New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-04-16
From Mississippi.
l)EI'U(;II.


To Tie Eiitor erMe No Va, onal Era:
The lineage of the Hon. j. d. Shadd,
Speaker of the House of Representatives of
the State of Mississippi, is a respectable and
distinguished one. Abraham Shatld, Esq,
his father, was born at Wilmington, State of
Delaware, about the year of IS; is well and
f,vOrably known, and much respected by all
who know him or who have had anything to
do with him.
He, rs an carly pioneer in the anti-slarcyy
cause, rendered valuable service to the sun
dergronna railroad - Which furnished the ave-
nue. of escape to so many fugitive slaves.
He furnished much valuable information,
which greatly enhanced the usefulness of the
underground Railroad" and the anti-sla-
very journals spoke in the highest terms of
praise and commentator of his services.
In short, Mr.. Shadd was foremost in all
conventional and other movements, among
colored men, that had for their object the
advancement of the cause of human cmanci-
patton.
There is large and influential family of
the Shadds. Although Mr.. Shadd, the father
the subject of this sketch, had large family
of children, yet all of them have been well
educated, and most if not all the daughters
arc, or have been, engaged in teaching in the
different States. There were thirteen chill
,lrcn in all !; five boys-Hon. J. d., Joseph
Lee, VIM. Garrison, Abraham W., and Ger
rit Smith; and eight girls-Nlary A., Eliza
beth W., Harriet, Emeinc, Amelia, Sarah,
Ada, and Eunicc.
Mr.. Shadd moved to Canada, some years
ago, with his family, where he made great
and good impression by his untiring efforts
in aiding, pccuniarly and otherwise, those of
his fellow-mcn escaping from slavery in the
United States.
| A perusal of the history and workings of
the anti-slavcry and anti-colonization move
ments, and the underground railroad work,
would bring many things to light in the life
and character of A. d. Shadd, Esq, that
should make his posterity rise up and call
him blessed.
| Mr.. Shadd was one Of the first colored men
ever elected to an honorable and trustworthy
position in Canada, under her Majcsty's gov
ernmcnt, which caused considerable comment
by the press, both in the States aud in Can.
ada. The New York Herald especially was
very much alarmed at the precedent. II
would take too much space to speak of the
relative merits of all the children of this dis
tinguished family Gall of whom reflect mucl
credit on their parcnts,) but may mention
A. w. Shadd, Esq, graduate of Howard
University Law School, and now suscessfa
practitioner at the bar of the Supreme Cour
of the State of Mississippi.
Ms. Mary Shadd Cary is too we'll known
to require even a passing notice here.
Hon. J. D. Shadd, Speaker of the Missis
sippi House of Representatives, was born a
Wilmington, Delaware, IN the year 1887. HI
was reared in Pennsylvania, in the town Q
West Chester. He msvcd to Canada abou
the year 1854, and was for several years as
sociate editor and publisher of the Provincial
Freeman, and subsequently engaged in mer
camille pursuits. In 1862 he visited Califor
mia, and returned overland, and spent thre
years on the frontier in Oregon, Nebraska
Colorado, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, and Wash
ington Territories his travels were extcnsiv
among the mines of the territories.
The information gained by him is valuable
The stories of his experience and adventure
} out in the Northwest, arc very interesting a
we'll as instructive, and would, if published
be a source of information to those who can
not be cye-witnesses of life on the frontier
Mr.. Shadd returned to Canada in 1865.
He came to Mississippi in 1870, and wa
, employed as book-keeper by b. T. Mon
gomery s. Son, at "Davis Bend )" was tn
first representative from JEFF. Davs's old Iii:
trict, after reconstruction, being elected
the legislature in 1871, from the old plants