Jane Johnson (1814/1827-1872) – Jane Johnson was an enslaved African-American who arrived in the port of Philadelphia with her captor John Hill Wheeler, members of his family and her two sons on July 18, 1855. Aided by abolitionists William Still, Passmore Williamson and five dockworkers, Johnson and her sons escaped enslavement while Wheeler looked on. This brave act was one of the first challenges to the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850. Johnson’s rescue received national attention when Williamson was imprisoned and tried for it. Although hidden for safety, Johnson appeared at the trial as a witness for the defense, vehemently declaring her longstanding intention to escape enslavement.