HISTORY: Warner Beers, 1886, Part 2, Chapter 13, Cumberland County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Bookwalter Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/ ______________________________________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania. Containing History of the Counties, Their Townships, Towns, Villages, Schools, Churches, Industries, Etc.; Portraits of Early Settlers and Prominent Men; Biographies; History of Pennsylvania; Statistical and Miscellaneous Matter, Etc., Etc. Illustrated. Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886. http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/beers/beers.htm ______________________________________________________________________ PART II. HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. PENNSYLVANIA. CHAPTER XIII. POLITICAL - SLAVERY IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY, ETC. 221 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. THERE is little to say concerning the political leaning of the inhabitants of Cumberland County through the century and a quarter and more of its existence. We have followed its soldiery through several wars and learned how they fought and fell; we have seen that, with so few exceptions as hardly to be accounted, the people have been at all times arrayed on the side of home and country, and given of their means and of their life blood to attain their preservation. Where these motives are uppermost there is little need of asking what is the political belief of the citizens, for they can not go far in the wrong in any event. For many years the majority of the voters in Cumberland County have cast their ballots with the party of Jefferson and Jackson, the Democratic majority at the local election in the autumn of 1885 being over 1,000. At times, however, the popularity of candidates on the side of the Republican, or minority party, is sufficient to win for them responsible positions, as in the case of the present president judge, Wilbur F. Sadler. SLAVERY IN CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Many of the early residents of Cumberland County owned slaves, and on the old assessment records we find property holders taxed often with one or more "negroes," according to their position and means. One instance only is given, that of Carlisle, in 1768, when the following persons owned the number of negroes set opposite their respective names: John Armstrong, Esq., two; Robert Gibson, one; John Kinkead, one; John Montgomery, Esq., two; Robert Miller, Esq., three; James Pollock, tavern-keeper, two; Charles Pattison, one; Rev. John Steel, two; Joseph Spear, two; Richard Tea, two - total, eighteen. Even ministers, it is seen from the foregoing, adopted the common custom of owning slaves, as well as the people, yet the public feeling in the Colony - or State - was never in favor of that form of bondage, especially among the Quakers, the Scotch and Irish settlers looking at it more favorably and having numbers of negroes, then not exceedingly valuable in market. It is said that "slaves were generally allowed to share in all family and domestic comforts, from long residence in families they attained to much consideration and affection, and seldom were made the subjects of cruelty. In many respects their position in the families to which they belonged was preferable to that which was awarded to hirelings for only brief terms of service." The attention of the Assembly was called to the subject of slavery by the Supreme Executive Council, James McLene* at the time representing Cumberland County, that body referring to the matter February 15, 1779, in the following language: "We would also again bring into your view a plan for the gradual abolition of slavery, so disgraceful to any people and more especially to those who have been contending in the great cause of liberty themselves, and upon whom Providence has bestowed such eminent marks of its favor and protection. We *Resided in Antrim Township, now Franklin County, and died March 13, 1806. 222 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. think we are loudly called on to evince our gratitude in making our fellow-men joint heirs with us of the same inestimable blessings, under such restrictions and regulations as will not injure the community and will imperceptibly enable them to relish and improve the station to which they will be advanced. Honored will that State be in the annals of history which shall abolish this violation of the rights of mankind, and the memories of those will be held in grateful and everlasting rememberance who shall pass the law to restore and establish the rights of human nature in Pennsylvania. We feel ourselves so interested on this point as to go beyond what may be deemed by some the proper line of our duty, and acquaint you that we have reduced this plan to the form of a law, which if acceptable we shall in a few days communicate to you." The Assembly did not act upon the matter at that meeting, but through the exertions of George Bryan, the author of the proposed law in the council, who subsequently become a representative in the Assembly, the bill was passed March 1, 1780, by a vote of 34 to 21, and slavery was abolished in Pennsylvania. The act provided for the registration of every negro or mulatto slave or servant for life, before the 1st of November, 1780, and that "no man or woman of any color or nation, except the negroes or mulattoes," so registered should thereafter, at any time, be held in the commonwealth other than as free. Exceptions were made in the servants of members of congress, foreign ministers, and people passing through or not stopping longer than six months in the State. In 1790 Cumberland county had 223 slaves; in 1800, 228; in 1810, 307; in 1820, 17; in 1830, 7; in 1840, 24; and in 1850, none, those registered as such by the act of 1780, and so continuing through life, having passed away. Negroes were often advertised for sale in the early newspapers of Carlisle, showing up their desirable qualities; and such notices appeared as late as 1830. During the exciting years last preceding the civil war of 1861-65 more than one fugitive from the terrors of slavery was assisted on his way to freedom and safety by sympathizing citizens of this county. The county was so near the border of a Slave State that it was an easy matter for kidnapers to make bold raids into it and carry off unsuspectingly colored persons over the border into slavery. One incident occurred in Dickinson township worth mentioning: Some time in the spring of 1859 a mulatto named John Butler settled with his wife and child in a small house near Spruce Run. The child attended the Farmers' Academy and the parents worked at such employment as they could find. On the night of June 10 following they disappeared suddenly, under circumstances which pointed to a case of kidnapping. Measures were taken to secure the perpetrators of the crime and punish them. Emanuel Myers, of Maryland, a noted negro catcher, was apprehended by the sheriff soon after, while in Pennsylvania, and placed in jail at Carlisle. The people in Maryland and south became angry over the matter, claiming he was decoyed into Pennsylvania to be captured. The Northern papers united in demanding that Myers be tried and punished. His trial came off in August, the commonwealth being represented by A. Brady Sharpe, Esq., and Hon. Fredk. Watts, of Carlisle. Myers was found guilty, but promised to return Butler and his family if he himself might be set free. Sentence was suspended, he was released on his own recognizance to appear at a subsequent session of court, and soon after the colored family returned to Dickinson Township. The commonwealth practically dropped the case then. The war soon followed, and slavery was ended in the entire country. 223 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Portrait of J. D. Rea 224 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY. Blank Page 225 HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.