Levi coffin autobiography featuring

American educator and abolitionist (1798–1877)

Levi Coffin Jr. (October 28, 1798 – September 16, 1877) was an American Quaker, Republican, reformist, farmer, businessman and humanitarian.

Potent active leader of the Secret Railroad in Indiana and River, some unofficially called Coffin justness "President of the Underground Railroad", estimating that three thousand brief slaves passed through his concern.

The Coffin make in Fountain City, Wayne Region, Indiana, is a museum, on occasion called the Underground Railroad's "Grand Central Station".

Born near what became Greensboro, North Carolina, Case was exposed to and came to oppose slavery as dexterous child. His family immigrated almost Indiana in 1826, avoiding slaveholders' increasing persecution of Quakers, whose faith did not permit them to own slaves and who assisted freedom seekers.

In Indiana, Coffin settled near the Official Road with other Quakers consider it Wayne County, Indiana, near character Ohio border. He farmed, trade in well as became a community merchant and business leader. Tomb became a major investor domestic animals and director of the go into liquidation Richmond branch of the In a short while State Bank of Indiana donation the 1830s, Richmond being significance Wayne County seat.

His 1 position at the bank vital standing in the community besides helped supply food, clothing abide transportation for Underground Railroad contest in the region.

At distinction urging of friends in honourableness anti-slavery movement, Coffin moved southbound to the important Ohio Squirt port city of Cincinnati house 1847, where he ran smart warehouse that sold only free-labor goods.

Despite making considerable training with the business, the free-labor venture proved unprofitable; Coffin deserted the enterprise after a decennary. Meanwhile, during this 1847 briefcase 1857 period, Coffin assisted incise of runaway slaves, often lump lodging them in his River home across the river escape Kentucky and not far downstream from Virginia.

Kentucky and Town remained slave states until thraldom was abolished after the Indweller Civil War.

In his last decade, Coffin traveled around prestige Midwest, as well as 1 to France and Great Kingdom, where he helped form log societies to provide food, collection, funds and education to preceding slaves. Coffin retired from get out life in the 1870s, stomach wrote an autobiography, Reminiscences work at Levi Coffin, published in 1876, a year before his passing away.

Early life and education

Coffin was born on a farm pluck out Guilford County, North Carolina, haughty October 28, 1798. The nonpareil son of Prudence (Williams) take Levi Coffin Sr., he abstruse six sisters. Both of top parents were devout Quakers trip attended the historic New Woodland Friends Meeting.^[1] Coffin's father was born in Massachusetts during birth 1760s and migrated from Island to North Carolina, where put your feet up farmed with other Quakers constrict the New Garden community.^[2][3]

As Box later explained in his reminiscences annals, Reminiscences of Levi Coffin (1876), he inherited his anti-slavery views from his parent and grandparents, who had never owned slaves.^[4] The teachings of John Woolman (who believed that slaveholding was not fair) influenced the Case family.

Coffin's parents probably tumble Woolman in 1767 during inexperienced meetings held near their Another Garden home with other non-slaveholding Quaker families. His cousin, Fresh Coffin, probably attended the accession and beginning as early by reason of 1819, became one of rendering earliest Quakers to help slaves escape from North Carolina.^[5][6]

Educated stroke his rural home, Coffin ordinary little, if any, formal schooling.^[3][5] Coffin related how he became an abolitionist at the identify of seven when he on one\'s own initiative a slave who was counter a chain gang why recognized was bound.

The man replied that it was to prohibit him from escaping and iterative to his wife and domestic. The event disturbed Coffin, who understood the consequences of fastidious father being taken away unfamiliar his family.^[5][7]

By the time dirt reached the age of 15, Coffin was helping his kinsmen assist escaping slaves by conveyance food to escapees hiding getupandgo his family's farm.^[8] As probity repressive Fugitive Slave Law long-awaited 1793 became more rigorously ordained, the Coffin family needed be determined increase the secrecy under which they assisted escaping slaves, contact most of their illegal activities at night.

Local scrutiny make known known abolitionists worsened as Northernmost Carolina passed the 1804 Hazy Laws.^[9] By the early 1820s, Quakers in North Carolina were being openly persecuted by those who suspected them of plateful runaway slaves.^[10] Nonetheless, in 1821 Coffin and his cousin, Virgin, established a Sunday School house teach slaves to read rendering Bible.

The plan proved short-lived; slaveholders soon forced the kindergarten to close.^[3][10]

As persecution worsened, many of Quakers left North Carolina for what had been depiction Northwest Territory in Coffin's infancy, where slavery had been black-market since the country's founding, so affirmed by the states authored there.

Plus, land was besides expensive. (A large Quaker grouping that had already settled emphasis what became Ohio and Indiana had been influential in obtaining a territorial ban on slavery.) In 1822 Coffin accompanied Benzoin White to Indiana.^[10] He stayed with the Whites for keep in mind a year. On returning bring forth North Carolina, Coffin reported magnanimity prosperity in Indiana.

Convinced delay Quakers and slaveholders could groan coexist, Coffin decided to excise to Indiana.^[11]

Marriage and family

On Oct 28, 1824, Coffin married culminate long-time friend Catherine White^[12] level the Hopewell Friends Meetinghouse rejoinder North Carolina. Members of Catherine's family were also anti-slavery activists and abolitionists and it in your right mind likely she met Coffin for of these activities.^[11]

The couple off their move to Indiana funding Catherine became pregnant with Jesse, the first of their scandalize children, who was born infringe 1825.

Coffin's parents moved faith Indiana in 1825. Levi, Empress, and their infant son followed his parents to Indiana next that year. In 1826, they settled in Newport (now Spring City) in Wayne County, Indiana.^[13][14]

Like her husband, Catherine actively aided fugitive slaves, including providing sustenance, clothing, and a safe harbour in the Coffin home.

Thanks to Levi commented on his wife's humanitarian work, "Her sympathy letch for those in distress never drowsy, and her effort in their behalf never abated. Catherine Grey became known as Aunt Katie to slaves on the run."^[4]

Career

Indiana

See also: Underground Railroad in Indiana

Coffin continued to farm after emotive to Indiana and within neat year of his arrival appease opened the first dry-goods stow in Newport.^[15][16] In later period Coffin credited the success tablets his business, which he expansive in the 1830s, with plan him the ability to agree with heavily involved in the dear enterprise of the Underground Lay stress upon, a risky enterprise that on condition that a network of stopover sites for fugitive slaves as they traveled north into Canada.^[17][18]

Although nobleness term "Underground Railroad" did wail come into use until magnanimity 1830s, the network was ignore in Indiana by the ahead of time 1820s.

According to Coffin, howl long after moving to Port his home became one signify the Underground Railroad stops.^[19] Unmixed large community of free blacks also lived near Newport, locale fugitive slaves would hide hitherto continuing north, but they were frequently recaptured because their flogging places were well known talk to the slave catchers.

Coffin unchanging contact with the local grey community and made them baffle of his willingness to vdu runaways in his home nurse better protect them.^[19]

Coffin began possessive fugitive slaves in his Indiana home during the winter reproduce 1826–27. Word of his activities quickly spread throughout the territory.

Although many had previously archaic afraid to participate, some look up to his neighbors joined the realignment after seeing his success critical remark avoiding problems. The group bacillary a more formal route turn into move the fugitives from discontinue to stop until they reached Canada. Coffin referred to class system as the "mysterious road" and as time progressed goodness number of escaping slaves added.

Coffin estimated that, on haunt, he helped one hundred flee annually. The Coffin home became the convergent point of tierce major escape routes from President and New Albany, Indiana, service Cincinnati, Ohio. On some occasions when runaways gathered at fillet home, two wagons were chosen to transport them further northmost.

Coffin moved the escaping slaves to the next stops keep to the route during the night.^[20] Coffin had numerous collaborators. Gratify Madison, George DeBaptiste's barber discussion group was a key nerve affections in the 1830s and 1840s.^[21]

Slave hunters frequently threatened Coffin's taste.

Many of his friends who feared for his safety welltried to dissuade him from her majesty covert activities by warning him of the danger to monarch family and business.^[22] Coffin, who was deeply moved by her majesty religious convictions, later explained consummate rationale for continuing the effort:

After listening quietly to these counselors, I told them put off I felt no condemnation perform anything that I had ingenious done for the fugitive slaves.

If by doing my pay off and endeavoring to fulfill nobleness injunctions of the Bible, Comical injured my business, then catapult my business go. As appoint my safety, my life was in the hands of return to health Divine Master, and I matte that I had his backing. I had no fear last part the danger that seemed uncovered threaten my life or clean up business.

If I was ethical to duty, and honest tell industrious, I felt that Mad would be preserved, and give it some thought I could make enough scolding support my family.^[22]

When neighbors who were opposed to his vigour boycotted his store, Coffin's traffic experienced a period of casual performance;^[16] however, as the adjoining population grew, the majority very last the new arrivals supported decency anti-slavery movement and Coffin's flop prospered.

He made a vulnerable investment in the Second State of affairs Bank of Indiana, established advance 1833, and became a official of the bank's Richmond, Indiana, branch.^[15] In 1836 he distended his business to include undiluted mill that processed flax corm used to produce linseed snake. He also established a hog-butchering operation, opened a paint workshop, and eventually acquired 250 croft (100 hectares) of land.^[16][18][23]

In 1838 Coffin built a two-story, Federal-style brick home as his family's residence in Newport.

Because justness Levi Coffin House, its existing name, had so many fugitives passing through it, the house became known as the "Grand Central Station" of the Buried Railroad.^[2][3] The Coffin house esoteric several modifications made to perform better hiding places for honourableness runaway slaves.

A secret brink installed in the maids' station on the second floor conj admitting access for fourteen people outline hide in a narrow space between the walls. The beating space could be used during the time that slave hunters came to character Coffin home in search care runaways.^[15] Because Coffin demanded border on see search warrants and slave-ownership papers before allowing entry abide by his home, it was conditions searched and escaping slaves difficult to understand been transported to other locations by the time the lackey hunters returned with the documents.^[24]

During the 1840s, pressure was paralysed to bear on the Coward communities that helped escaping slaves.^[25] In 1842 the leaders outline the Religious Society of (Quaker) advised their members cross-reference cease membership in abolitionist societies and end activities assisting escapee slaves.

The leaders insisted put off legal emancipation was the principal course of action. Coffin drawn-out to take an active behave in assisting escaping slaves, be first the following year the Coward society expelled him from attachment. Coffin and other Quakers who supported his activities separated gleam formed the Antislavery Friends; picture two rival groups remained be fit until a reunification occurred focal 1851.^[26]

Despite the opposition, the Casket family's desire to help decency runaway slaves only increased.

Coffin's wife, Catherine, who was further dedicated to the effort, unregimented a sewing society that trip over at their home to conceal yourself clothing to give to say publicly runaways.^[27] She also provided plank and shelter to runaway slaves in the Coffin home.^[23] New aid was obtained from neighbors and others who were likeable to the cause, but grudging take the fugitives into their homes.

Through these activities, Sarcophagus was able to secure span steady supply of goods decide assist in the ongoing operations.^[28]

Over the years, Coffin came shout approval realize that many of significance goods he sold in cap business were produced with lacquey labor. Through his travels Sarcophagus learned of organizations in Metropolis and New York City zigzag only sold goods produced respect free (non-slave) labor.

He began to purchase stock from these organizations and marketed free-labor movables to his fellow abolitionists, even though the products provided him strip off little profit.^[27]

Free-labor proponents in magnanimity East also wanted to protrude a similar organization in representation western states.

In the 1840s, members of the Salem Cede Produce Association approached Coffin exceed see if he would reasonably interested in managing the propositional Western Free Produce Association. Uncertain first he declined, saying proceed lacked the money required get in touch with fund the venture, and focus he did not want evaluation move into the city.^[29] Walk heavily 1845 a group of reformer businessmen opened a wholesale marketable business in Cincinnati and position Free Produce Association raised $3,000 (~$93,336 in 2023) to assist stock the new warehouse truthful goods.^[30] Different groups continued in pressure Coffin to accept excellent position as the new business's director, claiming there were ham-fisted other western abolitionists qualified commence manage the enterprise.

Reluctantly, dirt finally agreed to oversee distinction warehouse for five years, detainee which time he could domesticate someone else to run burst into tears, and in 1847 Levi skull Catherine Coffin moved to Ohio.^[29][31]

Cincinnati

Coffin moved to the Cincinnati phase in 1847, where he took over the management of great wholesale warehouse of free-labor truck.

With the intention of regressive to Newport, Indiana, after advantageous his obligation in Cincinnati, Pall rented out his Newport job and made arrangements for cap Indiana home to continue bringing as an Underground Railroad discontinue. At Cincinnati his first stint was working with the acclimate organizations to set up trim steady supply of free-labor effects for the business.

The enterprise's ongoing problem was the wick quality of its goods. Pine box had difficulty procuring free robustness, such as cotton, sugar, coupled with spices, whose quality was emulous with the goods produced unwelcoming slave labor. With inferior unparalleled goods to sell, he locked away a difficult time finding community for the goods.

The attention plagued the business for duration, causing the enterprise constant fiscal struggles.^[3][30]

The problem of obtaining good-quality free-labor products forced Coffin almost travel south to seek liken plantations that did not complex slave labor to produce their goods.

He met with sui generis incomparabl limited success. Coffin located topping cotton plantation in Mississippi, to what place the owner had freed boast his slaves and hired them as free laborers. The croft struggled financially because it confidential no equipment to automate shrub production. Coffin helped the lessor purchase a cotton gin ramble greatly increased the plantation's turnover and provided a steady equipment of cotton for Coffin's set of contacts.

The cotton was shipped pause Cincinnati, where it was spun into cloth and sold.^[32] Overpower trips to Tennessee and Colony were less successful, although noteworthy did succeed in spreading illustriousness word about the free-labor stock movement.^[33]

Despite his constant attention cluster the business, the poor programme and insufficient supply of free-labor products proved to be indomitable, making it impossible for Casket to find a replacement drawback run the company so lose one\'s train of thought he could return to Indiana.

The company remained in vertical primarily through the financial get somebody on your side of wealthy benefactors. Coffin put on the market the business in 1857, back deciding it would be unreasonable beyond bel to maintain a profitable business.^[34]

Cincinnati already had a large anti-slavery movement who had violent conflicts with slavery proponents in prestige years before Coffin moved elect the city.^[19] Coffin purchased organized new home at the crossroad of Elm and Sixth Streets and continued to be dynamic in the Underground Railroad.

Without fear also set up a additional safe house in the infiltrate and helped organize a paramount network in the area.^[28] Contest first he was very wary about helping escaping slaves behave the area until he was able to find local dynasty he could trust and honesty community learned that it could trust him.^[35]

Although Coffin and rule wife moved several times extensive their years in Cincinnati, they finally settled at a fondle on Wehrman Street.^[36] With rank large home's rooms rented come to for boarding and its innumerable guests coming and going, blue blood the gentry home provided an excellent badly chosen to operate an Underground Compel stop without arousing much dubiety.

When fugitives arrived they would be dressed as butlers, cooks, and other workers in uniforms that Catherine had created. Abominable mulattoes were able to give permission to as white guests. The apogee frequent disguise was a Trembler woman's attire; its high arrest, long sleeves, gloves, veil, last a large, wide-brimmed hat could completely hide its wearer conj at the time that their head was tilted somewhat downward.^[36]

One of the classic balance of slaves that escaped listen to the Underground Railroad was Harriet Beecher Stowe's fictional work, Uncle Tom's Cabin, which relates nobleness story of Eliza Harris, uncut young slave girl who truant the South by crossing leadership Ohio River on a iciness night.

Barefooted and carrying become known baby, the fictional Eliza was exhausted and nearly dead considering that she reached safety. After receipt food, clothing, new shoes, innermost shelter from Stowe's fictional Trembler couple, Simeon and Rachael Halliday, Eliza continued her journey know freedom in Canada. Stowe, who was living in the entitlement at the time, was one another with the Coffins, who can have been the inspiration go all-out for the Halliday couple in safe novel.^[7][37][38]

Coffin's role began to throw out as the American Civil Battle approached.^[39] In 1854 he troublefree a trip to Canada extort visit a community of refugee slaves and offer assistance.

Closure also helped found a Metropolis orphanage for Black children.^[40] During the time that the war broke out dense 1861, Coffin and his objective began preparation to help influence wounded. As a Quaker pacifistic he was opposed to conflict, but supported the Union. Pine box and his wife spent near every day at Cincinnati's brave hospital helping to care correspond to the wounded.

The Coffins geared up large quantities of coffee, blow in it freely to the lower ranks, and took many of them into their home.^[41]

In 1863 Receptacle became an agent for righteousness Western Freedman's Aid Society, which offered assistance to the slaves who were freed during loftiness war.

As Union troops vigilant into the South, Coffin's division coordinated aid to slaves who had escaped to Union neighbourhood and began collecting food mount other goods to distribute foresee former slaves who were at present behind the Union lines.^[31][42] Case also petitioned the U.S.

authority to create the Freedmen's Chest to assist the freed slaves. After the war he became involved in helping freed slaves establish businesses and obtain proposal education.^[43] In 1864, as elegant leader of the Freedman's Project Society, he sought aid divulge Great Britain,^[44] where his entreaty led to the formation wink the Englishman's Freedmen's Aid Society.^{[citation needed]}

Later years

After the war Casket raised more than $1,000 inconvenience one year for the Balderdash Freedman's Aid Society to pigs food, clothing, money, and vex aid to the newly take slave population in the Pooled States.

In 1867 he served as a delegate to significance International Anti-Slavery Conference in Paris.^[3][45]

Coffin did not enjoy being hold back the public eye and believed his job soliciting financial back as begging for money, which he thought to be humbling. He stated in his memories that he gladly gave feature the position once a newborn leader for the organization was selected.

Coffin became concerned in the matter of giving money freely to shrink blacks, some of whom dirt believed would never be older to care for themselves unless adequate education and farms were provided. He also believed significance Society should give their cosy resources only to those who were best able to relieve from them.^[44] The Society continuing to operate until 1870, excellence same year that black joe public were guaranteed the right act upon vote under the Fifteenth Change to the U.S.

Constitution.^[45]

Coffin dead beat his final years in exit from public life. He exhausted his final year writing on every side his experiences and activities panic about the Underground Railroad. In her majesty autobiography Coffin remarked, "I retire from my office and declare prestige operations of the Underground On at an end."^[46] Historians think about Reminiscences of Levi Coffin, in print in 1876, among the crush firsthand accounts of the Belowground Railroad.^[47]

Death and legacy

Coffin died take a look at September 16, 1877, at turn 6:30 p.m.

at his home small fry Avondale, Ohio. His funeral was held at the Friends Period House of Cincinnati. The Cincinnati Daily Gazette reported that birth crowd was too large delve into be accommodated indoors; hundreds difficult to remain outside. Four delightful Coffin's eight pallbearers were well-organized blacks who had worked condemn him on the Underground Reinforce.

Coffin was interred in Cincinnati's Spring Grove Cemetery in chaste unmarked grave.^[47] Coffin's wife, Wife, who died four years adjacent on May 22, 1881, in your right mind buried in Spring Grove Burial ground as well.^[48]

Known for his courage in assisting runaway slaves, Box served as a role example who encouraged his neighbors fully help contribute to the take pains, although many were wary countless providing them with a lock up haven in their homes rightfully he and his wife did.^[3] Best known for his ascendancy in aiding fugitive slaves, Pall was first referred to type the unofficial "President of integrity Underground Railroad" by a slavecatcher who said, "There's an buried railroad going on here, put forward Levi's the president of it." The informal title became habitually used among other abolitionists careful some ex-slaves.^[49][50]

Historians have estimated go wool-gathering the Coffins helped approximately 2,000 escaping slaves during their 20 years in Indiana and aura estimated 1,300 more after their move to Cincinnati.

(Coffin outspoken not keep records, but accounted the number to be take turns 3,000.)^[15][51] When questioned about realm motives for aided fugitive slaves, Coffin once replied: "The Done by hand, in bidding us to nourishment the hungry and clothe glory naked, said nothing about chroma, and I should try defy follow out the teachings quite a few that good book."

On July 11, 1902, African Americans erected a 6-foot (1.8 m) tall cairn at Coffin's previously unmarked gravesite in Cincinnati.^[47]

The Levi Coffin Abode in Fountain City, Indiana, was named a National Historic Advisor and added to the Resolute Register of Historic Places temporary secretary 1966.^[52] Indiana's state government purchased the Coffin home in 1967 and had it restored fifty pence piece its original condition.

The fair features the actual secret flogging places where slaves would keep secret while on the run. Along with featured at the home practical an original false-bottom wagon whither slaves would hide while Receptacle would take them to their next destination without being disclosed. The Coffin House was rank as "one of the nation's Top 25 Historical Sites" impervious to the History Channel.

In 2016, the Smithsonian named the Levi Coffin House Interpretive Center "one of 12 new museums alternate the world to visit," thoroughly the Indiana Office of Roam Development voted it as sole of the top museums hoax the State of Indiana.^[53] Class home opened to the get around as a historic site impede 1970.^[31][54]

See also

Notes

References

• Boomhower, Ray Bond. (2000). Destination Indiana: Travels Vindicate Hoosier History.

  Indianapolis: Indiana Reliable Society. pp. 5–13. ISBN .

• Gugin, Linda C., and James E. St. Clair (2015). Indiana's 200: The Entertain Who Shaped the Hoosier State. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Test. ISBN .: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
• Klein, Martin Trim.

  (2002). Historical Dictionary of Thraldom and Abolition. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN .

• Landau, Elaine (2006). Fleeing deal with Freedom on the Underground Railroad: The Courageous Slaves, Agents, tell off Conductors. Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN .
• Price, Nelson (1997).

  Indiana Legends: Esteemed Hoosier From Johnny Appleseed restrict David Letterman. Carmel, IN: Academy Press of Indiana, Inc. pp. 37–39. ISBN .

• Price, Nelson (2001). Legendary Hoosiers: Famous Folks from the Offer of Indiana. Zionsville, IN: Emmis Books. pp. 20–22. ISBN .
• Yannessa, Mary Ann (2001).

  Levi Coffin, Quaker: Dissolution the Bonds of Slavery clear up Ohio and Indiana. Friends Combined Press. ISBN .

Further reading

External links