The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-08-22
lNCLE TOMS CABIN.
HOW MRS. STOWE GOT HEP ORIG.
1NAL CHARACTERS.
The Authcrs Connection with the
Famous "Ur6er1round Railway"
The Story of Eliza Harrls---Other Fig
ures III the Story.
ohio State .J0uruul.

ohio STATE JO1rn0}.
1t reads almost like some chapter 0
forgotten historv-the story of Harrie
Beecher Stove, who did more to free
the slaves than any other one or hal
dozen causes. 1t may not be general,
J known that "Uncle Toms Cabin" wa:
written when Mrs. Stowe was "a resi-
dent of Walnut Hills, a sllrpurb of Gin
cinati, and her husband, Prof. Calvin
Stowe was connected with Lane TheO
logical Seminary. That was before the
war, when Cincinnati, in slavery days
was an important station on the ''un
dergrOund railroad" The Ohio river
was easily crossed at this point, and
numerous runaWays made their way
over from Kentucky and were met in
Cincinnati by friends who assisted them
in various ways to make good their es-
cape
Among those more or less active in
this movement were the Beechers, Mrs.
Stowe being daughter of Lyman
Beecher, president of the seminary.
| There she first imbibed her hatred of
slavery, and began work on a newspa-
per story depicting life among the
| lOWlv, that was afterWard enlarged 10
| - ~,
| which she wrote the historic work shll
stands on Walnut Hills, modest little
home, at which no passer would glance
Il second time, and all the characters
were taken from the experience OF Mrs.
stowe, who saw much of the evils Of
slavery ut that time. The "Eliza"
house that gave refuge to the escaped
slave girl who afterward figured IN the
story as Eliza, stands upon a hill near
the village of Glendale, the Van TrOmp
of the narrat We being John Van Zandt,
Il member of the Society of Friends,
who settled OF the farm ard made 1t an
underground station. The Eliza was
Eliza Harris, a Kentucky slave, owned
~ man near Ripley, O., but on the
slavery side of the river. She ran away
from her master with her child, as told
in the story, crossing the river on the
ice. and afterward sheltered in the
house OF Rev. John Rankin, whose
family still lives in Ripley.
Another young girl who gave much
TO the construction OF the character OF
Eliza was a seamstress III the
employ OF Mrs. Stowe. She came from
Kentucky with the consent of her mis-
tress, her brother being held as hos
tage for her return. The occurrences
were not frequent as the Kentucklans
were very lenient with their slaves and
often INDUCED them in trips across the
Ohio to free soil The girl was legally
free by her presence in Ohio by consent
of her mistress. Shortly after her
arrival the brother escaped, and she
resolved not to return. In this she was
encouraged by her friends, and also by
Mrs. Stowe, in whose family she had
found employment. Free papers
were obtained for her to make her con
dition doubly legal. There were many
people in Cincinnati, however, who
we're ready to serve the Shareholders by
kidnapping tugitives, and when Prot
Stowe learned that the former master
Of Eliza was in the city, and friend
tod him there was plan to take the
Girl at night, 1t was determined to put
her in a place of safety. Accordingly
Prof. Stowe performed the part OF Sen
,tOr Bird Procuring a horse and
wagon, accompanied by Henry Ward
Beecher. he drove the girl ten miles
along a lonely road and over a danger
ouslv-hoOded ford, to the house OF John
Van Zandt The fireplace Is still shown
where Eliza is said to have been con
fined during one OF the visits Of the
slave hunters to the place in their
pursuit.
Another character in the story Is
Richard Dillingham;, a young Quaker
rom Morrow. O., who came to Clncln-
natl to teach the negroes, and whose
enthusiasm led him to Nashville III
behalf of a slave, where he was lnprls-
oned and died before bis release. So
far as known, only one of the originals
of the characters of the story Is now
| living. a very old man, aid whose ad-
ventures are recorded IN this story as
the experiences of George Harris. He
crossed the Ohio at Ripley. and had
refuge for several days with the Ran
kins. He was afterwards conducted
north into Clinton county, where he
found safety and a home for years
among the Quakers of tha, part Of the
state. A son of Rev. John Rankin,
" illiam Rankin, was Harris guide,
and tells with relish the incidents OF
the escapes of Harris and Eliza
Such are some OF the scenes and
incidents and people upon which was
founded the story OF ''Uncle Tom
Cabin" book which has been read IN
every quarter of the globe, over which
millions have wept, and which brought
freedom to the captive and enduring
: fame to the woman who celebrated II
, a quiet way her eighty-fourth birthday