West Branch Times, West Branch, Iowa, Thursday, April 24, 1924
Transcribed by Sharon Elijah, June 20, 2018
A STORY IN THE HISTORY OF MY COMMUNITY
Cedar County’s Contribution To the Abolition of Slavery
By
Edith Wilson
Very soon after the passing of the fugitive slave law, many people in Iowa, as well as in many other states, organized what was known as the “Underground railroad.” Iowa people were particularly interested in aiding the escape of the slaves from Missouri, with Iowa City, Springdale, Clarence and Davenport on the route. The traveling was done at night, the slaves being taken from one station to another in covered wagons, under armed guard.
George B. Gill and Barclay Coppock, both of Springdale went to fight the Missouri slave holders who invaded Kansas in 1855-6.
James Townsend and Dr. H. G. Gill, of West Branch and Springdale, respectively, were prominent in aiding in the escape of slaves. James Townsend lived on what is now the J. C. Crew farm, keeping a tavern where people might remain over night. It is said that he had a tunnel leading from under his cellar, from which slaves might escape in time of danger.
One incident illustrating the activities of the anti-slavery people in this community is that of Laurie Latumn’s efforts to get slaves to Clarence one wintry night by way of Cedar Bluffs. The people around Cedar Bluffs were very unsympathetic, so Mr. Latum and his associates took special care that the slaves were properly covered. Interested people asked them what they had in the wagon. They replied that they were going to mill. The ferries were not running and the thin ice made it dangerous for the horses to pull the wagon across the Cedar river. They unhitched and were soon safely over, but one of the slaves sneezed, giving them away. No one interfered, however, and the human cargo was soon safely delivered at Clarence.
John Brown felt that he was commissioned of God to free the slaves. He led bands of men to Kansas and fought desperately in the war there, occasioned by the invasions of the Missourians. On one of his trips to Kansas he stopped at James Townsend’s tavern, and, learning that Townsend was a Quaker, disclosed his identity. He was told of the sympathy of the people at Springdale with his work. Springdale became one of his favorite stopping places.
John Brown conceived the idea of stationing, in the protection of the Appalachian Mountains, small bodies of armed men who should descend into the plains, seize negroes, and take them back to his “camps of freedom,” and then safely pilot them to Canada. In 1857 he came to Springdale with a number of men and rented the old Maxson farm on which Robert Gray now lives. Springdale was particularly suited to his needs because it was remote from pubic thoroughfares and railroads, and contained many abolitionists. He spent the winter in drilling his men and preparing for the Harper’s Ferry expedition.
The men who came to Springdale were educated and refined, possessing the qualities of heroes, and winning the friendship of the Quakers. The excellent of the small military school was A. D. Stephens. He had been a member of the United States Dragoons, had been court-martialed because of an assault on Longstreet, sentenced to be shot, and imprisoned. He escaped and changed his name to Whipple. Another of Brown’s men was John Henry Kagi, writer, public speaker and correspondent of the New York Post.
John Brown lived with J. H. Painter while he was in Springdale. One day when Brown was preparing to go to Kansas, Mr. Painter’s daughter, Esther, and one of her friends, were playing near one of the caves. Suddenly, to their great astonishment, a sword came out of the cave.
During the winter several from around Springdale joined the small group at the Maxson farm. In the spring of 1858 Brown went east with his men, taking with him George B. Gill, Edwin Coppock, Barclay Coppock and Steward Gaylor. Friends here and in the east had tried to persuade against the Harper’s Ferry expedition but in vain. The expedition was postponed, the men separated, and Brown went to Missouri where he secured several slaves and proceeded, via the “underground railroad”, to Canada. He had a particularly thrilling time at West Liberty, Iowa, evading the detectives.
Brown then went to Virginia in 1859 with three men, making careful plans for the attack. He rented a farm where his followers gathered, supposedly to work for him. The suspicion of the people of the neighborhood was aroused by the appearance of the strange men, and warrants were taken out to search the premises. Brown learned of the danger and made the attack immediately. With only eighteen men he seized the United States arsenal, forcibly taking about thirty slaves. They held the arsenal for two days and three nights against the citizens and militia of Virginia, which numbered about one thousand. The four men of this vicinity showed themselves to be heroes in fighting for the cause for which they were willing to lose their lives.
Edwin Coppock was born in Salem, Ohio, 1835. His father died while he was young so he lived with his grandfather, working on a farm. Edwin and his brother, Barclay, came to Springdale to live with their mother, who had married again. She was an intelligent woman of strong character. Both boys became interested in Brown, finally going with him to Virginia.
During the fight Edwin aimed at a commander at close range, who proved to be General Lee, so well known in the Civil war. One of Brown’s prisoners bumped forward, thus preventing the shot, and the general passed safely out of range.
After the surrender of the arsenal Edwin was captured uninjured. He was taken to the Charleston jail which was guarded by the state militia, tried, and speedily sentenced to be hung on the 15th of December. His grandfather, and an uncle from Salem, Ohio, and Thomas Gwyn of Cedar County, Iowa, went to Virginia to appeal to Governor Wise to change the sentence to imprisonment. However, the legislature of Virginia demanded his death.
Coppock calmly awaited his fate, giving up all hope of freedom, even when hope was fostered. A faithful negro had secreted a knife when put in prison, which he gave to Edwin Coppock. This was made into a rude saw with which he cut of his fetters and dug a hole through the brick wall. He, with a companion, got out the night before execution. He was soon discovered and returned to prison. On the last day he wrote farewells to his friends. Mr. Gwyn of Springdale was expecting to bring the body home, but it was necessary to bury it among his kindred in Salem, Ohio. The people of Springdale went to the train to get the body, but were disappointed.
Barclay, Edwin’s brother, was born in 1839. At nineteen he and George B. Gill, also of Springdale, went to help fight the Missouri slave holders who had invaded Kansas. There they met John Brown who was very prominent in the war. Coppock became vitally interested in the slavery cause.
After the Harper’s Ferry expedition, he and several other men, including Owen Brown, Merriam and Cook, escaped into the mountains. The newspapers were full of descriptions of them, large rewards being offered for their return. Hounds and men were on their trail. These men suffered terrible hardships, living on raw chicken, uncooked field corn, and occasional fruit. They had neither fire nor shelter.
Cook soon left them to say goodby to his young wife, and was captured and put in prison. Merriam, after completely playing out, entered a small station and escaped. Barclay Coppock went on until, reaching the northern part of Pennsylvania, he sought shelter. He was worn to a mere skeleton, ragged and dirty. He learned of the terrible fate of his brother and companions. He deemed it now safe to travel by daylight. He soon took a train for Iowa and got home the day after his brother’s death.
The people of Springdale were determined that Coppock should not be surrendered at the demands which they felt sure were to come. Coppock was rather tall, slender of build, and had brown hair. He now wore a disguise with a mustache and a full beard. His place of lodgement was changed continually and he was always accompanied by a man well armed.
In 1860, a man was sent by Governor Sticher of Virginia, to Governor Kirkwood, demanding the surrender of Barclay Coppock. During the interview, two members of the legislature came into the office and learned the intentions of the man. They saw that that there was not a moment to lose. They secured Williams, a man of great endurance, and he, taking a fast horse, started on the wintry ride of 160 miles to Springdale. He was to get fresh horses at the various stations of the Underground Railroad. Williams carried a note to John H. Painter which read:
John H. Painter: There is an application for young Coppock from the Governor of Virginia to Governor Kirkwood, who will be compelled to surrender him. If he is in your neighborhood tell him to make his escape from the United States. Your friend
Williams reached Springdale and Coppock was saved. He, with a friend, Thadeus Maxson, went in a sleigh to Mechanicsville, accompanied by an armed guard. They took a Chicago train, and remained in Chicago several weeks with a trusted negro family. Then they went on to Canada.
Barclay Coppock never ceased his efforts to secure the freedom of slaves. He returned from Canada and aided in the escape of Missouri slaves. He joined the Union Army, being commissioned a lieutenant in the Fourth Kansas Volunteers.
