Philip had a master by the name of John Smith, whom he was very anxious
to get rid of, but hardly knew how. For a long time, Philip was annoyed
in various ways. Being the only slave on the place, there was no rest
for him. Said Smith was a bachelor, and his mother, who kept house for
him, was quite aged; "she was worse than the old boy wanted her to be, a
more contrary woman never was; she was bad in this way, she was
quarrelsome, and then again she would not give you as much to eat as you
ought to have, and it was pretty rough; nothing but corn bread and the
fattest pork, that was about all. She was a Catholic, and was known by
the name of Mary Eliza Smith." This was Philip's testimony against his
master and mistress. Working on a farm, driving carriage, etc., had been
Philip's calling as a slave. His father and mother were free. His father
had been emancipated, and afterwards had purchased his wife. One sister,
however, was still in Slavery. Philip had scarcely reached his
twenty-second year; he was nevertheless wide-awake and full of courage.
Randolph was still younger; he had only just reached his twentieth year;
was nearly six feet high, athletic, and entertained quite favorable
notions of freedom. He was owned by Mrs. Caroline Brang, a widow; he had
never lived with her, however. Notwithstanding the fact that he had been
held in such unpleasant relations, Randolph held the opinion, that "she
was a tolerable good woman." He had been hired out under Isaac Howard, a
farmer, who was described by Randolph as "a rough man to everybody
around him; he was the owner of slaves, and a member of the Methodist
Church, in the bargain." As if actuated by an evil spirit continually,
he seemed to take delight in "knocking and beating the slaves," and
would compel them to "be out in all weathers not fit to be out in."
Randolph declared that "he had never been allowed a day's schooling in
his life. On the contrary, he had often been threatened with sale, and
his mind had finally become so affected by this fearful looking-for of
evil, that he thought he had better make tracks."
He left his mother, Louisa, three brothers and three sisters, namely:
Andrew, Mary, Charity, Margaret, Lewis and Samuel, all slaves. His
desire to escape brought the thought home to his mind with great
emphasis, that he was parting with his kinsfolk, to see them perhaps, no
more on earth; that however, happily he might be situated in freedom, he
would have the painful reflection ever present with him, that those he
most loved in this world, were slaves--"knocked and beat about--and made
to work out in all weathers." It was this that made many falter and give
up their purpose to gain their freedom by flight, but Randolph was not
one of this class. His young heart loved freedom too well to waver. True
to his love of liberty, he left all, followed the north star, and was
delivered.
Thomas, an older companion of Philip and Randolph, was twenty-five years
of age, full black, and looked as if he could appreciate the schoolroom
and books, and take care of himself in Canada or any other free country.
Mary Howard was the name of the individual that he was compelled to
address as "mistress." He said, however, that "she was a very good woman
to her servants," and she had a great many. She had sons, but they
turned out to be drunkards, and followed no business; at one time, each
of them had been set up in business, but as they would not attend to it,
of course they failed. Money was needed more than ever, through their
intemperate course, consequently the mistress was induced to sell her
large household, as well as her plantation slaves, to Georgia. Thomas
had seen the most of them take up their sorrowful march for said State,
and the only reason that he was not among them, was attributable to the
fact, that he had once been owned and thought pretty well of by the
brother of his mistress, who interceded in Thomas' behalf. This
interference had the desired effect, and Thomas was not sold. Still, his
eyes were fairly opened to see his danger and to learn a valuable lesson
at the same time; he, therefore, profited by it in escaping the first
chance. He left his mother Ann Williams, and one brother, James
Douglass, both slaves.
* * * * *