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A Woman\'s Life Work

L >> Laura S. Haviland >> A Woman\'s Life Work



Produced by Skip Doughty, Tom Allen, Juliet Sutherland,
Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.




A WOMAN'S LIFE-WORK:

LABORS AND EXPERIENCES

OF

LAURA S. HAVILAND.




DEDICATION

to

My two sons, and four daughters, and families;

also to the

Home and Foreign Missionary Society,

are these pages dedicated.

The Author




PREFACE.


In presenting the following pages to the public, without the trace of
an excellent scholar or eloquent orator, I fully realize my inability
to compete with writers of the nineteenth century. With this
incompetency in view, I have hesitated and delayed until three-score
and thirteen years are closing over me. Yet as I am still spared to
toil on a little longer in the great field so white to harvest,
praying the Lord of the harvest to arm and send forth more laborers,
because they are too few, I ask an indulgent public to allow my deep
and abiding sympathies for the oppressed and sorrowing of every
nation, class, or color, to plead my excuse for sending forth simple,
unvarnished facts and experiences, hoping they may increase an
aspiration for the active doing, instead of saying what ought to be
done, with excusing self for want of ability, when it is to be found
in Him who is saying, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my
strength is perfect in weakness."

LAURA S. HAVILAND.

OCTOBER, 1881.




CONTENTS


CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE.

Parentage--Early Impressions--Childhood Skepticism--Religious
Experience--The Great Leveler--Marriage--Removal to Michigan--The
Semi-Christian--The Despairing Backslider Restored--Proscription--
Withdrawal from the Society of Friends--Founded "Raisin Institute,"


CHAPTER II.

BEREAVEMENTS.

Dream--Bereavements--Early Widowhood--Trials--Dreamy--Victory by
Faith--A Fugitive Slave Escapes--Marriage of two Older Children,


CHAPTER III.

ANTI-SLAVERY EXPERIENCES.

Baptist Deacon Convicted of the Sin of Slavery by his Slave--Willis
Hamilton's Escape with his Slave-wife, Elsie, to Canada--Removal to
Michigan--Whereabouts Discovered by Elsie's Master--Deeply Laid Scheme
to Capture the Hamilton Family--Threats of Violence--Second Attempt
and Defeat--Death of the two Slave-holders,


CHAPTER IV.

AN OHIO SCHOOL-TEACHER.

A Traveling Agent--Slave Claimant--John White--Threats--Visit to Jane
White--Interview with William Allen--Escape of Slaves--In Suspense--
Death of First-born--Comforting Dream--John White a Prisoner--His
Release and Subsequent History,


CHAPTER V.

THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY.

Two Slave Families Escape--Story of George and James--A Mother and
Daughter Leave a Boat bound for the Lower Market--Sarah and two Young
Men join our Party--Seven are Conducted to Canada--Raisin Institute
Suspended for an Academic Year--Return to Cincinnati--Maria--Threats
of her Master--The Escape of two Young Men


CHAPTER VI.

FUGITIVE SLAVES ASSISTED.

Clara and Three Children Rescued--Jack Betrayed and Returned to
Bondage--A Little Nurse Girl taken from her Owners in Cincinnati--How
Zack was Saved--Calvin Fairbanks Visited in Prison--Fugitive Slaves
Forwarded


CHAPTER VII.

CHRISTIAN AND EDUCATIONAL WORK.

Visiting and Nursing the Sick--Nine Slaves Arrive from Kentucky--
Richard Dillingham Dies in Tennessee Penitentiary--Seven Slaves
Conducted to Freedom--Teach Six Months in Toledo


CHAPTER VIII.

FUGITIVES IN CANADA.

Mission Among the Fugitives in Canada--Religious Revival--
Organization of a Christian Union Church--Efforts of Missourians to
Retake the Fugitive Slave, William Anderson, from Canada--The Kentucky
Slave-owner Whipped in the Old Barracks in Windsor in his Effort to
Decoy Three Young Men back to Slavery--Reopening School


CHAPTER IX.

RESCUE OF SLAVES.

Escape of a Slave Family of Six--A Slave Man Travels for a White Man
and Succeeds--Trip to Arkansas--The Story of George Wilson--The Slave-
daughter under Mortgage Released by her Mother--Mintie Berry Purchases
her Husband--John Brown Hanged--The War Opens and takes Seventeen
Students of Raisin Institute--First Trip to the Front with Supplies


CHAPTER X.

HOSPITAL WORK.

Cairo--Incidents Preparatory to Removing Freedmen's Camp to Island No.
10--Death of a Child--Disbursing Supplies and other Mission Work on
the Island--Story of Uncle Stephen--Hospital Visiting in Memphis,
Tennessee--Surgeon Powers Reported--Forty Slaves come into Camp
Shiloh--Seven Slaves come from a Plantation seven miles below Memphis
--First Enlistment of Colored Soldiers--Mission Work in Columbus,
Kentucky--Young Colored Man Shot by his Young Master--Turning of
Tables--Return Home--Our Principal, E. A. Haight, Enlisted


CHAPTER XI.

SANITARY WORK.

Organized Freedmen's Relief Association--Solicit Supplies--Academic
Year Opened for 1863-4--Sister Backus and Self leave for Fields of
Suffering--Incidents on the Way--Mission Work in Natchez, Mississippi
--Four Hundred Slaves Hanged and otherwise Tortured--Visit to the
Calaboose--Mission Work in Baton Rouge--Arrival at New Orleans--Sketch
of Persecutions


CHAPTER XII.

MISSION WORK IN NEW ORLEANS.


Mission Work in New Orleans--Soldiers and Prisoners Visited on Ship
Island--Petition of Seventy Soldier Prisoners in behalf of Three
Thousand of their Fellow Prisoners--Appeal in behalf of Ship Island
and Tortugas Prisoners--Mission Work at Plaquemine--Natchez--Capture
of a Rebel steamer--Arrival at Home--Release of the Three Thousand
Banished Union Soldiers


CHAPTER XIII.

FREEDMEN'S AID COMMISSION.

Refugees in Kansas--Children of Want--Afflicted Family--Scenes of
Distress--Agnes Everett--Quantrell's Raid--Poor White Trash--
Hospitals--Supplies Distributed--Refugee Buildings--Orphan Children--
Haviland Home--Thomas Dean a Prisoner--Petition for Pardon--Pardon
Granted--A Southern Clergyman--Mission School--At Harper's Ferry and
Washington.


CHAPTER XIV.

HOME MISSION WORK.

Mission Work and Incidents in Washington--Murders--Alexandria--
Richmond, Virginia--Williamsburg--Fort Magruder--Yorktown--
Suicide--Gloucester Court-house--Fortress Monroe--Norfolk--
Return to Washington--White Woman Whipped.


CHAPTER XV.

EXPERIENCES AMONG FREEDMEN.

A Soldier Prisoner--Interesting Statistics--Schools--Plantations--
Incidents--Return to Washington--Return Home with Fifteen Orphans
and Fifty Laborers--Change in Orphan Asylum--Mission Work in
Covington and Newport, Kentucky--Mission Work in Memphis, Tennessee--
Uncle Philip a Remarkable Man--Return Home.


CHAPTER XVI.

STATE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Board of Directors Arrange for Closing the Home--Discouragements--
Relief Comes by Sleigh-loads--Encouragements--Petitions to the State
Legislature to make the Home a State Institution--Petitions Granted,
and the Orphan's Home becomes the "State Public School," located at
Coldwater--Work in State Public School.


CHAPTER XVII.

CHRISTIAN LABOR AND RESULTS.

Work for the Asylum--Again in Washington--Mission Work--Trial of
Henry Wirtz--Inspecting Soup-houses--Incidents connected with Kendal
Green Camp--Peremptory Order of J. R. Shipherd Closing Asylum--
Children Scattered--Returned Home with Authority from American
Missionary Association to Reopen Asylum--Dangerous Fall--Restored to
Asylum Work--Overtaken with Convulsions--Answer to Prayer in being
Restored.


CHAPTER XVIII.

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE FREEDMEN.

Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association--Testimony of Perry Bradley--
Incidents--Persecutions--Prof. Greener--Colored Republicans--Further
Testimony--Negro Woman Killed--Letter from the South--Atrocities--
Refugees in Kansas--Bull-dosing--Kansas Overfull--Protection Needed--
Michael Walsh--Silver Linings.


CHAPTER XIX.

PROSPECTS OF THE FREEDMEN.

Supplies Furnished--Relief Association at Work--Northern Outrages--
Prudence Crandall--Colored Schools--Freedmen's Aid Schools--Industrial
and Agricultural Institute.




ILLUSTRATIONS.


STEEL PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR
THE SLAVEHOLDERS' THREATS.
SLAVE IRONS.
CLARK UNIVERSITY FOR FREEDMEN (CHRISMAN HALL).
MEHARRY MEDICAL COLLEGE.




CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE.


At the earnest solicitation of many dear friends I have consented to
leave on record some of the incidents that have fallen under my
personal observation during three-score and ten years.

My father, Daniel Smith, was a native of Eastern New York, and for
many years an approved minister in the Society of Friends. He was a
man of ability and influence, of clear perceptions, and strong
reasoning powers.

My mother, Sene Blancher, was from Vermont; was of a gentler turn, and
of a quiet spirit, benevolent and kind to all, and much beloved by all
who knew her, and was for many years an elder in the same Society.

It is due to my parents to say, if I have been instrumental, through
the grace of God, to bless his poor and lowly of earth, by adapting
means to ends in relieving suffering humanity, it is largely owing to
their influence.

Soon after their marriage, they removed to Kitley Township, county of
Leeds, Canada West (now known as Ontario), where I was born, December
20, 1808. I well remember the perplexities and doubts that troubled my
young mind in trying to find the whys and wherefores of existing
facts; yet I was naturally a happy and playful child. Some remarks
made by my parents over a portion of Scripture father was reading, in
which was the sentence, "and they are no more twain, but one flesh"--
"that is a close relationship; twain is two, no more two but one
flesh"--struck me with wonder and amazement. "Yes," replied mother,
"that is a oneness that is not to be separated, a near relation
between husband and wife; 'no more twain, but one flesh.' 'What God
has joined together let not man put asunder.'" It seemed as if every
word fastened upon my mind a feeling of awe at the new thought, that
father and mother were one person. "Then they think just alike, and
know all about the other, if true; father and mother believe it, and
they found it in the Bible, and that," I thought, "must be true. Now
for the test--If father and mother are one, they must know each
other's thoughts and whereabouts." After father had been out a few
minutes I asked mother where he was. "Not far off; may be he's gone to
the barn." But he was not there. At my report she said, "Perhaps he's
gone to David Coleman's, or some of the neighbors." This settled the
matter in my mind, that they were not one. But I gave the same test to
try father, which also proved a failure. But not quite satisfied
without further investigation, I asked mother for permission to go to
David Coleman's to play an hour with his little girls. Little did she
know that the object of her little five-year-old skeptic was to
present the test to their father and mother, to see whether they were
one, and found the same result each time.

This settled the question in my mind that one thing in the Bible was
untrue. Father and mother were mistaken in that part of the Bible that
said husband and wife were no more two, but one. For a long time after
this, whenever the Bible was referred to as authority, I would think,
"It may be true, and may not, because I tried one thing it said that
was not true."

Another mystery was hard for me to solve. In asking mother where we
should go if we should jump off the edge of the world, she replied,
"There is no jumping off place, because our world is round, like a
ball, and takes one day and night to roll around, and that makes day
and night." After the little child of six years had studied over this
mysterious problem a short time, she returned with the query, "Why
don't we drop off while underside? and why don't the water spill out
off Bates's creek and our well?" She replied, "Water, as well as every
thing else, is always kept in place by a great law, called
gravitation, that our Heavenly Father made when he made the world,"
and she said I would understand more about it when older. But this did
not satisfy me; I wanted to know all about it _then_. As soon as
father came in queries were repeated, but he closed as mother did,
that I must wait until I was older, which made me almost impatient to
be old enough to know how these things could be.

Another subject occupied my childish mind a long time, and was
investigated to the extent of the miniature ability I possessed. And
that was the interesting fact that I discovered one bright evening
while looking at the stars, that our house was just in the middle of
the world; and when we went to grandfather's (a distance of seven
miles), as soon as it was night, I was out in the yard measuring the
distance by stars, but to my surprise, grandfather's house was just in
the middle. For I tried it all around the house, and went to the barn
with my uncles, and could discover no variation. Consequently I must
have been mistaken at home. But on our return I could not find by the
stars but that we were just in the center of creation. Whenever I went
with my parents to a neighbor's for an evening's visit, my first and
foremost thought was to see how far to one side they were. But I
always found myself just in the center of this great world; just as
grown-up children are prone to think their own nation is ahead in arts
and sciences, of all other nations--their own State ahead of all other
States in moral and intellectual improvements--their own town or city,
like Boston, the "hub of the universe." In fact, _we_ are about
the center; our pets more knowing, and our children smarter, than can
be found elsewhere. But as the study of astronomy gives ability to
look upon the vast universe of thousands of worlds much larger than
our own, revolving in their orbits, it develops our intellectual
faculties, and enables us to view the concave appearance of the
ethereal blue from a standpoint widely differing from the occupancy of
the center. And when supreme self is melted away by faith in the blood
of the covenant, our spiritual vision becomes clearer and our
miniature minds are expanding, and we learn to make due allowances for
the acts and opinions of others, that we have called peculiar, because
they do not quite accord with our own usages and tastes.

In 1815 my father removed with his family to Cambria, Niagara County,
Western New York, then a wilderness. Soon after we were settled in our
new home, we lost my baby brother Joseph, which made a deep impression
upon my young heart, and gave me great uneasiness in regard to my own
future happiness, should I be taken away. I found great relief, one
day, while listening to a conversation between father and grandfather,
as to what age children were responsible to their Creator. Father gave
his opinion that ten years, in the generality of children, is the age
that God would call them to an account for sin. Grandfather said that
was about the age he thought children were accountable, and all
children that die previous to that age are happily saved in heaven.
"Yes," said father; "where there is no law there is no transgression."
At this great relief to my troubled heart, I ran out to play with my
brother Harvey, to tell him how long we would be safe, if we should
die, for father and grandfather said children that died before they
were ten years old would go to heaven, and I would be safe almost two
years, and he would be safe a good while longer (as he was two years
and a half younger than myself). "Oh, yes," said he; "and Ira will be
safe a great many years, 'cause he's little, if he should die as
little Josie did." This earliest conviction of sin vanished like the
morning cloud. This idea was so deeply embedded in my young mind, that
whenever I heard of a child's death, my first inquiry was for its age.

If under ten, I was at ease over its safety; but if over ten years, I
was distressed unless I could hear of some words from the one taken
away, that would indicate a preparation for the change of worlds. The
vividness of those early childhood impressions are frequent reminders
of the importance of giving clear explanations to children, in regard
to important religious truths, as their young hearts are much more
impressible than is generally conceded.


EARLY IMPRESSIONS OF SLAVERY AND RELIGION.

During the first six years in our new home, there was no school within
three miles of us, and all the privilege we enjoyed of this kind was a
spelling lesson given daily to three of us, the two little girls of
our nearest neighbor and myself. Our mothers pronounced the words for
us alternately, at their house and ours. In this way we spelled our
book through a number of times. This privilege, with four months in
school previous to leaving Canada, proved a great blessing. As I
possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge, I borrowed all the easy
readers I could find in the neighborhood. I was especially interested
in memoirs of children and youth, which increased my frequent desire
to become a Christian. I wished to read every book that came within my
reach. I read a few of father's books, designed for more mature minds.
I became deeply interested in John Woolman's history of the slave-
trade, of the capture and cruel middle passage of negroes, and of the
thousands who died on their voyage and were thrown into the sea to be
devoured by sharks, that followed the slave-ship day after day. The
pictures of these crowded slave-ships, with the cruelties of the slave
system after they were brought to our country, often affected me to
tears; and I often read until the midnight hour, and could not rest
until I had read it twice through. My sympathies became too deeply
enlisted for the poor negroes who were thus enslaved for time to
efface.

The third or fourth I had ever seen of that race was an old man
called Uncle Jeff. He seemed to serve any one who called upon him for
chores, in our little village of Lockport, that grew up as by magic
upon the Erie Canal. Uncle Jeff was frequently employed by merchants
to cry off their stale articles on the street. At one time the old
man, whose head was almost as white as wool, was crying, "Gentlemen
and ladies' black silk stockin's of all colors for sale," holding
them up to view as he passed along the street, followed by a group of
boys crying out, "Nigger, nigger," and throwing grass and clay at
him. At length he turned to these half-grown boys, looking very sad,
as he said, "Boys, I am just as God made me, an' so is a toad." At
this the boys slunk away; and I felt very indignant in seeing the men
who were standing near only laugh, instead of sharply reproving those
ill-behaved children.

Another colored man, named Ben, came to our town with a family who
opened an inn. He was employed mostly in the kitchen, and while Ben
was asleep on the kitchen floor, some rude boys put a quantity of
powder in the back of his pants, and placing a slow match to it left
the room, but watched the process of their diabolical sport through a
window, and soon saw their victim blown up, it was said, nearly to
the ceiling. His hips and body were so badly burned that he was never
able to sit or stoop after this wicked act. He always had to walk
with a cane, and whenever too weary to stand, was compelled to lie
down, as his right hip and lower limb were stiffened. Yet little
notice was taken of this reckless act, but to feed and poorly clothe
this life-long cripple, as he went from house to house, because he was
of that crushed and neglected race.


RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS AND EXPERIENCE.

In the Autumn of my thirteenth year, with our parents' permission,
brother Harvey and I attended a little prayer-meeting at our Uncle Ira
Smith's house, near by. Here was singing, experiences given, with
prayer and exhortations, in which young people, as well as those more
advanced in years, took part. All this was new to me, having never
attended any other meeting than of Friends, usually called Quakers. My
father being a minister and mother an elder in that denomination, they
were very conscientious in training their children in all the usages,
as well as principles, of that sect. At this Methodist prayer-meeting
a young girl, but little older than myself, related her experience,
and prayed so earnestly for her young associates, that it took a deep
hold on my mind; and on my way home, on that beautiful evening, I
resolved to seek the Lord until I could know for myself that my sins
were forgiven. Oh, how I wished I was a Christian, as was Hannah
Bosworth. She was so young, and yet she told us how earnestly she
sought the Lord, and found Jesus so precious in the forgiveness of her
sins. It was said in that meeting that God was no respecter of
persons, and that I had read in the Bible; and then Jesus had said,
"Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not;" "and
now, this very night, I _will_ begin to seek the Lord, and I _never_
will give up trying, if it takes as long as I live, until I receive an
evidence that I am the Lord's child. I want to realize that peace and
joy those men and women expressed in that meeting." As all had
retired, I placed a candle in my brother's hand, and hurried him to
bed, that I might know positively that no human ear could listen to my
first attempt to address my Heavenly Father.

I knelt for the first time in my life, in the rear of our corn crib,
but no words could I find for prayer, and a feeling of fear came over
me, and I arose to my feet. I looked all around me, but no one was in
sight; naught but trees and shrubs of the garden below, and the
ethereal blue, bedecked with the beautiful moon and sparkling stars,
above. Is it possible that He who created this beautiful world can
notice a little girl like me? And the thought occurred that I had
better wait until I was older. But the remarks to which I had just
listened came vividly before me, and I renewed my resolve to pray to
Him who had said, "Suffer little children to come unto me," and again
knelt for prayer; but that feeling of fear increased, until it seemed
as if some one was about to place a hand upon my shoulder, and I again
found myself on my feet. But as no one was in sight, I queried whether
this was not the enemy of my soul, to keep me from prayer, and fell
upon my knees a third time, determined to remain in the position of
prayer until my first petition to my Heavenly Father was presented.
And the prayer of the publican was repeated over and over again, "God
be merciful to me a sinner." These words above all others seemed just
for me. I was a sinner, and mercy was what I wanted. I returned to the
house with a still more fixed resolve to continue asking, with a
firmer purpose never to give over until the evidence of pardoning love
was mine. As I retired, I knelt by my bedside, and repeated the same
prayer, with a few additional words, imploring the aid of the Holy
Spirit to teach me the way of life, and penitential tears began to
flow. Before I slept my pillow was wet with tears, and was turned for
a dry place. As I was reading the Bible through by course, it became
more of a companion than ever before.

The next prayer-meeting was attended, and as they knelt during the
season of prayer I felt an impression to kneel with them. But the
cross was very great and I did not yield. I thought if I did so it
would be reported to my parents, and they would probably forbid my
coming to these little meetings, which I so highly prized. But this
was unprofitable reasoning, increasing the burden instead of bringing
the relief sought. I wept on my way home, and in my evening
supplication renewed my promise to be more faithful, let others do or
say what they would, if the like impression was ever again
experienced. With permission I attended the next prayer-meeting at my
uncle's, and, as if to test my faithfulness, two young women of my
intimate associates came in, and sat one on each side of me. At the
first season of prayer, as I did not have that impression, I felt
quite at ease, and thankful to my Father in heaven for excusing me.
But the next united supplication, I felt that I must unite with them
in kneeling, and while one tried to pull me up by the arm, with saying
"I'd be a little dunce if I was in thy place," the other sister
pinched the other arm, "Now, Laura Smith, be a little Methodist, will
thee? I'd be ashamed if I was thee; every body will make fun of thee."
But I kept my position and made no reply, but secretly prayed for
strength in my great weakness. But my fears were fully realized. It
was at once reported that Laura Smith would be a Methodist if allowed
by her parents. And for a long time no permission was given to attend
those little prayer-meetings, my parents assigning this reason: "This
Methodist excitement is unprofitable, especially for children. They
have an overheated zeal, that is not according to knowledge, and we do
not think it best for thee to attend; we want our children at a
suitable age to be actuated by settled principle, not mere
excitement." This reasoning by my dear father strongly tempted me to
give up my resolutions altogether. Until I was eighteen I felt no
liberty whatever in unburdening my troubled heart to my dear parents.
They were unacquainted with the longings of my poor soul. Like the
lone sparrow upon the house-top, I mourned many weeks, sought the
solitary place for reading my Bible, and prayer; often watered my
pillow with tears, and longed for the day, and during the day longed
for the night, in which I might pour out my sorrows to my Heavenly
Father out of sight of human eye. I was conscious that my sadness was
troubling my dear parents. Oh! how I prayed for light to dispel this
darkness and doubt--sometimes ready to conclude that, as it was my
duty to obey my parents, the Lord would excuse me in waiting until I
was of age. Yet in reading the many precious promises of the Lord
Jesus, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest;" "Seek, and ye shall find," I found fresh courage.
But why do I not find this rest for this weary heart? Why do I not
find the way to seek for the hidden treasure I so much longed for?
These queries were continually revolving in my mind, without a
satisfactory solution. Sometimes I almost concluded that God was too
good to send the beings he created for his own glory to perdition to
all eternity, and all would ultimately be saved; at other times, I
could not reconcile universal salvation with the parable of Lazarus
and the rich man, and was ready to conclude that salvation was for the
elected few, and there were those who could not be saved, and I was
among the lost. In one of these seasons, of almost despair, I
ventured to attend a Methodist meeting held in a private house, in
company with my uncle. Being at his house, I did not go home for
permission. The minister was a plainly dressed man; the opening hymn
was new to me, but every line seemed especially for me:

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