The Kentucky Origins of Three Michigan Rescues

Abstract

The Kentucky Origins of Three Michigan Rescues Hillary Delaney (bio) In the 1840s, the wealth of enslavers decreased markedly as Underground Railroad activity in the borderlands of Kentucky surged. The banks of the Ohio River, which separated Kentucky’s northernmost counties from the free states of Indiana and Ohio, became ground zero as slave hunters and patrollers attempted to thwart freedom seekers. Despite these efforts, the enslaved population continued to decrease with each successful escape.1 In 1847, Kentuckians made forays into Michigan to capture those who had fled northward; Michigan’s citizens intervened on behalf of freedom seekers in dramatic fashion. The exciting details and resulting legal decisions were widely covered in the press and had significant impacts on the rights of all involved entities.2 This helped to build a narrative of those at the center of the disputes, most often beginning with the escape and what followed. To give agency to these individuals and to gain a fuller understanding of their lives and what led to these incidents, it is important to learn of their lives in Kentucky. Ferreting out details of the lives of enslaved people requires a familiarity with the communities in which they were held. It is also crucial to understand the slaveholding families—their complicated relationships with those they held in bondage, and their connections to other enslavers and organizations. An approach employing genealogical research methods, an understanding of local records, and a grasp of the social and physical aspects of the community can often provide a much fuller story. [End Page 9] Adam Crosswhite At the center of one of the dramatic 1847 episodes was a man named Adam Crosswhite. Crosswhite and his family made their way from Kentucky to freedom in Marshall, Michigan, in 1843. A few years later, they found themselves facing re-enslavement when agents of their slave holder, Francis Giltner, came to Michigan to claim them.3 The dramatic details of their rescue and the political fallout it prompted have been committed to history, but most early accounts have little detail of Crosswhite’s life prior to his escape.4 Adam Crosswhite was born to an enslaved mother around 1799 in either Bourbon or Clark County, Kentucky. His father is presumed to have been his original enslaver, Isaac Crosthwait.5 Isaac Crosthwait was about seventy-five years old when Adam was born, a detail that invites scrutiny.6 Crosthwait’s age does not completely invalidate his paternity, but other possibilities can be explored. Enslaved women held by Crosthwait were accessible to his nearby male family members and cannot be ruled out. Multiracial children born to enslaved mothers could receive both the favor of a White father and the ire of the White mistress. Their status could also complicate relationships with others in the community of the enslaved.7 These complexities must be considered while researching Adam Crosswhite’s life as an enslaved person. Isaac Crosthwait’s Last Will and Testament was filed on January 28, 1811, in Clark County, Kentucky. At the time of his death, Crosthwait enslaved nine people—only two of whom were identified by name in the will. Ben was set apart for Crosthwait’s daughter, Nancy, as payment for work her husband had done for his father-in-law. Adam was allotted to Crosthwait’s unmarried daughter, Frances, who was to reside in the family’s home inherited by her older brother, William. Both transfers were to occur after the death of Isaac’s wife, Elizabeth. The remaining seven enslaved people were referred to only as “the rest.” This acknowledgement of Adam by name and his bequest within the family as a “gift” are unique within the whole of Crosthwait’s enslaved people.8 [End Page 10] Isaac’s son, William, was named the administrator of his mother’s estate upon her 1816 death.9 An auction notice was soon placed in the newspaper announcing the sale, which included “a number of likely young negroes.”10 The appraisal of Elizabeth’s assets included five enslaved people: Adam, George, Jane, Ann, and a second Adam. The only thing distinguishing the two men named “Adam” was their $550 and $600 appraisal amounts.11 At auction, all...