Pictured is a sketch of the Buckley Plantation’s overseer, Mr. John Riggins.
This week we continue with our story of Pony Joe Patton and one of his adventures on the “Underground Railroad”. Pony Joe had already made several trips south where he had been able to successfully smuggle slaves back across the Ohio River to freedom. With each trip, the danger became more apparent and difficult as the bounty hunters with their blood thirsty hounds were becoming more skilled in their ability to detect when things seemed to be amiss. However, this wasn’t going to deter Pony Joe. The more dangerous it became, the more determined he was to bring freedom to these poor helpless people.
It was late fall and Thanksgiving had just been celebrated when Pony Joe received word from a Mr. Blythe in Brown County who was interested in purchasing a couple of horses from the Buckley Plantation near Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Blythe was wondering if Pony Joe could possibly travel there, make an assessment of their overall health, soundness and if possible, purchase and bring them back to Ohio. He was offering him a nice purse for doing so. However, that wasn’t what interested Pony Joe. This would be great chance to help free more slaves.
Pony Joe nodded his head in disgust, the Buckley Plantation he thought, this was one of the worst plantations in Virginia. He knew the overseer, a Mr. John Riggins. He had witnessed his discipline first hand and had seen the enjoyment in his eyes as the lash was laid to the back of those who were under his control. He would have them, male or female, it didn’t matter, striped to the waist and beaten just for looking crosswise at someone. He was a mean man. His eyes were dark and his skin brown from spending so much time out in the fields watching over the plantation slaves which numbered around 200 or so. Pony Joe had never heard him speak a kind word to anyone except his boss, a Mr. Joseph Randolph Buckley.
Mr. Buckley had inherited the plantation and its slaves from his father. In fact, the plantation had been in the family for several generations. Mr. Buckley had a real eye for horses and the plantation had prospered a great deal under his supervision. Mr. Buckley didn’t seem to always agree with his overseer, Mr. Riggins, but he did not interfere with his decisions thus giving him free rein. As long as the farm prospered, Mr. Buckley seemed to be content. The atmosphere at the plantation was thick with Riggins abuse and fear. The slaves walked around with their faces to the ground. They never looked up, not even when spoken to unless required by their task master. Pony Joe had never seen such evil as this on any of the other plantations where he had conducted business. He had been there several times before but had never been able to make any type of contact with any of the slaves as to his willingness to help them. This time would be different he vowed! As Pony Joe went to bed that night, he bowed his head and asked God for help.
Next week we will continue to follow Pony Joe as he travels to the Buckley Plantation to bring home more than just horses.
