The Journal of Negro History, Volume 3, 1918 | Page 4

3, 1827, and when
Henson started for Kentucky his master induced him to let him send his
manumission papers to his brother in Kentucky where Henson was
returning, telling him that some ruffian might take the document from
him on the way. In returning to Kentucky Henson was arrested several
times as a fugitive, but upon always insisting on being carried before a
magistrate he was released. He had no trouble after reaching Wheeling,

from which he proceeded on a boat to Davies County, Kentucky.
Arriving at the Kentucky home, he was informed that the master had
misrepresented the facts as to his purchase. He had written his brother
that Henson had agreed to pay one thousand dollars for himself, the
balance-of the six hundred and fifty dollars to be paid in Kentucky. As
the only evidence he had, had been sent to his master's brother, it was
impossible for him to make a case against him in court. Things went on
in uncertainty for about a year. Then came a complaint from his master
in Maryland, saying that he wanted money and expressing the hope that
Henson would soon pay the next installment.
Soon thereafter Henson received orders to go with Amos Riley carrying
a cargo to New Orleans. This suggestion was enough. He contrived to
have his manumission papers sewed up in his clothing prior to his
departure on the flat boat for New Orleans. He knew what awaited him
and his mind rapidly developed into a sort of smoldering volcano of
pent-up feeling which at one time all but impelled him to murder his
white betrayers. Blinded by passion and stung by madness, Henson
resolved to kill his four companions, to take what money they had, then
to scuttle the craft and escape to the North. One dark night within a few
days' sail of New Orleans it seemed that the opportune hour had come.
Henson was alone on the deck and Riley and the hands were asleep. He
crept down noiselessly, secured an ax, entered the cabin, and looking
by aid of the dim light, his eye fell first on Riley. Henson felt the blade
of the ax and raised it to strike the first blow when suddenly the thought
came to him, "What! Commit murder, and you a Christian?" His
religious feeling and belief in the wonderful providence of God
prevented him.
Riley talked later of getting him a good master and the like but did not
disguise the effort to sell him. Fortunately, however, Amos Riley was
suddenly taken sick and becoming more dependent on Henson then,
than Henson had been on him, he immediately ordered Henson to sell
the flat boat and find passage for him home in a sick cabin at once.
Henson did this and succeeded by careful nursing to get Amos back to
his home in Kentucky alive. Although he confessed that, if he had sold

Henson, he would have died, the family showed only a realization of an
increased value in Henson rather than an appreciation of his valuable
services. He, therefore, decided to escape to Canada.
His wife, fearing the dangers, would not at first agree to go, but upon
being told that he would take all of the children but the youngest, she
finally agreed to set out with him. Knowing of the hardships that they
must have to experience, Henson practised beforehand the carrying of
the children on his back. They crossed the river into Indiana and
proceeded toward Cincinnati, finding it difficult to purchase food in
that State, so intensely did the people hate the Negro there. After two
weeks of hardship, exhausted they reached Cincinnati. There they were
refreshed and carried 30 miles on the way in a wagon. They directed
themselves then toward the Scioto, where they were told they would
strike the military road of General Hull, opened when he was operating
against Detroit.
They set out, not knowing that the way lay through a wilderness of
howling wolves and, not taking sufficient food, they did not pass
homes from which they could purchase supplies on the way. They did
not go far before his wife fainted, but she was soon resuscitated. Finally,
they saw in the distance persons whose presence seemed to be the dark
foreboding of disaster, but the fugitives pressed on. They proved to be
Indians, who, when they saw the blacks, ran away yelping. This excited
the fugitives, as they thought the Indians were yelling to secure the
cooperation of a larger number to massacre them. Farther on they saw
other Indians standing behind trees hiding. After passing through such
trials as these for some time they came to an Indian village, the
dwellers of which, after some fear and hesitation, welcomed them,
supplied their wants and gave them a