Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 340   Enlarge and print image (52K)

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Still, William, Underground Rail Road:
A Record of Facts, Authentic Narratives, Letters, Etc.

Porter & Coales, Publishers, Philadelphia, PA, 1872
Call Number: 1400, MSA L1117

MSA L1117, Image No: 340   Enlarge and print image (52K)

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318 THE UNDERGROUND RAIL &OAD. bonds, setting forth her " awful'' situation and appealing to the Committee to use their best endeavors to rescue her, with her child, from Slavery. One of these letters, so full of touching sentiments of affection and appeal on behalf of bis wife, is as follows: TORONTO, Canada West, upper, 18th day of the 9th mo., 1856. MB. WILLIAK STILL:—Dear Sir—I hope theee lines may find yon and your family as they leave me give my respects to little Caroline and her mother. Dear Sir, I have received two letters from my wife since I saw you, and the second was awful. I am sorry to say she says she has been treated awful since I left, and she told the lady she thought she was left free and she told her she was aa much slave aa ever she was that the state was not to be settled until her death and it would be a meracle if she and her child got it then and that her master left & great many relations and she diden no what they would do. Mr. Still dear sir I am very sorry to hear my wife and child are slavea if you please dear sir inform me what to do for my dear wife and child. She said she has been threatened to be put in jail three times since I left also she tella me that she is washing for the captain of a vesel that use to run to Petersburg but now he rnna to Baltimore and he has prornaa to take her to Delaware or New York for 50 dollars and she had not the money, she sent to me and I sent her all I had wbich waa 5 dollars dear sir can you inform mo what to do with a case of this kind the captains name is Thomas. TJy wife is name lucy an morris my child is name lot, if you please dear sir answer me aa soon as you can poaable. HENRT JAMES MORRIS, Toronto C. W. Henry James Morris in care of Wm. George Blunt, Centre at., 2 doors from Elam. This sad letter made a mournful impression, as it was not easy to see how her deliverance was to be effected. One feature, however, about this epistle afforded much satisfaction, namely, to know, that James did not forgot his poor wife and child, who were in the prison-house. Many months after this first letter came to hand, Mrs. Dr. Willis, one of the first ladies in Toronto, wrote on his behalf as follows: TORONTO, 15th June, Monday morning, 1857. To MR. STILL, DEAR SIB:—I write you this letter for a respectable young man (his name is James Morris), he passed through your hands July of last year (1856), and has just had a letter from his wife, whom he left behind in Virginia, that she and her child are likely to be sold. He is very anxious about this and wishful that she could getaway by gome vessel or otherwise. His wife's name is Lucy Morris ; the child's name is Lot Morris ; the lady's name she lives with is a Mre. Hine (I hope I spell her name right, Hine), at the corner of Duke street and Washington street, in Norfolk city, Virginia. She is hired out to thU rich old widow lady. James Morris wishes me to writ? you—he has saved forty dollars, and will Bend it to you whenever it is required, to bring her on to Toronto, Canada West. It is in the bank ready upon call. Will you please, sir, direct your letter in reply to this, to t Mrs. Ringgold, Centre street, two doors from Elatn street, Toronto, Canada West, as I will be out of town. I write this instead of Mr. Thomas Henning, who is just about leaving for England. Hoping you will reply goon, I remain, sir, Sespectfnlly yours, AGKES WILUS. Whether Jamee ever succeeded in recovering his wife and child, is not known to the writer. Many similarly situated were wont to appeal again and again, until growing entirely hopeleae, they would conclude to many.