Journeys of Freedom Seekers in Illinois

JOURNEYS OF THE UNDERGROUND Railroad (UGRR) —where escaping enslaved individuals traveled precarious routes out of bondage toward freedom—are not ones we typically associate with the state of Illinois. Harriet Tubman, the UGRR's celebrated champion, is a story to commemorate as the nation celebrates 250 years. 1 But this is also an appropriate time to recognize underrepresented journeys of the variety of freedom seekers who traveled to and through and lived lives within the state of Illinois. While established as a free state in 1818, Illinois was largely hostile toward the enslaved who sought to change their circumstances, as well as to indentured servants and free African Americans. This is due to the legacy of slavery in the Illinois Country under the French, inherited by those living in the Illinois Territory (1809–1818) and carried on by Americans into the early years of statehood. Although Illinois passed its constitution as a free state, many early Illinois leaders were proslavery and sought to expand slavery in the state, believing this would support land development and economic growth. The harsh Illinois Black Codes in effect from 1819 to 1865 restricted the rights and movement of enslaved, indentured, and free African Americans who lived in or sought residence or passage through Illinois. 2 This context complicates the twenty-first-century narrative of Illinois as a beacon of freedom—the first state to ratify the Thirteenth Amendment that fully abolished slavery after the Civil War, and the home of Abraham Lincoln and other champions of freedom. Yet this complex history means that the stories of individual African Americans and communities who persevered despite the hostile environment in Illinois are even more crucial to elevate. Thanks in large part to the historical research of Glennette Tilley Turner and Larry McClellan, we know that there were many ways individuals in bondage sought freedom via Illinois. 3 Some saw Illinois as a destination for settlement, others were in bondage in Illinois prior to statehood and pursued legal challenges through the court system, some were free and struggled to maintain their freedom in Illinois, and others traveled through on their way to Canada. Although scholarship about freedom seekers in Illinois has blossomed, because of the illegality of escaping slavery and UGRR activity—both for those seeking freedom and anyone assisting them—records of activities of freedom seekers are challenging to find. Yet the stories we know concerning Illinois are worthy of note. Fleeing from bondage occurred since the dawn of slavery across the nation, but activity increased in nineteenth-century Illinois as abolition sentiment grew, particularly in the wake of the murder of Alton abolitionist and newspaper editor Elijah Lovejoy in 1837. 4 The examples chosen here center on the early statehood period, illuminating a variety of journeys taken by freedom seekers. These stories are not exhaustive but illustrative, and readers will be directed to sources for further discovery. Many towns across the state became known as safe harbors—Alton, Africa in Williamson County, Brooklyn, Cairo, Chester, Jacksonville, Miller Grove, and Rocky Fork, to name a few. 5 Some were towns founded by free Black people, others were predominantly white, with residents who developed antipathy toward slavery and provided shelter for freedom seekers, and yet others were biracial communities. Black churches were established across the state and served as safe spaces for those fleeing bondage. 6 Chicago became a hub for abolitionists. Free Black John Jones and his wife, Mary Richardson Jones, were known to harbor freedom seekers in their Chicago home, and Jones was instrumental in getting the Illinois Black Codes repealed in 1865. 7 Near the city, Jan and Aagje Ton's farm in the Calumet region in south Chicago, Avis and Israel Blodgett's home in Downers Grove, Sheldon Peck's home in Lombard, and Wheaton College were all known havens. The presence of these towns and locales across the state and the activity we know of illuminates not only the magnitude of freedom seekers who journeyed to and through all parts of the state but also those who lived their lives in these places and took considerable risks to assist them. The geography of Illinois also played a role, with river borders near slave states and Indian trails and internal rivers serving as routes traveled by freedom seekers. 8The community at New Philadelphia, Illinois, illustrates many facets of the quest for freedom. “Free Frank” McWorter, as he was known, an enslaved man from Kentucky, industriously used his earnings in the saltpeter business to purchase freedom for his wife, Lucy, in 1817, ensuring his children would be born free. Purchasing his own freedom in 1819 and his son's in 1829, they moved to Illinois in 1830 and began purchasing land in 1835. 9 “In total, Free Frank freed sixteen of his relatives (including himself), at a combined cost of 14, 000 (about 500, 000 in 2023 dollars). After his death in 1854, Free Frank's sons continued this effort. ”10 An early biracial town on the Illinois frontier where white and Black residents worked together, New Philadelphia was a haven for freedom seekers, and an example of Black entrepreneurialism and generational wealth-building in Illinois. 11Nance Legins-Costley was an indentured servant originally from Kaskaskia who, at age thirteen, took the bold step of suing her indenturer, indicating she had not agreed to the contract. 12 Following multiple appeals over thirteen years, she eventually won her suit when the Illinois Supreme Court declared her cause just in 1841. Defended by Abraham Lincoln, this ruling meant the three children she then had, now all living in Pekin, also became free. Nance's long legal journey set a precedent for others, ending indentured servitude in Illinois. 13Gilbert Burres of Albion illustrates how free Black people sought to assert and maintain their freedom, and help others. Free African Americans were required to carry Certificates of Freedom at all times and register themselves at their local courthouse. Burres complied with these restrictions, registering himself and his family members regularly over the course of thirty-six years. 14 Albion was in southeastern Illinois, where proslavery sentiment and kidnappings were a constant threat. In a rare, published example from 1824 demonstrating Burres's character and actions, we have documentation that he defended another African American in the community from kidnappers, reportedly declaring he would not give up Sally, “never while I have a drop of blood to defend her. ”15Caroline Quarlls, a sixteen-year-old enslaved girl from St. Louis, embarked on a remarkable solo journey via the Mississippi River northward to Milwaukee, through Will and McHenry counties and Chicago, aided by local families, abolitionists, and free African Americans. Eventually reaching Canada via Detroit, she settled in freedom. Documentation of her journey exemplifies her courage and persistence, and the support of white and Black abolitionists and sympathizers. 16Free African Americans building and defending communities and aiding those journeying toward freedom, indentured servants using the law to secure freedom, and enslaved individuals finding help and guidance in their quests for freedom—these stories are representative of many others in Illinois and show agency and tenacity among African Americans. Despite hostility in Illinois, Black and biracial communities were established and grew, and actively supported the cause of countless freedom seekers. While Illinois does have a complicated past connected to slavery and hostility toward African Americans, as the United States celebrates 250 years, the stories of Illinois freedom seekers add to the rich tapestry of resilience worthy of celebration in our state. 17