Sherwood, Adiel (1791-1879) to Absalom Janes
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00328 Author/Creator: Sherwood, Adiel (1791-1879) Place Written: Upper Alton, Illinois Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 February 1843 Pagination: 3 p. : address ; 25 x 20 cm. Order a Copy
Sherwood, President of Shurtleff College, writes to Colonel Janes, a trustee of Mercer University. Writes, "A lady from La. was visiting at Jacksonville a few days ago with a servant girl: an abolitionist decoyed her off & took her into Greene Co. The kidnapper & his father were [laid] under $5,000 bonds to appear at Court. While the friends of the lady were taking [inserted: the girl] to St. Louis to meet her mistress, the [boundary] party arrested them, (I suppose for same offence), but they claimed a trial in Alton & were acquitted. Mean while, the girl was sent across the River & was out of reach of abolitionists & met her mistress, in St. Louis who was on her return home. These characters have not risen much in my estimation since [3] I came to the state & heard of their movements. Our girl, Ann, says she must go back to Ga. in the fall & I suppose I must gratify her."
Sherwood was a Baptist minister, educator, and writer who spent much of his career in Georgia. He was a founder of the Mercer Institute, now Mercer University.
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