Escape to Freedom/Women of Courage - Parkersburg WV - Underground Railroad Sites on Waymarking.com

TEXT ON THE HISTORICAL MARKER

Escape to Freedom-side 1
The Ohio R. was a major gateway to freedom for enslaved Africans via the Underground Railroad, a clandestine network of people, places, routes, and modes of transportation used in their flight from bondage. Network's peak activity was between 1830 and 1865. African American & white men and women, called "Conductors," helped escaping Africans to freedom across to Ohio and points north to Canada.

Women of Courage-side 2
Aunt Jenny, African American, who blew horn at the "Point" as signal to river boats, served as "Conductor" on the Underground Railroad. Jane, of "Low stature and very fleshy," "lame in one leg," & age 50, escaped Aug. 1843 with seven of her children from the Harness Plantation on Bull Creek near Parkersburg. Two were captured in Marietta and returned; a reward of $450 did not entice return of others.

Address: 2nd Street Entrance to the Blennerhassett boat dock, Point Park, Parkersburg, WV United States 26101 Open to the public?: Public Name of organization who placed the marker: West Virginia Division of Archives and History 2003 Web site: Not listed Site Details: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   01/19/2023 Don.Morfe visited it