Lake County's Involvement in the Underground Railroad

Before the American Civil War (1861 — 1865), antislavery sentiment inspired abolitionists to work for the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people and to end racial discrimination. As part of abolitionist efforts, they aided fugitives from slavery by providing them with food and safe passage to freedom in Northern states and ultimately Canada.

The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses, which used railroad terminology, but was not actually a railroad. The routes were “lines,” those who helped fugitives were “conductors,” and safe houses were “stations.”

Reverend William B. Dodge

Northeastern Illinois was the strongest area of anti-slavery sentiment in the State of Illinois. As early as 1838, residents of Lake County discussed the abolishment of slavery, and in 1846 organized the Lake County Antislavery Society.

Millburn Congregational Church

News of radical abolitionist John Brown's impending execution after his failed raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia on October 16 - 19, 1859, brought Dodge’s congregation together for a special meeting. Millburn, located near today’s Lindenhurst, was a small community with its eyes on national affairs.

Michael Kuhn

Tradition states that Kuhn's rock was used as a landmark to guide freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. The fugitives were told the log house of the Kuhn family near the rock was a “safe house.”

Wealthy "Mother" Rudd

Local legend has it that leading up to and during the Civil War, Wealthy and Erastus Rudd were part of the Underground Railroad and harbored African Americans seeking freedom. It is believed that they used their barn and possibly the tavern’s basement to hide enslaved people on their journey north.

Philip Blanchard

Philip Blanchard was a friend and neighbor of Amos Bennett, Lake County’s first African-American settler. In the 1850s, Blanchard moved his family to the site of today’s Lyons Woods Forest Preserve where it is believed he used his home as a “safe house” on the Underground Railroad.

James Y. Cory

Cory was the owner and editor of the Waukegan Gazette from 1858 to 1871. Known as an abolitionist, his home was a rumored "safe house" on the Underground Railroad. The home had proximity to the Waukegan harbor where fugitive enslaved people continued north to Canada by boat.

Sylvester Lind

Lind, who resided in Lake Forest, used his lumber warehouses and ships as cover to assist fugitive enslaved people on their journey to freedom.

Lorenz Ott

In the winter of 1858, 28-year-old Andrew Jackson made his escape from slavery in Mississippi via the Underground Railroad. When he reached Lake Michigan and found it frozen over, Jackson was brought to the home of Lyman Wilmot (1806 — 1896), a known abolitionist in Deerfield. Wilmot took Jackson to the home of Lorenz Ott (1808 — 1863), who was also against slavery and needed a farm helper.

Ivanhoe Congregational Church

Many members of the Ivanhoe Congregational Church were outspoken antislavery advocates. In 1845, the members published a resolution that read, in part, “we cannot but look upon slavery as a most daring sin against God, and as inflicting a perpetual torture and living death upon man.”

Reverend William B. Dodge

Northeastern Illinois was the strongest area of anti-slavery sentiment in the State of Illinois. As early as 1838, residents of Lake County discussed the abolishment of slavery, and in 1846 organized the Lake County Antislavery Society.

The county’s most dynamic advocate of abolitionism was Rev. William B. Dodge (1783-1869), pastor of the Millburn Congregational Church. His roots in Salem, Massachusetts, where he worked in education and harbored freedom seekers in his home, set the stage for his leadership role in Lake County. 

In 1846, Reverend Dodge co-founded the Lake County Liberty Association which denounced the notorious Illinois Black Laws (1819-1865) that restricted the civil liberties of African Americans.

On February 7, 1853, Dodge’s congregation passed a resolution declaring they would “withhold all acts of human fellowship from those who live in the practice of this sin [slavery] till they manifest their repentance by… letting the oppressed go free.”

Millburn Congregational Church

News of radical abolitionist John Brown's impending execution after his failed raid at Harper's Ferry, Virginia on October 16 - 19, 1859, brought Dodge’s congregation together for a special meeting. Millburn, located near today’s Lindenhurst, was a small community with its eyes on national affairs.

On December 2, 1859, the day of Brown’s execution, the Millburn congregation prayed and then passed a resolution that read in part: "That we will do good to those who have escaped from bondage as we have opportunity by supplying their present wants and aiding them in their flight." 

This resolution was in direct opposition to the federal Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which required that all "escaped slaves" be returned to the South and that citizens of free states obey the law or be fined and jailed. Involvement in the Underground Railroad was dangerous and illegal, and therefore very secretive, making the open defiance of the Millburn congregation quite extraordinary.

Michael Kuhn

Tradition states that Kuhn's rock was used as a landmark to guide freedom seekers on the Underground Railroad. The fugitives were told the log house of the Kuhn family near the rock was a “safe house.”

Wealthy "Mother" Rudd

Local legend has it that leading up to and during the Civil War, Wealthy and Erastus Rudd were part of the Underground Railroad and harbored African Americans seeking freedom. It is believed that they used their barn and possibly the tavern’s basement to hide enslaved people on their journey north.

Philip Blanchard

Philip Blanchard was a friend and neighbor of Amos Bennett, Lake County’s first African-American settler. In the 1850s, Blanchard moved his family to the site of today’s Lyons Woods Forest Preserve where it is believed he used his home as a “safe house” on the Underground Railroad.

James Y. Cory

Cory was the owner and editor of the Waukegan Gazette from 1858 to 1871. Known as an abolitionist, his home was a rumored "safe house" on the Underground Railroad. The home had proximity to the Waukegan harbor where fugitive enslaved people continued north to Canada by boat.

Sylvester Lind

Lind, who resided in Lake Forest, used his lumber warehouses and ships as cover to assist fugitive enslaved people on their journey to freedom.

Lorenz Ott

In the winter of 1858, 28-year-old Andrew Jackson made his escape from slavery in Mississippi via the Underground Railroad. When he reached Lake Michigan and found it frozen over, Jackson was brought to the home of Lyman Wilmot (1806 — 1896), a known abolitionist in Deerfield. Wilmot took Jackson to the home of Lorenz Ott (1808 — 1863), who was also against slavery and needed a farm helper.

When the roads became passable in the spring of 1859, Lorenz Ott, a tailor by trade, made Jackson a new suit of clothes and gave him boat fare to Canada. Lyman Wilmot took Jackson to Chicago to board the ship. When Jackson reached Canada, he wrote the Otts letting them know he had arrived safely.

Ivanhoe Congregational Church

Many members of the Ivanhoe Congregational Church were outspoken antislavery advocates. In 1845, the members published a resolution that read, in part, “we cannot but look upon slavery as a most daring sin against God, and as inflicting a perpetual torture and living death upon man.”

Hear two stories about the Underground Railroad in Lake County, Illinois.

Learn about Wealthy "Mother" Rudd on the DunnTV Youtube page.