The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-03-17
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
A PartiaIAccOuDto of Berkeley LisbOn's First
Escape from Slavery,

Escape from Slavery,
Editor Free Trdder:-ln your Issue OF
Feb. 18th, notice an account of the negro
Berkeley, who lived here before the war.
As he worked tor my father, have often
heard him tell the story Of the troubles he
had In slavery and out Of It; and also In
getting out of 1t.
Berkeley Lisbon was the name he gave.
1, may, CT may not have been his true
name. To have given his true name
might have been the means OF returning
him to slavery; but am inclined to be-
lieve II 10 have been his true name; for
he plainly told where he Was born, In
Saline Co., Missouri, which lies on the
Missouri river lie often spoke OF Chair.
TN Co, and of Keytsville, Fulton City, and
elias gov, which towns are on the river.
The way he related the account Of his
life, or, rs near as can remember, Is as
follows 1T Uegins a short time before he
left his old birthplace In Salina Co., Mo.
His old master died, leaving the planta,
ton and negroes In the care of son about
the age of Berkeley. About this time" he
said, began to think had as much
right 10 my time Ms my master, or any
other ma, hut rs | did not wish ~ have
my people loose the money value that was
in me, | asked the young master 10 take
me to ST Louis and sell me, and | would
run my chances of escaping To Canada, or
10 free state" But the young master
would not agree t. II AT first tie In course
If year gave II up, t,r he found that
young Berkeley WAS Swing seeds OF discon
,-nt among the other negros on the place
He tried for nearly II year 10 Induce him
70 give up the idea If going, but TO NJ
purpose. The plan was, therefore, made
between the young master and Berkeley, to
sell Berkeley and save the money for the
masters family Al this time Berkley's
father was dead but his brothers and his
mother were yet living, and were on the
old plantation His mother and brothers
we're kept In ignorance of the way matters
we're shaping. fer the purpose Of avoiding
parting scene, especially with his moth
-r, for he knew II was very likely the last
time they would ever see each other, and
he knew she would, II she were aware OF
what WAS up, mnk- n great fuss. To g-
,Iear Of th. place sm"thly was the thint
d., and here WAS the way they did: The
mo -ning Of ia. start, the young master salt
~. was going to ST Louis, and wanfet
Rsrkley 10 drive the wagon 10 Glasgow
No suspicion being aroused they Wen
without his mother or any Of the negroes
nistrus,ing anything, Arriving nj Glas
W, they took steamboat for 81. Louis
Tue next day fter arriving In the city, th'
Young master sold him to "A baker. The,
did each other good bye, the young MAJ
hdvising him not oren away, Ms he woult
~ doubt be ,aughf, and then you'd b.
shipped to n cot.on state way down South
where negroes had To work very hard. Tn,
baker SOD saw he had an elephant on bi
Il ,nds, and for fear he would lose IN,
price he had paid for this negro by hi
rinning away. he sold him 20 Il slave deal
rr, who was buying up n gang 10 take Il
tae far South. He was put Ia slave pei
With others. Some were silent and sullen
others by turns cried, or were calm. III
played the cheerful part; so much so tina
the dealer would put his hard under III,
chin of some young woman that was cry
ing (the women nearly all cried) ana poin,
ing to Berkeley, would say: Cheer N
now, cheer up look al that Mig. laughing
over there" He told the dealer he coul,
pick the banjo SO he went and bought on
aud Berkeley sang and played for the down
hearted creatures, which helped 10 keeI