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Augustus West (March 20, 1814 in Madison County, Virginia – 1887 in Fayette County, Ohio)[1][2] was an African-American landowner and abolitionist who is known for his mansion and compound in Ohio that served as a successful hiding place for runaway slaves along the underground railroad.[3]
To finance his real estate purchases, West and abolitionist Alexander Beatty concocted a scheme in which Beatty would sell West back into slavery and then aid in his escape, splitting the profits from the sale.[2] In 1837,[2] after three successful scams, West had enough funds to purchase 177 acres of land in Fayette County, Ohio. There he built his mansion as well as a road known as "Abolition Lane"[3] where 12[4] cabins were erected as well as a schoolhouse. Six years after moving to Ohio, he married Harriet Peyton of Culpeper, Virginia.[4] Throughout the 1840s and 50s, these served as shelter for escaped slaves. After the Civil War, they became homes for newly emancipated citizens.[2]
As of February 1999, archaeologists and historians have visited the property in hopes of locating artifacts from the cabins. In 2003, Ohio placed a historical marker at the site of the property to honor Augustus West's humanitarianism.[4]
References
edit- ^ Augustus “Guss” West at findagrave.com
- ^ a b c d "Fayette County / 3-24 West Settlement and Abolition Lane | Remarkable Ohio". www.remarkableohio.org. Retrieved 2017-05-21.
- ^ a b "Member Details". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2017-05-21.
- ^ a b c Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2008). The Underground Railroad: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations: An Encyclopedia of People, Places, and Operations. Sharpe reference. ISBN 978-0765680938.
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