A Former Slave Describes His Escape 
A revealing story of slavery was told by Jonathan Thomas, an ex-slave from Kentucky who escaped from bondage in the 1840's


    I was born in Kentucky in 1812.  My masters name was Henry Beale a wealthy planter in the County of Lexington about 18 miles from Lexington City.  Mr. Beale was a kind master & treated me as well as any slave was treated to my knowledge.

     My master put me under the care of a Millwright and Englishman…with whom I served seven years to learn that trade. I worked with him whenever he could get a job mostly in Kentucky & sometimes in Virginia, Tenesee, Georgia & Ohio.

     I became as I thought a good workman and was so esteemed by those who employed me.  I earned a great deal of money which I always brought home to my master, who was frequently offered large prices for me but would not sell me.

     I always had a desire to be free even when a boy --- I made an agreement with my master to buy myself for the sum of $1000 and when my overwork amounted to that sum I was to have my freedom.

     I was very diligent & saving & the amount of my overwork wages which I placed in his hands from time to time amounted to nearly $400 last June when he died while I was engaged in building a mill at a distance.  When I returned home & found that he was dead I gave the money which I bro't home to my masters son John out of which he gave me only one shilling --- now John was a very different person from my old master, he was a reckless fellow a dissipated spendthrift his father would never trust him with any business he would to to northern citys frequently and spend the summer months.

Soon after my masters death John began to sell off slaves the most ready way to get money & I found out from a neighbor that he had sold me to Georgia.  I reminded him that I had agreed with his father for my freedom for $1000 as soon as my overwork had amt. to that sum & that I had saved up near $400 towards it which I left in fathers hands for that purpose --- he pretended he knew nothing abt that  & cared nothing abt it.

     I had always dreaded a state of  things which was now very apparent --- I had always had to be sure a kind master but he was old & I knew not what would become of me when he died & the tho't of it harassed my mind continually & every year & month & day I saw my fate approaching --- I had married a free woman by whom I had two children.  For a long time before my masters death we talked of Canada & determined to strike for it but could not screw our courage up to the starting point but when the dreaded event of my old masters death came & his cruel intemperate son John had grasped all my earnings which years of hard toil had saved up in his fathers hand to by my freedom & and the unfeeling & hardened wretch had actually bargained with a Georgia Slave driver who was to have paid $1200 for me who in  few days would forever separate me from my dear wife & children my mind was then fixed on Canada but how to reach it I knew not I had no money --- no friends nevertheless I resolved to start a all costs.    (Continued next Newsletter)


**********


     There was a Quaker living near by the name of Adam Tucker who although he would not talk loud talked true he knew that John Beale was intemperate & and  a great spendthrift & would . . . sell the old mans slaves --- he knew my situation too & he gave me good advice --- there a many such men as Adam Tucker round Lexington who are becoming more and more bold against slavery & Cassius M. Clay is their mouthpiece.

     My wife and children were free --- I agreed with a young man my wifes cousin to go with them to Canada & they started in July last & were to stop two days in Buffalo at the house of her cousins father & I was to have started 8 days after they left.  I calculated that we all should arrive there near the same time but fate ordered it otherwise --- I left the old Plantation near the end of last July stowing some clothes & provisions in my Knapsack strapped to my back --- I took the Ohio road & travelled upon it the night and lay by in the day time --- Early in the morning of the third day of my departure I had travelled abt 70 miles & I was still on the great road to Ohio when it was scarcely light enough to see any distant object.  I heard the tramp of the horse over the bridge of Smiths Creek behind me & and turning round I saw it was my old Masters son John who hallood to me to stop.  I quickened my pace but he spurred on his horse & was soon by my side crying out stop! Stop! if you don't stop damn you I'll shoot you. I had no belief however that he would shoot me.  I went thro the fence & left the road ---his horse jumped the fence and followed me.  I ran for the swamp & succeeded in getting into the soft ground, he followed close upon me & his horse began to mire & was soon in up to his belly --- he drew a pistol from the holsters & fired at me the shot struck me in the ankle of my right foot wounding me very severely and dangerously the shock was so great that I fell upon my hands but soon recovered
I unbuckled my knapsack threw it off & ran into a very thick matted & tangled swamp of briars so thick that a dog could scarcely get thro it.  I found a little stream of water that parted the thorn bushes & I walked in that little stream a great distance.  I finally left the swamp & made for the mountains & reached them about 2 o'clock.  On arriving there I sat down to examine my wound which had bled very much filling my boot.  I had on a thick pair of boots which broke the force of the shot very much . . . I picked out 3 shot near my ankle & near my shin bone part of which was shot away.  I cut a bandage from my shirt & and bound it up as well as I could but it soon became very painful --- during the short encounter with John he frequently & and furiously swore at me to stop but I never answered him a word.  I was fully resolved to get clear or die. --- he did follow me into the swamp but sat watching for me to come out --- he did not expect I could possibly penetrate it far & I never could had I not found the little stream of water which I traveled for miles.  Sometimes the water was very warm & sometimes very cold when the springs issued out & I have always supposed it was very lucky thing for my wound that it was immersed in the water so long.

     I have no idea that John intended to kill me although I think it very probable that he thot I should die in the swamp --- he was an excellent marksman having learned it from me.  He intended to shoot the calves of my legs to prevent me from running.  A man by the name of Jesse Bingham was with him but he took no part in the fray & never left the road.  I as three days in the mountains without any food & travelled then as near as I could judge 40 or 50 miles --- I came down from the mountains into the valley still in Kentucky & ate raw corn from the cob in the fields but it did not agree with me it made me sick and dry & dry potatoes & tried to eat them but my appetite had left me and I could not eat.  I at length found apples peaches & muskmelons which refreshed me very much it was 5 days after I was shot before I entered any house, --- I was now in great fear of being over taken & I changed my course from the Ohio road & went into Virginia intending to go to Baltimore because I should not be suspected of taking that route --- I passed the white sulphur springs about 40 miles on my right & Staunton, Rockingham, Woodstock & Frederick in Maryland to Baltimore shunning all the public roads & places having traveled 5 to 600 miles.  (finished next edition)

     During this long journey I had suffered great pain & distress from my wound.  My ankle and leg had swollen so much that I had to cut open my boot & the leg of  my pants & lace it up with a string.  I thought that I should have to lose my foot and leg it seemed to me to be past cure. I dared not show it to any physician or even white man for fear they would ask me how it came in that terrible situation.  I slept in the woods, barns & haystacks & begged bread when I came across [some] men who gave bandages for my wound.  At Baltimore I went into a little tenement of an old color'd man who asked me to sit down --- I was afraid to speak to him, but I wanted to ask him the way to Canada.  The old man understood my case the moment I asked him that question --- I soon learned that he was my friend indeed --- while I was sitting in his hut my leg was in constant & extreme pain & I could not sit still.  He noticed my uneasiness & asked what the matter was.  I told him I had travelled a great ways & my foot was sore, he looked at it & said that sore didn't come from much traveling --- that he could relive me & take down the swelling --- he made a decoction from the root or the leaf of the plant called Apple Peru & applied it upon my leg as warm as I could bear it.  I fell asleep under the operation & had a long nap when I awoke the swelling had gone down very much & the pain had nearly subsided.  My approach to this old color'd mans hut was by far the most fortunate circumstance to me since I was shot --- for he acted the part of the good Samaritan to me.  I staid at his hut two days, during which time he paid every attention to me gave me good advice & he went out among the vessels going north & found the Capt of a New Bedford Schooner that was willing to give me free passage to New York where I arrived after a passage of one week………..(End)(New York Historical Society)