Wilbur H. Siebert Collection

Francis Drake Parrish (1796-1886)

Volume:  04
Description:  Woodcut of Francis Drake Parish (1796-1886), lawyer and Underground Railroad operator, Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio. Two fugitive slaves from Kentucky were cared for at Parish's home and protected from arrest by their benefactor in February 1845. Parish subsequently helped the fugitives on their journey. In 1849, the Circuit Court of the U.S. for the District of Ohio fined Parish for the estimated value of the slaves at the time. This sum, together with court costs and legal expenses ($1,250) was paid by friends of Parish, who raised the necessary amount by subscriptions of one dollar each.