Images from North Country Underground Railroad Historical Association, Clinton County, Page 1. https://northcountryundergroundrailroad.com/clinton-county.php The images above are from the home of Quaker UGRR agent, Stephen Keese Smith, who lived in Clinton County, NY. He wrote about his activity in 1887. It is believed that he hid self-emancipators in his barn (first photo) in a room (photo on the right) behind a false wall (photo on left). The quote below is from Smith and should give you an idea about agents and station masters did to move freedom seekers north to Canada: “I first became acquainted with the “Under Ground Rail Road” twenty years or more before the [Civil] War … Samuel Keese was the head of the depot in Peru. His son, John Keese – myself, and Wendell Lansing at Keeseville were actors. I had large buildings and concealed the Negroes in them. I kept them, fed them, often gave them shoes and clothing. I presume I have spent a thousand dollars for them in one-way and another. There were stations at Albany, Troy, Glens Falls and then here in Peru. The Negroes would come through the woods and be nearly famished. We kept them and fed them for one or two days and then ran them along to Noadiah Moore’s in Champlain… He went with the Negroes to Canada and looked out places for them to work.” The final segment in the short story, “The Newcomer,” is finally here. My conclusion is short (only about 1 page), so I tacked it onto the bottom of Part 5 so you can re-enter the flow of the story. I also did some editing to Part 5. That’s how it works when you write. What you’ve been reading is only a second or third draft. Authors do a great deal of revision and polishing – and then get other folks to read and edit, so the finished projects are as good as they can get. Thank you for reading this and I apologize for getting this out late. I had a sick doggie yesterday, and it just wasn’t possible to post. Vida is much better today (she ate a whole bunch of something that didn't agree with her and that I did not want her to eat). I may be doing other online early-draft writing “for the duration” while we are social distancing. Maybe I’ll write a wedding story next. Who will be getting married? Wait and see. Take care all, stay safe and well, and help those who need it. Janet Comments are closed.
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AuthorsJanet Stafford, Squeaking Pips Founder Archives
August 2022
CategoriesQuestions: jrstafford52@gmail.com
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