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John Berry Meachum, husband of Mary Meachum. He and his wife were both freed persons engaged in the efforts of the Underground Railroad through their church, home, and school. A pastor and founder of the oldest black church in Missouri he was also a skilled carpenter. A trade he taught to those he assisted, a skill that afforded him income to help free enslaved people by buying their freedom. As an educator he operated a school which taught both free and enslaved black students. When the state of Missouri banned all education for blacks in 1847 he circumvented the law by teaching classes on a steamboat on the Mississippi River. The efforts of John and Mary Meachum are today celebrated with the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing.
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While a merchant in St. Louis Shaw began buying enslaved people in the 1820s with the earliest existing record being that of Peach in 1828. 1850 census records indicate Shaw owned nine enslaved people and by 1853 that number had grown to eleven, 1860 census records show him with eight enslaved people. Their names were not listed in either the 1850 or 1860 U.S. Census. Please see the historical timeline section for more information on this subject. Image is for reference.
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Newspaper account of the capture and arrest of Mary Meachum and enslaved persons during attempted crossing of the Mississippi River to freedom on May 21, 1855. Account from the Louisiana newspaper, Thibodaux Minervera. See IMAGE 0151.
1855 |
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Bill of sale for Esther, enslaved black woman, 1852 (call#E445.M67 K55 1852 4o,) Julian Edison Department of Special Collections, Washington University Libraries.
1852 |
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Newspaper account of the capture and arrest of Mary Meachum and enslaved persons attempted crossing of the Mississippi River to freedom in Illinois on May 21, 1855. See IMAGE 0146.
1855 |
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Newspaper account of the capture and arrest of Mary Meachum and enslaved persons attempted crossing of the Mississippi River to freedom in Illinois on May 21, 1855. See IMAGE 0153.
1855 |
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Newspaper account of the capture and arrest of Mary Meachum and enslaved persons attempted crossing of the Mississippi River to freedom in Illinois on May 21, 1855. See IMAGE 0152.
1855 |
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Henry Shaw's townhouse at 7th and Locust Streets in downtown St. Louis, Shaw is visible standing on balcony. Copy of daguerreotype made around 1851.
1851 |
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Henry Shaw in 1851 on balcony of his townhouse at 7th and Locust image from from daguerrotype. Copy by Erker Bros. Optical Co., dated March 30, 1912.
1851 |
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View of Tower Grove House showing the original east wing from 1849 which would later be removed and rebuilt.
1890 |
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