Abolitionist. A native of Onondaga County, New York,his family moved to Wadsworth, Ohio where he came under the influence of the teachings of Judge Brown, the uncle of the famous abolitionist, John Brown. As an adult he moved his family to Iowa where he would farm and become an evangelist for the Christian Church. With the opening of the Kansas territory and the debate on whether it would become a slave or free state, he decided to move there to fight against the pro-slavery cause. On August 17, 1855 while waiting to board a steamboat in order to bring his family to their new home in Kansas, a discussion about slavery arose. He passionately shared his views that he thought slavery was wrong and should be abolished. Later a group of men confronted him trying to force him to sign a pro-slavery document. He refused and the men, painted his face black, tied a banner with a derogatory message on to a two-log raft and set him adrift in the middle of the rough waters of the Missouri River. He used the stick holding the banner to make an oar and in spite of the dangerous rapids, he safely paddled to shore, miles down the river. He continued to speak out against slavery. Once he was covered with tar and cotton and chased out of town,he was mobbed and beaten with thirty-nine lashes, he was threatened with being hanged but he continued to fight during the "Bleeding Kansas" period for free statehood status for Kansas. In 1858 he was named by the Kansas Missionary Society as the "state evangelist". He is recognized as one of the major factors in helping end slavery in America.
Abolitionist. A native of Onondaga County, New York,his family moved to Wadsworth, Ohio where he came under the influence of the teachings of Judge Brown, the uncle of the famous abolitionist, John Brown. As an adult he moved his family to Iowa where he would farm and become an evangelist for the Christian Church. With the opening of the Kansas territory and the debate on whether it would become a slave or free state, he decided to move there to fight against the pro-slavery cause. On August 17, 1855 while waiting to board a steamboat in order to bring his family to their new home in Kansas, a discussion about slavery arose. He passionately shared his views that he thought slavery was wrong and should be abolished. Later a group of men confronted him trying to force him to sign a pro-slavery document. He refused and the men, painted his face black, tied a banner with a derogatory message on to a two-log raft and set him adrift in the middle of the rough waters of the Missouri River. He used the stick holding the banner to make an oar and in spite of the dangerous rapids, he safely paddled to shore, miles down the river. He continued to speak out against slavery. Once he was covered with tar and cotton and chased out of town,he was mobbed and beaten with thirty-nine lashes, he was threatened with being hanged but he continued to fight during the "Bleeding Kansas" period for free statehood status for Kansas. In 1858 he was named by the Kansas Missionary Society as the "state evangelist". He is recognized as one of the major factors in helping end slavery in America.
Bio by: Bigwoo
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