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Across the Ohio River in Virginia (now West Virginia) and near Parkersburg, rich farmland called Washington Bottom allowed five slave plantations to prosper. Enslaved people crossed the river towards Little Hocking and Belpre in the early 1800s. The Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 gave authority to local governments for capture and return of runaway fugitive slaves upon entering a free state, and for those who aided in the escape would be penalized. White and free Black abolitionists provided a "system" of safe houses and escape routes known as the Underground Railroad.
The friction over the slavery issue was increasingly intense on both sides of the Ohio River between the late 1790s until the end of the Civil War in 1865. Slave plantations dotted Wood County from Parkersburg to the Vaucluse slave auction site in St. Mary's. Washington County had well used crossings for enslaved fugitives at Little Hocking, Belpre, Constitution, Marietta, Duck Creek, Reno, and Newport.
After crossing the Ohio River, fleeing enslaved Blacks were secretly escorted by abolitionist conductors through ravines, across farm fields, and sometimes rode in false bottom wagons by day. Often, they took refuge in caves, sheds, hidden spaces at safe houses at night. Sometimes it would take days to weeks to wait before moving on. Washington County had a network of about 16 Underground Railroad stations which were all connected by "secret" routes. Some of the western stations were in Bartlett, Barlow, Veto, Vincent, and Cutler. North and east of Marietta were the stations of Rainbow, Waterford, and Palmer.
Serving the Underground Railroad included known and unknown white, free and enslaved Black abolitionists. It is said, Colonel John Stone, a known Belpre abolitionist, was so hated by pro-slavery people that he did not cross the river to Parkersburg for twenty years. Colonel Stone was assisted by an enslaved woman named Aunt Jenny in Parkersburg. From an observations post across the river, she would use lights to alert Stone of activity of fugitive slave catchers and sent signals to Stone to prepare for secret crossings of escaping slaves. While the Smith family operated the Cutler station, there was an increasing number of free blacks living in the community who played a significant role on the Underground Railroad. In Waterford the long-time conductor was Micah "Cajoe" Phillips, formerly enslaved by Harman Blennerhassett.
In Marietta, two stations operated: the Eel's House on Putnam Street and David Putnam Jr., the most noted abolitionist, led efforts from his Harmar station. The Anti-Slavery Society with free African Americans actively assisted fugitives. In 1847, G. W. Henderson, owner of the Henderson plantation near Williamstown, sued David Putnam Jr. over Putnam's alleged influence with nine runaway slaves. The historic Henderson vs. Putnam case, held in the US Circuit Court in Columbus, was dismissed in 1852.
Seeking the "promised land" of Canada, enduring the secret routes, and risking their lives under penalty of capture and/or death, makes true heroes of courageous African Americans, as well as the abolitionists providing passage. Much has been documented in this story of over sixty years of activity.
Tremendous indebtedness for Washington County's history of the Underground Railroad goes to Marietta native, the late Henry Burke, an Underground Railroad descendant, historian, newspaper columnist, lecturer, and recipient of recognition and awards for his research at the local, state, and national levels. Some of his publications include the Washington County Underground Railroad, Mason-Dixon Line, and The River Jordan.