{"id":372,"date":"2022-09-16T11:43:07","date_gmt":"2022-09-16T11:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/?p=372"},"modified":"2022-09-16T11:43:20","modified_gmt":"2022-09-16T11:43:20","slug":"escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/","title":{"rendered":"Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship &#8211; Underground Railroad"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>This excerpt from \u201cThe Underground Railroad\u201d documents the escape of Susan Brooks by being smuggled on a steamship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The details are fairly scanty in this account. However, there is a very interesting description of the typical method of smuggling female fugitives by steamship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, part of this was having an inside man on the boat i.e. a steward or other worker who was also an agent for the Underground Railroad. But the women still had to get themselves on board the ship. The method was as simple as it was ingenious!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/#About_The_Book\" title=\"About The Book\">About The Book<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/#Excerpt_%E2%80%93_Escape_Of_Susan_Brooks_By_Steamship\" title=\"Excerpt \u2013 Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship\">Excerpt \u2013 Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/#Determined_To_Flee\" title=\"Determined To Flee\">Determined To Flee<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/#How_Women_Were_Smuggled_By_Steamship\" title=\"How Women Were Smuggled By Steamship\">How Women Were Smuggled By Steamship<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/#End_Of_Susans_Account\" title=\"End Of Susan\u2019s Account\">End Of Susan\u2019s Account<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"About_The_Book\"><\/span>About The Book<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Underground Railroad\u201d was published in 1872. The book gives the testimonies of hundreds of slaves who escaped to freedom using the network of agents and safe houses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The author, William Still, was a black abolitionist and businessman who was a key member of the Philadelphia stop in the freedom network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The book is in the public domain. It can be found in the\u00a0<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/11008368\/\" target=\"_blank\">Library of Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/underground-railroad-william-still-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-140\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/underground-railroad-william-still-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/underground-railroad-william-still-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/underground-railroad-william-still-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/underground-railroad-william-still.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Excerpt_%E2%80%93_Escape_Of_Susan_Brooks_By_Steamship\"><\/span>Excerpt \u2013 Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Susan\u2026was from Norfolk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her toil, body and strength were claimed by Thomas Eckels, Esq., a man of wealth and likewise a man of intemperance.&nbsp;With those who regarded Slavery as a &#8220;divine institution,&#8221; intemperance was scarcely a mote, in the eyes of such.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For sixteen years, Susan had been in the habit of hiring her time, for which she was required to pay five dollars per month. As she had the reputation of being a good cook and chambermaid, she was employed steadily, sometimes on boats. This sum may therefore be considered reasonable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Owing to the death of her husband, about a year previous to her escape, she had suffered greatly, so much so, that on two or three occasions, she had fallen into alarming fits,\u2014a fact by no means agreeable to her owner, as he feared that the traders on learning her failing health would underrate her on this account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Susan was rather thankful for these signs of weakness, as she was thereby enabled to mature her plans and thus to elude detection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Determined_To_Flee\"><\/span>Determined To Flee<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Her son having gone on ahead to Canada about six months in advance of her, she felt that she had strong ties in the goodly land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every day she remained in bondage, the cords bound her more tightly, and &#8220;weeks seemed like months, and months like years,&#8221; so abhorrent had the peculiar institution become to her in every particular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this state of mind, she saw no other way, than by submitting to be secreted, until an opportunity should offer, via the Underground Rail Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So for four months, like a true and earnest woman, she endured a great &#8220;fight of affliction,&#8221; in this horrible place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the thought of freedom enabled her to keep her courage up, until the glad news was conveyed to her that all things were ready, providing that she could get safely to the boat, on which she was to be secreted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How she succeeded in so doing the record book fails to explain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Women_Were_Smuggled_By_Steamship\"><\/span>How Women Were Smuggled By Steamship<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-rounded\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/steamboat.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/steamboat.jpg 640w, https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/steamboat-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>One of the methods, which used to succeed very well, in skillful and brave hands, was this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to avoid suspicion, the woman intending to be secreted, approached the boat with a clean ironed shirt on her arm, bare headed and in her usual working dress, looking good-natured of course, and as if she were simply conveying the shirt to one of the men on the boat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The attention of the officer on the watch would not for a moment be attracted by a custom so common as this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus safely on the boat, the man whose business it was to put this piece of property in the most safe Underground Rail Road place, if he saw that every thing looked favorable, would quickly arrange matters without being missed from his duties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In numerous instances, officers were outwitted in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"End_Of_Susans_Account\"><\/span>End Of Susan\u2019s Account<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As to what Susan had seen in the way of hardships, whether in relation to herself or others, her story was most interesting; but it may here be passed in order to make room for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She left one sister, named Mary Ann Tharagood, who was wanting to come away very much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Susan was a woman of dark color, round built, medium height, and about forty years of age when she escaped in 1854.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This excerpt from \u201cThe Underground Railroad\u201d documents the escape of Susan Brooks by being smuggled on a steamship. The details are fairly scanty in this account. However, there is a very interesting description of the typical method of smuggling female fugitives by steamship. Of course, part of this was having an inside man on the &#8230; <a title=\"Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship &#8211; Underground Railroad\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/escape-of-susan-brooks-by-steamship-underground-railroad\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Escape Of Susan Brooks By Steamship &#8211; Underground Railroad\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":140,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":373,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372\/revisions\/373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/exploreblackheritage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}