The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-10-03
THE LAST NORTHERN SLAVE.
story of Her Life in Bondage and Freedom.
cleveland (O.) Correspondence OF the New York

story of Her Life in Bondage and Freedom.
cleveland Co) corEssPondence of the New York
A coIored woman, Jane Lennon, who died
a few DAYS ago at Akron, about 100 years OF
age was it is claimed the sole survivor OF
all Northern slaves. The story of her life
dates back to 1775, when the Pennsylvania
Abolition Society was founded, with Benja-
min Franklin as its first President Five
wears later the Society memorialized Con-
gress TO devise means for removing the
inconsistency OF slavery from the
American people Similar Associations
were formed in Connecticut, Rhode Island,
York. The New York Manumission Society
was organized in 1855, with John Jay as
President The Society brought about the
emancipation of all the slaves in the Empire
State. The late Jane Lennon was the sole
survivor of all the New York slaves, and
probably she was the sole survivor of all the
slaves held in bondage in the Northern
States. In 1917 the Legislature of New York
was induced to adopt an act providing for
absolute and universal emancipation
throughout the Commonwealth. to take eff
feet July 1, 1897. 1t was by this act that
Jane Lennon obtained her freedom.
She was born about 17S4-probably earlier,
although the exact date is not known-in
Dutchess County, New York. She was older
childhood she was sold by her first master to
a lady who was favorably impressed with her
brightness. and thought she saw in the
young girl the promise of faithful
and intelligent slave. James version of
this early experience was that her own
mother also a slave. gave her voluntarily to
the lady, but the account of her being sold
is probably the correct one. Jane soon passed
into other hands, and was successfully sold
a VarlOnS fhapa n Inv
gentleman named Lennon, residing at Rens-
:, aerville. In 1916, when she was thirty-five
yeas of age she was sold to Gordon w. Mer-
rick, the father of Mrs. Paris TalIman. at
whose residence she died. With this final
transfer of the title to Mr. Merrick, the days
OF Jane Lemons captivity ended,
and her life as a free woman began. Mr.
Merrick was heartily in sympathy with the
movement inaugurated by the Manumission
Society, and the woman was therefore
not treated as slave, but a valued domestic,
and when the act of 1917 changed her legal
status from SLAYER to freedom, it really
brought no alteration in her condition as a
member of the Merck household.
When she entered the service of Mr.. Mer-
rick she did not even know her letters -
For many years earnest and persist efforts
were made by members of the Merrick fam
lily to teach her to read, but the mind of the
woman could not be brought to the compre-
hension of written words. With great diff
Guilty she acquired tolerable familiarity
with the alphabet, but when it came to put
ting letters together the task was beyond her
power to accomplish. In 1888 the Merricks
removed to Massillon, O, and four years
later came to Akron, bringing with them
the faithful servant Jane. Her attachment
to the family, which was strong and sincere
from the beginning, grow to be the great
passion OF her life. When Mr. Merrick died
twenty years ago his decease produced a
marked effect on Jane Lennon. She never
rallied from the shock, her mind and body
then showing strong symptoms of decline
AT the age OF ninety-five she was able to
walk about the honse with the aid OF
cane, and to ride out in favorable
weather. She liked to have the papers read
to her, her favorite paper being the New
York Tribune which she always called THE
Triboo." Many other words she was never
able to pronounce rightly. She was warm
hearted, affectionate creature, and beloved
by all who knew her. During her illness
Mrs. Tallman, with whom she had lived
since the death of Mr.. Merrick, ministered to
her with loving care. She was a faithful
member OF the Episcopal Church.