escape and, even more important, about the identity
of Jane’s replacement, Hannah Crafts?
Wheeler wrote in his diary regularly from the time on his plantation located in Beattie’s Ford in the county of Lincolnton,
in North Carolina (about 250 miles from Wilmington), during his residency in Nicaragua, and all during his various periods
of residence in Washington, D.C. The period covered in the diary housed at the Library of Congress is May 30, 1850, to his
death in 1882. The diary is intact, except for the year 1858, much of which is damaged or illegible for the first half of
the year. The latter half of his diary for 1856 is lost after May 23.
Wheeler lived in Nicaragua between 1855 and November 1856, according to a “Diary of Events” that he recorded in his diary.
This chronology follows several pages of financial records, including that for the sale of a farm in Prince Georges County,
Maryland, along with what appears to be the sale of three slaves, one named Joyce ($485.92), another named Gadis ($360.00),
and finally Boker ($400.98). Wheeler moved from Washington to North Carolina during the Civil War, resettling in August 1861.
He kept his permanent residence there until June 1865, when he moved to a farm near Washington. In 1873 he moved to a home
in the city of Washington, apparently remaining there until he died. Even when he lived in Washington and Nicaragua, he returned
to North Carolina several times, at least once accompanied by slaves.
Wheeler’s diary for 1854 opens when he is assistant secretary to the president of the United States, Franklin Pierce. He reports
a conversation with Pierce on June 2, 1854, during which Pierce was “delighted with the news from Boston that the slave [Anthony]
Burns had been remanded by law to his master and that ‘the only fear [that abolitionists] had was of lead and steel.’” Two
months later Pierce appointed Wheeler “Minister Resident of the U.S. for the Republic of Nicaragua, Central America.”
Wednesday, August 6, 1854, reports his return to his plantation: “much exhausted about 10—and went forthwith to bed.” Wheeler
complains, however, that he was unable to sleep “because my slumber much disturbed by the wake kept up by the Negroes over
Captain Slade’s servant—who died today—and who I hope has gone where the good Negroes go.”
The following July, in 1855, Jane Johnson’s escape occurs. Wheeler’s diary entry for July 18 describes it as follows:
Left Washington City at 6 o’clock with Jane Daniel and Isaiah (my servants) for New York. D. Webster Esq. 6th Street Philadelphia
in Co. Reached Philadelphia [a]t 1 1/2—went to Mr. Sully’s to get Ellen’s [i.e., Wheeler’s wife] things—and hurried to the
Warf [sic]. The Boat had just left—so we remained until 5 o’clock—took dinner at Bloodgood’s hotel foot of Walnut Street.
At 4 1/2 went on board of the Steamer Washington, and a few minutes before the boat started a gang of Negroes led on by Pass-more
Williamson an Abolitionist came up to us, and told Jane that [i]f she would go ashore she was free—On my remonstrating they
seized me by the collar, threatened to cut my throat if I resisted, took the servants by force, they remonstrating and crying
murder.
Hurried them on shore—to a carriage which was waiting, and drove [stricken: “off”] them off.
Wheeler’s diary for July 19:
I went to the Marshal’s Office and with his Deputy, Mr. Mulloy, went to Judge Kane, who ordered a Habeas Corpus—returned to
town about 10 o’clock, to M. J.C. Hazlitt the Deputy Clerk—took out the writ, then we went to the House of Williamson who
had absconded. At 1 o’clock I left Philadelphia, and arrived at New York at 6—and put up at the Washington House.
Entries following, between July 19 and through much of August, refer to the trial of Passmore Williamson and that of the black
men separately accused. Wheeler writes that Williamson had
of Jane’s replacement, Hannah Crafts?
Wheeler wrote in his diary regularly from the time on his plantation located in Beattie’s Ford in the county of Lincolnton,
in North Carolina (about 250 miles from Wilmington), during his residency in Nicaragua, and all during his various periods
of residence in Washington, D.C. The period covered in the diary housed at the Library of Congress is May 30, 1850, to his
death in 1882. The diary is intact, except for the year 1858, much of which is damaged or illegible for the first half of
the year. The latter half of his diary for 1856 is lost after May 23.
Wheeler lived in Nicaragua between 1855 and November 1856, according to a “Diary of Events” that he recorded in his diary.
This chronology follows several pages of financial records, including that for the sale of a farm in Prince Georges County,
Maryland, along with what appears to be the sale of three slaves, one named Joyce ($485.92), another named Gadis ($360.00),
and finally Boker ($400.98). Wheeler moved from Washington to North Carolina during the Civil War, resettling in August 1861.
He kept his permanent residence there until June 1865, when he moved to a farm near Washington. In 1873 he moved to a home
in the city of Washington, apparently remaining there until he died. Even when he lived in Washington and Nicaragua, he returned
to North Carolina several times, at least once accompanied by slaves.
Wheeler’s diary for 1854 opens when he is assistant secretary to the president of the United States, Franklin Pierce. He reports
a conversation with Pierce on June 2, 1854, during which Pierce was “delighted with the news from Boston that the slave [Anthony]
Burns had been remanded by law to his master and that ‘the only fear [that abolitionists] had was of lead and steel.’” Two
months later Pierce appointed Wheeler “Minister Resident of the U.S. for the Republic of Nicaragua, Central America.”
Wednesday, August 6, 1854, reports his return to his plantation: “much exhausted about 10—and went forthwith to bed.” Wheeler
complains, however, that he was unable to sleep “because my slumber much disturbed by the wake kept up by the Negroes over
Captain Slade’s servant—who died today—and who I hope has gone where the good Negroes go.”
The following July, in 1855, Jane Johnson’s escape occurs. Wheeler’s diary entry for July 18 describes it as follows:
Left Washington City at 6 o’clock with Jane Daniel and Isaiah (my servants) for New York. D. Webster Esq. 6th Street Philadelphia
in Co. Reached Philadelphia [a]t 1 1/2—went to Mr. Sully’s to get Ellen’s [i.e., Wheeler’s wife] things—and hurried to the
Warf [sic]. The Boat had just left—so we remained until 5 o’clock—took dinner at Bloodgood’s hotel foot of Walnut Street.
At 4 1/2 went on board of the Steamer Washington, and a few minutes before the boat started a gang of Negroes led on by Pass-more
Williamson an Abolitionist came up to us, and told Jane that [i]f she would go ashore she was free—On my remonstrating they
seized me by the collar, threatened to cut my throat if I resisted, took the servants by force, they remonstrating and crying
murder.
Hurried them on shore—to a carriage which was waiting, and drove [stricken: “off”] them off.
Wheeler’s diary for July 19:
I went to the Marshal’s Office and with his Deputy, Mr. Mulloy, went to Judge Kane, who ordered a Habeas Corpus—returned to
town about 10 o’clock, to M. J.C. Hazlitt the Deputy Clerk—took out the writ, then we went to the House of Williamson who
had absconded. At 1 o’clock I left Philadelphia, and arrived at New York at 6—and put up at the Washington House.
Entries following, between July 19 and through much of August, refer to the trial of Passmore Williamson and that of the black
men separately accused. Wheeler writes that Williamson had
Similar Books
