Historical Marker of the Week: Slave Escape

by Josh


Historical markers. What is it about them that makes me so obsessed? It is an affinity for history or signs? Or perhaps it is simply because they are numbered. Who can resist trying to collect them all? Like baseball cards but less boring an no gum. Well, there shouldn't be any. Vandals.

I still remember taking my first picture of a historical marker. It was in Covington in September of 2007 during their Oktoberfest. I had a new camera and decided to take some photos.

 
 Carroll Chimes Bell Tower and Clock 

 
 John R. Green store

 
"Artsy" building shot.

After taking many of the typical pictures, I could no longer resist the enticing draw of history.



Kentucky Historical Marker 1863:

On a snowy night in January 1856, seventeen slaves fled, at foot of Main Street, across frozen Ohio River. Margaret Garner was in this group. When arrested in Ohio, she killed little daughter rather than see her returned to slavery. This much publicized slave capture became focus of national attention because it involved the issues of federal and state authority.  

(Reverse) Controversial Judgment - Decision regarding Margaret Garner fueled fires of abolition. Fugitive Slave Law supporters wanted her returned to master. Garner wished to remain in Ohio, even at risk of death for her crime. She was returned to Ky., with master's agreement to extradite her to Ohio. But soon afterward Garner was sent south and never heard from again. Presented by City of Covington. 

What a depressing thing to begin my obsession. What is really interesting, though, is what else happened that could not fit on such a small marker. In the future, I could see historical markers giving QR codes to scan so you can read, watch, or listen to more information. For now, you will have to make do with crazy bloggers like myself.

When Margaret Garner murdered her daughter it was terrible but it also turned into quite the law predicament since in the South slaves were under the law seen as property. Would they be tried under the Fugitive Slave Act or tried for murder?


Margaret Garner Kills Her Children, 1867

Ultimately, she was returned to the plantation. When they finally got a warrant for her arrest, her master Archibald K. Gaines kept moving her from city to city to avoid arrest. What probably made this even simpler for Archibald was the fact his brother John P. Gaines was a former member of the House of Representatives. So it is easy to imagine that Archibald probably still had many ties politically.

When they finally caught up to him, they found that he had sent them to a family member's plantation in Arkansas. I find it strange that he went to all this trouble just to keep a few slaves from being given to authorities. He could be a very cheap man but I wonder if there was not more going on than a slave master wanting to keep on to his property.

This is only speculation and also a bit icky. There is definite reason to believe the father of Margaret Garner was John P. Gaines (Archibald's older brother). There is also definite reason to believe that the father of Margaret Garner's children was Archibald K. Gaines. So her kids were fathered by her uncle. I also imagine it was probably not very willingly. Could Archibald felt a greater connection to Margaret? I think perhaps in his own perverse kind of way he did. I am not for sure whether more in a lover way or family way and I would rather not think about this anymore. Moving on...


From the Cincinnati Enquirer, Jan. 29, 1856

What I find really interesting is the fact she was going to kill all of her children instead of letting them return to slavery (she was in the process of killing more than one before the posse arrived). Slavery is a terrible thing but to imagine it would lead one to kill their whole family, I have to imagine things were even worst for them than most. Perhaps she did not want to see her daughters passed on to another family member and live the life she had to.

Last thing to note is the rest of the terrible life of poor Margaret. She was sent to Arkansas to escape capture on the steamboat Henry Lewis. This boat collided with another and her baby drowned. She even tried to drown herself but was rescued. She was reported as saying that she was happy that her child had died so the child would not have to return to slavery. She herself finally died two years later from Typhoid fever. Thus ending the short and miserable life of Margaret Garner.