You’ve probably seen painted quilt squares, known as barn quilts, on the sides of many barns all over Hancock County. You can travel all over the county to see them on the Barn Quilt Trail, started by Barb Gabriel, in our community – each over our 17 townships has at least one barn quilt on display! But, when you see a barn quilt think of what they represent to people escaping enslavement. The theory is that quilts and songs were used to communicate information about the Underground Railroad.

 

While slavery was never legal in Ohio after Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850 former slaves that had already escaped the horrors of enslavement were no longer safe in Ohio. The law required all citizens to help capture and return escaped slaves, with fines of up to $100 or six months in jail for anyone caught helping them.

 

The Underground Railroad existed before the Fugitive Slave Act. It was an organized effort to help enslaved people escape to freedom in the North (often to Ohio) and Canada. But once those escaping slavery were no longer safe in Ohio it became even more important for them to flee, this time through Ohio to Canada, doing so through the Underground Railroad.

 

In Hancock County, the Underground Railroad ran most actively between 1856 and 1860, following what is now Route 68 north through the county. The first stop was on John A. Woods' property in Williamstown, just south of Arlington. From there, escapees were sheltered in Findlay by David Adams, a free Black man who worked as a barber on South Main Street across from the courthouse - find the barber pole to learn even more about David Adams! The next stop was John King's farm just north of Findlay, where King would hide the fugitives in sacks and transport them north toward Bowling Green in his wagon.

 

Others in Hancock County also contributed food, clothing, and money to support those making the dangerous journey north. The courage of these men and women, working in secret at great personal risk, is an important part of Hancock County's history.

 

You can learn more about Hancock County’s role in the Underground Railroad at the Black Heritage Library & Multicultural Center and Hancock Historical Museum.