The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-11-24
The story of Eliza nErrrss.

Everybody will remember the story
of the poor slave mother III ssUncle
Toms Cabin,' who escaped from her
pursuers by crossing the Ohio on float
ing ice but possibly everybody is not
aware that Mrs. Stowe only wove
real incident into the thread OF her
story. In the "Reminiscences of Levi
Coffin" just published, he gives the
following version of this thrill ing incl
dent, as told him by the woman her.
self.
She said she was slave from Ken
tuckey, the property of man who
lived a few miles back from the Ohio
river, below Ripley, Ohio. Her mas
ter and mistress were kind to her. and
she had a comfortable home. but her
master got into some pecuniary diff
Guilty, and she found that she and her
only child were to be separated. She
had buried two children, and was
doubly attached To the onessiie had
eft, bright promising chfld, over
two yeare old. When she found 1t
was to be taken from her she was filled
with grief and disrnay, aud resolved t."
make her escape that night, if possible.
She watched her opportunity, and when
darkness had settled down and al the
| family had retired to sleep, she started
with her child in her arms, and walked
straight toward the Ohio river She
knew thai it was frozen over at that
season OF the year, and hoped to cross
without difficulty ol. the Ice, but when
she reached its banks at daylight she
found that the ice had broken up. and
was slowly drifting in large cakes.
She hoped to find some way TO cross
the river the next night, but there
seemed little prospect Of any one Icing
able to cross the river in safety, for dnr-
ing the day the ice became more bro
/ ken and dangerous to cross. In the
evening she discovered pursuers near
ing the house, and with desperate cour-
age she determined to cross the river or
perish in the attempt. Claslbing her
child in her arms, she darted out of
the back door and ran toward the river.
| tollawed by her purSuers, who had Just
,lisinouuted from their horses when
! they cangh; sight Of her. No fear or
t though t of personal danger entered
/ ELIAS nlilli, ter >ise felt that she xt,nld
rather be drowned than to be captured
and separated from her child. Clasp
ing her child to her bosom with her
| eft hand, she spraag OH 10 the fist
cake OF ice, then from that TO another
and another. Sometimes the cake Size
was on wouli sink beneath ler weight,
| then sfe would slide her clilid on to
the next cake, pull herself on with er
/ hands, AID So continue her hazardous
! .ipurnY. SIZE became wet to tie waist
wit! ice water, ard her hands were be-
liumbed with cold, but as she made
I.er way frem one cake to another AI.e
( felt that surely tie Lord was pfeservitg G
and uplioI,ling Ler, aid that nutlir .
could harm her.
/ When she reached tie Ol.io side
near Ripley, She was completely ex-
! hausted and almost breathle8s. A
man who lad been standing on the
bank watching her progress with amaze
nent, and expecting every moment to
| see her go down, assisted her up tie
/ bank. after she had recovered strength
| a little lie directed her to house on
! the hill III the outskirts of town. She
made her way to the place, aid was
| kindly received and cared for 1t was
not considered fafe for her to remain
there during the night, SO, alter resting
awhile, and being provided with food
and dry clothing. she was conducted to
q station on the Underground Railroad.
a few miles farther up the river. The
next night she was forwarded on from
station to- station to our house in New
port, where sho arrived safely and re-
manned several days.
Other fugitives arrived III tie mean.
time, and Eliza ard her child were sent
with them by the Greenvil.e branch of
the Underground Railway to sandusky.
Ohio. They reached that place in
safety, aud crossed the Lake 10 t'anada.
locatsng finally at Chatham. Canada
West.