The Racialized Politics of Rail Travel
On January 27th, 1847, George Ingersoll prepared to meet the morning train that would be arriving in Marshall to Jackson. Before the Crosswhite family could begin their journey toward freedom in Chatham, Ingersoll would have to be sure the coast was clear. When at last he took his place on the train’s rear platform the Crosswhites knew that no slave catchers were aboard. They exited their hiding place in the nearby covered wagon and joined Ingersoll, who paid their fare to Detroit. Although no official bounty hunters could be seen, the Crosswhites’ trip to meet UGRR conductor George DeBaptiste still held great risk. Every other passsenger and rail official posed a risk to the last leg of their transit to Canada.
While on the train back to Marshall, Mr. Ingersoll discovered that Henry A. Tillotson, a Cass Democrat, was the conductor. In the 1850s, Southern Democrats favored slavery in all territories, while Northern Democrats thought each territory should decide for itself. Not knowing where Mr. Tilloston stood on slavery, Mr. Ingersoll feared that he would foil his plan and was advised by A.O. Hyde of Marshall to pay the conductor keep the matter quiet. Ultimately, Tillotson chose not to assist the Crosswhites’ pursuers, but for the full course of the two-hour ride, the family would have wrestled with the uncertainty.
Rail linked urban hubs together, where southern sympathizers and bounty hunters’ agents organized their pursuits of fugitives. Moreover, communication lines, including the telegraph frequently ran alongside rail, and in small towns rail, telegraph, and post offices often resided in the same building. Yet, the Crosswhites’ experience of rail travel reveals the added complication of political uncertainty. They would have no way of determining which conductors and passengers could be trusted.