The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-04-09
DID NOT WANT TO BECOME A SLAVE.
Isaac sweet, Colored, of Grantsyille, Moved
To Canada For Safety.


To Canada For Safety.
To the Editor of The Republican.
Quite number OF the prominent Old fam
lilies of Garrett and AIlegany counties have
heretofore been written up in the interest of
history. But little, if anything, has been
written about the colored folk. 1t is now
proposed to write something on that line.
The subject will be Isaac Sweet and his fam
lily, who for many years lived in the old Lit
tie Crossings district, later known as Grants
vile. In color he was mulatto; was born
in that neighborhood. with white man for
his father, but who was not known or now
remembered, but certainly some one of the
prominent men of that locality in early
times There was a number of slave owners
in olden times in that district. Isaac grew
up to manhood; was industrious, well be
haved and prosperous for one in his condi-
ton. At the proper age he felt like taking
wife. There was young woman of his color,
a little darker, over in Pennsylvania that
pleased him, but there was a severe obstacle
in the way of the consummation of the full
realization of his wishes. He was informed
the laws of Maryland did not then allow a
free colored person to come into Maryland
for any purpose. He was in quandary.
Did not want to 90 to Pennsylvania to live,
though the attractions were great. o doubt
some one advised him the legislature of
Maryland could pass a special law allowing
him to bring his new wife into his native
State. At any rate such an act was passed
in 1926. Chapter l2l and in virtue of it the
two lived in old Allegany for many years. A
considerable family of children was the pro
duct of this strange marriage. He was very
anxious to educate his children, but their
color stood in the way Of his wishes. Once
he took several OF them to the nearest school
and demanded they be admitted, but they
were refused on account of their color. He
became very indignant and declared he
would have his children ''schooled" if he had
to send them to Uniontown. At any rate
some Of them received something in the way
Of 'scho ing asJohn Henry, the oldest son,
became preacher.
Things moved on smoothly FOR Isaac Sweet
and family till the great slavery excitement
came on, growing out Of the Kansas-Ne-
braska legislation and the unfortunate bred
Scott decision of the Supreme Court. Al
though not a reader he was a keen observer.
No doubt he had heard of Lincoln's immor-
tai prophecy in his prophetic Springfield
| speech, in 1853, that this government could
not endure half free and half slave; it must
| be all free or all slave. And no doubt Isaac
also knew that about that about that time
| our legislature had bill before it. with con
S iderable support, to give all free colored
| people of the State a certain length of time
| to leave it and in case of failure to do so to
/ be reduced to slavery. This was barbarous
if not worse. Nodoubt this lifelong freeman
of color felt his liberty or free manhood &c
be in danger. So he went to work to prepare
for change of residence to some free land
1t was suggested to him Pennsylvania was Q
free State and near by. His answer was that
| it might in time become a slave State from
the then present appearances. He would
move to a place where slavery did not MOI
could not exist. Canada was the place anC
there he and all his family went and there
the descendants of Isaac and Katie Swee
still reside.
After the close Of the great Civil War ont
of the family, Katie, in her old days visited
the old home and neighbors, but she soon re
turned to the adopted country. 1t can b.
and ought to be said that Isaac Sweet ant
family left a fair record behind considering
their condition or relation to the social cir
Gle and business relations. Strange to sa
that in his early life there We're more peopl
of his color in the Little Crossings distric
than any other in the county, except Cum
berland, but now not one in the whole dis
trict,
April l, 1903. j. B.