and the man was gone, along with the handcuffs<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. A pair of damaged handcuffs appeared in the Scarlett home after the event and hung on the wall<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was also involved in the Christiana Tragedy in 1851[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiana_Riot] in Lancaster, PA,<ref>The Times, 30 January 1882</ref> which can be seen as an important precursor to the Civil War<ref>The Daily Evening Express, 21 August 1875</ref>. During the incident, Joseph Scarlett refused to help the "Gap Gang" arrest a group of self-emancipated individuals and prevented the death of a wounded man after the action of the event had concluded<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was charged with treason and levying war against the United States government and spent ninety-seven days in Lancaster County Prison following the event<ref>Homan 1958</ref>. He was one of three White men from the event to spend time in prison<ref>The Saturday Express, 15 November 1851</ref>. In 1870 Joseph Scarlett held a celebration for the anniversary of the emancipation proclamation on his property<ref>The Lancaster Examiner, 28 September 1870</ref>. Joseph Scarlett was married<ref>Find a Grave</ref> and was engaged in the green grocery business before his death<ref>The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 July 1882</ref>.


==Notes /==
==Notes==
<references />


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 19:56, 26 January 2021

The Underground Railroad, in its early stages, was comprised of Quakers and their friends and acquaintances or of members of other religious groups who would shelter and assist self-emancipated individuals on their journeys North[1]. The Underground Railroad grew in strength with the passage of the Federal Fugitive Slave Acts[1][2]. At the edge of a boarder state, Southeastern Pennsylvania was identified as a location early on where self-emancipated individuals could seek freedom[3]. The Six Penny Creek community grew near the home of Quaker Elizabeth Scarlett (1787-1839)[4]and her son Joseph (1821-1882)[5][6]. They owned Scarlett Mill[7]. Self-emancipated individuals from the South would come across the border into Pennsylvania and travel to Berks County, PA[8]. The Scarlett family housed self-emancipated individuals[9] in "Quaker Valley," Robeson Township, PA near Birdsboro,[10] Berks County, PA. Joseph Scarlett was active in aiding self-emancipated individuals beyond providing shelter at the family home. According to a newspaper article following his death, he was "an ardent friend of fugitive slaves, and did not hesitate at personal danger in assisting them"[11]. He was once in Pennington (now Atglen), PA, when he noticed an individual chained to a bar rail in a public house and learned that the man was to be taken away by slave hunters[12]. Overnight, the bar rail was sawed through and the man was gone, along with the handcuffs[13]. A pair of damaged handcuffs appeared in the Scarlett home after the event and hung on the wall[14]. Joseph Scarlett was also involved in the Christiana Tragedy in 1851[2] in Lancaster, PA,[15] which can be seen as an important precursor to the Civil War[16]. During the incident, Joseph Scarlett refused to help the "Gap Gang" arrest a group of self-emancipated individuals and prevented the death of a wounded man after the action of the event had concluded[17]. Joseph Scarlett was charged with treason and levying war against the United States government and spent ninety-seven days in Lancaster County Prison following the event[18]. He was one of three White men from the event to spend time in prison[19]. In 1870 Joseph Scarlett held a celebration for the anniversary of the emancipation proclamation on his property[20]. Joseph Scarlett was married[21] and was engaged in the green grocery business before his death[22].

Notes

  1. ↑ Homan 1958
  2. ↑ LaRoche 2017, 118
  3. ↑ Homan 1958
  4. ↑ Find a Grave
  5. ↑ Find a Grave
  6. ↑ LaRoche 2017, 96
  7. ↑ LaRoche 2017, 96
  8. ↑ LaRoche 2017, 96
  9. ↑ National Park Service 2015
  10. ↑ Claussen 1968
  11. ↑ Reading Times, 25 July 1882
  12. ↑ Homan 1958
  13. ↑ Homan 1958
  14. ↑ Homan 1958
  15. ↑ The Times, 30 January 1882
  16. ↑ The Daily Evening Express, 21 August 1875
  17. ↑ Homan 1958
  18. ↑ Homan 1958
  19. ↑ The Saturday Express, 15 November 1851
  20. ↑ The Lancaster Examiner, 28 September 1870
  21. ↑ Find a Grave
  22. ↑ The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 July 1882

References

  • Claussen, Edmund. 1968. The Underground Railroad. The Mercury, December 4, 1968.[3]
  • The Daily Evening Express. 1875. A Scrap of History, August 21, 1875.[4]
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 January 2021), memorial page for Elizabeth Pownall Scarlet (25 Mar 1787–26 Jun 1839), Find a Grave Memorial no. 167131942, citing Robeson Monthly Meeting Cemetery, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by N.D. Scheidt (contributor 47099775).[5]
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 20 January 2021), memorial page for Joseph P. Scarlett (15 Mar 1821–8 Jul 1882), Find a Grave Memorial no. 87337897, citing West Laurel Hill Cemetery, Bala Cynwyd, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Mary Harrell-Sesniak (contributor 46488639).[6]
  • Homan, Wayne E. 1958. The Underground Railroad. Historical Review of Berks County, Berks History Center.[7]
  • The Lancaster Examiner. 1870. Celebration, September 28, 1870.[8]
  • LaRoche, Cheryl Janifer. 2017. Free Black Communities and the Underground Railroad: The Geography of Resistance. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Press.
  • National Park Service, Hopewell Furnace. 2015. African-Americans at Hopewell Furnace. National Park Service: U.S. Department of the Interior.[9]
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer. 1882. The Slaves' Friend, July 19, 1882.[10]
  • Reading Times. 1882. An Exciting Episode Recalled by Death, July 25, 1882.[11]
  • The Saturday Express, 1851. Visit to the Christiana Prisoners, November 15, 1851.[12]
  • The Times - Philadelphia. 1882. The Riot at Christiana, January 30, 1882.[13]