Chains and freedom: or, The life and adventures of Peter Wheeler, a colored man yet living

Front matter

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Preface

The following Narrative was taken entirely from the lips of Peter Wheeler. I have in all instances given his own language, and faithfully recorded his story as he told it, imthout any change whatever. There are many astonishing facts related in this book, and before the reader finishes it, he will at least feel that " Truth is stranger than fiction."

But the truth of every thing here stated can be relied on. The subject of this story is well known to the author, who for a long time brake unto him " the bread of life," as a brother in Christ, and beloved for the Redeemer's sake. There are, likewise, hundreds of living witnesses, who have for many years been acquainted with the man, and aware of the incidents here recorded, who cherish perfect confidence in his veracity.

He has many times, for many years, related the same facts, to many persons, in the same language verbatim; and individuals to 1*

VI PREFACE.

whom the author has read some of the following incidents, have recognized the story and language, as they heard them from the hero's lips long before the author ever heard his name. There are also persons yet living, whom I have seen and known, who witnessed many of Peter's most awful sufferings.

Of course, the book lays no claim to the merit of literature, and will not be reviewed as such ; but it does claim the merit of strict veity, which is no mean characteristic in a book, in these days.

The subject, and the author, have but one object in view in bringing the book before the public : — a mutual desire to contribute as far as they can, to the freedom of enchained millions for whom Christ died. And if any heart may be made to feel one emotion of benevolence, and lift up a more earnest cry to God for the suffering slave ; if one generous impulse may be awakened in a slaveholder's bosom towards his fellow traveller to God's bar, whose crime is, in being " born with a skin not coloured like his own;" and if it may inspire in the youthful mind, the spirit of that

PREFACE. Yii sweet verse, consecrated by the hallowed associations of a New-Enofland home —

" I was not born a little slave

To labour in the sun, And wish I were but in my grave,

And all my labor done."

it will not be in vain.

That it may hasten that glorious consummation which we know is fast approaching, when slavery shall be known only in the story of past time, is the earnest prayer of the

AUTHOR.

Certijicate of the Citizens of Spencertown,

This is to certify, that we, the undersigned, are, and have been ivell acquainted with Peter Wheeler, for a number of years, and that we place /m// confidence in all his statements', —

ERASTUS PRATT, Justice of the Peace. CHARLES B. BUTCHER, do. do.

ABIAH W. MAYHEW, Deacon of the Presbyterian Church.

CHARLES H. SKIFF, M. D.

WILLIAM. A. DEAN.

JOHN GROFF.

DANIEL BALDWIN.

ELISHA BABCOCK.

PHILIP STRONG.

PATRICK M. KNAPP.

WILLIAM TRAVER.

EPHRALM BERNUS.

SilMUEL HIGGINS.

WILLL\M PARSONS.

JAMES BALDWIN.

FRANCIS CHAREVOY.

[It may be proper to state that many of these gentlemen have known Peter more than thirteen years ; likewise, that they are men of the first respectability. Author.]

Chapter I

Author's first interview with Peter— Peter calls on the Author, and begins his story— his birth and residence— is adopted by Mrs. Mather and lives in Mr. Mather's house — his " red scarlet coat" — fishing expedition on Sunday with Hagar when he sees the Devil— a feat of horsemanshipsaves the life of master's oldest son, and is bit in the operation by a wild hog— an encounter with an " old fashioned cat owl" in the Cedar Swamp— a man killed by wild cats— a short " sarmint" at a Quaker Meeting—" I and John makes a pincushion of a calf's nose, and got tuned for it I tell ye" — holyday's amusements— the marble egg—" I and John great cronies"— Mistress sick— Peter hears something in the night which he thinks a forerunner of her death— she dies a Christian— her dying words— Peter's feelings on her death. p^gg 17—35

CHAPTER H.

Peter emancipated by his old Master's Will— but is stolen and sold at auction, and bid off by GIDEON MORE- HOUSExO Hagar tries to buy her brother back— parting scene— his reception at his new Master's— sudden change in fortune— Master's cruelty— the Muskrat skinsprepare to go into " the new countries"— start on the journey " incidents of travel" on the road— Mr. Sterling, who is a sterling.good man, tries to buy Peter— gives him a pocket full of " Bungtown coppers"— abuse— story of the Blue Mountain— Oswego— Mr. Cooper, an Abolitionistjourney's end— Cayuga county, New York. Page 36— S.^

10 COxNTENTS.

Chapter III

They get into a wild country, " full of all kinds of varmints," and begin to build— Peter knocked off of a barn by his master — story of a rattle-snake charming a child — Peter hews the timber for a new house, and gets paid in lashes — Tom Ludlow an abolitionist — Peter's friends all advise him to run off— the fox-tail company, their expeditions on Oneida Luke — deer stories — Rotterdam folks — story of a painter — master pockets Peter's share of the booty and bounty — the girls of the family befriend him — a sail on the Lake — Peter is captain, and saves the life of a young lady who falls overboard, and nearly loses his own — kindly and generously treated by the young lady's father, who gives Peter a splendid suit of clothes worth seventy dollars, and " a good many other notions" — his master df steals his clothes ^£^ and wears them out himself— Mr. Tucker's opinion of his character, and Peter's of his fate. P'^gc 56 — 82

Chapter IV

An affray in digging a cellar — Peter sick of a typhus fever nine months — the kindness of " the gals" — physician's bill — a methodist preacher, and a leg of tainted mutton — " master shoots arter him" with a rifle ! ! — a bear story — where the skin went to — a glance at religious operations in that region — " a camp meeting" — Peter tied up in the woods in the night, and "expects to be eat up by all kinds of wild varmints" — master a drunkard — owns a still — abuses his family — a story of blood, and stripes, and groans, and cries — Peter finds 'Lecta a friend in need — expects to be killed — Abers intercedes for him, and " makes it his business" — Mrs. Abers pours oil into Peter's wounds — Peter goes back, and is better treated a little while — master tries to stab him with a pitchfork, and Peter nearly kills him in self-defence— tries

CONTENTS. 11

the rifle and swears he will end Peter's existence now — but the ball don't hit — the crisis comes, and that night Peter swears to be free or die in the cause. Page 83 — 124

CPAPTER V.

Peter's master prosecuted for abusing him, and fined $500, and put under a bond of $2000 for good behavior — Peter for a long time has a plan for running away, and the girls help him in it — " the big eclipse of 1806" — Peter starts at night to run away, and the girls carry him ten miles on his road — the parting scene — travels all night, and next day sleeps in a hollow log in the woods — accosted by a man on the Skeneateies bridge — sleeps in a barn — is discovered — two painters on the road — discovered and pursued — frightened by a little girl — encounter with " two black gentlemen with a white ring round their necks" — " Ingens" chase him — "Utica quite a thrifty Uttle place" — hires out nine days — Little Falls — hires out on a boat to go to " Snackady" — makes three trips — is discovered by Morehouse j;^ — the women help him to escape to Albany — hires out on Truesdell's sloop — meets master in the street — goes to New York — a reward of $100 offered for him — Capt. comes to take him back to his master, for " one hundred dollars don't grow on every bush" — " feels distressedly" — but Capt. Truesdell promises to protect him, " as long as grass grows and water runs — he follows the river. Pa^e Jt55 — 171

Chapter I

Beginning of sea stories — sails with Captain Truesdell for the West-Indies — feelings on leaving the American shore — sun-set at sea — shake hands with a French frigate — a storm — old Neptune— a bottle or a shave — caboose — Peter gets two

12 CONTENTS.

feathers in his cap— St Bartholomews— climate— slavesoranges — turtle — a small pig, " bnt dam' old" — weigh anchor for New York — "sail ho!" — a wreck — a sailor on a buoy — get him aboard — his story — gets well, and turns out to be an enormous swearer — couldn't draw a breath without an oath— approach to New- York — quarantine — pass the Narrows— drop anchor — rejoicing limes— Peter jumps ashore "a free nigger." Page 173 — 185

CHAPTER ir.

Peter spends the winter of 1806 — 7 in New-York — sails in June in the Carnapkin for Bristol — a sea tempest — ship becalmed off the coast of England — catch a shark and find a lady's hand, and gold ring and locket in him — this locket, &c. lead to atrial, and the murderer hung — the mother of the lady visits the ship ; sail for home — Peter sails with captain Williams on a trading voyage — Gibralter — description oi'it — sail to Bristol — chased by a privateer — she captured by a French frigate — sail for New-York — Peter lives a gentleman at large in " the big city of New York." Page 185 — 199

CHAPTER in.

Peter sails for Gibralter with Captain Bainbridge — his character — horrible storm — Henry falls from aloft and is killed — a funeral at sea — English lady prays — Gibralter and the lauding of soldiers — a frigate and four merchantmen — Napoleon — Wellington and Lord Nelson — a slave ship — her cargo — five hundred slaves — a wake of blood fifteen hundred miles — sharks eat 'em — Amsterdam — winter there — Captain B. winters in Bristol — Dutchmen — visit to an old battle field — stories about Napoleon — Peter falls overboard and is drowned, almost — make New York the fourth of July — Peter lends five hundred dollars and loses it — sails to tlie West Indies with Captain Thompson — returns ta New York and winters with Lady Rylander — sails witlv

CONTENTS. 13

Captain Williams for Gibraltar — fleet thirty-seven sail — cruise up the Mediterranean— 3It. Etna— sails to Liverpool — Lord Wellington and his troops — war between Great Britain and the United States — sails for New York and goes to sea no more — his own confessions of his characterdreadful wicked — sings a sailor song and winds up his yarn.

Book The Third. Chapter I

Lives at MadaraRylander's— Q,uakerMacy— Susana colored girl lives with Mr. Macy-she is kidnapped and carried away, and sold into slavery — Peter visits at the " Nixon's, mazin' respectable" colored people in Philadelphia — falls in love with Solena — gits the consent of old folks — fix wedding day — " ax parson" — Solena dies in his arms — his grief— compared with Rhoderic Dhu — lives in New Haven — sails for New York— drives hack— Susan Macy is redeemed from slavery— she tells Peter her story of blood and horror, and abuse, and the way she made her escape from her chains. Page 233—148

Chapter II

Kidnappin' in New York— Peter spends three years in H?ilford — couldn't help thinkin' of Solena — Hartford Convention — stays a year in Mvudletown — hires to a man in West Springfield — maV/es thirty-five dollars fishin' nights — great revival in Springfield — twenty immersed — sexton of church in Q\a Springfield— religious sentiments— returns to New York— So/ena a^ain— Susan Macy married— pulls up for the Bay State again— lives eighteen months in Westfield— six months in Sharon— Joshua Nichols leaves his wife- Peter goes after him and finds him in Spencertown, New

J 4 CONTENTS*

York — takes money back to Mrs. Nichols — returns to Spencertowu — lives at Esq. Pratt's — Works next summer for old Captain Beale — his character— falls in love — married — loses his only child — wife helpless eight months — great revival of 1827 — feels more like gittin' religion — " One sabba'day when when the minister preached at me" — a resolution to get religion — how to become a christian — evening prayer-meeting — Peter's convictions deep and distressing — going home he kneels on a rock and prayed — his prayer — the joy of aredeemed soul — ^his family rejoice with him.

Book The First. Peter Wheeler In Chains

DEDICATED TO

Every body who hates oppression, and don't believe that it is right, under any circumstances, to buy and sell the image of the Great God Almighty ; and to all who love Human Liberty well enough to help to break every yoke, that the oppressed may go free God bless all such !

" I own I am shocked at the purchase of slaves,

And fear those that buy them and sell them are knaves ;

What I hear of their hardships, their tortures and groans, Is almost enough to draw pity from stones."

COWPER.

Author's first inUnnew toith Peter Wheeler. 17

CHAPTER I.

Author's first interview with Peter— Peter calls on the Author, and begins his story — his birth and residence — ia adopted by Mrs. Mather and lives in Mr. Mather's house — his '• red scarlet coaC — fishing expedition on Sunday with Hagar when he sees the Devil — a feat of horsemanship — saves the life of master's oldest son, and is bit in the operation by a wild hog — an encounter with an " old fashioned cat owl" in the Cedar Swamp — a man killed by wild cats — a short " sarmint" at a Quaker Meeting — " I and John makes a pincushion of a calf's nose, and got tuned for it, I tell ye" — holyday's amusements — the marble egg — "I and John great cronies" — Mistress sick — Peter hears something in the night which he thinks a forerunner of her death — she dies a Christian — her dying words — Peter's feelings on her death.

Author. " Peter, your history is so remarkable, that I have thought it would make quite an interesting book ; and I have a proposal to make you."

Peter. "Well, Sir, I'm always glad to hear

the Domine talk; what's your proposal? I

guess you're contrivin' to put a spoke in the

Abolition wheel, ain't ye ?" -^

2*

18 Sick a Book as Chas. Ball — every body stickin^ theirnose in it.

A. *' Peter you know I'm a friend to the black man, and try to do him good."

P. " Yis, I know that, I tell ye."

A. *' Well, I was going to say that this question of Slavery is all the talk every where, and as facts are so necessary to help men in coming to correct conclusions in regard to it, I have thought it would be a good thing to write a story of your life and adventures — for you know that every body likes to read such books, and they do a great deal of good in the cause of Freedom."

P. " I s'pose then youVe got an idee of makin' out some sich a book as Charles Ball, and that has done a sight of good. But it seems to me I've suffered as much as Charles Ball, and I've sartinly travelled ten times as fur as he ever did. But / should look funny enough in print, shouldn't I f The Life and Adventers of Peter Wheeler — ! ! ha ! ha ! ! ha ! ! ! And then you see every feller here in town, would be a stickin' up his nose at the very idee, jist because I'm a *' nigger" as they say — or " snow-ball," or somethin' else ; but never mind, if it's a goin' to du any good^ why I say let split, and we'll go it nose or no nose —snow-ball or no snow-balL"

All ready to weigh anchor. 19

A. "Well, I'm engaged this morning Peter, but if you will call down to my study this afternoon at two o'clock, I'll be at home, and ready to begin. I want you to put on your " thinking cap," and be prepared to begin your story, and I'll write while you talk, and in this way we'll do a good business — good bye Peter, give my love to your family, and be down in season."

P. " Good bye Domine, and jist give wy love to your folks ; and I'll be down afore two, if nothin' happens more'n I know on."

A. "Walk in — Ah! Peter you're come have you ? you are punctual too, for the clock is just striking. I'm glad to see you ; take a seat on the settee."

P. " I thought I couldn't be fur out of the way : and I'm right glad to see you tu, and YOU pretty well .'' and how does your lady

du r

A. " All well, Peter."

P. " You seem to be all ready to weigh anchor."

A. " Yes, and we'll be soon under way. —

JJO -4 true story any Jiow — Genealogy of Peter.

And now, Peter, I have perfect confidence in your veracity, but I want you to watch every word you utter, for 'twill all be read by ten thousand folks, and I wouldn't send out any exaggerated statement, or coloured story, for all the books in Christendom. You know it's hard to tell " the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth ;" and now you will have plenty of time to thinks for I can't write as fast as you will talk, and I want you to think carefully, and speak accurately, and we'll have a true story, and I think a good one."

P. " I'll take good care of that, Mr. L

and we'll have a true story if we don't have a big one ; but I'm a thinkin' that afore we git through we'll have a pretty good yarn spun, as the sailors say. I always thought 'twas bad enough to tell one lie, but a man must be pretty bad to tell one in a book, for if he has ten thousand books printed, he will print ten thousand lies, and that's lying on tu big a scale.'*'

A. *' Well, Peter, in what age, and quarter of the world were you born .'"'

P. <' As near as I can find out, I was born the 1st of January 1789, at Little Egg Harbour, a parish of Tuckertown, New Jersey.

HoiD Peter becomes a slave- No full-blooded quaker a slaveholder. 2 1

I was born a slave .^ — and many a time, like old Job, I've cussed the day I was born. My mother has often told me, that my great grandfather was born in Africa, and one day he and his little sister was by the seaside pickin' up shells, and there con>e a small boat along shore with white sailors, and ketches 'era both, and they cried to go back and see mother, but they didn't let 'em go, and they look 'em off to a big black ship that was crowded with negroes they'd stole ; and there they kept 'em in a dark hole, and almost starved and choked for some weeks, they should guess, and finally landed 'em in Baltimore, and there they was sold. Grandfather used to set and tell these 'ere stories all over to mother, and set and cry and cry jist hke a child, arter he'd got to be an old man, and tell how he wanted to see mother on board that ship, and how happy he and his sister was, a playing in the sand afore the ship come ; and jist so mother used to set and trot me on her knee, and tell me these 'ere stories as soon as I could understand 'em — "

"Well, as I was sayin', I was born in Tuckertown, and my master's name was Job Mather. He was a man of family and prop-

22 His grandfather stolen in Africa.

erty, and had a wife and two sons, and a large plantation. He was a Quaker by profession, and used to go to the Quaker meetin's ; but afore I git through with him, I'll show you he warn't overstocked with Religion. He was the first and last Quaker I ever heard on, that owned a slave,* and he warn't a full-blooded Quaker, for if he had been, he wouldn't owned me; for a full-blooded Quaker won't own a slave. I was the only slave he owned, and he didn't own me^^but this, is the way he come hy me.t Mistress happened to have a child the same time I was born, and the little feller died. So she sent to Dinah my mother, and got me to nuss her, when I was only eight days old."

" Well, arter I'd got weaned, and was about a year old, mother comes to mistress, and says she, * Mistress, have you got through wdth my baby V ' No,' says Mistress, ' no Dinah, I mean to bring him up myself.' And so she kept me, and called me Peter Wheeler, for that was my father's name, and so I lived in master's family almost jist like his own children."

" The first thing I recollect was this :

* Would to God, it could be said of any other denomination of Christians in Christendom ! ! t A grand distinction for some Ug Doctors to learn !

Red scarlet coat— J and John keep Sundays ^mazin strict. 23

Master and Mistress, went off up country on a journey, and left I and John, (John was her little boy almost my age,) with me at home, and says she as she goes away, ' now boys if you'll be good, when I come back, I'll bring you some handsome presents."

" Well, we was good, and when she comes back, she gives us both a suit of clothes, and mine was red scarlet, and it had a little coat buttoned on to a pair of trousers, and a good many buttons on 'em, all up and down be-for- 'ard and behind, and I had a little cap, with a good long tostle on it ; and oh ! when I first got 'em on, if I didn't feel big, I won't guess."

*' I used to do 'bout as I was a mind tu, until I was eight or nine year old, though Master and Mistress used to make I and John keep Sunday ^mazin strict-, yet^ I remember one Sunday, when they was gone to Quaker-meetin', I and Hagar, (she was my sister, and lived with my mother, and mother was free,) well, I and Hagar went down to the creek jist by the house, a fishin'. She stood on the bridge, and / waded out up to my middle, and had big luck, and in an hour I had a fine basket full. But jist then I see a flouncin' in the water, and a great monstrous big thing got

24 / and Ha gar go ajishin' Sunday and see the devil — scart.

hold of my hook, and yanked it arter him, pole, line, nigger and all, I'd enemost said, and if he didn't make a squashin' then I'm a white man. Well, Hagar see it, and she was scart almost to pieces, and off she put for the house, and left me there alone. Well, I thought sure 'nough 'twas the Devil, I'd hearn tell so much 'bout the old feller ; and I took my basket and put out for the house like a white-head, and I thought I should die, I was so scart. We got to the house and hid under the bed, all a tremblin' jist like a leaf, afeard to stir one inch. Pretty soon the old folks comes home, and so out we crawled, and they axed us the matter, and so we up and telled 'em all about it, and Master, says he * why sure 'nough 'twas the Devil, and all cause you went a fishin' on a Sunday, and if you go down there a fishin' agin Sunday he'll catch you both, and that'll be the eend of you two snowballs."

A. " Didn't he whip you, Peter, to pay for it ?"

P. " Whip us ? No, Sir ; I tell ye what 'tis, what he telled us 'bout the Devil, paid us more'n all the whippens in creation."

A. " What was the big thing in the creek V^

Learns his a, b, c's — escapes — gits thrown from a k/rse. 25

P. "Why, I s' pose 'twas a shark; they used to come up the creek from the ocean."

A. " Did you have much Rehgious Intruction r"

P. " Why, the old folks used to tell us we musn't lie and steal and play Sabbaday, for if we did, the old hoy would come and carry us off; and that was 'bout all the Religion I got from them, and all I knowed 'bout it, as long as I lived there."

A. " What did you used to do when you got old enough to work ?"

P. " Why, I lived in the house, and almost jist like a gal I knew when washin'-day come, and I'd out with the poundin'-barrel, and on with the big kittle, and besides I used to do all the heavy cookin' in the kitchen, and carry the dinner out to the field hands, and scrub, and scour knives, and all sich work."

A. •' Did you always used to have plenty to eat r"

P. "Oh? yis, Sir, I had the handhn'ofthe victuals, and I had my fill, I tell ye."

A. " Did you ever go to school, Peter .'^"

P. " Yis, Sir, I went one day when John was sick in his place, and that was the only

26 Plenty to eat — almost a gal

(lay I ever went, in all my life, and I larned my A, B, C's through, both ways, and never forgot 'em arter that."

A. " Well, did you ever meet with any accidents ?"

P. " Why, it's a wonder I'm alive, I've had so many wonderful escapes. When I was 'bout ten year old. Master had a beautiful horse, only he was as wild as a painter, and so one day when he was gone away, I and John gits him out, and he puts me on, and ties my legs under his belly, so I shouldn't git flung ofl', and he run, and snorted, and broke the string, and pitched me off, and enemost broke my head, and if my skull hadn't a been pretty thick, I guess he would ; and I didn't get well in almost six weeks." Another thing I think on. Master had some of these 'ere old-fashioned long-eared and long-legged hogs, and he used to turn 'em out, like other folks, in a big wood nearby, and when they was growed up, fetch 'em and pen 'em up, and fat 'em ; and so Master fetched home two that was dreadful wild, and they had tushes so long, and put 'em in a pen to fat. Well, his oldest son gits over in the pen one day to clean out the trough, and one on 'em put arter him, and oh ! how

Wild cats as thick as frogs— a man hUled hy tJtsm. 27

he haided, and run to git out; I heard him, and run and reached over the pen, and catched hold on him, and tried to hft him out ; but the old feller had got hold of his leg, and took out a whole mouthful, and then let go ; and I pulled like a good feller, and got him most over, but the old sarpent got hold of my hand^ and bit it through and through, and there's the scar yit."

A. " Did you let go, Peter?"

P. "Let go? No! I tell ye I didn't; the hog got hold of his heel, and bit the ball right off; but when he let go that time, I fetched a dreadful lift, and I got him over the pen, safe and sound, only he was badly bit."

"And while I think of it, one day Mistress took me to go with her through the Cedar Swamp to see some 'lations, only she took me as she said to keep the snakes off. It was two miles through the woods, and we went .on a road of cedar-rails, and when we got into the swamp, I see a big old-fashioned cat-owl a settin' on a limb up 'bout fifteen foot from the ground I guess ; and as I'd heard an owl couldn't see in the day-time, I thought I'd creep up sUIy, and catch him, and I says 'Mistress,' says I, ' will you wait ?' and she says,