Vol.12 1-1908
"A brief account of Iowa Friends" -Rachel Kellum
(In this issue we begin a series of articles by Rachel Kellum of Salem,
Iowa who although past 80 years old recalls the beginnings of the Friend
Church in Iowa with remarkable accuracy. If health & strength permits
she will prepare other articles. The account of the part some Iowa
Friends had in connection with slavery and war times will be read with
special interest.) G.
"Reminiscences" by Rachel Kellum WW-3-1908
"Samuel Kellum and family came to Salem in the spring of 1839 from near
New Port Indiana, now Fountain City. His wife was a sister of Levi
Coffin and was in sympathy with his anti-slavery work.
The work of assisting fleeing slaves began here as soon as any called
for it. Remaining near Salem the fist summer, they permanently located
the following year, twelve miles southeast, near the Lone Tree, one of
the marks that travelers were told to look for on the road from Ft.
Madison to Salem. The tree was a very large cottonwood and while it
served as guide for so many people, few if any, left the road to go
nearer, as a thicket of thorn bushes would prevent their seeking its
shade, and the spring of cool water was a quarter of a mile distant on
the other side of the road. During all the years of the anti-slavery
work the Lone Tree, with the thorn thicket at its base and prairie grass
on the outside of that, made a hiding place for the fugitive slave that
was never penetrated by his pursuer. Next in importance was the task of
getting him there without arousing the suspicion of neighbors, as well
as the stranger that came in pursuit, and offered money to any that
would betray their slaves."
[page 2 Picture of Nathan Kellum]
"Sheep took an important place, as they had done so many times before,
in educating men for higher duties. As every family expected to keep
sheep from whose fleeces the winter clothing was all made, and those
tufted mittens were a joy to their possessor when he went fifteen or
twenty miles to market or twenty-five to mill.
Hunting Wolves
The prairie wolves were so numerous that it became necessary to organize
a band of wolf men for he protection of its sheep. In the chase they
became acquainted with the lay of the land for miles around, where the
streams would be forded away from the traveled roads, etc., and with the
horses that could finish the chase and not be lame the next day. A small
gray mare belonging to Nathan Kellum, second son of Samuel Kellum,
proved to be one of these, and it entitled her to service later on when
her master became conductor on the underground railroad as it was
called. One of the first things the Missourians did was to go to the
stables and hunt for lame or tired horses, believing they could tell
whether they had been on duty during the night in this way."
"Reminiscences", WW 4-1908 by Rachel Kellum:
"Just before dark one evening a young man lightly tapped on door of the
Joel Garretson home four miles east of Salem. The wife cautiously opened
it, and by waving her hand showed him the way to the orchard, where he
went and found a hiding place underneath a bushy peach tree that had
tall grass meeting the limbs. In a little while the men were there
hunting him, and as they thought went all over that orchard. When they
were tired and left Joel Garretson took him to where Joseph D. Hoag
would expect to find any one that needed help. (Which was a certain
thicket) and took him food and returned to the hose to see what would
come next. They did not have to wait long until some one came with the
wife and babe of the young man, and they were taken ti him in the
thicket during the night. J. D. Hoag conveyed them to a hiding place
near his home where they remained during the day. At night the conductor
on the underground railroad came, riding as though going to a wolf
chase, but the returns had to be different. With the woman for the horse
and the two men walking they proceeded. The moon was shining and enough
of the slave holders and their men were there so that their patrols
passed over the road every thirty minutes. Under these conditions the
trip was made by keeping sufficient distance from the road, only when it
must be crossed, and then wait for a cloud in the clear sky to cover the
moon, but it came and while not large was thick enough to make a deep
shadow in which they crossed the road and thanked God for it and took
courage. When they met the man from Denmark, it was so late at night
they had to secrete the slaves in a ravine, three miles this side of
Denmark. Then the race for safety and perhaps life began. The distance
of seven miles home was covered at a speed that no one timed. The father
who was up watching, took Nathan Kellum's horse to the back stall, hid
the saddle and bridle, gave the horse a few rubs to even up the hair,
and fed all the horses in the stable, when approaching footsteps warned
him, and he concealed himself while the salve holders examined the
horses. They said none of them had been run or they had not been
sweating, and were breathing evenly, so they left, not wanting to waste
their time."
[Seeing Slavery -the web page
editor's note: Towards Nathan Kellum growing up, Rachel Kellum also
relates Nathan's experience going to the South, seeing slavery in
America and its corrupting system first hand. This part then is of the
deeper making of Nathan Kellum, conductor of fugitive slaves. These
notes follow here:]
Returns to Indiana
In the fall of 1844 Nathan accompanied his father back to the old home
in Indiana, called by the sickness of the grandmother, and as she felt
it was her last sickness, and which it proved to be, though lingering
three or four months, when her son had remained with her four weeks and
thought he must return home, she asked that Nathan might stay with her,
and it was so arranged. During the weeks that followed as she felt able
to talk, she told of how her husband was sent, when quite a young man,
from South Carolina to New Garden to school because of his hatred of the
cruelties of slavery. This made him an unwelcome member of his father's
family, and especially after the coming of a stepmother. This account
deepened his desire to see slavery on its native soil so that when he
was approached shortly after the death of his grandmother, to know if he
would go south and transact business for a doctor and his wife living in
Mooresville, he was prepared to answer in the affirmative.
Sees Slavery in the South
After a severe legal drill as to what must not be done, such as speaking
to a Negro unless there was a white man in hearing, to be found with
counterfeit money a capital offense, a test of which was given him
later, as well as what should be done and the power of attorney to
collect estates in Virginia, North and South Carolina, also with letters
of introduction to such families as the Hancocks, he started. The
traveling was to be done on horseback and four horses were taken to be
sold. This would occupy some of the time that would necessarily elapse
between the sessions of court. After challenge and a great deal of
argument he was admitted as duly authorized to transact business. He was
entertained with true southern hospitality, not being allowed to pay his
bills although staying in one home three weeks, and was shown the
institution of slavery apparently in the same spirit a large
manufacturer might take a guest over his building, and they seemed
especially anxious that he would note the promptness with which their
slaves obeyed their commands. Numerous illustrations were given of the
methods by which this was brought about. They admitted that the hardest
problem they had to meet was to keep families from visiting over Sabbath
when they had sold them apart, and gave the account of one man they shot
to death because he would not be whipped for going to see his family who
had been sold to a planter twelve miles distant.
On the day before he was to start home, the property of a deceased
planter was to be sold at public sale, consisting mostly of slaves, and
as there was a large number it would bring people for miles around. He
had been invited to attend several days in advance and it was insisted
upon as the time drew near. He felt it would be a severe ordeal for him,
but decided it was best to go, and as he wanted his horse shod, they
told him that it could be done by the blacksmith where they were going.
They went, but the blacksmith could not be found until half an hour
later, when a white boy about fourteen years of age, came and asked if
he really wanted a horse shod, and said he would find the smith. The old
man had hid because he knew that they expected to sell him first, and he
seemed to think it would be better if he could put it off until the
last.
Auction Block
But to shoe a horse for the northern man, as that was the name he went
by, was enough to bring him out, and he fastened the shoes on the front
feet undisturbed, but the sound of the hammer had told that he was
there, and enough men came to overpower him and take him to the auction
block. He screamed with terror amid the jeers of the bystanders. The
bidding was spirited between the heirs, until $900 was bid by the young
master, fourteen years old, and he was knocked off to him, then the joy
of the old man seemed to know no bounds, and he expressed it in shouts
of joy and songs of praise to "the good Lord" that he would get to end
his days with the young massa on the old plantations. He returned to the
shop and finished shoeing the horse. He had shod race horses for years
and he had a better shop and tools than the average and was proud of his
work which was the very best.
Attempt to Sell Mother from Her Children
The closing scene of the day was trying to sell a mulatto mother from
her two children, one three years old and the other, perhaps one. They
had promised her that she would be sold with her children, so that she
came to the block without resistance, and there was a great deal said
about the amount of work she was able to do, etc., and then all at once
the bidding began on the little boy, three years old. Knowing this meant
separation, the mother gave one heart-piercing cry of despair and fell
senseless. Then began a scene of cruelty that need not be described more
than to say, the skill displayed in striking so many cruel blows without
breaking bones would have done credit to a better cause, but they could
not and did not win. Finally growing tired of their fruitless task, with
muttered curses they sold them together.
Tells Them What He Thinks of Slavery
That evening there were more guests at the home and during the evening
after they had assembled in the parlor the man of the house spoke
directly to Nathan Kellum, and said, now we want to know what you, as a
northern man and a stranger, think of our institution of slavery?
Believing that his answer would be used as evidence against him, he took
time to think and offer a silent prayer to God for wisdom. Then asking
if the slaves were in their quarters for the night, so they would not
hear, and when assured that they were, he told them that he would give
them an honest answer, as they had kept insisting upon it.
So he told them that in the light of a Book that they claimed to honor,
which said, "all nations of the earth are made of one blood" they were
holding their brother man in cruel bondage, and that the Negro would not
endure it much longer. He used some of their own narratives as an
illustration of the truth that the Negro had begun to say in action what
Patrick Henry said in words, "Give me liberty or give me death." At this
they almost ground their teeth. Then in answer to those questions as to
what his solution of the question would be he pointed out emancipation
by peaceable legislation, then hiring possibly the same men and women.
Honoring the marriage relation and the right of parents to their
children. They answered almost as with one voice, "Never, wile the sun
shines." "Then it will be done with the sword, and if it comes to that,
your streams will run with blood." This continued for nearly two hours,
their anger seeming to give place to astonishment that he did not seem
to fear the consequences of using the right of free speech.
Accused of Having Counterfeit Money
In the morning he was allowed to start on his journey just being asked
the question if he was going to the court house to have his money
changed. Answering that he was they seemed to be satisfied. When he got
there he was told that one ten dollar bill was counterfeit. Then he
understood the situation and when a little distance on the road back to
where it had been given him, there was a path turned off into the woods
that went the direction he ought to go, so allowing the horse to have
its own way, they traveled ten miles without leaving the woods. The
officers and men that were to arrest him, passed over the road not more
than a quarter of a mile from the path he was following. When he came
out of the woods he found lodging with a poor white family who were
willing to take pay for what he wanted and asked no questions. He told
them he was tired and would like to sleep during the heat of the
afternoon and go on his journey when it would be cool in the early
morning. Thus he was led safely on his way reaching Mooresville, Ind.,
at the appointed time.
He came to Iowa fully persuaded in his own mind and ready for the
dangerous work that had increased during his absence, an account of
which will be given in the next chapter."
"Reminiscences", Western Work -1908 by Rachel Kellum
["Western Work" was a regional publication
of the Society of Friends published in Oskaloosa, IA, from 1894 - 1912.
Magazines of the late 19th and early 20th century
commonly published reminiscence of the pioneer
generation knowing that an era was closing and the
eye-witnesses were leaving too. -Doug Hamilton]
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