The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-10-08
UNCLE TOMS CABIN"


Two miles distant from this village,
over among & roup Of hills through
which used to wind the celebrated Grab
Orchard pike of half century ago,
stands fine old red-brick mansion fac,
ing south and commanding view Of
miles upon miles of wave like hills and
valleys. Fifty years ago it was the plan
tation OF Gen. Thomas Kennedy, Vir-
glnlan, who fought at Kings mountain
with Marion and came to Kentucky
about 1850 to wrest the garden of the
central portion Of the State from the In.
dams. The old red-brick house and the
ground, all about it have lately become
famous as being the original scene in
Mrs. Stoves novel of "Uncle Toms
Cabin.' Z Gen. Kennedy owned 1000
acres of land, 100 slaves, and was en-
ormously wealthy for those DAYS. He
was a man OF wonderful character and
determination, q Black Douglass in the
Garrard hills. He was tall, athletic
and hale man, with the erect carriage Of
an Indian and the mien Of ecommander
He was, in the main, a man Of fair i'm
pulse and royal generosity when calm
but, when angered, he was insatiably
cruel TO his slaves. Gen. Kennedy died
in 1886, and left the bulk Of his prop
erty o'his son Thomas, then about 20
years old. In three years the young
man had run through more
than "a great fortune, and was
dead at the very outset Of his career.
Among the slaves left in his estates was
an intelligent, high-strung octoroon boy,
named Lewis Clarke, who had been
granted comparative freedom, in being
allowed to travel about with an open
pass, trading, weaving and occupying
himself as he pleased, paying his master
certain sum every month. When the
estate came to be settled, it was discov-
cred that some Of the slaves must be
sold, and an execution was issued
against Lewis among the others. The
rumor got out-7and at that day the ru-
NOR was dreadful one among slaves.
that they were to be "sold down
South" On the first night of the Sep
TENDER court In 1S4l, Lewis Clarke
mounted his ponyand struck for liberty.
He rode away and over the hills to
Ohio and to Canada. Then he went to
Cambridge, Mass, lived for seven years
with A. H. Stafford, a. brother-in-law Of
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Mrs.
Stowe visited her relatives every sum-
mer, and took deep interest in Lewis
Clarke, his experience and his narrative
of incidents, pathetic, humorous and
terrible, of slave life, and the horrors
which the system made possible, and
which were, in localities, frequent from
brutal and irresponsible masters.
From Lewis Clarke's own lips gath
cred the story Of how Mrs. Stowe came
TO write "Uncle Toms Cabin" DR..
Bailey, who published the Philanthro-
pist in Cincinnati, had been persuaded
to move to Washington city about 1Si8
or 1850, where he established an eman-
cipationist organ, the National Era.
He thought if he could get some woman
Of literary reputation. and ability to
write a series Of articles for his paper
every week on the subject of slavery
and its violation of the finest senti-
ments, that it wonld revive public in
terest and carry his paper to people il
had never reached before. The names
Of Mrs. Lydia M. Child and others we're
proposed, but not accepted. Lewis
Tappan, who was one OF the counselors,
finally said he knew of one woman who
could do the work successfully, that she
was poor and must be paid for it, but
that she would succeed. He then men
toned Mrs. Stowe, and advised DR..
Bailey to write to her, and, by way OF
earnest, inclose he. a draft for 500.
The letter was written and the draft
sent. The next week there appeared in
the columns Of the, National Era, not
the first of series of articles on slavery,
but the first chapters of story called
"Uncle Toms Cabin" The circulation
Of the National Era increased at once,
and soon became very large. Mrs.
Stowe was poor and earning her money
SO laboriously that, for fear the great
novel would be cut short, she was sent
an additional draft for $500. Then she
copyrighted the story, which in book
form has made her fortune, and he.
come more famous than any novel ever
issued from printing press. --Loweii
i(ky.) Cor. Courier Journal.