Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-12-01
Living Character OF " Uncle Toms Cab.
In >,

Comparatively few people are aware
mat we have living in quiet retirement
mere IN Oberlin. the original of character
IN hctlon that is known even where the
name Ohio is never heard This is Mr..
Lewis Clark, the George Harris" of
Mrs. Stoves Uncle Toms Cabin" Mr..
CLARK lives in pleasant cottage on East
College St, about half a mile from the
public square. He is in needy circum.
stances, and it was the purpose of the
lecture which he delivered in the college
chapel this evening to assist him in the
support of his numerous family. In an
swer to my knock Mr.. Clark came to the
door himself. stated nv errand, and
inquired II | was nuisance
Oh, no. he said cordially, throwing
wide open the door of his little sitting
room and motioning me to chair; never
have refused any one such an accommo-
datlon rs | could furnish them. The agent
OF New York company has not been
gone fve minutes; he WAS trying to en-
gage me to act the part of George Harris
IN his troupe. But you are perfectly well
come. They call me Old Accommoda-
ton. and l always want to deserve the
name"
Mr.. Clark is an unselfsh, kindly, jovial
man OF some sixty-siX years of age. In
personal appearance he is a light octor-
Don, with gray hair and beard, and little
below the medium in height He is
man with tender sympathes, and gen
erous almost to fault. Many fellow
slave in bondage has blessed him for his
timely assistance. He came to Oberlin
about six years ago, with the purpose of
educating his children in the Union
schools, none of them having ever been
inside school house prior to that time.
His eldest daughter, young lady of
twenty years, is now teaching with mark
ed success in Washington, Ind His
eldest son, youth of seventeen, recently
came out second best in the cadet exami-
nation at Elvira, and has since received
from Annapolis several offers of sub
positions; these, however, he has declined,
since five years of schooling does not
satisfy him. What is your occupation,
Mr.. ClarkP" inquired.
Pruning. sir, chiefly; but l do any
other work to support my family, and
even then | can't pay the rent on my
house."
And yet you're happyP"
Yes, sir I'm happy as the day is
long; there isn't happier man in Ober
lin I'm full of gladness all the time
Ah, here they come" he added fondly,
as tlve or six boys came trooping into the
room. A handsomer, more intelligent
group of boys few white fathers possess.
He has nine children in all.
The facts elected in the interview en-
brace the essential points of the lecture to
night, and considerable besides.
Mr.. Clark was born in Madison county,
Ky, about nine miles from Berea college,
in the month Of March, 1914 or 1915, He
was then the slave of his grandfather,
Samuel Campbell. His father was Daniel
Clark, Scotch weaver and a soldier in
the revolution. His mother was mulatto
her own master. He was himself sold at
the death of Legree (rom Kennedy to
Legree's son, also bearing the name of
Tom Kennedy, for 81 ,25O. The latter was
II kind master, very much like st. Clair,
though addicted occasionally to drink.
Mr.. Clark saw Uncle Tom whipped near
to death by the elder Kennedy. The orig
inal Uncle Tom was a colored man by
the name of Sam Pete. His present ad-
dress is Dawn Township, Canada, (Dres-
den p. o.; he is very aged. The char
acter of Eva was drawn from two or three
little southern girls; one of these is now
dead, and with another Mr.. Clark dined
four years ago at her home in Stanford,
Ky. Colwell Campbell, who most largely
furnished the character of st. Clair, died
last year in Madison county, Ky. Mr..
Clark showed me linen wheel at which
he worked ten years, acquiring the reputa-
ton of being the best laoorer in the coun-
try. He also operated the machine in
vented by him, as described in Mrs.
Stoves work. He further showed me a
sleeve, of which the material was carded
by his sister, spun by his mother, and
woven by his father, and which was worn
by his sister on the auction block. After
ward she sent this to tell him where she
was, as it was impossible to send a letter.
This incident and several others related
to me (such MS ELIAS throwing her scarf
in the river to lead her pursuers to be-
lieve she had perished) do not appear in
Uncle Toms Cabin
When Mrs. Stowe got her information
from Mr.. Clark, she diu not tell him her
purpose, and, indeed, afterwards told him
that she had no purpose at the time.
Mr.. Clark started for the north in his
twenty sixth year, taking with him body
slave, Isaac. The tmidity of the latter,
however, caused both to return, and
Clark two weeks later consummaled his
escape alone, promising to return Tor
Isaac in year. This he afterward did,
but Isaac was dead. The meeting at the
tavern is fairly portrayed by Mrs. Stowe.
At Cincinnati he disposed of his horse,
and went to Portsmouth via the steamer
Sylph Here he took Il canal boat for
Cleveland, arriving at the latter place in
1S4l. He had been told that Port Stanley
was across big river from Cleveland,
and wandering up and down the beach of
the lake for several miles, he thought it
must be a mistake, as he couldn't see the
Port anywhere. Only driftwood then lay
where now the Union Depot and Lake
View Park extend. He finally secured
passage in sail vessel and arrived at
the Canadian port in satety.-Correspond-
ence of The Cleveland Herald.