Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-07-21
pRAra o. uscLR ToR.
interesting Facts Concerning Ers. Stoves
Fern

made famous BY Mrs. Harriet BaecheE
Ssowe's immortal work, di5d at Dresden,
Ont, Saturday,, eyed q years. The true
name Of Uocle Tom was Josiah Henson,
and during his lifetime was known and ad.
dressed 40 Uncle ST. He was one of the
finest specimens Of his race, shiny black
Gkin, keen, restless eyes, intelligent face,
framed by fell silver gray beard, head
bald only little way back from the fore
head, and covered for the most part with &
wealth Of snowy wool. Some years ago
Uncle 81 paid visit 20 Detroit, stopping
at Mrs.. Days little cottage, l56 Wilkins
street, where the indafatigsble interviewer
ferreted him ous, and got from his own lips
the story Of his lie.
Tae Rev. Josiah Henson was born st
Port Tobacco, Charles county, Nd, on the
Josh OF June, 1877, of slave woman, the
property Of Josiah Mcpherson, q young
physician. A5 the age eff seven he was
sold to Adam Ro5b, planter. Under this
master ne lived only two years. He was
then boughs by Isaac Riley, under whom
he grew pp to be a man, and commenced
preaching.
80 In the slave dsys. said he, the ne
groes had 6 horror OF being sold by the
3iCAAhs ~ SAAI "a FoEt7 ANiiEf Letl q wv Id W.
snit az Annapolis, and one night he came
20 my cabin-we lived some miles below
Montgomery Court hoase-aud said 81,
it's gone agin me; 1 am ruined, and you
will al have TO be sold by the Sheriff :
and then ne told NE that he wanted me 10
run away clear TO Kentucky. So l took
my wife and children and eighteen good
slaves and went TO Kentucky to Amos Ri
ley, brother of my master" This planta-
ton OF Amos Riley and that of Mr.. 81.
Clair were separated by Backfor6's creek,
small stream in Davis county, Ky. Ri.
ley's plantation was small one, and the
fresh importation of slaves more than he
needed. They were consequently hired
out TO neighboring planters. 1t was his
good luck to work for Mr.. 81. Clair most
Of the time, and ne told the reporter he
was just saeh a man snd died jast such a
death IS Mrs. Stoves book represents.
And was there really an Eva S..
Clair ?" asked the interviewer.
son, yes, but her uame wasn't Eva it
was Susan Susan St, Clair, and she used
to read &c ne; then would sing for her.
She was an innocent, sffectiOnate, God.
fearing child, said the old man.
And did she fall in the water, and did
you save her from drowning?'
"Yes, myself and another slave were
rowing her across Blackford's creek, in a
small canoe, TO her father, who stood on
she other shore. The canoe rocked, she
became nervous and fell into the water. |
jumped after her, and can't swim either,
but the Lord helped me, just as he always
has,"
The hideous Simon Legree of the novel
was Bryce LyttoE, overgeer for Isaac Ri.
ley's plantation in Maryland. He it was
who wounded 81 go that he could not to the
day of his death lift his hands to his hsad
10 wash his fece or dress himself. He could
use his bands and arms upon any object
thst was 10 front of him, could shave his
master and do great deal of hard work,
but he could never "feel oh de wool dat
grew on de top OBJ his head"
Aunt Chloe, the faithful wife OF Uncle
Tom, was Charlotte, the patient wife of
faithful 81, but instead of crying, as she
does In the play, because Tom wouldn't
run away, she wept when ne announced his
intention to do So
George Shelby, Uncle Toms great friend,
was in reality Amos Riley, Jr, and be it
was that took 81 to New Orleans to sell
him, and while there was stricken with
yellow fever, taken back to Kentucky and
nursed back TO life by Mr.. Henson, who
shortly after made up his mind that the
Lord helps them that helps themselves,
took his wife and four children and made
his successful break for the freedom for
which he had once paid $500, and which
he had really paid thousand times by his
faithfulness to his different masters.
'fWe packed up few provisions" said
Mr.. Henson, "and put the two little pick
aninnies in bag and slung them over my
back my wife, she led the otner little
ones. A fellow rowed US across the river
and we drudged through the swamp and on
to liberty, and last week l left the two
little darkies that toted away in the bag,
now men grown, working the farm at
Dresden and the old man laughed until
his sides &ched. as he said, my farm, do
Won understand Ny farm"
81 Henson, with his little family, settled
in Colchester, Ont, but few miles from
Detroit. and with $50 colored men, OF whom
no was Captain served Her Majesty during
the Canadian rebellion by holding Fort
Maiden until Colonel Ecie took possession
of it in 1885. At the close of the trouble
he went up Big Bear creek, now Sydenhau
river, and took up large amount OF land
near where is now the hourishiDg little
town of Dresden. Here he lived and be-
came regarded by all as exceedingly vel
of, being always pastor of church. Here
at the age of 50, he learned to read and
write. In 1850 he went to England, anC
in the winter of 1850 81 he lectured il
London. Previous TO this, on several oe
l. 80 Me- Har-faE Roa1ha,
Stowe, and had told her the story OF hi
life. He had also written an aubobiogra
phy. which was published in Massachusetts,
In 1852 be went to England again, and
while there he frat learned that Mrs
Stowe was writing novel, OF which be
was the hero. Aunt Chloe died long ago
having borne Uncls Tom several children
one Of whom, Mrs. Isaac Clay, widow
recently removed from Detroit to Dresden
She has a son employed ct the CIss House
81 married again, and in 1876 determined
to visit Englsnd and take his wife, wh'
was out of health, along with Nm. HI
lectured about fifty times in London, anC
preached from pulpits where formerly stood
5Yesley and Whitfield. He left England
20 90 through Scotland and Ireland. anC
then return home, snd had got to Edin
burgh when summons from the Lord High
Chamberlain brought him back to LondoI
snd Windsor Castle. Queen Victoria re
ceiyed him with great cordiality, declaring
that she could not let him, whom she hse
known of since she was a young lady, re
turn to America without seeing him, gave
him her photograph, which bore her auto
graph, the whole set in solid gold frame
He also received fine gold watch from
wealthy English family. 81 never was OIL
race track and never visited theater o
circus but once in his life, and that was OIL
the evening of October IA, 1878, when, b!
special request of the newspaper men wh
interviewed him, ne occupied box a
Whitney's Opera House, and for the firs
time in his life saw Uncle Toms CABIN
played by the Gotthold & Rial Company
He was also introduced to the audienc
from the stage. 1t is said that Mr.. Hen
son h.d forty-four grand. children and abou
e M