More Station Masters
By Kaiden & Lance
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The path to freedom from slavery was a long and treacherous one, made possible by those willing to risk their homes as "stations" on the Underground Railroad. In the early 1800s, many heroic landowners offered their homes to wanted escaped slaves. Though few had tunnels, hidden spaces, or ways to effectively hide slaves, they were all crucial to the safe passage of thousands of slaves. Many families and individuals risked their freedom to house fugitive slaves and ensure their safe passage, but Levi Coffin and James Jordan went above and beyond to help others.
Photo of Levi Coffin
Image source: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Levi-Coffin
Levi Coffin
Levi Coffin, the "president” of the Underground Railroad, strove to combat slavery in every way he could. Foremost, Coffin was reportedly against the institution of slavery from an early age. Having anti-slavery ideals by the age of seven, these began when he saw slaves about to be auctioned. His family was also against the practice of slavery and hid escaped slaves on their farm in North Carolina. Levi brought food out to the slaves hiding there. After growing up, Coffin attempted to educate slaves. He became a teacher and opened a school in 1821, teaching slaves how to read and write. Unfortunately, it shut down because slave owners did not allow their slaves to attend the school. In 1847, Coffin moved to Cincinnati and founded the Western Free Produce Association, utilizing entirely non-slave labor. After the failure of his school, Coffin housed many, many slaves over a 20 year period. In 1826, he moved to Indiana with his wife, and they offered their home to escaped slaves traveling through the area. Levi Coffin and his wife, Catherine, helped almost 2,000 fugitive slaves evade their masters and gain their rightfully deserved freedom. Because of their long affiliation, "(The Coffins') home in Fountain City, Indiana, became known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad" (Bobvila.com). To summarize, Levi Coffin was one of the most important people involved in the Underground Railroad.
James Jordan
James Jordan, similar to some other important figures like Coffin and John Brown, helped many escaped slaves hide from their pursuers. Before Jordan began housing slaves himself, he settled and began work on what would become the Jordan House in Iowa sometime in the mid-1840s. He built there primarily because he was captivated by the beautiful scenery in the area. Sometime later, James Jordan began work on making shelters. The Jordan House had humble beginnings, starting with a lean-to. This eventually turned into a log cabin and then finally evolved into the House that still stands today. After the Jordan House was built, it served as a major stop for runaway slaves seeking asylum. When construction on the home was finished, it began to serve as a prime station for many runaways. Most did not hide in the house directly but instead hid in places such as fields, barns, and other buildings that were located on the property. Amid all the slaves hiding at the Jordans' property, another important historical figure also visited. The exact date of his visits is unknown but would have been around the 1840s-1850s. During this time, John Brown, one of the most well-known abolitionists involved in the Underground Railroad visited the home. "Brown stayed at the Jordan House at least twice, the last time in 1859 when he was leading a group of 12 slaves he had recently liberated in Missouri to freedom in Canada" (darcymaulsby.com). In summary, James Jordan was just as important in allowing slaves safe passage as some other historically important individuals.
Photo of James Jordan
Image source: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/underground/ia4.htm
Levi Coffin, James Jordan, and many others made massive contributions to the efforts of the Underground Railroad, and they all helped slaves reach freedom en masse. These individuals will be remembered for years to come, although some have been forgotten in time.
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