McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-10-04
The Last Northern Slave.

| CLEVELAND, Ohio, September l0.-A
cOlOred women, 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
1875, when the Pennsylvania abolition
society was founded, with Benjamin
Franklin as Its first president Five
years later the sOCiety memorialized
congress ''to devise means for remOv-
ing the Inconsistency Of slavery from
the American people" Similar 1850
| Citations We're formed in Connecticut,
Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware,
Virginia and New York. The New
York manumission society WAS organ
lied in 1885, with John Jay as presi-
dent. This society brought about the
emancipation of all the slaves in the
Empire state. The late Jane Lennon
was the sole survivor OF all the slaves
held III bondage in 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
effect july "a, 1927. 1t was by this act
that Jane Lennon obtained her free
dom
She was born about l784-probably
earlier, although the exact date is not
known-in Duchess county, New
YORK. She was older than the federal
government. In early childhood she
was sold by her first master to lady
who was favorably impressed with her
brightness, and thought sbc w in the
young girl the promise of hful and
intelligent slave. James version of this
early experience was that her mother,
also a slave, gave her voluntarily to n
lady, but the account OF her being sold
is probably the correct one. Ja1.e soon
passed into other hands, and was sue
cessively sold to various persons, among
them 4 wealthy gentleman residing at
Rensselaerville. In 1917, when she was
about thirty-fiye years of age, she was
sold to Gordon w. Merrick, the father.
of Mrs. Paris Tallman, ut whose resi-
dence he died With the final transfer
of title to Mr.. Merrick, the days of Jane
Lemons captivity ended, and her life
as free woman began. Mr.. Merrick
was heartily in sympathy with the
movement inaugurated by the Manu-
therefore, not treated as a slave, but rs
4 valued domestic, and when the act of
1918 changed her legal status from
slavery to freedom. it really brought no
alienation in her condition as mem
Der of the Merrick household.
When she entered the service Of ifr.
Merrick she did not even ''know her
letters" For many years earnest and
persistent efforts were made by men,
bers of the Merrick family to teach her
to read, but the mind of the woman
could not be brought to the comprehen-
sion of written words. With great diff
6culty she acquired tolerablc familiar
ity with the alphabet, but when it came
to putting letters together the task was
beyond her power to accomplish. In
1888 the Merricks removed to Massillon,
Ohio, and four years later came to
Akron, bringing with them the faith
full servant Jane. Aer attachment to
the family, which was strong and sin
cere from beginning, grew to be the
great passion Of her life. When Mr..
Merrick died, some twenty years ago,
his decease produced marked effect
on Jane Lennon. She never rallied
from the shock, her mind and body
then showing strong symptoms of de-
cline At the age Of 95 she was able to
walk about the house swith the aid Of d
cane, and to ride out in favorable
weather. She was "a warm-hearted, af-
fectionate creature, and beloved BY all
who knew her. During her illness
Mrs. Tallmen, with whom she had lived
since the death OF Mr. Merrick, minister
I'd TO her with loving care. She WAS
4 faithful member of the Episcopal
church.