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Tippecanoe County Area Genealogical Society
 
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Saturday 01/16/2010 12:59:30am
Name: Christopher Lawson
E-Mail: waynecountymuseu@bellsouth.net
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Goldsboro, North Carolina, USA
Comments: TIPCOA c/o Sign Our Guestbook

The following information is from “The Heritage of Wayne County, North Carolina” 1982 pages 17-18: QUAKERS IN CONFLICT- Though Wayne County was a hotbed of secessionist feeling, there was an element who was strongly committed to abolitionist principles. The Underground Railroads, a house to house channel for runaway slaves, operated through Wayne County and assisted many slaves on their run to freedom. The main group in the county sympathetic to freeing the slaves were the Quakers. There were, however, abolitionists among other religious groups, and even some Quakers were opposed to policies that directly opposed the majority of the citizens.
The radical Confederates imposed special taxes on citizens who did not join the army, and many Quakers suffered indignities, among them Stephen B. Hollowell, Thomas S. Hollowell, Nathan B. Cox, William T. Cox, William T. Gennett (Jeannette), Robert Edgerton, Jonathan Perkins, and Calvin G. Perkins.
The most severe case of abusement was that of Thomas Kennedy, a Quaker minister, scion of one of the oldest, richest and most prominent families in the county, and himself one of the most highly respected men in the county. He was a large planter, a member of the agricultural society, and he owned a large number of slaves, most of which he was prohibited from freeing. He worked out a method to pay his slaves wages for their work so that if monies to begin anew. His views about slavery were well known, but his position among the local gentry was so secure that he was hard for the radicals to attack. He was also a friendly, quiet and kind man, much loved and respected by many in all political camps, despite their own views about slavery.

A picture describes: Kennedy House, Quaker Neck, was built by John Kennedy in the 18th century and was later the home of his son, Thomas Kennedy, a Quaker minister and ardent abolitionist. House used by the Underground Railroad for escaped slaves. Photo: Southern Historical Collection, UNC-Chapel Hill.

During 1862 some Confederate soldiers, dressed as Union men, approached his house at Quaker Neck, and asked for food. As was his custom, he willingly gave it. They tricked him out of his house and then jumped him (a man then sixty-six years old), took him into custody, and finally drug him before a court-marshal at Goldsboro. His friend, Governor Zebulon B. Vance, came to see him in jail and did what he could to avert a grave legal injustice; all to no avail. William T. Dortch was a fireeating secessionist and was eager to see Mr. Kennedy convicted of being a traitor and hanged and he did all in his power to bring it about, but could not. Kennedy was finally sent to prison, first in Goldsboro and then at Salisbury, where the old man suffered the most severe hardships. There was no heat, no bedding and little food for him, and finally the authorities gave in to public outrage and sent him for exchange, at which time he went via Philadelphia to Indiana. His immediate family followed him to Indiana. His immediate family followed him to Indiana where he died on November 17, 1864 as a result of the hardships endured at Salisbury Prison. He forgave his persecutors just before he died and sent a letter back to Wayne County Quakers to that effect.
Many local Quakers suffered for their beliefs, but none are known to have taken up arms against the local government or the Confederacy. Many of these citizens just moved away to states where they felt more comfortable with local policies, and by so doing they created a vacuum in Wayne County social services which it would take a generation or more to fill. For many years the Quakers had been the backbone of the country poor house and farm, and their concern for those less fortunate was one of their greatest gifts to the commonwealth.

Let me know if you find any information similar to this.

Have a great day!

Christopher Lawson
Wayne County Museum Assistant Manager



Monday 01/04/2010 11:29:18pm
Name: judy ward donley
E-Mail: donley2928@comcast.net
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: spokane washington usa
Comments: looking for a thomas ward born in tippecanoe 1826.died in washington state 1917.
father john ward from ohio
mother from indiana
sister lottie ward howland sister in san francisco
family moved to california about 1840 for gold rush



Wednesday 12/02/2009 8:53:27am
Name: rick wolfe
E-Mail: dad8585@sunflowerwireless
Referred By: Friend
City/Country: chanute kansas
Comments: my relatives were early settlers in your counties tippecanoe an warren surnames were kelley and swadley



Thursday 10/01/2009 12:47:56am
Name: Donnie Ruyle
E-Mail: sandyjruyle@verizon.net
Referred By: Just Surfed In
City/Country: Burlington, WA USA
Comments: My 3rd Great Grandmother Jane Thompson Richardson Frogg is buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery. Also her daughter Jane B.Frogg Oliver.



Saturday 08/15/2009 10:44:12am
Name: Paul H. Johnson
E-Mail: tbmusic35@aol.com
Referred By: Search Engine
City/Country: Lincoln, Logan CO., IL
Comments: Looking for obits

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