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The Inn built in 1852

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Joe Karch

Otterbein and the Underground Railroad

The central Ohio area was known to play an active role in the transportation of runaway or freed slaves from the south further north towards Canada.  There were several familes who were closely associated with Otterbein University and several others in the area that aided in Underground Railroad activities.  There is evidence that by the late 1820’s the Underground Railroad was alive in the area.  A man named Samuel Patterson living in the East Orange area.  By the time Otterbein University was founded, Westerville was known to be an anti-slavery town and to have several stops on the Underground Railroad.       

 A prominent family during this time that is important to the history of Otterbein is the Hanby family.  The patriarch of the family, William, was a saddle and harness maker in the town in Rushville, Ohio, out of which he aided slaves on their journey north.  He was also aided by a local doctor by the name of Hyde.  After moving to Westerville, he continued to shelter and transport runaway slaves.  The Hanby family home was previously located where the Church of The Master now sits.  He operated his saddle and harness shop out of his barn behind his house, also where he would hide the slaves.  Their neighbor, Lewis Davis, who was an Otterbein president prior to the Civil War, was known to be a conductor on the Railroad when the University opened in 1847.  His house was located where the library currently stands   In order to alert others involved with freedom, the Hanby’s would put roses in a vase in the front window to indicate the number of slaves present in the house at that time.  It is interesting to note that the Hanby family ate dinner with the slaves each night.  It is noted that it was Benjamin Hanby’s job to close the curtains so that the slaves would not be seen.  Also it was Benjamin’s job to lead the slaves out of the barn during the night into false bottom carriages on their journey north, usually to Mount Vernon, about 30 miles north.  A runaway slave named Joseph Selby had found his way to the Hanby house one night, but he was too sick, and there was little that the Hanby family could do but make him at ease.   Before dying he told the story of his wife-to-be Nelly Gray, who had been sold to Georgia the day before they were supposed to be wed.  Joseph had escaped north because he wanted to earn money to free Nelly Gray.  Benjamin Hanby would later make the story of Joe Selby famous with his song “Darling Nelly Gray.”  Throughout his life, William Hanby always advocated for the equality of not just men, but women as well.  None of the slaves under the Hanby family protection were ever caught.   

The Stoner House, which now sits across the street from the Westerville Public Library Complex, was originally built in 1852 as a tavern, inn, and spa.  George Stoner was a smart man who stowed away runaways in the Inn where they were fed and kept in the basement.  In 1853, a road from Columbus to Westerville was built by the Clinton and Blendon Plank Road Companies.  George Stoner then created a stagecoach line that would transport clients to and from Columbus on this route.  This brought a constant flow of business to the area by means of people and goods.  It also enabled George Stoner to transport slaves in the luggage compartments on the stagecoach, other times simply just disguising them, to his inn in Westerville.  The home of the Stoner family was located across the street, and is now incorporated into the Westerville Public Library Complex.  After the family moved out it became the headquarters of the National Anti-Saloon League and the American Temperance Movement.  The area around W. State St. and Plum St. is still known as the Stoner district.

The Sharp family also played a significant role in the Underground Railroad activity in this area.  Garrit Sharp was part of the original settlement which became Westerville.  He also donated the land in which Blendon Young Men’s Seminary was located, which was bought and Otterbein University opened in its location.  The school was open to all students; male or female, white or black.  He was a noted abolitionist, and his family assisted slaves along with William Hanby, Lewis Davis, and George Stoner.  Slaves would proceed north on Africa Road, which they called “Freedom Road,” toward the house of Samuel Patterson and following Alum Creek.  There were two homes built on Africa Road by the Sharp family, one of which still stands.  Eventually the family had two other homes on N. State St., but one of the homes which was on St. Paul Catholic Church property was demolished in 2001. 

It is noted that the area of East Orange was located north of the town of Westerville, and featured several log cabins built by the Patterson family while they built their estate.  Once there home’s were finished, the cabins were abandoned.  In 1859, 35 slaves were freed and made their way to this area, where they occupied these cabins and were employed harvesters for local farmers.  A pro-slave neighbor in the area nicknamed it “Africa” and the name stuck.  After the civil war, the black residents of this area moved on to populate areas of Westerville, Delaware, and other parts of the state. 

The Westerville community, and certainly those involved with Otterbein, played an important role in local Underground Railroad activites.     

References

Hancock, H. (1974). The history of Westerville. Westerville: Westerville Historical Society.

Thompson, H.A. (1904). Our bishops: A sketch of the origin and growth of the church of the  united brethren in christ. Dayton: U.B. Publishing House.

Garst, H. (1907). Otterbein university: 1847-1907. Dayton: U.B. Publishing House.

Ohio Historical Society. (2002). Remarkable ohio: Sharp family homes. Retrieved from http://www.remarkableohio.org/HistoricalMarker.aspx?historicalMarkerId=592

Touring Ohio. (2011). Stoner house & inn. Retrieved from http://www.touring-ohio.com/central/westerville/stoner-house.html

Calarco, Tom.  Underground Railroad Stop: The Hanby House. Northeast Antiques. (2008)  <http://northeast.uber.matchbin.com/view/full_story/167995/article-Underground    Railroad-Stop--The-Hanby-House?instance=home_news_bullets>

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