Description
Down Memory's Lane by Dr. Donald D. Parker - - (excerpted from longer article) - - "Slavery Days in Parkville and Vicinity” - - Aunt Lucy Bailey, born in 1855, a one of her earliest memories as a child, remembers being in a building at the foot of Main Street eating some corn bread when she heard a most doleful sound, apparently coming from up Main Street. She ran to the door and as far as her eye could see up the street she saw Negro slaves chained together coming slowly down the hill. They were singing and moaning in doleful tones as they came. Behind them were a number of wagons in which were Negro women and children. A steamboat was awaiting them at the foot of Main Street. They were all loaded aboard and were sold down the river. This was perhaps 1858 to 1860. Such scenes and occurrences must have taken place from time to time, increasingly in frequency as the Civil War approached and continued. The slaves sold down the river were not necessarily from Parkville or its immediate vicinity, though some no doubt were. Some were drawn from northwestern Clay County and from other inland points. Some sold their slaves in the late 1850’s and early 1860’s because of the increasing number of escapes and because they felt their property was unsafe in a state that had strong Northern sentiments in spite of its prevailing Southern sympathies.Date(s) of Creation
1/7/1944