Evening star., 1896-07-18
WAS HE THE ORIGINAL UNCLE TOM,
J0riah Henson Said to Have Surrest.
ed the Character to Mrs. Stowe.
n II

From tie Hartford Times
M. Wells Bridge Of Springfield. treasurer
OF Hampden county, has an interesting
reminiscence Of the first meeting of Mrs.
Harriet Beecher Stowe and Father" Josiah
Henson. the original of uncle Tom
While visiting in East Hartford on Satur-
day he told the story. which now for the
first time is put into type.
About 1847 or 1S48 his father, the Rev.
Jonathan d. Bridge, Methodist minister,
the pastor of church in Boston. was an
active member of the snti-slavery party, SO
called. and was connected with such per-
sons as William Lloyd Garrison. Wendell
Phillips and Harriet Beecher Stowe in aid
ing escaped or fugitive slaves. He gave
much time to aiding fugitive slaves on their
way from Boston to Canada 1t was this
work which made him acquainted with
Father Henson, who had fled from Ken
lucky to Canada. and who was a train dis
patcher on the underground railroad"
Henson was a negro of unyielding
tenacity, unfailing resources, quick wit, and
also of deep piety. He was at this time
fifty-nine years old. Both of his arms had
been broken. anf he was cripple, though
strong In muscle and constitution. When
he was a young boy his master had become
involved in fight in Maryland tavern
and had been rescued by Henson, his body
servant, who incurred the deadly enmity of
Bryce Litton, one of his assailants Littop
subsequently broke the colored boys arms
with a fence rail. Not content with this, he
smashed both shoulder blades also.
Henson's story made profound impress
sion on the Rev. Mr.. Bridge who introduced
him to Mrs. Stowe. while she was staying in
Boston. The colored man told to Mrs
Stowe the story of his escape across the
Ohio river. His start from his cabin was
made at 3 o'clock on September night
moonless and stormy The fugitive had In
duced fellow slave to secrete little skiff
by the Kentucky bank and to ferry Henson
his wife and his two boys to the free soil of
Indiana. For q fortnight the runaways
piodded steadilD on, keeping to the road
during the night, hiding in q ditch when an
approaching vehicle or horseman was heard,
and burying themselves. in the woods during
the day. Finally his little ones were on the
brink of starvation. To obtain food for
them 1t became necessary for their father
to expose himself by daylight on the road
even at the risk Of discovering himself tc
slave hunters and bloodhounds He left his
nocturnal hiding place, took to the road
and turned southwark, to make himself ap-
pear ike free or manumitted negro, rather
than fugitive slave, who would naturally
be northward bound. The occupants of the
first house he dared to approach had moth
Ing for niggerS!' At the second the mai
refused him surlily, but the woman ex-
claimed to her husband:
III dog was hungry, I would give him
something!"
To Henson she said: I'VE may need help
some day, or our children may"
The good female Samaritan filled a plate
with venison and bread. Henson placed tho
food In his handkerchief and laid a twenty
hve-cent piece on the table. His benefactof
quietly placed the coin In his handkerchief
with an additional slice of venison.
When Mrs. Stowe wrote Uncle Toms
CABIN. about two years after she first met
Henson. she incorporated into the story
many OF the incidents whfcE he had told tr
her during his various visits. Much of the
colorins of the tale was derived from Tho
descriptions. however rude and homeIy
which Henson had given during their many
conversations in Boston,
When Uncle Toms Cabin" was published
MRS. stowe gave to Mr.. Bridge one of the
proof copies. The volume was as it cam.
from the press, unbound and with the ink
scarcely dry. Mr.. Bridge did not allow him.
SELF TO sleep until he had almost literally
devoured the book. His emotional natur,
was shaken as never before or subsequently,
In nearly every chapter there was som,
touch or allusion or some description @,
some incident In which he could recognize
an experience of Father Josiah or informa-
ton which the old negro had given
Mr.. Bridges s son, In speaking to the Times
correspondent, stated that Henson tool
up land in Canada and became a subject OF
Queen Victoria. OF the slaves which IN,
aged cripple assisted to escape. he tool
many to Dawn, on the Canadian river
Sydenham, where he established a lumber
camp and colored colony.
> Father Henson said Mr.. Bridge was
man of great energy. If his mind was
made up to accomplish certain thing that
ithing was as good as done, for he got there
In some way or other. To illustrate this
would speak Of his black walnut episode
On his lands in Canada was heavy growth
OF black walnut, which was of very IittJt
value In Canada, but which, he considered
would bring fancy price in England. H.
caused four large boards to be sawed and
sent them to the worlds fair in London
These were seven feet long by four wide
and of beautiful texture and grain. On their
arrival in England he had them planed and
polished SO carefully that they shone almos;
as effulSently as mirrors. Near the top of
each board he had painted:
This Is the product of the industry of a
fugitive slave from the United States, whose
residence Is Dawn Canada
The old man was on hand when Queen
Victoria passed through his section. He,
majesty returned his respectful salutation.
ana asked uest1ons about hi i'm and his ex-
hibit. Henson was the only colored ex-
hibitor. His undertaking opened an ex-
tensive trade in black walnut from Canada.
and proved to be very profitable invest
ment.
''As to the number of fugitive slaves whom
he aided in escaping to Canada. God only
knows. He was continually at that work.
On his visits in Boston Father Henson
would bring his mail to the house of the
Rev. Mr.. Bridge. whose son, the gentleman
who furnished the information for this ar
ticle, would open the crippled old mans let
ters and write the replies at his dictation.
Alter tne Qedtn OF tne eltter fSr1uge the old
negro drifted beyond the family's horizon.
One evening, nearly twenty years later. Mr.
Bridge, grown from a youth to a man In
middle life, came face TO face with Father
Henson in front of a brilliantly lighted store
on Main street, Springfield. He accosted
the aged negro familiarly but was not
recognized. owing to the complete change
In his appearance Oh his informing the
old gentleman who he was, he was nearly
strangled in a wild. suffocating embrace.
The aged cripple cast away both of his
canes in order to hug his old Boston friend
the more heartily. Pedestrians at first
feared case Of garroting. The old gentle
man exclaimed: Praise the Lord.' in tones
which could have been heard six blocks
away. In short time Mr.. Bridge had his
companion seated at a prayer meeting
Black as ebony, he was looked upon by some
of the attendants as out of place, but early
in the meeting he made prayer which dis
closed his homely eloquence and deep p;ety
During the evening he delivered an address
which made profound impression. At the
close of the service most of his auditors
demanded of MI. Bridge an Introduction to
the old fellow.