Newport Fugitive Slave Rescue
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 40° 28.601 W 077° 07.963
18T E 319218 N 4482851
In July 1841, three Md. slaves, Alick, Tom, and Ben, were pursued to Newport by bounty hunters. While Ben drowned as he attempted to cross the Juniata River, the other two were captured.
Waymark Code: WM12CBT
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 04/26/2020
Views: 2
Newport Fugitive Slave Rescue-In July 1841, three Md. slaves, Alick, Tom, and Ben, were pursued to Newport by bounty hunters. While Ben drowned as he attempted to cross the Juniata River, the other two were captured. Several Newport citizens aided the fugitives’ escape, and in 1842 six of them were fined in a federal court for their actions. The event is an example of growing tensions between the North and the South prior to the Civil War that led to the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act.
Marker Name: Newport Fugitive Slave Rescue
County: Perry
Date Dedicated: 07/19/2015
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: at Lutheran church, Market St. (Rt. 34) at 4th St., Newport
Category: African American, Government & Politics 19th Century, Underground Railroad
Website: Not listed
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