The Kidnapping of Anthony Hollingsworth

In 1845, three young men, Charles Brown, Jarad Harris, and Anthony Hollingsworth traveled north through Indiana County along the UGRR. After arriving in Indiana, they sought James Moorehead, editor of a local Abolitionist newspaper.

The arrival of the three men from Hardy County, Virginia prompted a meeting of Underground Railroad officials. It was suggested by John Graff of Blairsville that the three men be separated. He believed the presence of three new “dark faces” would arouse suspicion. Charles Brown and Jarad Harris were sent to stay at Dr. Robert Mitchell’s cabin near present-day Clymer. Anthony would take a job working on the farm of James Simpson who lived in a remote area of Center Twp, Indiana County.

A few months after his arrival, while working at the edge of Simpson’s field, Hollingsworth was captured by two men named Cunningham and Tilden. They were agents of his Virginian owner, Garret Van Meter.

Anthony Hollingsworth was tied onto the saddle of a horse and taken to Indiana. There, he was hidden inside the Indiana House, hotel of the pro-slavery sheriff, to await transport back to Van Meter.

When the people of Indiana learned that the captured man’s only crime was to have been born enslaved, they grew angry and demanded his release.

A mob was formed and the hotel was surrounded. Sheriff Ralston sent for the local abolitionists to quell the crowd. When Moorehead arrived, he assured the crowd that he would see that justice was done and urged for “cooler heads to prevail.”

The following day, Judge Thomas White was holding court. Attorney William Banks was secured to defend Anthony Hollingsworth . Judge White heard the case and, at the conclusion of testimony and statements from the defense and prosecution, White asked Cunningham and Tilden to produce a copy of the constitution of Virginia which showed the legality of slavery in that state. When they could not, Judge Thomas White ruled that Anthony Hollingworth should then be freed.

Unbeknownst to the men, Judge White was an abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor.

As reported in the Indiana Republican on July 2, 1845:

In the afternoon the case was again taken up when it contended for the claimants that to entitle them to a certificate, it was only necessary to prove the identity of the slave and that under the laws of the state or territory from whence he fled, he owed service or labor to the person claiming him, but on behalf of the negro it was contended that it was necessary to exhibit an authenticated law 'under which' he was so held, before the court would grant the necessary certificate, and the court took the same view of it and accordingly discharged tire negro, 'to go where he pleased.' We have never seen so much excitement manifested by the people generally as was exhibited on this occasion. The feeling in favor of the slave was most intense. From the moment that he was brought to town, up to the time of his discharge, the whole populace appeared to be in commotion and the instant he was discharged, even in the presence of the court, the gratification that was felt by all manifested itself in audible demonstrations which it was almost impossible to restrain; but the moment the poor fellow got outside the court house he was greeted by three tremendous cheers that made the welkin [sic] ring. The same feeling seemed to pervade all parties, sects and ages, men women and children, all partook of the same desire to see him liberated, and all exhibited the same joy to see him discharged.