Around 1820, Judge Jabez Wright, son of Freedom Wright, became one of the first men in the Firelands of
Ohio to take part in the Underground Railroad, helping fugitive slaves make
their way to freedom in Canada. The large brick house he built had eight rooms
and a basement with a trap door, from which a sixteen foot wide and a ninety
foot long tunnel led to a “corn crib” one hundred feet from the lake shore. The
fugitives who exited the tunnel would then be taken by row boats to vessels
which would transport them to Canada across Lake Erie. His home became a
regular stop on the Underground Railroad. Another blogger, Lisa Yako, has
written a wonderful biography of Jabez Wright, including a photograph of the
historical marker placed where his house used to be, in her blog, Historical Research Partners—Reflections on
Historic Homes and Genealogy. The link is as follows: http://historicalresearchpartners.blogspot.ca/2012/09/jabez-wright-hurons-connection-to.html.
The Honorable Rush R. Sloane, in a speech given to the
Firelands Historical Society in 1888, said of Jabez Wright:
My father knew him well since
1815, when he first met him at court at Avery, the year my father came into the
state. Judge Wright always had one or more fugitives upon his farm and lands.
This statement I have confirmed by a lady of perfect reliability, Mrs. Henry F.
Merry of Sandusky, now seventy-eight years of age, and the first white person
born on the Firelands. She told me that early in the year 1824, she was living
at Judge Wright’s, teacher of his children, and at that time a fugitive slave
was in his employ who had been there several years, and this was the first
black man she ever saw. The fugitive’s name was James, and in 1825 he was
reclaimed by his master and taken away; but he escaped, returned and again
lived at Judge Wright’s.
Judge Wright was elected for two terms in the Ohio State
Senate, beginning in 1822. As you can imagine, he was taking a huge risk in his
position as judge and State Senator in participating so repeatedly and,
apparently, flagrantly, in the Underground Railroad. In doing so, he was
violating both state and federal laws. It seems that after his death, his sons
Douglass and Winthrop carried on his work aiding fugitive slaves.
The Honorable Jabez Wright died on December 16, 1840, upon
hitting his head and falling down the embankment of the lake at his home. A
newspaper account at the time, in the Huron
(Ohio) Commercial Advertiser, dated January 14, 1841, described his life as
follows:
Judge Wright was one of the first settlers in this country, by his
industry and enterprise has accumulated a large property. He was one of the
band of adventures who braved the dangers of the wilderness, in surveying and
laying off the fireland tract. No man was more familiar than he, with the land
titles and early history of this and Huron counties. He was repeatedly elected
to both branches of the Ohio legislature, and was for a number of years
associate judge of this county. As a representative and Senator, he discharged
his duties with fidelity to his constituents and honor to himself. In the
private walks of life he was universally esteemed. His funeral was attended
last Friday by a large concours of citizens, anxious to pay the last tribute of
respect to departed worth. Peace to his manes!
His wife, Tamar
Wright, died on August 26, 1849 at the home of their son, Ruggles Wright. Both
she and Jabez are buried in the Huron Village Cemetery in Huron, Ohio.
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