Ohio’s Yellow Springs hides a colony that started with 31 escaped slaves

Moncure Conway’s Perilous 1862 Journey to Yellow Springs

In July 1862, a preacher’s son named Moncure Conway broke from his slave-owning family to help 31 formerly enslaved people find freedom.

After Union troops freed them from his father’s Virginia plantation, Conway tracked them to Georgetown where the Gwinns had set up a candy store.

Though Lincoln and Stanton gave only kind words, Treasury Secretary Chase came through with military protection papers.

On July 21, they boarded a train in DC, then faced danger in Baltimore where they walked between stations amid threats from all sides.

After crossing the Ohio River two days later, they finally slept, knowing they were safe. The journey ended in Yellow Springs, where their legacy lives on through descendants and landmarks you can visit today.

Union Troops Sparked a Daring Escape from Virginia

In spring 1862, Union troops showed up near Falmouth, Virginia, giving enslaved people at Walker Peyton Conway’s plantation the perfect chance to run away.

Several families took this opportunity during the war’s chaos and headed north to Washington DC. Dunmore and Eliza Gwinn were among those who safely reached Georgetown.

The nearby soldiers created a buffer that helped these families slip away to the capital, where they hoped to start new lives as free people.

Cake Shop Success Funded Dreams of Freedom

Dunmore and Eliza Gwinn quickly set up a cake and candy store in Georgetown that became popular with locals. Through hard work, they saved $60 from their business, a lot of money back in 1862.

Other families who escaped the Conway plantation also settled around DC, forming a small community. They lived carefully in the capital, knowing they weren’t completely safe even in Union territory.

A Son Defied His Father’s Slaveholding Legacy

On July 13, 1862, Moncure Conway got word in Cincinnati that people who escaped his father’s plantation were in Georgetown. Unlike his Virginia family, Moncure had become a strong abolitionist minister years earlier.

He rushed to Washington, arriving on July 15. When he met the Gwinns and other families, they told him they wanted to reach truly free land in Ohio.

As their former owner’s son, Moncure felt he needed to help them finish their journey to freedom.

The President Offered Words But No Action

Moncure Conway knew the group needed official protection to travel through slave areas safely. He went right to the White House hoping President Lincoln would help.

Conway left disappointed when Lincoln showed sympathy but gave no real help. War Secretary Edwin Stanton did the same in their meeting.

Conway realized he needed to find someone else in government with both the power and willingness to give official papers for their trip.

A Treasury Secretary Became Their Unlikely Hero

Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase helped more than the President or War Secretary.

A strong abolitionist himself, Chase wrote a letter to Brigadier General James Wool allowing military protection for the group through Baltimore.

This important document gave Conway the official papers needed to move 31 formerly enslaved people through dangerous areas. Chase’s help provided the legal cover that made the journey possible.

The Freedom Train Left the Station

On July 21, 1862, Conway and 31 people boarded a train leaving Washington DC.

The group included men, women, and children from several families who had escaped the Conway plantation. They carried few belongings except for the Gwinns’ carefully saved $60.

As the train pulled away, they knew the most dangerous part of their trip lay ahead in Baltimore, where slave catchers and angry crowds might be waiting.

Baltimore Station Became a Gauntlet of Threats

The group faced their scariest moment in Baltimore. They walked over a mile between stations with threats from both sides.

Free Black residents bothered them, wrongly thinking Conway was a slave trader taking people south. Pro-slavery whites also threatened the refugees after seeing Conway helping them reach freedom.

Conway showed station workers papers falsely claiming these were his father’s slaves he could move anywhere, a needed lie to keep them safe.

Three Hours of Fear Tested Their Resolve

The group waited nervously for three hours at the Baltimore station before moving on. They stayed close, watching for slave catchers or angry mobs that might split them up.

Station workers finally said it was safe enough for them to board the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The wait tested their courage as they sat exposed in unfriendly territory.

Every minute brought fresh worry that someone might spot them and call authorities.

The Train Rolled Through Enemy Territory

As the train moved through Maryland’s countryside, the group stayed alert. They continued through what is now West Virginia, still a fought-over border region during the war.

Conway watched over the refugees throughout this tense ride. No one slept as they passed through towns and stations where slave catchers might hop on.

The sound of train wheels marked their progress toward the Ohio River, the line between slavery and freedom.

Freedom’s First Breath Came at the Ohio River

On July 23, the train crossed the Ohio River into Belpre, Ohio. For the first time since leaving DC, everyone relaxed and slept.

They knew they had finally reached free land where slave catchers had no power. The feeling of relief was huge as they looked at the river that split their past from their future.

With the most dangerous part behind them, they got ready for the final stretch to Yellow Springs.

Their Legacy Lives On in Yellow Springs Today

The group arrived in Yellow Springs around July 23, 1862, establishing what became known as the Conway Colony. The Gwinns bought five acres of land in 1866, putting down permanent roots in their new community.

These families helped found the First Anti-Slavery Baptist Church in 1863, creating an important spiritual and social center.

More than 160 years later, descendants of the Conway Colony still live in the Yellow Springs region, a living testament to their ancestors’ courage and determination.

Visiting Yellow Springs,Ohio

Yellow Springs is 10 miles south of Springfield on Route 68/343, where you can learn about the Conway Colony through a self-guided walking tour from The 365 Project website. Guided tours run June-October with youth guides for free.

Start at the Chamber of Commerce visitor center at 101 Dayton Street for information.

Find the Conway Colony historical marker along the Little Miami bike path, and visit Glen Helen Nature Preserve at 405 Corry Street for $5 parking.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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