www.the-papers.com
Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Serving Elkhart County and parts of Noble, LaGrange & Marshall Counties
Goshen (574) 534-2591
Vol. 48 No. 43
134 S. Main, Goshen, Indiana 46526
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EH WROG %\ 7,0 $6+/(< 6WDII :ULWHU Even something in the very distant past still continues to generate a considerable amount of interest today. From the early 1800s to prior to the Civil War, the Underground Railroad — not a literal railroad line — was a network of secret routes and safe houses for enslaved African-Americans to use in their quest to escape to freedom. Patrick McGuire, curator of education for the Elkhart County Historical Museum in Bristol, said he believes the Underground Railroad is such a popular topic “mostly out of the reason for its existence: to help enslaved people gain freedom.” It was a noble cause and “I think many people are interested in the overall idea of what the Underground Railroad accomplished.” There is a lot of mystery and secrecy associated with the Underground Railroad, and with so few definitive sources, “it allows people to speculate and ignite their curiosity,” he added. Specifically for Elkhart County, there has been much speculation and numerous sites thought to have been associated with the railroad have been proven not to be connected. An old house built prior to 1900 with a tunnel connected to it is simply not enough proof, for an example. McGuire said there is very little evidence in the archives of the museum showing anyone was involved and only 13 people are suspected to have been involved. Researching the Underground Railroad and finding credible sources is quite challenging. The operation was done in secrecy and was also illegal and could result in fines and jail time. And, McGuire noted, those working to help may not have known where the slaves were coming from or what their next stop would be so if they were caught, it would minimize the number of people caught. Based on credible evidence, he believes only two people have the most validity of any involvement. Those are Charles Murray and Owen Coffin. Murray lived in Jefferson Township and was active in the abolition movement to end slavery, and his daughter, Emmiline Sigerfoos, made a statement in 1927 saying she recalled
befriending many people who came to the house to eat and sleep. She also remembered a specific story of two men coming to the log cabin when she was alone. When asked if she was afraid of the two men, she said no because it was a regular occurrence. Coffin was related to Levi Coffin, who had a verified stop on the Underground Railroad near Fountain City. That house still stands and is now a museum site that can be toured by the public. This was a transition point where escaping slaves stopped on their way north. Owen Coffin was of the Quaker faith and Quakers were closely involved in the Underground Railroad. “It is speculated that Coffin’s property in Bristol was believed to be one last stop on the Underground Railroad in Indiana before passing into Michigan,” McGuire said. Eliminating possibilities is easier than proving connections, he said. A large house on the west side of Bristol known as the Fowler house was thought to be a stop, but was built in 1868 after the Civil War and when slavery had ended. Another house that was once a stagecoach inn on US 33 south of Goshen was also suspected to be a stop, but was built in 1863, the same year as the Emancipation Proclamation. McGuire said those interested in learning more about the Underground Railroad can check several books writ-
+,6725,&$/ 6,7( ,1 %5,672/ ³ Patrick McGuire stands next to a state historical marker just off the southeast corner of SR 15 and SR 120 in Bristol. The town is thought to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad and the marker commemorates a court case involving three slave catchers and a runaway slave in Bristol. Photo by Tim Ashley.
ten about it, as well as the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati. The museum in Bristol has a few resources, including “Pioneer History: Elkhart County, Indiana, With Stories and Sketches” H.S.K. Bartholomew. But that book, written in 1930, only has four pages covering the Underground Railroad and there aren’t any footnotes or endnotes in the book where sources are cited. He believes there needs to be a new look into the sources and see if more evidence of Underground Railroad stops in Elkhart County can be uncovered. “I think the story, for many reasons, is incomplete,” he said.
In addition, he believes the Underground Railroad “is a representation of the spirit of human beings.” It shows how people of all colors can work together to help others. But he also feels more focus needs to be placed on the history and legacy of the enslaved people who sought freedom. A greater risk was taken by those escaping and traveling hundreds of miles with the constant fear of being caught. “They had to put their lives in the hands of strangers and blindly trust what they were telling them,” McGuire said. “That is a story that I’d like to know more about.”