The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1881-04-01
The Rwna,ray stare IN "fnefe Toms
f0bfn" Tells Hoc The Noreifsf Ob-
famed the Famous story.

INC hWnUffNu hf0ff 81 ufff fonf'
tobsn" TcHs How me Noreffsf Ob-
fained the Famous sforD.
Uncle Toms Cabin is storj
familiar to almost every household ia
the land. For years children hav,
sorrowed over the treatment Of thu
poor old slave, wept that tie good
little Eva should die, and shuddered
with horror at the heartless cruelty Of
Simon Legree. Il will be OF genera
interest, doubtless, 10 state that the
man To whom Mrs. Stowe is indebted
for the incidents Of the famous story
is in the city. lie il Mr.. Lewis George
Clarke, Of Oberlin. Ohio. and
he was the original Of Geo. Harris,
the slave in "Uncle Toms Cabin,
who escaped from cruel task-masiers
and made his way North. Mr.. Clarke
is u mulatio, bright and intelligent,
and about sixty six years Of age. His
slave life was spent in Kentucky. Sold
Mt public auction. he made his escape,
experiencing many Of the adventures
detailed in the novel. lie made his
way TO Massachusetts,, and for several
years lived with Mr.. A. ii. Stafford,
relative of Mrs. Stoves, at Cam
bridgeport. Here he met the novelist
in lS43. She talked TO him frequently
Of his former life of servitude, and
learned from him many interesting
facts Of slave life in the South. From
the information thus CLEANED the
world-iamous story Of "Uncle Toms
Cabin" was written and its immortal
characters created.
Mr.. Clark says that Mrs. Stowe did
not reproduce in her book any one
character entire from his story, but
with the permissible freedom Of the
novelist, grouped the traits and charac-
terisiics Of several people of whom he
had told her into one person. Thus
while the cruel Simon Legree did not
exist in real life just as he was pictur-
ell, there were several hard hearted
slave owners Of whom he told her who
did everything that Legree does in the
novel. The men who together furnish
cd the material for this character were
Devil Adams, Of Rockcaslle county,
Ky. Tom Kennedy and John Gill
and William and Archie Woods, Of
Garrard county.
The sad adventures of Uncle Tom
were experienced by three slaves--an
aged negro Tom, owned by j. Bsnton,
of Kentucky; Rev. Josiah Henson. now
well-known colored preacher, and
Sam Peter, slave who was actually
whipped to death. OF the fate of Peter
Mr.. Clarke claims to have positive
knowledge and proof. For the kind
master. st. Clair, Mrs. Stowe was in
debted TO stories Of Mr.. Caldwell
Campbell, james Spillman, james
IL. Letcher. Joseph Letcher, Nixon
Palmer and William Beard. all native
born Kentuckians, except the latter,
who was an lrishman-"the best Irish
man, said Mr.. Clarke. II ever knew
Children will be glad to learn that
one Of the two little girls whose kind
hearts and angelic natures made little
Eva possible still lives. She is now
the Widow Logan. OF Stanford, Ky.
She was Mary Ann Banton. The
other little Eva, long since dead, was
Annie Campbell. sister of Caldwell
Campbell.
Said Mr.. Clarke: There was
Topsy ON every plantation in the
South; there was no dearlh of material
tor such a character. One Topsy, of
whom he talked to Mrs Stowe, was
house servant in the family where
he was owned. Her mistress was in
the habit of humping the girls head
against the stone door jamb for MINOR
oflenses. and the bruises resulting af-
feciei her health, and she finally died
from their effects. II Cincinnati Com.
mercial.