STORIES OF UNDERGROUND RAILROAD PASSENGERS
DOCUMENTED STORIES OF ACTUAL FREEDOM SEEKERS CROSSING THE
NIAGARA RIVER AT THE LOCATION OF BRODERICK PARK VIA THE BLACK ROCK FERRY


MR. EDITOR: A few mornings since, I was awakened at an early hour by an immense noise and confusion at my door. Being suddenly awakened, I sprang up, and ran down stairs to ascertain the cause of such strange excitement. When, to my surprise, I found notwithstanding the "immense heavy snow drifts" that a train of cars belonging to the Underground Railroad had just arrived, bringing eight passengers, six men and two women, all direct from "Old Kentuck." Of course the doors of the depot were thrown open, and in they marched, rank and file, led by T.R. Esq., one of the conductors on the road. After a few moment's conversation, we conducted them to a public house kept by one of our people. When they had an opportunity of thoroughly warming and refreshing themselves the inner as well as outer man they were allowed to remain with us until one o'clock, when a sleigh was provided, and the eight happy souls, in charge of Phoenix Lansing, esq., one of our active and energetic townsmen, were driven to Black Rock, and in a few moment's more were safely landed on the other side of Jordan when one universal shout of joy ascended to Him who had been their guide and guardian from a land of slavery and despotism to a land of liberty and light. But the most singular circumstance in connection with this matter is, that just as they had landed on the Canada side, the cars on the Great Western Railroad arrived from the West, and to the surprise and astonishment of our friends, the first man that stepped from the cars, was a Kentuckian, the next door neighbor to the owner of three of our party. You may imagine the feelings of our friends at so strange and unexpected a meeting. "But," says they to their neighbor, "WE are all here."
Yours, I hopes of another arrival,
GEORGE WEIR, JR.
Frederick Douglass’ Paper, described a close call for a group of fugitive slaves (Frederick Douglass’ Paper [FDP], 4 January 1855)
Meantime his opponent sent intelligence to his master, in Hardy County, Virginia, and immediately his young masters, Henry and William Harness came North, with all speed, to secure him, when he would leave prison; but being on the alert, he reached Canada, at Black Rock , near Buffalo, and was there accosted by them, who, in company with the Constable in that vicinity, sought to arrest him; they proceeded on board the cars of the Buffalo and Brantford railway, and again attempted an arrest, without specifying a charge, declaring, however, that they had a warrant for him. Nothing daunted, he refused to go with them; left the cars, followed by them, and proceeded by the towpath towards this place; then a conference was held by all the parties. The slaveholders and their ally, the Canada Constable, drew weapons and threatened. Parker, who is a large, muscular black man, told them not to touch him, and walked on, determined to slay the first one who attempted to interfere with him. So the chivalry knowing their man, thought better of it, and left him alone in his glory. Parker left Virginia several years ago, and came to Canada, but returned to New York, where the above imprisonment for assault, took place. Two weeks ago, he returned to Canada, and after the contest on this soil, with the three cowards, two Yankees and one Canadian, he has determined to stay at home.
(Provincial Freeman [PF] 6 October 1855)
desires, and had actually gone upon the ferryboat to be conveyed to his much-wished-for free home. The ferryman was loosing the boat from the shore, when, to his utter dismay, up rode his master upon a foaming steed, and with a look "Like the sunshine when it flashes on steel," drew his loaded pistol, and plainly told the ferryman--"If you loose that boat to convey my Negro to the opposite bank, I'll blow your brains out!"
The Negro in an instant seized a handspike, and, holding it menacingly over the ferryman's head, said, "If you don't loose the boat and ferry me across, I'll beat your brains out!" The ferryman, one of the best of his class, a Yankee, friendly to the Negro, looked a moment, first at the one and then at the other, seeing both equally determined and decided, and expressed his decision. He said coolly, "Wall! I can't die but once; and if I die, I guess I would rather die doing right. So here goes the boat." He loosed it and shoved it off. While this was being done, the slaveholder, seeing his slave, who had always "Fanned him while he slept, and trembled when he
woke," defy him, with a threatening gesture at a white man, was thunderstruck. He sate in mute astonishment. His countenance reflected the state of his surprised mind. He was transfixed, as it were, to his saddle. He gazed with a stupid glare, as if he saw not, while the boat sped her way Canada-wards. The Negro, on the other hand, watched every inch of progress which widened the distance betwixt the two shores, until, not waiting for the boat to touch, he ran back to the stern, and then, with a full bound like a nimble deer, sprang from the boat to the shore in advance of the boat, and, rising, took off his poor old hat, and gave three cheers for the British sovereign.”
Samuel Ringgold Ward
The Anti-Slavery Record
(American Anti-Slavery Society 1836, See also S11.)








Buffalo Democrat
reprinted in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, edited by Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York (Frederick Douglass’ Paper [FDP], 15 September 1854)
(Pettit 1879: 18-23)
(Pettit 1879: 24-26)
(Pettit 1879: 27-33)
(Drew 1856: 19-28)


MR. EDITOR: A few mornings since, I was awakened at an early hour by an immense noise and confusion at my door. Being suddenly awakened, I sprang up, and ran down stairs to ascertain the cause of such strange excitement. When, to my surprise, I found notwithstanding the "immense heavy snow drifts" that a train of cars belonging to the Underground Railroad had just arrived, bringing eight passengers, six men and two women, all direct from "Old Kentuck." Of course the doors of the depot were thrown open, and in they marched, rank and file, led by T.R. Esq., one of the conductors on the road. After a few moment's conversation, we conducted them to a public house kept by one of our people. When they had an opportunity of thoroughly warming and refreshing themselves the inner as well as outer man they were allowed to remain with us until one o'clock, when a sleigh was provided, and the eight happy souls, in charge of Phoenix Lansing, esq., one of our active and energetic townsmen, were driven to Black Rock, and in a few moment's more were safely landed on the other side of Jordan when one universal shout of joy ascended to Him who had been their guide and guardian from a land of slavery and despotism to a land of liberty and light. But the most singular circumstance in connection with this matter is, that just as they had landed on the Canada side, the cars on the Great Western Railroad arrived from the West, and to the surprise and astonishment of our friends, the first man that stepped from the cars, was a Kentuckian, the next door neighbor to the owner of three of our party. You may imagine the feelings of our friends at so strange and unexpected a meeting. "But," says they to their neighbor, "WE are all here."
Yours, I hopes of another arrival,
GEORGE WEIR, JR.
Frederick Douglass’ Paper, described a close call for a group of fugitive slaves (Frederick Douglass’ Paper [FDP], 4 January 1855)
Meantime his opponent sent intelligence to his master, in Hardy County, Virginia, and immediately his young masters, Henry and William Harness came North, with all speed, to secure him, when he would leave prison; but being on the alert, he reached Canada, at Black Rock , near Buffalo, and was there accosted by them, who, in company with the Constable in that vicinity, sought to arrest him; they proceeded on board the cars of the Buffalo and Brantford railway, and again attempted an arrest, without specifying a charge, declaring, however, that they had a warrant for him. Nothing daunted, he refused to go with them; left the cars, followed by them, and proceeded by the towpath towards this place; then a conference was held by all the parties. The slaveholders and their ally, the Canada Constable, drew weapons and threatened. Parker, who is a large, muscular black man, told them not to touch him, and walked on, determined to slay the first one who attempted to interfere with him. So the chivalry knowing their man, thought better of it, and left him alone in his glory. Parker left Virginia several years ago, and came to Canada, but returned to New York, where the above imprisonment for assault, took place. Two weeks ago, he returned to Canada, and after the contest on this soil, with the three cowards, two Yankees and one Canadian, he has determined to stay at home.
(Provincial Freeman [PF] 6 October 1855)
desires, and had actually gone upon the ferryboat to be conveyed to his much-wished-for free home. The ferryman was loosing the boat from the shore, when, to his utter dismay, up rode his master upon a foaming steed, and with a look "Like the sunshine when it flashes on steel," drew his loaded pistol, and plainly told the ferryman--"If you loose that boat to convey my Negro to the opposite bank, I'll blow your brains out!"
The Negro in an instant seized a handspike, and, holding it menacingly over the ferryman's head, said, "If you don't loose the boat and ferry me across, I'll beat your brains out!" The ferryman, one of the best of his class, a Yankee, friendly to the Negro, looked a moment, first at the one and then at the other, seeing both equally determined and decided, and expressed his decision. He said coolly, "Wall! I can't die but once; and if I die, I guess I would rather die doing right. So here goes the boat." He loosed it and shoved it off. While this was being done, the slaveholder, seeing his slave, who had always "Fanned him while he slept, and trembled when he
woke," defy him, with a threatening gesture at a white man, was thunderstruck. He sate in mute astonishment. His countenance reflected the state of his surprised mind. He was transfixed, as it were, to his saddle. He gazed with a stupid glare, as if he saw not, while the boat sped her way Canada-wards. The Negro, on the other hand, watched every inch of progress which widened the distance betwixt the two shores, until, not waiting for the boat to touch, he ran back to the stern, and then, with a full bound like a nimble deer, sprang from the boat to the shore in advance of the boat, and, rising, took off his poor old hat, and gave three cheers for the British sovereign.”
Samuel Ringgold Ward
The Anti-Slavery Record
(American Anti-Slavery Society 1836, See also S11.)








Buffalo Democrat
reprinted in Frederick Douglass’ Paper, edited by Frederick Douglass in Rochester, New York (Frederick Douglass’ Paper [FDP], 15 September 1854)
(Pettit 1879: 18-23)
(Pettit 1879: 24-26)
(Pettit 1879: 27-33)
(Drew 1856: 19-28)