Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
Discussion - Member to Member Sales - Research Center
This 1836 stampless folded letter was sent from Bellefonte Pennsylvania (Centre County PA) by a Samuel H Griffiths to Joseph B Matthews at Covesville in Nelson County Virginia (I think Covesville is in Albemarle County but maybe near the Nelson County line). In the letter it appears that Griffiths is saying a person that belonged to Matthews' father is in Bellefonte and it seems to indicate the person in question may be a runaway slave. The letter reads as follws:
I recd your letter yesterday and must state that your must state to you that Ben Smith is still in this neighborhood and you ought to have a power of attorney from your executors of your fathers estate and a witness to prove that he is the man that belonged to your father, or if you were the administrator you can take him yourself - this fellow has a white spot in his left eye near the black spot ( writer has then drawn a rendering of what he is referring to) - it has been said that he has a ??? but I do not believe it.
On one of the flaps a very interesting message reads:
when you come here never mention my name as being engaged in giving information to the Southern people
There is evidence that Bellefonte was part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves on their journey north to Canada. There were many Abolitionists living in the area, obviously, Samuel Griffiths, the writer of this letter was not one. The Bellefonte Art Museum has a display in their attic on The Slave Trade but no evidence that that building was part of the Underground Railroad.
I made copies of this for the museum and The County Historical Society.
edit- moved from the wrong thread.
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This is the description from ebay. I was under bidder at $200.
This 1836 stampless folded letter was sent from Bellefonte Pennsylvania (Centre County PA) by a Samuel H Griffiths to Joseph B Matthews at Covesville in Nelson County Virginia (I think Covesville is in Albemarle County but maybe near the Nelson County line). In the letter it appears that Griffiths is saying a person that belonged to Matthews' father is in Bellefonte and it seems to indicate the person in question may be a runaway slave. The letter reads as follws:
I recd your letter yesterday and must state that your must state to you that Ben Smith is still in this neighborhood and you ought to have a power of attorney from your executors of your fathers estate and a witness to prove that he is the man that belonged to your father, or if you were the administrator you can take him yourself - this fellow has a white spot in his left eye near the black spot ( writer has then drawn a rendering of what he is referring to) - it has been said that he has a ??? but I do not believe it.
On one of the flaps a very interesting message reads:
when you come here never mention my name as being engaged in giving information to the Southern people
There is evidence that Bellefonte was part of the Underground Railroad, helping slaves on their journey north to Canada. There were many Abolitionists living in the area, obviously, Samuel Griffiths, the writer of this letter was not one. The Bellefonte Art Museum has a display in their attic on The Slave Trade but no evidence that that building was part of the Underground Railroad.
I made copies of this for the museum and The County Historical Society.
edit- moved from the wrong thread.
5 Members
like this post.
Login to Like.