© 2003 Earlham School of Religion

TITLE: Reminiscences of Levi Coffin, the reputed president of the underground railroad ; being a brief history of the labors of a lifetime in behalf of the slave, with the stories of numerous fugitives, who gained their freedom through his instrumentality, and many other incidents

AUTHOR:   Coffin, Levi.  

Table of Contents:

    FRONT MATTER:   REMINISCENCES OF LEVI COFFIN, The Reputed President of the Underground Railroad; BEING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE LABORS OF A LIFETIME IN BEHALF OF THE SLAVE, WITH THE STORIES OF NUMEROUS FUGITIVES, WHO GAINED THEIR FREEDOM THROUGH HIS INSTRUMENTALITY, AND MANY OTHER INCIDENTS.      Starts at - Img 4 Pg UN
  • (1)      Starts at - Img 5 Pg UN
  • (2)  PREFACE.    Starts at - Img 6 Pg i
  • (3)  CONTENTS.    Starts at - Img 10 Pg UN
  • (4)  INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. GENEALOGY.    Starts at - Img 14 Pg 3
  • (5)  CHAPTER I. CONVERSION TO ABOLITIONISM—INCIDENTS OF THE CRUELTIES OF SLAVERY—FIRST EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF THE SLAVES—STEPHEN, THE KIDNAPPED NEGRO—THE CAPTURED SLAVE—SERVICES OF VESTAL COFFIN—THE STORY OF EDE—THE WHITE SLAVE.    Starts at - Img 23 Pg 12
  • (6)  CHAPTER II. THE STORY OF JACK BARNES—MY JOURNEY WITH A SLAVE-OWNER—A MISSION FULL OF ANXIETY—THE STORY OF SAM—I TURN SLAVE-HUNTER—NARROW ESCAPE FROM ARREST—PENALTY OF AIDING A SLAVE—FATE OF POOR SAM.    Starts at - Img 43 Pg 32
  • (7)  CHAPTER III. TEACHING SLAVES TO READ—SABBATH-SCHOOL WORK—AGITATION OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY CAUSE—MANU MISSION SOCIETIES—TRIP TO INDIANA—INCIDENTS ON THE WAY—THE EARLY SETTLEMENTS OF INDIANA—I ENGAGE IN SCHOOL LABORS—ORGANIZATION OF THE FIRST SABBATH-SCHOOL IN WESTERN INDIANA—A VISIT TO ILLINOIS—LOST ON THE PRAIRIE—SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS, FIFTY YEARS AGO—CONCLUSION OF SCHOOL LABORS IN INDIANA—RETURN TO NORTH CAROLINA—SHORT TRIP TO VIRGINIA.    Starts at - Img 82 Pg 69
  • (8)  CHAPTER IV. MARRIAGE—REMOVAL TO INDIANA—I LOCATE AT NEWPORT AND ENGAGE IN MERCANTILE BUSINESS—UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WORK—DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF THE WORK—TRIP TO NORTH CAROLINA—HEART-RENDING SCENE AT A SLAVE AUCTION—TEMPERANCE WORK AT NEWPORT.    Starts at - Img 116 Pg 103
    • (8.2)  INCIDENTS OF A TRIP TO NORTH CAROLINA.    Starts at - Img 133 Pg 120
  • (9)  CHAPTER V. NEWPORT STORIES—THE CUNNING SLAVE—ROBERT BURREL—ELIZA HARRIS—SAM, THE ELOQUENT SLAVE—PREJUDICE AGAINST COLOR—AUNT RACHEL—A SLAVE-HUNTER OUTWITTED—SEVENTEEN FUGITIVES.    Starts at - Img 152 Pg 139
  • (10)  CHAPTER VI. NEWPORT STORIES CONTINUED—SEVENTEEN FUGITIVES—TWO SLAVE GIRLS FROM MARYLAND—ANECDOTE OF A VISIT TO CINCINNATI—STORY OF LOUIS TALBERT—JOHN WHITE.    Starts at - Img 191 Pg 178
    • (10.2)  TWO SLAVE GIRLS PROM MARYLAND.    Starts at - Img 208 Pg 195
    • (10.3)  ANECDOTE OF A VISIT TO CINCINNATI.    Starts at - Img 215 Pg 202
  • (11)  CHAPTER VII. DISCUSSION OF THE ANTI-SLAVERY SUBJECT—ANTISLAVERY SOCIETIES AND LECTURERS—OPPOSITION TO THE MOVEMENT—SEPARATION OF FRIENDS OF INDIANA YEARLY MEETING—ACTION WHICH CAUSED THE SEPARATION—REUNION—THE COMMITTEE FROM LONDON YEARLY MEETING—INTERVIEWS WITH THE COMMITTEE—LAST INTERVIEW WITH WILLIAM FORSTER—VISIT TO CANADA IN 1844—MEETINGS WITH FUGITIVES—THEIR STORIES—A SPECIAL PROVIDENCE—AUNT SUSIE'S DREAM—THE STORY OF JACKSON—A MOTHER RESCUES HER CHILDREN.    Starts at - Img 236 Pg 223
    • (11.6)  A MOTHER RESCUES HER CHILDREN.    Starts at - Img 275 Pg 262
  • (12)  CHAPTER VIII. FREE LABOR—TESTIMONY OF JOHN WOOLMAN AND OTHERS—MY CONVICTIONS—FREE-LABOR SOCIETIES OF NEW YORK AND PHILADELPHIA—OUR ORGANIZATION IN THE WEST—REMOVAL TO CINCINNATI—FREE-LABOR BUSINESS—SOUTHERN COTTON PRODUCED BY FREE LABOR—INCIDENTS OF A SOUTHERN TRIP—INTERVIEWS WITH SLAVEHOLDERS.    Starts at - Img 278 Pg 265
  • (13)  CHAPTER IX. UNDERGROUND RAILROAD WORK IN CINCINNATI—A REMINISCENCE—THE FUGITIVE COOK GIRL—A COMPANY OF TWENTY-EIGHT FUGITIVES—AUNT BETSEY—JACK AND LUCY—ASSESSMENTS ON UNDERGROUND RAILROAD STOCK—A PRO SLAVERY MAN SILENCED—THE STORY OF JANE.    Starts at - Img 310 Pg 297
    • (13.3)  A COMPANY OF TWENTY-EIGHT FUGITIVES.    Starts at - Img 317 Pg 304
    • (13.6)  A PRO-SLAVERY MAN SILENCED.    Starts at - Img 336 Pg 323
  • (14)  CHAPTER X. CINCINNATI STORIES CONTINUED—THE RAG BABY—THE VICE-PRESIDENT'S SLAVE—THE DISGUISED SLAVE—WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING—SALLY, THE SLAVE MOTHER—LOUIS AND ELLEN—THE MICHIGAN RAID.    Starts at - Img 348 Pg 335
    • (14.2)  THE VICE-PRESIDENT'S SLAVE.    Starts at - Img 350 Pg 337
    • (14.4)  WOLVES IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING.    Starts at - Img NaN Pg 342
  • (15)  CHAPTER XI. CINCINNATI STORIES CONTINUED—JOHN WILSON AND ELIZA—UNCLE TOM—ROSE, THE WHITE SLAVE—STORY OF JIM AND HIS FRIEND IN A TIGHT BOX.    Starts at - Img 385 Pg 374
    • (15.3)  TROUBLES OF A LOUISVILLE ABOLITIONIST.    Starts at - Img 409 Pg 398
    • (15.5)  STORY OF JIM AND HIS FRIEND IN A BOX.    Starts at - Img 423 Pg 412
  • (16)  CHAPTER XII. LOUISA PICQUET, THE OCTOROON—JOHN FAIRFIELD, THE SOUTHERN ABOLITIONIST—JOHN AND MARY—NARROW ESCAPES OF FUGITIVES.    Starts at - Img 430 Pg 419
    • (16.2)  JOHN FAIRFIELD, THE SOUTHERN ABOLITIONIST.    Starts at - Img 439 Pg 428
    • (16.4)  NARROW ESCAPE OF A SLAVE WOMAN.    Starts at - Img 468 Pg 457
  • (17)  CHAPTER XIII. A PRO-SLAVERY MAN TURNS ABOLITIONIST—FOURTEEN FUGITIVES CROSS ON THE ICE—SLAVE CHILDREN PLACED IN OUR CHARGE—THE CASE OF WILLIAM THOMPSON.    Starts at - Img 473 Pg 462
    • (17.2)  FOURTEEN FUGITIVES CROSS ON THE ICE.    Starts at - Img 482 Pg 471
    • (17.3)  SLAVE CHILDREN PLACED IN OUR CHARGE.    Starts at - Img 485 Pg 474
    • (17.4)  THE CASE OF WILLIAM THOMPSON.    Starts at - Img 492 Pg 481
  • (18)  CHAPTER XIV. MAJOR PHILLIPS—A SLAVEHOLDER'S COLORED FAMILY—MY TRIP WITH THE MAJOR DOWN THE RIVER—INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY—DISCUSSIONS WITH SLAVEHOLDERS—INSIGHTS INTO SOUTHERN SOCIAL LIFE—A WHIPPING ON BOARD A BOAT.    Starts at - Img 501 Pg 490
  • (19)  CHAPTER XV. THE MOB SPIRIT IN CINCINNATI—DESTRUCTION OF THE PHILANTHROPIST PRESS IN 1836—DEMONSTRATION OF PRO-SLAVERY FEELING IN 1841—A DISGRACEFUL RIOT—THE SCANLAN MOB.    Starts at - Img 535 Pg 524
    • (19.2)  “DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY.    Starts at - Img 537 Pg 526
  • (20)  CHAPTER XVI. TRIALS UNDER THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW—THE WASH. MCQUERRY CASE—THE SERVICES OF JOHN JOLLIFFE—ESCAPE FROM A COURT-ROOM—THE ROSETTA CASE—MARGARET GARNER—THE STORY OF A HAT.    Starts at - Img 553 Pg 542
    • (20.2)  THE SERVICES OF JOHN JOLLIFFE.    Starts at - Img 559 Pg 548
  • (21)  CHAPTER XVII. AN UNDERGROUND RAILROAD DEPOT—THE PURCHASE OF SLAVES BY THEIR RELATIVES—OTHER SERVICES FOR THE COLORED PEOPLE—THE CASE OF CONNELLY—“SAMBO IN A TIGHT BOX.”    Starts at - Img 586 Pg 575
    • (21.2)  THE PURCHASE OF SLAVES BY THEIR RELATIVES.    Starts at - Img 588 Pg 577
    • (21.3)  OTHER SERVICES FOR THE COLORED PEOPLE.    Starts at - Img 588 Pg 577
    • (21.4)  “SAMBO IN A TIGHT BOX.”    Starts at - Img 599 Pg 588
  • (22)  CHAPTER XVIII. LAST WORK ON THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD—THE PRINCE OF WALES—BEGINNING OF THE WAR—KIRBY SMITH'S THREATENED RAID—RESCUE OF A SLAVE GIRL BY TWO UNION SOLDIERS—THE KENTUCKY POLICY AND COLONEL UTLEY'S ACTION.    Starts at - Img 605 Pg 594
    • (22.4)  KIRBY SMITH'S THREATENED RAID.    Starts at - Img 610 Pg 599
    • (22.5)  RESCUE OF A SLAVE GIRL BY TWO UNION SOLDIERS.    Starts at - Img 617 Pg 606
    • (22.6)  THE KENTUCKY POLICY, AND COLONEL UTLEY'S ACTION.    Starts at - Img 621 Pg 610
  • (23)  CHAPTER XIX. WORK AMONG THE FREEDMEN—VISIT TO CAIRO AND OTHER POINTS SOUTH—SCENES AND INCIDENTS AMONG THE CONTRABANDS—CONDITION AND SUFFERINGS OF THE COLORED PEOPLE—EFFORTS IN THEIR BEHALF.    Starts at - Img 630 Pg 619
  • (24)  CHAPTER XX. MISSION TO ENGLAND—LABORS IN BEHALF OF THE FREEDMEN—INCIDENTS OF THE WORK—CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY—PUBLIC MEETINGS.    Starts at - Img 662 Pg 651
    • (24.2)  “AID FOR ESCAPED SLAVES. “MEETING AT MRS. JOSEPH STURGE'S.    Starts at - Img 682 Pg 671
    • (24.3)  “LEVI COFFIN'S MISSION TO ENGLAND.    Starts at - Img 689 Pg 678
    • (24.6)  “CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF THE COLORED REFUGEES IN NORTH AMERICA,    Starts at - Img 693 Pg 682
    • (24.8)  “CONTRIBUTIONS IN AID OF THE COLORED FREEDMEN IN AMERICA.    Starts at - Img 697 Pg 686
    • (24.10)  “THE FREEDMEN'S AID SOCIETY.    Starts at - Img 703 Pg 692
    • (24.11)  “TO MR. LEVI COFFIN, ‘AGENT FOR THE WESTERN FREEDMEN'S AID COMMISSION, CINCINNATI, UNITED STATES.    Starts at - Img 716 Pg 705
  • (25)  APPENDIX.    Starts at - Img 724 Pg 713
    • (25.1)  I. MEMOIR OF RICHARD DILLINGHAM.    Starts at - Img 724 Pg 713
    • (25.2)  II. MEMOIR OF CALVIN FAIRBANK.    Starts at - Img 730 Pg 719
    • (25.3)  III. DEATH AND FUNERAL OF THE AUTHOR.    Starts at - Img 737 Pg 726
    • (25.4)  “FRIEND LEVI COFFIN GONE HOME!    Starts at - Img 742 Pg 731