Erastus Hussey Stationmaster/"Working for Humanity"
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S5280ft
N 42° 19.096 W 085° 10.882
16T E 649864 N 4686715
Quick Description: Located on the east side of Michigan Avenue, between Capital Avenue and Division Streets. Streetside parking available.
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 3/10/2007 1:33:00 PM
Waymark Code: WM19ZK
Views: 34
Long Description:ERASTUS HUSSEY STATIONMASTER
Erastus Hussey came to Michigan from New York State in 1824 and
purchased land in Wayne County. Hussey returned to New York for a
time, but in 1839 he and his wife, Sarah, purchased a building
located about 125 feet east of this site to house their dry goods
store and residence. As Quakers, the Husseys had strong antislavery
sentiments, and in 1840, Erastus became stationmaster of the
Underground Railroad's Battle Creek station, located in his home.
He was assisted by fugitives like Samuel Strauther who settled in
Battle Creek after escaping slavery. As a Free-Soiler, Hussey
served in both houses of the state legislature in the 1850s. On
July 6, 1854, he attended the "Under the Oaks" convention in
Jackson, where the Republican party was founded.
"WORKING FOR HUMANITY"
A May 1885 edition of the Battle Creek Sunday Morning Call featured
an inter-view with "the Abolition patriarch," Erastus Hussey. The
eighty-five-year-old former editor of the antislavery Michigan
Liberty Press recalled Battle Creek's role with the Underground
Railroad, beginning in 1840. The Central Michigan route began in
Cass County and had stations every twelve to fifteen mile in
communities like Climax, Battle Creek, Marshall, Albion, Grass
Lake, Ann Arbor, Plymouth and on to Detroit. Hussey stated, "I have
fed and given protection to over 1,000 fugitives, and assisted them
on to Canada." After 1855 the Michigan underground was less
traveled--the runaways took shorter routes through Ohio. When asked
if any stationmasters received pay, Hussey replied, "No. . . . We
were working for humanity."
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