Explore the Underground Railroad in Sandusky

Editor's note: Parts of this news article were taken from an excerpt from a piece named "Erie County Historical Society: History is Alive — Underground Railroad Historic Walking Tour." SANDUSKY — February, also known as Black History Month, marks an ideal time for people to explore Sandusky and spot homes once serving as important stops along the Underground Railroad. Several historic houses within various city neighborhoods played a vital role in the complex yet hidden network established by abolitionists, who helped slaves reach their freedom destination, often in Canada. Because of Sandusky's location, area homes often represented the last stop for a slave before achieving freedom. A number of area organizations — namely Lake Erie Shores & Island, the Sandusky Underground Railroad Education Center and The Old House Guild of Sandusky — developed an Underground Railroad walking tour, which features 13 stops of prominent properties. Eden Valley Enterprises, Elaine Lawson, and the late Janet Senne, a past president of the Erie County Historical Society provided research assistance. This map corresponds to the numbered stops along Sandusky's Underground Railroad walking tour. There are 13 stops in and around downtown. The tour should take about an hour to complete. Here's a step-by-step guide for the most efficient route along with some backstory about these sites: Stop 1: Park in the Erie County Office Building parking garage, head south on Columbus Avenue to West Washington Row. Head west on Washington Row. 1. Lucas Beecher House, 215 W. Washington Row Beecher represented Benjamin Johnson, a fugitive slave who arrived in Sandusky during the 1830s. Beecher won Johnson's freedom by arguing that Johnson was not the property of the plaintiff because the purchase was made in Ohio, which was a free state. Johnson then became a free resident of Sandusky. Beecher also represented Grant Ritchie, a Black barber in Sandusky, who actively participated as a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad. When slave owners brought charges against Ritchie for helping slaves escape, he, of course, pleaded "not guilty." Beecher then proceeded to ask Ritchie why he was in the courtroom and suggested that Ritchie was there to give shaves to the men present in the courtroom, asking, "Then why are you here? Have you come to shave the court?" Ritchie replied that he did not have his shaving kit with him, so Beecher told him to go and get it. Ritchie left the courtroom and fled to Canada. Needless to say, the case was dropped. 2. The former Beatty Church, southeast corner of Washington and Jackson streets On June 23, 1835, S.G. Wilson arrived in Sandusky and arranged to deliver a course of lectures on the subject of slavery to be given in the Methodist Meeting House. Word of his lectures soon spread, and, the next day, Col. John N. Sloan wrote and circulated a petition to the trustees of the Methodist Meeting House, implying that Wilson favored "amalgamation of the Black and white population" and asking them to "close your church door against men who wish to inculcate doctrines and principles fraught with such evil wicked and corrupt consequences as we deem the doctrines of abolitionism to be surcharged with." Thirty-nine individuals signed the petition, threats were made, and Wilson was denied access to the Methodist Meeting House. Sandusky's mayor, John Beatty, was determined that the lectures should be given and declared that, "This was a free country and while he had any of the blood of '76, Sandusky should not be governed by the mobocracy." The Methodist Trustees soon backed down. Wilson was allowed to give two lectures. But, when he arrived for his final lecture, he was barred from the Meeting House. Mayor Beatty promptly withdrew his membership in the church and formed a new Methodist Church, known as the Beatty Church, which was an attractive stone building located at the west end of Washington Park along Jackson Street facing West Washington Street. After Beatty's death, most of the membership of the Beatty Church returned to the parent church. During the cholera epidemic of 1849, the city of Sandusky seized the Beatty Church for use as a cholera hospital. In 1855, the building was purchased by the Baptist community who then sold it to the German Lutherans in 1862. The Beatty Church was demolished in 1899 when the Lutherans moved to their new facility on Columbus Avenue. Beatty's principled stand in favor of free speech indicates that he was a man of great character. It is ironic that his adversary, Col. John N. Sloane, was the father of Rush R. Sloane, who became Sandusky's leading abolitionist and future mayor. Stop 2: Continue west on West Washington Row and cross Jackson Street. Turn left and then take an immediate right heading west on West Washington Street to Decatur Street. Turn left. 3. Second Baptist Church, 315 Decatur St. One of the most active stations in the Sandusky Underground Railroad network was the Second Baptist Church. It was founded as Zion Baptist Church in 1849 by a group of former slaves and freeborn Blacks. Just prior to the Civil War, the church was organized at its present site at 315 Decatur St. under the name First Regular Anti-Slavery Baptist Church. Many refugee slaves were hidden, fed and clothed there. The present church, circa 1930, is constructed around the original church's wooden framework and, along with the adjacent parsonage, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Church member John Lott collected items for runaways at his barbershop on Water Street near the steamship docks. Lott may have felt that he had nothing to lose since his family died in the cholera epidemic that hit Sandusky in 1849. He was so brave that he even advertised in the newspaper on behalf of those escaping. His advertisement read, "Whereas there are many colored persons which have been obliged to flee to Canada for their liberty, and there is likely to follow the greatest destitution for want of the means of subsistence — this is to notify all persons that any provisions, either by way of clothes or otherwise, which shall be left either at the shop of John Winfield or J.B. Lott will be faithfully applied for use of such destitute persons." 4. John and Samuel Irvine House, 320-322 Lawrence St. Two brothers, the Irvines, lived in the double house at 320-322 Lawrence St. John Irvine was a master builder. Sam R. Irvine was a grocer. Their work on the Sandusky Underground Railroad was underscored by Sloane in this story: "In 1855… on a certain train going north was placed … a coffin containing a poor man but whose close friends wanted his remains carried to Sandusky for interment. The rough box had knotty holes, and plenty of shavings had been put in around the 'body.' In about two hours, the 'remains' were taken in charge by Sam R. Irvine and others, taken to a friendly house, and the 'casket' opened; the eyes were bloodshot, the mouth was foaming, the poor man nearly dead." Stop 3: Continue south on Decatur Street to Adams Street. Walk east on Adams Street. 5. Follett House Museum, 404 Wayne St. Oran Follett, who was the publisher of the "Lincoln-Douglas Debates," resided at 404 Wayne St. Eliza, Oran's second wife, was very sympathetic to escaping slaves. According to Eliza's granddaughter, "No one knows how many slaves she concealed in the basement … or out in the woodshed. She warmed, fed and clothed them then aided them in their escape across Lake Erie to Canada." Follett's "sympathies, too, were with the slaves, but he would remonstrate with her: 'Wife, it is against the law.' 'Husband, there is a higher law,' she would reply." Although more stories about the role of men were preserved, white and Black women also played a significant role in the Underground Railroad movement. After Sloane was convicted in federal court, he was honored by the First Regular Anti-Slavery Baptist Church. As part of the church's recognition, John Lott presented a silver-headed cane to Sloane for his work in helping runaway slaves escape to freedom. The cane, which is at the Follett House today, has an inscription that reads: "From the colored citizens of Sandusky, Ohio." Note: The Follett House is open to the public and operated as a museum. Visit sandusky.lib.oh.us/follett_house for more information. 6. Joseph M. Root House, 231 E. Adams St. Joseph Root was a radical abolitionist, an attorney, mayor of Sandusky and, later, a state senator and U.S. congressman. Northern whites who thought slavery should be abolished and who assisted runaways were certainly in the minority. Although some white Ohioans became committed to the antislavery cause through their religious faith as Quakers, Presbyterians or Congregationalists, or through their political concepts of freedom and justice in a democracy, northern states were slow to pass laws that gave northern slaves freedom. 7. Henry Merry House, 330 E. Adams St. Henry Merry was a builder who often employed those who had escaped from slavery until they were able to head to Canada. Fugitives from slavery faced life-threatening challenges from slave owners, slave catchers, hostile northerners and the elements. The origin of the term "Underground Railroad" is connected to a man who eventually escaped through Sandusky. Rush Sloane recorded the story in 1888 in The Firelands Pioneer: "In the year 1831, a fugitive named Tice Davids came over the line and lived just back of Sandusky. He had come directly from Ripley, Ohio, where he crossed the Ohio River; he remained some time at Sandusky and then went to Canada. It was told of him that he gave the name to the 'Underground Road' in this way: When he was running away, his master, a Kentuckian, was in close pursuit and pressing him so hard that, when the Ohio River was reached, he had no alternative but to jump in and swim across. It took his master some time to secure a skiff in which he … followed the swimming fugitive keeping him in sight until he had landed. Once on shore … no one had seen him, and, after a long and unsuccessful search, the disappointed slave-master went into Ripley, and, when inquired as to what had become of his slave, said he could not tell … and he thought (he) 'must have gone off on an underground road.' This incident gave the name to the line. First the 'Underground,' then (after the railroad was invented, the) 'Underground Railroad.'" 8. Rush R. Sloane House, 403 E. Adams St. The leaders in Sandusky's Underground Railroad movement were freeborn-Black Sanduskians. In fact, communities of free Blacks across the U.S. were the most powerful force in aiding those escaping from slavery. According to Rush Sloane, who recorded more than 30 Underground Railroad stories after the Civil War, "Before the year 1837, the fugitives who escaped through Sandusky were conducted and aided almost wholly by Black men," including at least 22 free men in Sandusky's Black community. The impressive house on the corner belonged to Sloane, a Sandusky attorney, abolitionist and, later on, mayor of Sandusky. In 1852, Black families escaping slavery stood on a Sandusky dock attempting to board the steamship Arrow. Kentucky slave owners dragged the families back to shore, claiming them as runaway slaves. They were hauled to the mayor's office to establish title. Sloane was called to the mayor's office, where a growing crowd of armed Sanduskians on both sides gathered. Sloane recounted, "I asked … 'Are there any papers or writs to show why they are held?' There was no reply. I then said, 'I see no authority for detaining these persons.' And at this, John B. Lott, a Black man cried out in an excited voice, 'Hustle them out.'" With guns and knives in the hands of many people, on both sides of the issue in the mayor's office, the crowd obeyed Lott. The crowd hustled out the former slaves, and they went on to freedom in Canada. Sloane was taken to court in 1854 and was the defendant in this case involving runaways from slavery. He was found guilty in a federal court under the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act of helping families escape slavery. He was fined more than $3,000. Friends and sympathizers made contributions to help him pay this astronomical fine. Stop 4: Continue walking east and turn north on Franklin Street to East Washington Street. Turn right or east. 9. George Barney House, 422 E. Washington St. George Barney was born in 1814 at Sandy Hill, New York. In 1842, he moved to Milan, where he was in the mercantile business. In 1855, George and his wife, Caroline, moved to Sandusky. Three years later, they purchased their home on East Washington Street at a sheriff's sale. Barney was a member of the firm of Horning, Pringle and Co., and, for a number of years, he operated a hardware store with his son. After his son's death in 1873, he went into partnership with Joseph Kilby. They were the proprietors of the Fulton Machine Works and Foundry, located at Fulton and Water streets. Barney later served as vice president of the People's Electric Railway and president of the Sandusky Savings Bank. Wilbur H. Siebert, who published the classic history of the Underground Railroad in Ohio, listed Barney as one of the "conductors" on the Underground Railroad in the Sandusky area, and Sandusky's best-known abolitionist, Rush R. Sloane, also recognized Barney's efforts on behalf of escaped slaves. Although the Barney House may or may not have been a "station" on the Underground Railroad, there is no doubt that Barney played a prominent role in efforts by local abolitionists to aid fugitives on their path to freedom. 10. Captain Thomas McGee House, 536 E. Washington St. Sandusky was as important as the ports of Toledo, Ashtabula and Cleveland for Underground Railroad travel. Captain Thomas McGee was a master of several sloops and schooners on Lake Erie. Captains like McGee were instrumental in helping fugitives from slavery escape to the Canadian side of Lake Erie by boarding sailing ships on the Sandusky docks. Being the captain of a ship carrying fugitives put the captain at risk. According to notes of an Episcopal priest, a ship captain told the story of facing that risk. "Captain George Sweigles at age of 84 told the Rev. H. L. McClellan how Rush Sloane employed him with his two-mast sailboat at times to convey escaped Negroes to Canada." He explained the following: "The Mad River Railroad had brought a number of fugitives from around Xenia and Cincinnati, and the captain was informed by Sloane to go into Mills Creek for his load … Along came a train of cars on the Mad River (railroad) line. It slowed down and dumped several hogsheads (large casks of 100-or-more gallon capacity) into high weeds beside the tracks. Out crawled some Negro fugitives … Captain Sweigles loaded the fugitives on his sailboat … Along came the Island Queen with Captain Orr on board and a number of slave owners armed to the teeth, with heavy revolvers showing in their belts … Captain Orr hailed the sailboat, 'What are you men doing out so early?' Captain Sweigles remained calm. 'Fishing,' he said … Or then asked… 'Seen anybody or any boats around?' Answer: 'Nope. Not today.' But the Island Queen moved on to scout some more for the missing slaves … Captain Sweigles continued fishing, but, as soon as it was safe, he made for the Kelleys Island reefs on his way to later land his human freight at Pelee …" Stop 5: Cross East Washington Street and head west on south side of East Washington Street to Hancock Street. Turn right to Facer Park. 11. Facer Park, 255 E. Water St. In 2005, a group of young civic leaders in Sandusky initiated an effort to recognize the city's role in the Underground Railroad. Facer Park, on the city's waterfront, was chosen as the location for a sculpture and related educational displays. More than 50 local organizations, businesses and individuals were involved with the project. The park was dedicated on Oct. 9, 2007. Created by local artist Susan Schultz, the sculpture is a symbolic representation of fearless people escaping the chains of slavery. The man's outstretched arm shows they have almost reached freedom. The pedestal displays attempt to capture the history of the actual men and women, both Black and white, all of whom wrote Sandusky's Underground Railroad history through their courageous actions: fugitives, the African-American community, attorneys, ship captains and their crews all were integral parts of the "Path to Freedom." Stop 6: Head west on Water Street 12. C.C. Keech Warehouse, 231 E. Water St. Christopher Columbus Keech came to Sandusky from Batavia, New York, in 1847. He was trained as a hatter and established a hat store on the south side of Water Street east of Columbus Avenue. Keech advertised in the 1855 Sandusky Directory as a "wholesale and retail dealer in hats, caps, furs, buffalo robes, mittens, buckskin and woolen gloves." He offered to pay in "greenbacks" for wool, sheepskins, raw furs, hides and calf skins. He became very successful and acquired extensive real estate holdings. Sometime in the 1860s, Keech built a four-story limestone building at the northwest corner of Hancock and East Water streets, now 231 E. Water St. He sold the building to Armour and Co. in 1889, at which point the top two floors were removed. Keech was a generous philanthropist who donated to many causes with perhaps his most significant gift being the large tract of land where Good Samaritan Hospital was located, today's Firelands Regional Medical Center. He played a prominent role in caring for the sick and burying the dead during the cholera epidemics of 1849 and 1852. He served on many local boards. He contributed numerous anonymous articles to the Register, calling himself the "Moral Editor." Rush R. Sloane mentioned Keech as "an earnest friend of the line," the Underground Railroad and listed Keech as one of those who contributed funds to help defray the court costs and marshal fees associated with Sloane's conviction for helping fugitive slaves in violation of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. We do not know the details regarding Keech's role in the Underground Railroad or if fugitives were ever sheltered in this building. But Keech deserves recognition for his role in aiding fugitive slaves and for his contributions to the early history of Sandusky. 13. Marsh Tavern, 100 E. Water St. (now Civista Bank) Rush Sloane wrote that the earliest story he knew about the Underground Railroad in Sandusky was this one: "In the fall of 1820, a man headed for Canada came to Marsh's Tavern, on the corner of Wayne and Water streets, (which today is the site of Civista Bank.) He was hidden by John Dunker, the black hostler and Captain Shepherd, who sailed a small vessel and lived at the Tavern." "A slave owner offered Captain Shepherd $300 to find his runaway, so Shepherd helped search for three days. The WALK-IN-THE-WATER was the first steamship to run a route along the shore of Lake Erie. When the WALK-IN-THE-WATER steamed into Sandusky, Captain Shepherd suggested that the slave owner get aboard to search in Detroit. Then the Captain sailed the free man on his vessel to Ontario." The former Marsh Tavern, now Civista Bank, 100 E. Water St. Stop 7: Continue heading west on Water Street to Columbus Avenue. Turn left on Columbus Avenue to return to the Erie County Office Building's parking garage