1. The Underground Railroad
Tracks Through Iowa
Richelle Runyon
APUS HIST521
August 25, 2016

2. “Paintings of Iowa’s Underground Railroad” Ben Shattuck https://youtu

3. Brief History of the Underground Railroad in Iowa
Although the Underground Railroad has a deceptive name, it served a great purpose in the years leading up to the Civil War. Since it is not a railroad, but rather a path often taken by foot, boat, or wagon, how did this trail inherit the name “railroad?” There are varying theories. One states that in 1831, slave Tice David ran from a plantation in Kentucky. His owner did pursue, but lost him when he crossed the river into Ohio. When questioned, his owner stated that he “must have escaped on an underground railroad.”1
Another theory surrounds the growing popularity of the railroads themselves. Although at the time no trains ran through the state of Iowa, the idea of this transportation was a new and exciting form of travel. Some believe that the name “Underground Railroad” cashed in on this excitement.2
The owners of the safe houses along the routes were referred to as “station agents,” the guides leading from station to station were referred to as “conductors” and the freedom seekers were referred to as “passengers.”3
Although documentation is not extensive, due to the secrecy needed for it to be successful, it is estimated that it was in use from Due to its location as the western-most free state at the time, Iowa was well used as a path for slaves seeking freedom.4
Berrier, Galin. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Pathways, IPTV. Accessed August4,
Ibid.
“Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,
Photo credit: Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs,

4. While documentation is scarce due to the need for secrecy, it is believed that Iowa was used as a gateway state from Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska from , due to it’s convenient location as the western-most free state.1 As time went on, this proved to be a more difficult task. The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 called for punishment of those aiding slaves to escape. This punishment included a $1,000 fine and 6 months in jail.2 Yet, the religious and personal convictions of many Iowans helped the railroad to stay alive and active.
Freedom seekers were often hidden in attics, haylofts, cellars, safe houses, barns, prairie grasses and even in the woods. The stations were often 9-10 miles apart.3 They were given the names of “safe” white people, and had secret ways of communicating, often through quilt patterns and stitching.4 Freedom seekers did not often travel with children. Those that did were subject to travelling slower, and the chance of recapture was greater. Sadly, only 75% of railroad “passengers” were successful in making it to their final destination. Yet, when slave hunters were victorious in capturing escaped slaves, they had to make a positive ID. This proved to be difficult, so many slaves were able to continue their quest.5
While most freedom seekers travelled on to eastern states or to Canada, some made their home in Iowa. Of those that did remain, many became “station agents” to help others on the move.6
While the Underground Railroad was fairly well travelled, it was not much more than an annoyance to the slavery efforts. It did not cause an end in slavery. Between the years of 1830 and 1865, an estimated 35,000 slaves found their way to freedom via the Underground Railroad. While this number may sound impressive, it is dwarfed by the number of slaves in captivity at the time: 4 million.7
“Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,
Berrier, Galin. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Pathways, IPTV. Accessed August4,
Derosear, Erma. “Underground Railroad.” Lee County IAGenWebProject. Accessed July 31,
Stocum, Susan. “Rediscovering the Road to Freedom: A Professor is Helping Iowa Officials Piece Together that State’s Underground Railroad History.” Black Issues in Higher Education, August 5, 1999.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
Kent, Holly M. “Necessary Courage: Iowa’s Underground Railroad in the Struggle Against Slavery.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical
Society, Volume 8, Issue 2. July 2015.
Ibid.

5. Julia & Martha (young women, whose last names are unknown
While not all Iowans were for the abolition of slavery or the Underground Railroad at the time, Iowa’s key location made it prime for escape routes. Those who did help were an important part of the liberty movement. Both the white “station agents” and the freedom seekers who were successful, but opted to become “station agents” themselves played an important role in establishing Iowa as a pivotal route to safety.1
The Iowa Freedom Trail Program was established by former Governor Tom Vilsack. This program has allowed the Department of Cultural Affairs to do more research into the route and role of the Underground Railroad in Iowa. Through this project, they have been able to determine the general route taken by the freedom seekers, including that of the infamous abolitionist, John Brown.2
One of the few travels documented involve the main station in Southeast Iowa, Salem, Iowa. In June of 1843, nine slaves escaped from Ruell Daggs in Luray, MO. He was not a unfair, but was considering selling his slaves, due to the unstable views towards slavery at the time. Luray is in northern Missouri, near the border of the free state of Iowa. Daggs hired two slave hunters, who tracked the slaves to Salem. There they found themselves surrounded by uncooperative Quakers, unwilling to lend them any information. The railroad was successful in getting five of the nine fleeing slaves to safety. Daggs sued the Quakers, and was ultimately awarded $2,900. This was not enforced, and Daggs never saw a dime.3
The names of fleeing slaves is rarely known. For fear of getting caught, records of the occurrences was minimal. In the above case, surprisingly, most of the names are known. While rare, this group of slaves did travel with children. The names of those slaves were:
Sam & Dorcas Fulder
John & Mary Walker
Julia & Martha (young women, whose last names are unknown
William (a young boy, whose last name is unknown
Two young children, one of which was an infant4
Stocum, Susan. “Rediscovering the Road to Freedom: A Professor is Helping Iowa Officials Piece Together that State’s Underground Railroad History.” Black Issues in Higher Education, August 5,
Ibid.
3. Derosear, Erma. “Underground Railroad.” Lee County IAGenWebProject. Accessed July 31,
4. Berrier, Galin. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Pathways, IPTV. Accessed August4,

6. Iowa Anti-Slavery Timeline
1839: “An Act to Regulate Blacks and Mulattoes”
Required Blacks and Mulattoes to obtain court certification, verifying that they were free
Had to pay $500 bong as a “guarantee of their good behavior”
Fine of $5-$100 to those who harbored or hired any who did not have certification
Slaveholders could pass through Iowa freely with their slaves
Fugitive slaves were to be arrested and returned to their owners
1840 – Blacks and Mulattoes were Forbidden to Marry Whites
Early 1843 – Local Petitions Created to Seek the Repeal of the 1839 Act
Quakers in Salem, Iowa desired to hire Blacks and Mulattoes in their village; filed a petition to legislature
Washington County residents also filed a petition to repeal the act
Both petitions were largely ignored
Summer 1843 – The Liberty Party Officially Appears in Henry County
1844 – Constitution of 1844 is Passed, Prohibiting Slavery but Restricting Rights of Blacks & Mulattoes
Allowed Blacks and Mulattoes to settle in Iowa
Denied them rights of suffrage, militia service, and the ability to hold and office1
1. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,

7. Iowa Anti-Slavery Timeline, continued
April 1846: Constitutional Convention for the New State of Iowa Neglects to Address the Rights of Blacks and Mulattoes
The resulting constitution ignored the questions of rights and continued to impose restrictions on Blacks and Mulattoes.
The document was served the state from 1846 through 1857
November 1846: Annual Anti-Slavery Meeting Calls for the Liberty Party to be Officially Organized
The party sent several petitions to the legislature during the winter of
November 1847:Alanson St. Clair, Anti-Slavery Agitator, Comes to Iowa
Hired as a lecturer after organizing abolitionist activity in Illinois
Started abolitionist paper, The Iowa Freeman in Ft. Madison, Iowa. Later became a Free Soil paper and moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.
December 14-15, 1847: Liberty Convention Organizes State Party at Yellow Springs
Eli Jessup, a Quaker from Salem, was chairman of the new party
Formed as a response to near silence by major parties on the stance of slavery, and the failure of the Whig Party.
May 24, 1848: First State Convention of the Liberty Party
Fall 1848: The Freeman, Which was First Established as a Liberty Party Newspaper, became the Official Newspaper for the Free Soil Party2
2. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,

8. Iowa Anti-Slavery Timeline, continued
February 1850: Southeast Iowa Free Soilers are Unwilling to Unite with Whigs
Free Soilers met in convention, and determined that the Whig party had abandoned their anti-slavery principles
May 8, 1850: Free Soil State Convention in Iowa City, Iowa
The Free Soil State Convention met one week before the Whig Convention to establish delegates
Delegates hoped that the Which Party would follow suit and work to gain Free Soil votes with an anti-slavery stance. This hope was dashed.
June 21, 1850: A Second Free Soil Convention is Held in Salem, Iowa
October 30, 1851: Free Soil Convention is Held in Yellow Springs, Iowa
Party president, George Shedd and other delegates proclaim that “slavery and freedom cannot long exist together” under the Fugitive Slave Act
November 1851: Anti-Slavery Men Decide to Petition Legislatures Against Fugitive Slave Act
Meeting was held in Van Buren County, Iowa
Winter : Free Soilers Hold Non-Political Public Meetings Against the Fugitive Slave Act
Seeing a decline in opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act, meetings were organized to protest the law
Three meetings were filled with supporters of the Fugitive Slave Act, who outnumbered those who were opposed.3
3. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,

9. Iowa Anti-Slavery Timeline, continued
February 1851: Exclusion Law Passed by the State
Prohibited the immigration of Blacks and Mulattoes into Iowa, but those already in the state could remain
Fine of $2 per day and imprisonment if immigrants entered and remained
April 1851: Associated Presbytery of Iowa Call for Abolition of Slavery
Called for members to “obey God, rather than man and abide the consequences”
June 1851: General Association of Congregational Churches Agree to Be Guided by God, Not a Man-made Law Toward Slavery
June 25, 1851: Free Soilers in Southeast Iowa Hold a Mass Meeting
Held in Washington, Iowa, delegates from six counties adopt 28 resolutions, 14 of which were against the fugitive law, the existence of slavery, and extension into new territories.
Similar meetings were held in Denmark, Iowa and Salem, Iowa on July 4, 1851
August 1851: Four Delegates From the Free Soil Party are Sent to National Convention
December 1853: Iowa Senator, Augustus C. Dodge, Introduces a Bill to Organize the Nebraska Territory
Proposes to extend boundaries on the north to 43°30’. This was the latitude of Iowa’s northern boundary
Senate Committee on Territories later opts to leave the decision of slavery to the “people residing therein, through their appropriate representatives,” all but abandoning the Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30’.4
4. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,

10. Iowa Anti-Slavery Timeline, continued
January 23,1854: Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois, Introduces a Bill to Specifically End the Non-Slavery Provision of the 1820 Missouri Compromise in the Louisiana Territory
The bill proposed that Section Eight of the Compromise had been “superseded” by the principles of the Compromise of 1850
The bill created two territories: Kansas and Nebraska
February 22, 1854: Whig State Convention Includes Platform Against Congressional Efforts to Allow Slavery in the Nebraska Territory
Stated that Missouri Compromise was the “final settlement.”
March 28, 1854: Slavery Admonished in “To the People of Iowa”
Authored by Whig candidate for governor, James W. Grimes
Read before the Free Soil Second State Convention at Crawfordsville, Iowa
Grimes attacked slavery, and stated that Iowa would not tolerate slavery in the Nebraska Territory
Also published in Whig newspapers in early April.
May 30, 1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act Signed Into Law
Issue of slavery dominates Iowa campaigns, causing Democratic losses5
5. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,

11. Map of Approximate Route Across Iowa Photo credit: Iowa Roots Web, www
Map of Approximate Route Across Iowa Photo credit: Iowa Roots Web,
The main stations in Iowa were:
Salem (largest station)
Tabor
Grinnell
Oskaloosa
Winterset
Tipton
Clinton
“Map of the Underground Railroad in Iowa.” November Accessed July 31,

12. Map of Stations in Southeast Iowa Photo credit: “Map of the Underground Railroad in Iowa.” November Accessed July 31,

13. Location of Henderson Lewelling House
Main Station in Iowa – Salem All photographs taken on site by Richelle Runyon
Location of Henderson Lewelling House
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

14. History of the Henderson Lewelling House:
The Henderson Lewelling home was built in 1840 by the home’s namesake, who was Quaker from Indiana. Mr. Lewelling operated a fruit tree nursery and a general store. He had relocated to Salem, Iowa, where the home is located in 1837.
Salem had been established as a Quaker village in While Quakers were known to be anti-slavery, due to their religion, few joined in mission set forth by the Underground Railroad. This was cause for contention at the Salem Monthly Meetings, held by the Quakers.
In 1843, several Quakers, Lewelling included, established Abolition Friends Monthly Meetings. These meetings caused 150 members of the Salem Monthly Meetings to be dismissed.
Due to its location 25 miles from Missouri, Salem became a prime station for the Underground Railroad.1 According to the tour guide, during demolition of many locations in Salem, evidence of suspected Underground Railroad activity was discovered. The number of locations that may have taken part in the activity continues to grow, and now stands at 8. Sadly, the Henderson Lewelling home is the only building that survived.
1. Aboard the Underground Railroad. Henderson Lewelling House.” National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed July 31,

15. Left: Shackles located in the entry area are a haunting reminder that humans were once considered property
Right: Tour guide and one of the hiding places located in the home

16. Left: Visitors are allowed to climb into the hiding space for perspective on the small areas.
Right: The Bee Hive was another well known railroad stop, which has since been torn down. The wheel on display was used to open a trap door via pulley action.

17. Left: Second hiding location, discovered years after the first, when floor coverings were removed.
Right: Five of the documented underground railroad sites, including the Bee Hive. Others have been discovered in recent years. Only one of the five in this picture remain.

18. Pearson House Location
Local Stop – Keosauqua, Iowa All photographs taken on site by Richelle Runyon
Pearson House Location
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

19. History of the Pearson House:
The Pearson House was started in 1845 and finished in It was built by Benjamin Franklin Pearson, who was a master mason.
The home began as a one level stone house, but when Mr. Pearson received brick as payment for a debt, the top was added.
In addition to a documented stop on the Underground Railroad, the house was also home to the local Methodist Church, on the upper level.1
According to our tour guide, the cellar is not as it was in the days of the Underground Railroad. Mr. Pearson’s son had the cellar extended and reinforced to accommodate large amounts of fruit and other items.
The home’s windows are currently being restored.
1. “Pearson House.” Van Buren County IAGenWeb Project. Accessed July 30,

20. Below and right: the hiding area located in the Pearson House
Below and right: the hiding area located in the Pearson House. Descendants of Mr. Pearson expanded the area and turned it into a fruit cellar.

21. The Pearson House was once home to a Methodist Church on the top floor.

22. Other remaining confirmed sites in Iowa Sadly, few sites remain in tact. Many were torn town, while others fell into disrepair when abandoned. There are several sites with suspected ties, but few have been confirmed.
Todd House, Tabor, Iowa – George B. Hitchcock House, Jordan House, West Des Moines, Iowa -
photo credit: Tabor County Historical Society Lewis, Iowa – photo credit: “Hitchcock photo credit: National Park Service,
House.” travel/underground/ia4.htm

23. I-80 Mile 269 rest stop, near Wilton IA All photos taken on site by Richelle Runyon
Embedded around the side of the building are replicas of the quilt blocks used to communicate. These blocks gave directions, tips, and showed them places to avoid. The quilts were displayed to appear as quilts outside drying on clotheslines.

24. Each of the quilt block patterns, as well as some of the stitching had a meaning. The picture to the right displays the meaning behind each pattern. Stitching was also known to give directions to the freedom seekers as well as the conductors.

25. Cedar County, where the rest stop is located, has many ties to the Underground Railroad. The pride in this fact is evidenced by the intricate tile work on the walls and the tiles on the floor, which show the various sites and paths between them.

26. The rest stop includes one gazebo for every stop discovered in Cedar County. Each gazebo is adorned with the name of the site and one of the quit patterns. The gazebos are set up in a way that mimics the location of the actual sites in a scaled down fashion.

27. The famous abolitionist, John Brown frequently aided slaves across the state of Iowa to freedom. His trail has been determined to have started at Todd House in Tabor, Iowa, which is located on the western edge of the state. The path ended at a bridge in Davenport, Iowa, on the Mississippi River on the eastern edge of Iowa. This site includes homages to both. There is a metal structure, signifying the Todd house on the west end, and a bridge on the very eastern end meant to memorialize the bridge in Davenport.
The rest stop is a perfect combination of peacefulness, art, architecture, and education. As we were leaving, my passenger said “This is a fascinating stop. I learned so much.” Cedar County accomplished their mission.

28. “The Underground Railroad in Iowa” Major Rick Corbin https://youtu

29. Works Cited
“Aboard the Underground Railroad. Henderson Lewelling House.” National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed
July 31,
“Aboard the Underground Railroad. Jordan House.” National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Accessed August 22,
Berrier, Galin. “Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Pathways. Accessed July 31, 2016.
Corbin, Major Rick. “The Underground Railroad in Iowa.” October 3, Accessed August 18,
Derosear, Erma. “Underground Railroad.” Lee County IAGenWebProject. Accessed July 31,
“Hitchcock House.” Hitchcock House, Lewis, Iowa. State of Iowa DNR. Accessed August 20,

30. Works Cited, Continued
“Iowa and the Underground Railroad.” Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historical Society of Iowa Accessed August 1,
Kent, Holly M. “Necessary Courage: Iowa’s Underground Railroad in the Struggle Against Slavery.” Journal of the Illinois State Historical
Society, Volume 8, Issue 2. July 2015.
“Map of the Underground Railroad in Iowa.” November Accessed July 31, 2016.
“Pearson House.” Van Buren County IAGenWeb Project. Accessed July 30,
Shattuck, Ben. “Paintings of Iowa’s Underground Railroad.” May 24, Accessed August 8,
Stocum, Susan. “Rediscovering the Road to Freedom: A Professor is Helping Iowa Officials Piece Together that State’s Underground Railroad History.” Black Issues in Higher Education, August 5, 1999.
“The Todd House.” Tabor Historical Society. Accessed August 22,