Mary Bogue Bundy
I've always been a family history buff. I have generations upon generations compiled in every family lineage direction, at least back 7 generations or more. One line I take particularly great pride in is my Quaker roots. Incredible records were kept by the Society of Friends of deaths, births, marriages, and migration through their "Monthly Meeting Minutes". The heavy migration of Quakers to Indiana, particularly Wayne and Henry Counties between about 1810-1840 was due in large part to Indiana forming as a state and the religious beliefs of the Society of Friends against slavery....wanting the fledgling State of Indiana to remain a "free state".
Enter my ancestors. Several branches of the family tree came from North Carolina Quaker stock, their lines dating to about 1730 in that state....moving to Indiana as early as 1815, before statehood, and settling in Salisbury, Wayne County. Later, several moved into the Spiceland area of Henry County. These families were the Halls, Nicholsons, Bogues and Bundys. The Bogues were of particular note because of their quiet fight against slavery. The Bogue family, and Bundys, positioned themselves across the state from north to south to aid escaped slaves find freedom in Michigan, along the Michigan Road. There is a stone memorial dedicated to the Bogues in Cassopolis, Michigan for their efforts in securing freedom for escaped slaves via the "Underground Railroad".
Why, if Indiana was a free state, was the Underground Railroad so important here? Because, unlike most free states, state laws during that time permitted bounty hunters to capture escaping slaves in the state and return them to their so-called owners. So the Negroes weren't truly safe in Indiana despite its "free" status.
Stephan G. Hall
I'm proud of my Quaker roots......talk about real mavericks! I was asked to portray my 4x great grandfather, Stephan Hall who came with his Quaker family from North Carolina in 1815, this past weekend at a cemetery tour nearby. I don't look bad for being 200 years old next year.
2 comments:
We're undoubtedly distant kin. I descend from Gideon Bundy and Miriam Bogue and have long Quaker lines of Bogues, Bundys, Nicholsons, Smalls, Phelpses, Hollowells, and Perishos.
I live in Muncie, Indiana and, like you, am proud of my Quaker roots!
Matthew Shaw
Pleased to meet you cousin! We're fortunate the Quakers kept such great family records.
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