American Slavery as it is: Testimony of a Thousand Witnesses, editor Theodore Dwight Weld, published by the Anti-Slavery Society in 1839
“Mr. Samuel Hall, a teacher in Marietta College, Ohio, and formerly secretary of the Colonization society in that village, has recently communicated the facts which follow. We quote from his letter…
Mr. Hall adds:--
“the following statement is made by a young man from Western Virginia. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a student in Marietta College. All that prevents the introduction of his name, is the peril to his life, which would probably be the consequence on his return to Virginia. His character for integrity and veracity is above suspicion.
‘On the night of the great meteoric shower in Nov. 1833. I was at Remley’s tavern, 12 miles west of Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., Virginia. A drove of 50 or 60 negroes stopped at the same place that night. They usually ‘camp out,’ but as it was excessive muddy, they were permitted to come into the house. So far as my knowledge extends, ‘droves,’ on their way to the south, eat but twice a day early in the morning and at night. Their supper was a compound of ‘potatoes and meal,’ and was, without exception, the dirtiest, blackest looking mess I ever saw. I remarked at that time that the food was not as clean, in appearance, as that which was given to a drove of hogs, at the same place the night previous. Such as it was, however, a black woman brought it on her head, in a tray or trough two and a half feet long, where the men and women were promiscuously herded. The slaves rushed up and seized it from the trough in handfuls, before the woman could take it off her head. They jumped at it as if half-famished.They slept on the floor of the room which they were permitted to occupy, lying in every form imaginable, males and females, promiscuously. They were so thick on the floor, that in passing through the room it was necessary to step over then.
There were three drivers, one of whom staid in the room to watch the drove, and the other two slept in an adjoining room.’ Each of the later took a female from the drove to lodge with him, as is the common practice of the drivers generally. There is no doubt that this particular instance, for they were seen together. The mud was so thick on the floor where this drove slept, that it was necessary to take a shovel the next morning, and clear it out. Six or right in this drove were chained; all were for the south.
In autumn of the same year saw a drove of upward of a hundred, between 40 and 50 of them were fastened to one chain, the links being made of iron rods, as thick in diameter as a man’s little finger. This drove was bound westward to the Ohio river, to be shipped to the south. I have seen many droves, and more or less in each, almost without exception, were chained. I never saw byt one drove, that went on their way making merry. In that one they were blowing horns, singing, &c., and appeared as if they were been drinking whisky. They generally appear extremely dejected. I have seen in the course of five years, on the road where I reside, 12 or 15 droves at least, passing to the south. They would average 40 in each drove.
Near the first of January 1834, I started about sunrise to go to Lewisburg. It was a bitter cold morning. I met a drove of negroes, 30 or 40 in number, remarkably ragged and destitute of clothing. One little boy particularly excited my sympathy. He was some distance behind the others, not being able to keep up with the rest. Although he was shivering with cold and crying, the driver was pushing him up in a trot to overtake the main gang. All of them looked as if they were half-frozen. There was one remarkable instance of tyranny, exhibited by a boy, not more than eight years old, that came under my observation, in a family by the name of D—n, six miles from Lewisburg. This youngster would swear at the slaves, and exert all the strength he possessed, to flog or beat them, with whatever instrument or weapon he could lay his hands on, provided they did not obey him instanter. He was encouraged in this by his father, the master of the slaves. The slaves often fled from this young tyrant in terror”
Mr. Hall adds:--
“the following statement is made by a young man from Western Virginia. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and is a student in Marietta College. All that prevents the introduction of his name, is the peril to his life, which would probably be the consequence on his return to Virginia. His character for integrity and veracity is above suspicion.
‘On the night of the great meteoric shower in Nov. 1833. I was at Remley’s tavern, 12 miles west of Lewisburg, Greenbrier Co., Virginia. A drove of 50 or 60 negroes stopped at the same place that night. They usually ‘camp out,’ but as it was excessive muddy, they were permitted to come into the house. So far as my knowledge extends, ‘droves,’ on their way to the south, eat but twice a day early in the morning and at night. Their supper was a compound of ‘potatoes and meal,’ and was, without exception, the dirtiest, blackest looking mess I ever saw. I remarked at that time that the food was not as clean, in appearance, as that which was given to a drove of hogs, at the same place the night previous. Such as it was, however, a black woman brought it on her head, in a tray or trough two and a half feet long, where the men and women were promiscuously herded. The slaves rushed up and seized it from the trough in handfuls, before the woman could take it off her head. They jumped at it as if half-famished.They slept on the floor of the room which they were permitted to occupy, lying in every form imaginable, males and females, promiscuously. They were so thick on the floor, that in passing through the room it was necessary to step over then.
There were three drivers, one of whom staid in the room to watch the drove, and the other two slept in an adjoining room.’ Each of the later took a female from the drove to lodge with him, as is the common practice of the drivers generally. There is no doubt that this particular instance, for they were seen together. The mud was so thick on the floor where this drove slept, that it was necessary to take a shovel the next morning, and clear it out. Six or right in this drove were chained; all were for the south.
In autumn of the same year saw a drove of upward of a hundred, between 40 and 50 of them were fastened to one chain, the links being made of iron rods, as thick in diameter as a man’s little finger. This drove was bound westward to the Ohio river, to be shipped to the south. I have seen many droves, and more or less in each, almost without exception, were chained. I never saw byt one drove, that went on their way making merry. In that one they were blowing horns, singing, &c., and appeared as if they were been drinking whisky. They generally appear extremely dejected. I have seen in the course of five years, on the road where I reside, 12 or 15 droves at least, passing to the south. They would average 40 in each drove.
Near the first of January 1834, I started about sunrise to go to Lewisburg. It was a bitter cold morning. I met a drove of negroes, 30 or 40 in number, remarkably ragged and destitute of clothing. One little boy particularly excited my sympathy. He was some distance behind the others, not being able to keep up with the rest. Although he was shivering with cold and crying, the driver was pushing him up in a trot to overtake the main gang. All of them looked as if they were half-frozen. There was one remarkable instance of tyranny, exhibited by a boy, not more than eight years old, that came under my observation, in a family by the name of D—n, six miles from Lewisburg. This youngster would swear at the slaves, and exert all the strength he possessed, to flog or beat them, with whatever instrument or weapon he could lay his hands on, provided they did not obey him instanter. He was encouraged in this by his father, the master of the slaves. The slaves often fled from this young tyrant in terror”
How did we Determine it was Calvin Percival Hogshead?
From the book, we knew that the man went to Marietta College before 1839. Some quick googling revealed that Marietta College was established in 1835. The man from Lewisburg must have been one of the first classes.
A quick email to a librarian at Marietta College and we had our man. The only student from Lewisburg listed in the Marietta College from 1836-37 through 1840-41 is Calvin Percival Hogshead. Hogshead graduated in 1841, continuing his education at Lane Theological Seminary near Cincinnati, and was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1849.
Samuel Hall was the valedictorian of Marietta College's first graduating class in 1838 and was well-known for his anti-slavery activism. Several Marietta College students became interested in the abolitionist movement, especially after Theodore Weld delivered a lecture in town.
A quick email to a librarian at Marietta College and we had our man. The only student from Lewisburg listed in the Marietta College from 1836-37 through 1840-41 is Calvin Percival Hogshead. Hogshead graduated in 1841, continuing his education at Lane Theological Seminary near Cincinnati, and was ordained a Presbyterian minister in 1849.
Samuel Hall was the valedictorian of Marietta College's first graduating class in 1838 and was well-known for his anti-slavery activism. Several Marietta College students became interested in the abolitionist movement, especially after Theodore Weld delivered a lecture in town.