Read Part One HERE
In this post I will continue to focus on a woman named Mary Meachum. She lived from 1801 - 1869. On Sunday night, May 20, 1855, a group of about eight or nine freedom seekers set out across the Mississippi River near St Louis on a skiff designed to take them over to the free state of Illinois. Hours earlier, they had met under the cover of darkness at the home of Mary Meachum. However, the word had gotten out about their escape and armed police agents along with slave catchers were waiting for the freedom seekers on the Illinois shore. In the pre-dawn hours of Monday morning, May 21, the confrontation quickly turned into a firefight, and at least five of the freedom seekers were taken back to St Louis in chains. Within a few days, authorities had also arrested Mary.
The arrest of Marry was big news within her community where she held a number of prominent roles. After being held in the St Louis jail for weeks, Mary faced a trial by jury for "enticing away slaves." On July 16 her attorney filed a motion to quash her indictment, and on Juy 19 her charges were dropped and she was set free to continue life as a free woman in St Louis.
Mary continued to lead and serve her local community, serving as the president of the Coloured Ladies Soldiers' Aid Society which provided resources and care for black soldiers and enslaved people who had escaped during the war.
Mary died in 1869.
Read Part Eighty-Seven HERE
No comments:
Post a Comment