Pictured are Robert Arthur and Lurissa (Caskey) Glasgow. Lurissa was the teller of tales to Grandma G and the granddaughter of Old Jim Caskey and the daughter of Alec Caskey.
This week we continue our story as we look at the Caskey family and their commitment to helping those who had been enslaved, bought and sold like animals. The Underground Railroad had many conductors and many different routes which helped to keep the bounty hunters and their vicious dogs guessing as to the where abouts of the runaway’s location. Now with the Fugitive Slave Law in place, these bounty hunters had the legal system to back up their evil occupation.
As we left off last week, “Old Jim” Caskey and his youngest son, Alec had just obtained word that some precious cargo was needing to be moved from a safe house close to Red Oak in Brown County. An alarm had been sounded so to speak as the cargo needed to be moved quickly as bounty hunters seemed to be closing in and a narrow time frame in which to retrieve the cargo was fast closing.
The cargo consisted of one adult male and two females. It seems they had crossed the river at Ripley with the help of other abolitionist but had to be hid and kept undercover due to the town being overrun with bounty hunters. With the Fugitive Slave Law in place, these bounty hunters were becoming more brazen every day, entering and searching homes and businesses without any warrant in hand. There were also known and unknown spies living in the area who after being offered money would spill the beans concerning any suspicious activities they might have seen. The conductors were given code names and passwords to use to help them from being caught with their pants down so to speak.
The Caskey’s had been chosen for this particular ride as a wagon would be needed for quick transport and they were known to make frequent wagon trips to Ripley to visit family. As soon as they were notified, immediate preparation was made for the journey. Blankets, lanterns, medical supplies, food and water were packed. Their teams of horses, old Joe and Tom were hooked to the wagon and thus the journey to Red Oak was in full swing.
Little difficulty was experienced on the journey to Red Oak to pick up the cargo. It was now evening and lighting bugs began to light up the fields. Old Jim and Alec had made this run many times before, but something strange seemed to be in the air. Old Jim raised his eyebrows and looked at Alec. Just then an old hoot owl let out a screech. What was this feeling of uneasiness Old Jim wondered? Just then three riders stepped out from behind the shadows of the trees and placed themselves in front of the wagon. Without any warning, three more riders coming from the shadows placed themselves directly behind the wagon. One rider spoke up in a low husky voice and asked Old Jim where he was headed. Old Jim spoke up and said, “I don’t think it is any of your business, but if you must know we are going to see my son who pastors a church here in Ripley. Now they were approached by another three men who came out of the woods. They were struggling to hold on to the leaches of several of what appeared to be half starved blood hounds barking wildly and lunging forward in an attempt to free themselves from restraint.
Next week we will continue our story concerning the movement of the precious cargo northward before their detection can be made.
