Listing of Residents of Various Counties In The State of Iowa
Stockholders and Conductors In The Underground Railroad

Members of The State Peace Society

Names from May 20th 1875 article
"Under Ground Rail Road Convention"
Taken from the Mt. Pleasant Journal

* Those underlined members of Salem Monthly Meeting
You will see relationships to the Cedar Creek Friends area.
Red - Have family links to the house Henderson Lewelling built.

1. George Shedd
2. Joseph A Dugdale
3. Ruth Dugdale
4. Eber Crane
5. Samuel I. Howe (There is a Quaker, Emaline Howe, that was married to James Pickard)
6. Charlotte Howe
7. Elwood Osborn – He and his family charter members of Salem Monthly Meeting. In 1845 he was disowned for being out of unity and non–attendance. In 1847 he gave an offering (presented a letter of apology and came back to Salem Monthly Meeting).
8. Lydia Osborn - Lydia was disowned for joining another society in 1845. She was received back as a member, at her request in 1848.
9. John Wheeler
10. Jesse Holmes
11. Sarah P. Holmes
12. Ashur Woolman - Asher received by request in 1844 as was his wife. In 1850 Asher and family get East Grove Monthly Meeting and in 1858 they are received back at Salem Monthly Meeting per certificate from New Garden Meeting.
13. Margaret Woolman
14. Asa Turner
15. James A Shedd
16. Caroline C. Shedd
17. Borden Stanton (Ruth, John and Susanna Stanton were charter members)
18. Enoch Beard – He and his family were charter members of Salem Monthly Meeting. The family is also found in Cedar Creek records, with Enoch bringing a certificate from Cedar Creek to marry at Salem meeting in 1857. In 1858 his new wife and children get Cedar Creek Meeting.
19. Mary Pickering - There is a Mary Pickering who came from Duck Creek, Indiana Meeting to Salem in 1841. I believe she was the wife of John H Pickering. He is not to be confused with Jonathan H. Per Quaker records John and Jonathan were born two years apart to Jacob and Rachel Pickering. Mary died 1-10-1887, age 78 yrs 11mo 18dys. Mary is stated to be the daughter of William and Susanna Pickering.
20. Peter Hobson - Peter is the son of Joseph and Mary Gibbs Hobson. Peter came to Salem Monthly Meeting in 1839 with a certificate from White Lick Meeting in Indiana. He married Rachel Gibson. His brother George married Tamar Gibson. Mary and Tamar were twin daughters of Monthelian and Sarah Embree Gibson. Mary and Tamar’s brother Isaac Gibson married Anna Hiatt and the Gibson house is one of the houses believed to be one of the Underground Railroad Stations in Salem.
Peter’s brother George Hobson has ties to Cedar Creek. Peter was disowned for disunity in 1879. His wife may be the Rachel and family that went to Plainfield Meeting in Indiana in 1875. Rachel came back in 1883.
21. Mary E. Cooper? ( A Mary Cooper rocf Elk MM Ohio on 4-18-1855)
22. Joseph Frazier – He and his family were charter members of Salem Monthly Meeting. In 1844 he and his family were disowned for joining separatists. In 1869 they came back at their request and then take a certificate to Chestnut Hill Monthly Meeting.
23. Mahlon Tomlinson - He was a druggist in Salem and was received by request in 1873 and was disowned in 1877.
24. Margaret Crosbie Tomlinson - She was the sister of John M. Crosbie of the Cedar Creek Meeting. In 1879 she joined the un-programmed meeting in Salem. John M. Crosbie had been part of the Underground Railroad in Indiana, before he moved to Iowa.
25. William Hockett? Most Hocketts in area Quakers. May be the William Hockett son of Stephen and Margaret of Cedar Creek.
26. George N. Power 27. Matilda Power
27. J. Lewelling? Not sure who he is. He may be Jehu Lewelling son of Henry Lewelling Henderson’s brother who stayed in Indiana but Jehu came to East Grove in 1851 and his mother in 1852. John Lewelling, brother of Henderson, was in California in 1875.
28. Wm. R. Cole
29. Charles Davis ? (There was a Charles Davis a member until 1875 when he goes to Kansas.) 30. Nathan H. Bond (Received on certificate 8-31-1839 from New Garden, Indiana meeting dated 1-19-1839)
31. Henry W. Joy - He and his family were charter members of Salem Monthly Meeting. His wife Margaret was the daughter of Gideon and Ann Frazier. He is found on the 1842 apportionment list for Cedar Creek. His parents Reuben and Rachel Joy joined separatist meeting. Sister Rachel Fisher went on the wagon train trip in 1847 with Henderson Lewelling to Oregon.
32. James Comer - James son of Stephen and Mary Comer married Tamer E. Hobson daughter of Monthelian and Sarah Gibson in 1867. James died 10-12-1898 aged 94. Tamar was first married to George Hobson. (See list of owners of the Lewelling House.)
33. Rebekah Benedict - (There was a Rebecca Benedict who came from Canada West to Salem 2-13-1850.)
34. Amos W. McMillen - In 1872 Amos and children were received on certificate from Chestnut Hill Meeting. He died 3-14-1890 aged 84 yrs 8mo and 9 days and buried in Salem South Cemetery. (Owned Henderson Lewelling’s house at one time.)
35. Mary A. Henderson. Probably Duvall Henderson’s wife who was a Mary Ann Garretson, daughter of Isaac and Alice Garretson. Duvall owned the Henderson Hotel in Salem. She died in 1887.
36. Isaac Mills ? (There was an Isaac and Jane who came from Cherry Grove Meeting in Indiana in 1843 and they move to Kemma, Nebraska in 1891)
37. C. Pyle
38. A. M. Tuttle
39. Rachel Maxwell Kellum - She was the wife of Nathum Kellum who is called a conductor of the Underground Railroad and a member of Salem Monthly Meeting. In 1850 Nathan was disowned for striking another in anger and received back by request in Sept. 1852 and shortly thereafter married. Rachel is the daughter of Jacob Maxwell and a member of Salem meeting.
In 1854 ca two years after being married they move their membership to East Grove and in 1896 Rachel and her daughter Alma were received on certificate back to Salem from Chestnut Hill. Nathan came with his parents Samuel and Ann in the fall of 1839 from New Garden Monthly Meeting, Indiana. Rachel came with her parents in 1840 from Salem Monthly Meeting in Indiana. 40. R. Wilson
41. J. B. Vernon
42. George Merritt
43. Joseph D Hoag – Lived in the East Grove area. In 1857 was received on certificate from East Grove via New Garden to Salem Meeting. In 1866 he gets Spring Creek meeting in Iowa. He was from Vermont.
44. F. W. Willey
45. Lott Holmes
46. Ann L. Raley, wife of Samuel Coppock. She came to Cedar County Iowa in 1850 with minor children Levi and Maria B from Salem Monthly Meeting in Ohio. (Her husband being deceased.) The Salem, Iowa Quaker records also show that Edwin L. son of Ann L. came from Upper Springfield Meeting in Ohio in 1850. Lydia and Joseph, children of Ann L., rocf from New Garden Meeting in Ohio in 1850. No record of Barclay is found in the Salem records. On page 695 Vol. IV Salem Monthly Meeting in Ohio 1853 Barclay, minor get Red Cedar, Iowa. Red Cedar later became Springdale in Cedar County and there were routes of the Underground Railroad there. Edwin was captured at Harpers Ferry and was hanged on 16 December 1859. Barclay escaped, but subsequently was killed fighting in the Civil War. Both had participated in the raid at Harper’s Ferry. Interesting to note that their mother was at this gathering in 1875. She had married Joseph Raley in 1853.

Salem Monthly Meeting (church) created Red Cedar Monthly Meeting (church) in 1853 so the family may not have actually lived in Salem, just their church records before 1853 keep with Salem Meetings. Children of Samuel Coppock and Ann Lynch listed on page 943, Vol. IV, Upper Springfield Meeting and are: Levi born 1832. 2,25; Maria 1833, 10,31; Edwin 1835, 6, 30; Lydia 1836, 12, 5 and Barclay 1839, 1,4. Joseph is not listed. Samuel was born 1803, 11,29 and died 1841, 11,8 and is buried at Springfield Meeting in Ohio.

Springdale Meeting records in Iowa page 57, VIII
Coppock
11-9-1853 Barclay (a minor), rocf Salem Meeting in Ohio 8-8-1854 Levi complained of for attending balls and dances.
10-10-1855 Levi dis for dancing.
Maria B. Charter Member
5-10-1853 Maria B and Thos Elwood Tabor dmi
8-10-1853 Maria E and Thos Elwood Tabor dmist and are ltm 10-5 1853 Maria E and Thos Elwood Tabor are reported married.
5-6-1857 Barclay complained of for striking a man in anger.
3-7-1860 Barclay, dis for bearing arms.
1-7-1857 Edwin complained of for attending a dance.
5-6-1857 Edwin, dis for attending a dance.
4-11-1860 Joseph dis for bearing arms.

These records add Joseph L. Coppock born 12-9-1840 and died 9-5-1865.

Springdale Meeting records in Iowa page 165, volume VIII
Raley
Joseph and Ann charter members in 1853
Joseph born 1-18-1791 and died 4-1-1878 buried Springdale, Iowa. and wife Ann L born 7-25-1804 died ? 1885 , buried Springdale, Iowa. Maria Tabor died before 1867. So Ann lost four children in less than ten years.

From The Iowan June-July 1956 by Curt Harnack "page 47 "…The first Iowan to be killed in the conflict that was later to develop into the Civil War was Edwin Coppoc of Springdale. Edwin’s Quaker mother apprehensively watched her two sons depart for Harper’s Ferry. 'I believe you are going with old Brown,’ She said. 'When you get the halters around your necks will you think of me?’

Later when her prophecy came true, Edwin Coppoc wrote just before his execution 'Thank God the principles in which we are engaged will not die with me and my brave comrades. By the taking of my life … Virginia is but hastening on the glorious day when the slaves will rejoice in their freedom' "

Interesting notes
James Comer married Tamar Ann Hobson in 1867 She returns to Salem from Cedar Creek in 1865 where she and her husband George and family went in 1860. No husband is listed with her when she returns. If you remember from list of owners of the Lewelling property that Tamar and her husband George Hobson had sold to Amos Kimberly the property in 1854.

Peter Hobson in the above list is the son of Joseph and Mary Hobson disf du (disowned for disunity- probably went to un-programmed meeting) on 8-2-1879.

Samuel son of Joseph and Mary married Rachel Comer and Sarah Jane Hobson d/o Peter Hobson married Samuel Comer.

There is a good likelihood that the Hobson’s that lived in the Lewelling house were involved with the Underground Railroad. Could the Hobson family have rent the house before they purchased it in 1853 and carry on the work of the Underground Railroad Henderson Lewelling had been involved with? Henderson Lewelling left in 1847 and his brother John in 1853.

From the above list you see that over one third of those listed as conductors and stockholders had ties to the Salem Monthly Meeting of Friends. I did not check to see who else was from the Salem, Iowa area.


Compiled by Jean Hallowell Leeper, July 2010; contributed to Henry County IAGenWeb, Mar 2022.

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