Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-01-20
From the Cincinnati Columbian, January.
SLAVES LIBERATEDs-A FAMILY UNITED
STORY OF TWO KIDNAPPED.

a deeply interesting reunion Of n severed fam
lily took place at the house of Mr.. Levi Coffin
on last Saturday. - The story, as told us
by the parties, runs in this wise Forty.eight
years ago two little cOlorcd boys, named Pc
ter and Levin Still, we're playing in the highway
near their fathers house, on the Delaware river
when q a stranger passing by in gig asked them
to take u ride. The boys did so, and were thus
kidnapped and carried to Lexington, Ny, where
they were sold to one John Fisher. They were
ultimately sold to 9th + masters, and after thirteen
years slavery in Kentucky, we're sent south, were
they were purchased by John Hogan, of Franklin
county, South Alabama. AT the age of twenty
four Levin died, but Peter continued n slave for
thirty-one years. During this period he married a
female slave belonging to one Barnard Mckion, a
n~eighbor of his master, ard had three children,
two sons and a daughter. BY years of extreme
economy, Peter at last saved five hundred dollars.
this was enough to purchase his freedom, and q
worthy Jewish gentleman, acting for Peter paid the
money.
Peter badc farewell to his family and went
north, to Philadelphia, to discover, if possible, his
relatives. By n series of extraordinary providen-
ccs he found his aged mother and eight brothers
and sisters still living. lie labored for some time
to save enough to buy the freedom of his family,
but as his accumulations were slow and the amount
to be raised very large-S5, 000-he at last deter
mined to appeal to the charitable public for aid.
lie went from place to place telling his story and
asking assistance. In the meantime, his family
ran away from tnelr master. IrlNellnH at
night and lying by in the daytime, they escaped
from the slave states and to Indiana, where, how
ever, they were captured by n white man named
Anderson, who resides near Vincennes, and who
returned them to their master. The abolitionists
OF Indiana made an effort to get them of, but did
not succeed.
Upon being taken back, they grew hopeless Of
ever ~lgetting free. AT last, after four years of
effort, Peter had raised the five thousand dollars,
and a few weeks ago an agent was dispatched to
Alabama. lie purchased the wife and children,
and brought them on to this city to which Peter
had come from Philadelphia to meet them. The
reunion was deeply affecting. One of the sons is
twentyseven and the other twenty-four years Of
age.
One of them had a wife in Alabama, who died,
leaving a baby only a few months old. When
coming away, the father begged hard for this little
one, but it was worth 5000. He had nothing, and
came away without it.
If these are fair samples, southern slaves have
not been so much degraded and brutalized rs is
sometimes represented. These colored men say
that when they were taken back from Indiana,
they used to be sent for to make private revelations
to slaves, who resided as far as twenty miles dis
tant, and who wished to know something of the
route north, andIthe people of the free states.
Peter expects, when he reaches Philadelphia, &c
publish a card of thanks to those who have
aided him. lie and his family will leave Thu
morning.