Calhoun County MI Archives Biographies.....Hussey, Erastus 1800 - 1889
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Robin Ellis -- July 24, 2007, 12:16 pm

Author: Unknown

Erastus Hussey (1800 - 1889) was a leading abolitionist, a stationmaster on the 
Underground Railroad, and one of the founders of the Republican Party.

Hussey was born in New York State and emigrated to Wayne County, Michigan, in 
1824. He and his wife Sarah moved back to New York briefly before moving to 
Battle Creek, Michigan, setting up a general store and home there in 1839. 
Strong Quakers, the Husseys were outspoken opponents of slavery and within a 
year (1840) began hiding escaping slaves in their home. Soon the Hussey home 
had become one of the main stations on the Underground Railroad.

In 1846, Erastus Hussey ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on the 
abolitionist Michigan Liberty Party ticket. He lost the election, but remained 
undeterred.

In 1848, Hussey began to publish an abolitionist newspaper called the Michigan 
Liberty Press. He became inreasingly involved in politics. In 1850, Hussey won 
a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives, as the representative from 
Calhoun County.

In 1854, he ran for a seat in the Michigan Senate as the Free Soil Party 
candidate, winning the seat and serving through 1856. During this time, he 
distinguished himself by drafting legislation that outlawed the capture of 
runaway slaves in Michigan. On July 6, 1854, Hussey attended the "Under the 
Oaks" convention in Jackson, Michigan, where the Republican Party had one of 
its earliest meetings.

An official State of Michigan Historical plaque on the grounds of the Kellogg 
Foundation Headquarters in Battle Creek quotes Hussey as saying, "I have fed 
and given protection to over 1,000 fugitives, and assisted them on to Canada". 
The plaque goes on to say that when Hussey was asked if any stationmaster had 
been paid, he had answered, "No.... We were working for humanity."

Additional Comments:
Erastus is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Battle Creek, MI

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/calhoun/bios/hussey32bs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/mifiles/

File size: 2.5 Kb