The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1911-06-29

era epidemic. The loss of the Steam
er Lady Elgin with some of our
pupils on board, Jarvis Cosgrove and
Albert Patterson being among them
There were instances of individual
herolsm among these fathers. In 1850
to-lS56 it required fortitude and cour-
age to defy public opinion and carry
on a hopeless political fight. There
were such men here, a small eoterie,
wings, free sellers and abolitionists,
who stood up year after year as can
didates to be knocked down and de-
feated, retiring and declining noniina-
lions when the fight was won.
Willie S. NJ Booth and Thomas His
lop were being mobbed and imprisoned
for stumping the state in the anti-slav-
cry cause, there were men here put
| ting their convictions into practical
force and defying the law. | have been
asked to say what [ know about the
underground railroad: John B. Jilson,
R. Fl. Deming, Charles Clement, VIM
IL. Smith were active, and from the
close intimacy existing between my
father and j. V. Quarles, I believe him
to have been one Of the number also.
A barn [ knew well was station of
the underground railroad. There were
in that barn spring wagon and a small
brown horse, my special care. [ rode
and drove this horse at my pleasure,
but there were days when | was told
Don t drive today or "Don t go
to the barn tonight. Father will do
| the chores. There were mornings
when l. knew the horse and wagon had
been out at night but father was at
the breakfast table at six CLOCK and
if [ asked questions, the reply was,
cit s all right. One night the
younger children and servants were
sent to bed early and | was called to
the kitchen to help mother prepare
meal She had often fed wandering
bands Of Indians but these prepare
tions were unusual. Soon wilde eyed
company, negro, his wife and two
children were admitted to the kitchen
by an unseen hand. We fed them we'll
while father was preparing for drive.
They were loaded into the wagon and
off through the dark night to the
next station. At six o'clock the next
morning the whole family sat down as
usual. Father was at his business be-
fore seven and the night s work never
referred to again. Not until after the
proclamation of emancipation did
learn of the extent of this work, how
many were passed along or shipped
out of the harbor by boat
I have spoken of this place and this
school as we knew it, of men and wo-
men Of the generation before ours.
The third generation since ours is now
in this school The fathers, the found
ers of this school, have gone beyond.
Their work and the example of their
lives alone remain. This recital were
in vain, unless some lesson is deduced
from it.
It has been my pleasure to meet
these men OCCASIONALLY as long as they
lived. Many years ago I called upon
our old friend, F. w. Lyman. His first
words were, "Smith, I am so glad to
see you, I am always glad to see the
boys who did we'll, and made a good
record in school. They have all done
we'll.
This good man did not tell the whole
story. The school has it's place and
its work. The home, the family, more.
Character is inherited, nurtured and
established in the home. The fathers
discipline, enforced by upright life
and example, still more. The mother,
who weeps and prays over her off
spring, establishes the character and