Pennsylvania's Underground Railroad--T Surnames

Graphic of text Who's Who in Pennsylvania UGRR History

People involved with the story of Pennsylvania's Underground Railroad network, including activists, freedom seekers, station masters, conductors, financiers, lawyers, slave hunters, abolitionists, anti-slavery and pro-slavery adherents, politicians, heroes, villains, and more.

T Surnames

Thompson, Mary ("Widow Thompson")

Location: Gettysburg, Adams County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster, conductor, activist (Disputed)

Documentation: G. Craig Caba and Adam Ross, Gettysburg: 1836 Battle Over Slavery, 2004, n.p.

The "Widow Thompson" gained fame because her home, a stone house on Chambersburg Street, just outside of Gettysburg, was used by General Lee as his headquarters during the battle. Ironically, the house was owned by Thaddeus Stevens and rented to the Thompson family. According to several sources, Thompson was an activist with the Underground Railroad, "providing food, water and other assistance." G. Craig Caba notes that fugitives from the western edge of the county who entered Gettysburg on the unfinished railroad bed north of town would stop at the Thompson's house if they could not locate John Hopkins, the custodian at the college, and one of the main agents in town.

Local and family lore support the story but several people who have studied the history of the house, in particular historian Timothy H. Smith, do not believe Mary Thompson aided fugitive slaves. (Correspondence, Frederick K. Wentz to George F. Nagle, 24 August 2002)

Townsend, Benjamin

Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster

Benjamin Townsend is said to have hidden fugitives in an abandoned cold cellar that extended from beneath his stone house in New Brighton to a nearby hill. Fugitives were hidden and fed until they could be safely led or transported to the next stop, possibly Buttonwood in Darlington, home of the Arthur Bullus Bradford family. Many members of the Townsend family in this area were involved with UGRR activities. See Townsend, David.

Townsend, David

Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster

David Townsend, brother of Benjamin Townsend, is said to have hidden fugitives at a safe house on an island in the Beaver River. Other Townsend family members who were said to have been active in helping David and Benjamin were Evan, Talbot and his son Milo, who along with his wife Elizabeth took in fugitive slaves. See also White, Timothy B. and Erwin, James.

Townsend, Milo Adams

Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster

Documentation: Peggy Jean Townsend and Charles Walker Townsend III, "Milo Adams Townsend and Social Movements of the Nineteenth Century," published by Beaver County History Online, http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/booklengthdocuments/AMilobook/3Bradford.html, accessed 8 October 2006; "List of Agents," The North Star, 5 January 1849. For letters from Milo A. Townsend published in the North Star, see issues from 18 March and 29 July 1847; 14 January, 10 March, 2 June and 10 November 1848, and 9 November 1949.

Milo Townsend and his wife Elizabeth were said to have welcomed fugitive slaves into their home. In August 1847, Milo and Elizabeth Townsend, along with Milo's parents Talbot and Edith Townsend, hosted William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, John B. Vashon, Dr. George B. Peck, and Martin R. Delany in New Brighton for a speaking engagement. Milo Townsend was a frequent contributor to and an agent for the abolitionist paper The North Star.

Enslavement to freedom
People involved with the story of Pennsylvania's Underground Railroad network, including activists, freedom seekers, station masters, conductors, financiers, lawyers, slave hunters, abolitionists, anti-slavery and pro-slavery adherents, politicians, heroes, villains, and more.
Study Areas Enslavement Anti-Slavery Free Persons of Color Underground Railroad The Violent Decade US Colored Troops Civil War Year of Jubilee (1863)	Who's Who in Pennsylvania's Underground Railroad T Surnames Thompson, Mary ("Widow Thompson") Location: Gettysburg, Adams County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster, conductor, activist (Disputed) Documentation: G. Craig Caba and Adam Ross, Gettysburg: 1836 Battle Over Slavery, 2004, n.p. The "Widow Thompson" gained fame because her home, a stone house on Chambersburg Street, just outside of Gettysburg, was used by General Lee as his headquarters during the battle. Ironically, the house was owned by Thaddeus Stevens and rented to the Thompson family. According to several sources, Thompson was an activist with the Underground Railroad, "providing food, water and other assistance." G. Craig Caba notes that fugitives from the western edge of the county who entered Gettysburg on the unfinished railroad bed north of town would stop at the Thompson's house if they could not locate John Hopkins, the custodian at the college, and one of the main agents in town. Local and family lore support the story but several people who have studied the history of the house, in particular historian Timothy H. Smith, do not believe Mary Thompson aided fugitive slaves. (Correspondence, Frederick K. Wentz to George F. Nagle, 24 August 2002) Townsend, Benjamin Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster Documentation: Peggy Jean Townsend and Charles Walker Townsend III, "Milo Adams Townsend and Social Movements of the Nineteenth Century," published by Beaver County History Online, http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/booklengthdocuments/AMilobook/3Bradford.html, accessed 8 October 2006. Benjamin Townsend is said to have hidden fugitives in an abandoned cold cellar that extended from beneath his stone house in New Brighton to a nearby hill. Fugitives were hidden and fed until they could be safely led or transported to the next stop, possibly Buttonwood in Darlington, home of the Arthur Bullus Bradford family. Many members of the Townsend family in this area were involved with UGRR activities. See Townsend, David. Townsend, David Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster Documentation: Peggy Jean Townsend and Charles Walker Townsend III, "Milo Adams Townsend and Social Movements of the Nineteenth Century," published by Beaver County History Online, http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/booklengthdocuments/AMilobook/3Bradford.html, accessed 8 October 2006. David Townsend, brother of Benjamin Townsend, is said to have hidden fugitives at a safe house on an island in the Beaver River. Other Townsend family members who were said to have been active in helping David and Benjamin were Evan, Talbot and his son Milo, who along with his wife Elizabeth took in fugitive slaves. See also White, Timothy B. and Erwin, James. Townsend, Milo Adams Location: New Brighton, Beaver County ; Role: UGRR stationmaster Documentation: Peggy Jean Townsend and Charles Walker Townsend III, "Milo Adams Townsend and Social Movements of the Nineteenth Century," published by Beaver County History Online, http://www.bchistory.org/beavercounty/booklengthdocuments/AMilobook/3Bradford.html, accessed 8 October 2006; "List of Agents," The North Star, 5 January 1849. For letters from Milo A. Townsend published in the North Star, see issues from 18 March and 29 July 1847; 14 January, 10 March, 2 June and 10 November 1848, and 9 November 1949. Milo Townsend and his wife Elizabeth were said to have welcomed fugitive slaves into their home. In August 1847, Milo and Elizabeth Townsend, along with Milo's parents Talbot and Edith Townsend, hosted William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, John B. Vashon, Dr. George B. Peck, and Martin R. Delany in New Brighton for a speaking engagement. Milo Townsend was a frequent contributor to and an agent for the abolitionist paper The North Star.

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Who's Who in Pennsylvania's Underground Railroad

T Surnames