Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-04-12

1he Death OF Lewis hayden
The passing away Of this prominent col
ored citizen of Boston iss fitting opportunity
to place before the younger generation the
leading incidents In the career Of this once
fugitive slave. We find in the New York
Tribune the following sketch Of = Boston
correspondent Of that paper;
Lewis Hayden had a remarkable experi-
eaee in his lifetime, and participated &C
lively in many of the events connected
With the agitation for the abolition of
the slavery into which he himself was
born. His birth took place in the
family Of Adam Rankin, Presbyterian min
ister at Lexington, Ky. on December s,
1916. In 1926 he vas sold to Elijah Wea-
yer. the consideration for the sale being a
pair of horses. In 1850 young Hayden de-
tsrmined to escape from slavery. ADD At the
end Of September. 1874, he. with his wife
and child, began his igh,. in which he was
assisted by the Rev. Calvin Fairbanks and
Miss Julia A. Webster, who were aftsrvard
Imprisoned for their part in the matter.
His wife had been given the neces-
and che, after giving Al intended
visit to the town a. an excuse for a short abb
sence, passed her child out of the pantry
window to her husband while she vent out
through The door. Mr.. Fairbanks and Miss
Webster met them outside of the city limits,
-here a conveyance was taken. At that time
the clandestine marriages of the beaus and
bellies of Kentucky were quite frequently eel
ebrated upon the opposite bank of the river,
on the soil Of Indiana and Ohio. Ii was as
the attendants Of couple osten-ibly bound
upon such q romantic mission that Mr.. Hay
len and bis wife were enabled to secure safe
passage from Kentucky. Crossing the river
at Ripley, Ohio, on September 80, the es-
capped slaves found themselves in the hands
of the agents of the Underground rails ay."
They were pursued and large rewards were
offered for their capture and return, but they
escaped TO Canada. No sooner had Mr. Hay
den reached the North than he at once began
sufferers. Six months later he again crossed
the line from Canada and made his home in
| Detroit. There he succeeded in establishing
school and church for colored people and
raising funds for the erection of church
building In lS45 he made his first visit to
| Boston and on this occasion he made an ad-
/ dress which attracted such attention that he
was engaged by the Anti-Slavery Society to
/ lecture, and he lectured in New England and
/ New York
In lsis Mr.. Hayden went to Boston to
reside, and his home was somewhat of a
headquarters for anti--lavery workers. II
was there that plans for the John Brown
raid were talked over. While this discussion
was in progress the hiding of the paper.
became necessary, owing to fear of sur
prise. asd the papers, kilograms, ETC.. from
John Brown and his friends were hidden un
der the carpet in the stting-room. At one time
Mr.. Hayden dwelt in such fear of the slave
hunter that, collecting several fugitives a
his home, he caused kegs of n-powder t.
be placed in his cellar which were to be free
in case the blood hounds found their way t,
his door, Mr. Hsyden's arrival in Boston
did not very long precede the passage of tn,
Fugitive Slave Law, and in the opposition t,
1t he took a leading part He was indicte,
and tried for being concerned in the escap,
Shadrach, but the jury failed to agree. Mr.
Hayden was also concerned in the Semme
ESCAPE and other prominent cases of the day
At one time he was engaged in business il
supplied by prominent anti slavery resi-
dent. About thirty years ago he entered tn
office of the Secretary of State of Massa
: chusetts, where he was employed at the tim
of his death. During the war he was ener
getic in recruiting for the 18th Massach sett
Regiment. In politics he was Republican
and as such served in the House of Re pre-
sentatiyes as member from the old Sixt
Ward In his latter years Mr. Hayden ha
been instrumental in securing the recognize
throughout the world CT the colorcd, o
Prince Hall, Grand Lodge of Masons, an
had been ever xatchful of any threatcne
infringement of the social privileges or pcliti
cal rights of The eolored race. command
cry of Knights Templar was named afte
him. He had also been an ardent worker i
the cause of education in the South. II
made several contributions to Masonic litera
ture, was active in his efforts on behalf o
equal school privileges for white and colore
children, and was an advocate of Temperance
on woman's suffrage.