Ohio’s Role in the Underground Railroad

By: Shannon Meyers, Colin Fugger, Calvin Vordem Esche, Abby Baker, and Carly Kutschbach

Background on Underground Railroad

Network of conductors, people who help runaway slaves escape to freedom.

Went from the South to Canada

About 100,000 slaves left the south between 1810 and 1850

Conductors used vases of roses to show how many slaves were staying on the property, one rose per slave

Conductors along the rivers often used lanterns to signal if the river was safe to cross

The Fugitive Slave Act stated that people had to help return runaway slaves, therefore, the Underground Railroad was illegal.

Underground Railroad in Ohio

Ohio was a northern, antislavery state

It’s estimated more that 40,000 slaves traveled through Ohio to Canada in the Underground Railroad

In Ohio, it started from the Ohio River and went through Chillicothe, Circleville, Columbus, Worthington, and Westerville, to Lake Erie and Canada

Otterbein University

Before the Civil War in 1861, the President of Otterbein University, Lewis Davis, was involved in the Underground Railroad efforts.

By the time Otterbein was an official university, Westerville was well known as an antislavery town with many Underground Railroad stops.

Hanby House160 W Main St. Westerville, Ohio

Owned by William Hanby, who helped many runaway slaves on their journey to freedom by sheltering and transporting them

Operated a saddle and harness shop behind his house, where it is believed that he sheltered slaves.

Slaves were lucky if they stayed with the Hanby’s. They ate dinner with the runaways every night, concealed them in false bottom carriages and treated them as equal human beings, not lesser people.

The Hanby’s were so good at protecting the runaways that none were ever caught.

Sharp Family

825 Africa Road Westerville, Ohio

Garritt Sharp was another famous abolitionist in Westerville who assisted Hanby, Davis, and Stoner.

Helped more runaways North toward what is now known as Africa Road, getting its name by how many runaways stayed along the road

Runaway slaves stayed in cabins on the Sharp’s property

The Sharp’s donated the land Otterbein is on today

John Rankin

Presbitarian minister and conductor on the Underground Railroad in Ohio

Lived in Riley, Ohio, a town on the Ohio River

Helped signal to runaways when it was safe to cross the river

Gave shelter and food to over 2,000 runaway slaves

Kelton Family

586 East Town St. Columbus, Ohio

Fernando and Sophia Kelton believed slavery was wrong

Had a 300-gallon cistern in their yard, where it is believed runaways hid

The Kelton’s helped 2 female slaves, one of which was too ill to go on; they kept her and cared for her, and educated her. She later married a free black carpenter who worked for Mr. Kelton

Oberlin Rescue CaseOn September 13, 1858, a federal marshal arrested a runaway slave named John Price.

The Fugitive Slave Act stated that the federal government had to help slave holders in getting back slaves

The marshal took Price to Wellington

Oberlin abolitionist were so upset they went to Wellington to free Price. They got him, and hid him, then helped him to Canada. Soon after, he died

The marshal was arrested, along with a few guilty people; many were let go.

2 men filed Habeas Corpus but lost

This angered many people