The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-02-18
WAS SLAVE FOR DAY
PURCHASE OF A COLoRED
CLERGYMAN FUGITIVE.
fried to Buy His Freedom-The Man
Finally Went Abroad and His Scotch
Friends Raised the Money Necessary
to Secure His Emancipation.

tlcut historical society, says the New
IorA Post, John Hooker of Hartford
related his personal experience, SHOW
ing now he became a d. d. by the pur-
chase of a colored clergyman who held
that title and who could not hold such
a title as a slave. For several years
before the passage of the fugitive
slave law the Rev. w. C. Pennington,
a III ,-blooded negro; was the pastor
OF a congregational church of colored
people at Hartford. He was a faith
ful pastor and very much respected
by the clergy of the city, as well as
by the people generally. No n
knew or suspected that he was a fugi-
tive slave and that he had never di-
vulged the fact to any of his people
in Hartford, nor even to his wife. He
disclosed the fact to me that | might
attempt to negotiate with his master
tor the purchase of his freedom. He
was born the slave of Frisbie Thigh
man Of Hagerstown, Nd, and re-
NAMED his slave until he ran away,
when he vas eighteen years old; ne
was now about forty. The name which
he now bore was an assumed one; his
name as a slave was Jim Pembroke"
After his escape he found protection
and assistance in a Quaker family in
Pennsylvania, whose kindness he had
ever since remembered with the great
est gratitude. He had already, in a
stealthy way, learned to read a little,
but hsre he began those st. dies which,
ever since pursued with unremiting
ardor and industry, had made him a
nan of intelligence ana something of
g. scholar. After awhile he entered
the Christian ministry and was licens-
ed n ordained a minister, and, as |
have represented, was now settled
over a Congregational church of col
ored people at hartford. That ne
could preach quite ccceptably l knew,
as ] had often heard him, and at one
time the Rev. DR.. Porter of Farming
ton had exchanged with him, and the
people of the quiet Old town had cen
astonished, some of them shocked, Ivy
seeing one of the blacklist men in
their pulpit. After two or three con-
situations it was decided that it was
best for him to go to Canada and re-
main while the negotiation was rend-
ing. After he had left the city |
wrote to Mr.. Tilghman. stating hat
l did so in behalf of his former slave,
Jim Pembroke who was then out of
the country and beyond his reach, but
was willing to pay a sr' Ill sum for MS
legal freedom. | took care, of course,
to give him no intimation Of his adopt
ed name, o CT his place of residence.
Mr.. Tilghman wrote mt in reply that
Jim was a first-rate blacksmith, and
we'll worth 1000" and that as serv-
ants were then very hicl, he could not
take less than $500. The sum oe-
manded was much beyond Mr.. Pen
nington's ability to pay, and on my in
forming him of Mr.. TiIghman's de-
mand we decided that it was not safe
for him to return to Hartford, but that
it was best for him to go to England,
where he would find many friends
among the abOlitiOnists there. He did
d. aAib was "'lS"N ~ INo JSolos
He found warm friends wherever he
went, and on visiting Heidelberg, Ger
many, was maze a doctor of divinity
by the university there. When the
fugitive slave law was passed, in 1850,
which, of course, made it out of the
question for him to return to America
as a fugitive slave, he was in Scotland.
and friends were determined to take
the matter in hand and raise the nee
essary money to secure his freedom,
whatever might be the amount re-
auired, and appointed a committee to
attend to the matter and correspond
with me on the subject. Upon hear
ing from the committee that they
wished me to renew the correspond
ence with Mr.. Tilghman, and to agree
to pay him whatever he should finally
insist upon, | wrote him, stating that
Jim was now in England and would
not re.urn unless his freedom was Sc
cured, and asking what was the low-
est price he would take for his free
dom. A stranger replied, stating that
Mr.. Tilghman was dead, and that he
was his administrator, and that, in the
circumstances, as he desired to close
up the settlement of the estate. he
would take $3.50. He added that, as
administrator, he had no power to
manumit, but could only sell the slave,
and the purchaser could manumit, and
wished me to name the person to
whom the bill of sale should be made.
Mr.. Joseph R. Hawley, since our SEN
ator at Washington, was then my Jun
ior law partner, and he at once went
to Maryland, carrying the money Ga
larger sum that was necessary had
been sent me by the Scotch friends),
and, by my directions, took a bill of
sale to me. | thus became a slave
holder and the owner of a doctor of
divinity, On receiving the bill of sale
l held it for a day to see what the sem
sation would be, and then executed a
deed of manumission.