The Rev. Mathews Visits the Eleutherian College: 1850

The story of the Eleutherian College, Jefferson County's integrated, co-educational school is well known, including the destruction of some of its buildings. But most accounts are second hand. In the spring of 1850, the Rev. Edward Mathews visited the college and described the damage he viewed. His description of a password system on the Underground Railroad is also something not common to other accounts about the abolition effort in Jefferson County.

“The Autobiography of the Rev. E. Mathews, the Father Dickson of Mrs. Stowe's 'Dred'.” London: 1867. Reprinted Mnemosyne Publishing, Co. Reprinted by Ayers Publishing, 1977.

Leaving Virginia, I visited Eleutherian College in Indiana; this was not far from Madison, on the Ohio River. It received pupils of all complexions.

The originators of this College were the Rev. Messrs. Craven, father and son, and the Rev. Mr. Thompson, they were self-devoted to their work, and—like those who were identified with similar liberty-loving and slavery-opposing institutions—they had foregone lucrative posts, for their love to the suffering members of Christ.

A substantial stone building had been erected, on the brow of a hill, commanding a splendid prospect in a fruitful country. Students had commenced their course. Two slaveholders had brought their own mulatto children with the slave mothers—had emancipated both the mothers, and all the children, had purchased land near the College, upon which two neat houses had been erected—and were rejoicing in the opportunity they had to elevate those whom they had degraded.

But just as the houses were completed some pro-slavery persons went in the night, set them on fire, and burnt both houses to the ground. I saw the ruins. Mr. Craven told me that as he saw the flames in the night, he trembled for the College, fearing, it also would be burnt—for he had received a message from Kentucky, stating that five hundred men had agreed to cross the Ohio river and set fire to the College. But they did not come.

At College Hill we had full congregations. Sermons were preached by the Rev Mr. Kenyon, the Mr. Fitzgerald, a coloured minister and myself. The inhabitants of the vicinity showed a cordial hospitality. Dr. Tibbits, a neighbour, had in his barn, a secret room—and when in the night—when he was forwarded to the next friend on the way to Canada. The slave had only to ask, “Is this the pilgrim’s house?” and he was provided for. These were the pass-words on the underground railway.