The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-10
AN OIB-TiME APOSTLE.
Visit of Parker Pillsbury to lndianapolis-A
Talk With the Great AbolitiOnist.

Parker Pillsbury, almost the last survivor
perhaps the last, if Frederick Douglass be not
included, of that phalanx Of great Aboltionists
whose mission ended with the war for the
Union and the abolition of slavery, was in the
city day or two last week, the guest of old
time southern Ohio friends. Gerpitt Smith,
William Lloyd Garrison, Stephen S. Foster,
Wendell Phillips and others of his co-laborers
are gone, but Mr.. Pillsbnry remains to link the
great men Of that period, reaching from 1840 to
1860, to the present Mr. Pillsbury lives at Con-
cord, N. FL. He stands erect his eye is clear,
hisface full his hair and beard sprinkled largely
with white. In answer to a question as to his
age he replied clam older perhaps, than you
would think / have looked seventy six winters,
some of them rather severe ones, out of counte-
nance If 1 live until the 22d of September,
shall be seventy-six years old"
II was congregational minister, butt left
my church with five calls in my pocket, because
1t would not sustain me in the work to which
had set my hand. was then in London, N. H.
My work in the anti-slavery cause was lecturing.
was four years an editor, not from choice, but
because was put into that place. My lecturing
tours extended, my say, from the Atlantic
ocean to the Mississippi river in the Northern
States. Mobsl Oh yes, q number OF very
fierce ones. One Of the worst at Ann Arbor,
Mich. The little Quaker church in which
spoke was about demolished. We put the women
out of the window. l got out safely. The
Quakers were our most hearty helpers and best
friends fns The churches did nothing toward
they now desire to be thought Of as
having helped the movement Stephen
s. Foster shows this in pamphlet published in
lS43, III some respects the most remarkable
pamphlet of seventy.two closely printed pages
that the anti-slavery or any other enterprise of
reform has ever produced. It's title was The
Brotherhood of Thieves or, a True Picture of
the American Church and Clergy"
The reporter asked Mr.. Pillsbury if he had had
any disagreeable experiences in this part of
Indiana. "No," was the answer, my lectures
were for the most part in the northern part of
the State, near the Michigan line. Frederick
Douglass. however was rnobbed at Pendleton.
] think that was about 1913, but it may have
been later A rufian, with a bludgeon, broke
the bones in one of Mr.. Douglasss hands, and he
has never had much use of that member since.
The mob visited DIR. Fussel,s house and Office in
body, stoning his Office and breaking it 10
pieces The Doctor who was an Abolitionst and
a valuable man in any community, concluded he
had enough of the West went back to Philadel-
phia and Pendleton lost good citizen.
have spoken in al sorts of places, and to all
sorts Of audiences Once remember speaking
in an attic built out from house, extending over
a place in which pigs were kept. A great storm
came up, and the rattle of the rain on the shin
giles, and the squealng Of the pigs below it, re-
CURED considerable voice to Shrek for freedom"
The reporter ventured to say to Mr.. Pillsbury
that he looked young for his ears, as indeed he
does
I'VE are an old family, and may say a long
lived one. The Pillsbury homestead, in Newbury
port Mass, was bought by the first Pi1lsbury in
1850. of Judge Rawson, a famous prosecutor of
the Quakers, celebrated by Whittier in one of his
poems. The old log house was displaced IN LOO,
and a two,story house built in its place, which
stands to this day, and in good repair. One gen.
Grafton OF Pillsburys was born in
the log cabin, and seven generations have
been born in the house that succeeded it. 1t is
still in the Pillsbury name, and has never been
out of it, and it is occupied by q Pillsbury now.
He is ninety years old. and as the property will
leave the Pillsbury name at his death. j have
seen many changes have driven through the
places where Lowell and Lawrence Mass, now
are, and where Manchester. N. H., now is be-
fore brick had been laid in either Of those
popuious and thriving places.
AT Richmond, this State, an anti-satery con-
vention was to be held. The Methodists yio
lently opposed it, but finally, becoming
ashamed, said they would give their
house for the meeting conditionally that 1 be
not permitted to speak. That was in 1853 It
at Richmond, in 1884, that Henry Clay
came to attend the great yearly meeting to get
the Quaker vote 1t was the third party vote be
wanted, which chiefly consisted of Friends. ]
think he was stopping at Judge Raridens house,
the Judge being chairman of the committee. of
reception to Mr.. Clay. The Quakers wanted to
know how Mr.. Clay stood on the question of
human slavery. Mr.. Clay had been driven to
the meeting ny his colored coachman behind
magnificent span OF horses. Hiram Mendenhall
presented the petition to Mr.. Clay asking
his views The great Kentuckian was
highly indignant He abused Mr.
Mendenhall roundly telling him to mind his
own business My slaves said Clay, are fat
and sleek. There's Charles, my coachman, he
would not leave me- and he is better dressed
than you are, sir This incident created split
among the Quakers, and it also defeated Henry
Clay. the changes being rung all over the North
upon the expression my slaves are fat and
Sleek
Mr.. Pillsbury is engaged il republishng some
of the famous abolition tracts that stirred the
country nearly half century ago. He has al
ready republished Stephen Fosters famous one,
THE Brotherhood of Thieves, True Picture
of the American Church and Clergy" and an
other The American Church the Bnlwark of
American Slavery" by James G. Brney.