Escape Betwixt Two Suns: A True Tale of the Underground Railroad in Illinois

Shawnee Books

by Carol Pirtle, Rodney O. Davis (Foreword)

Although the northern Illinois chapters of the story of Susan “Sukey” Richardson’s escape from slavery on the Underground Railroad are documented, the part played by southern Illinois in that historic episode has remained obscure. Carol Pirtle changes that with her investigation into the 1843 suit Andrew Borders lodged against William Hayes, charging his neighbor with helping slaves from the Borders estate escape to Galesburg. In conjunction with her probe into the past, Pirtle also discovered the Hayes correspondence.

           

Pirtle documents Hayes’s involvement in the Illinois Underground Railroad through approximately two hundred letters received by Hayes from the early 1820s until his death in 1849. Many of these letters specifically corroborate his participation in the escape of slaves from the Borders estate. One such letter came from T. A. Jones in 1843: “You Dear Sir are to me an unknown friend, yet I believe you are a friend to the poor down trodden Slave. This is as good an introduction as I want from any man. My brother, our cause is a holy one.” Letters written by Galesburg residents show that several prominent citizens of that community also assisted in the affair, proving that Knox College administrators and trustees were active in the Underground Railroad.

           

Pirtle also includes excerpts from the trial transcript from the 1844 civil case against Hayes, which was tried in Pinckneyville, Illinois. She researched newspaper accounts of the event, most notably those in the Western Citizen and the Sparta Herald. Records of the Covenanter Presbyterian church of which Hayes was a member provide partial explanations of Hayes’s motives.

           

Telling the story of Hayes and his involvement with Susan Richardson and the Underground Railroad, Pirtle provides insight into the work of abolitionists in Illinois. Escape Betwixt Two Suns, in fact, is one of the few books to substantiate the legends of the Underground Railroad. She tells the story of a quiet man who made a difference, of a man deserving the accolades of a hero.

182 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2000

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a historical account of the 1842 escape of five slaves from a farm in southern Illinois. They were fleeing in terror from their master, who happens to be our great great great grandfather (that's four greats to you, Ashley & Maddie), Major Andrew Borders. Sorry to say that he comes off as a bit of a Simon Legree, which does not make me feel proud. The book also describes the trial of the lawsuit that he brought (and won) against his neighbor who had helped the slaves escape.

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book a lot. While researching my ancestors in Randolph County Illinois, I was horrified to find that in this "free state" the county court house included page after page of registrations where enslaved people brought north where indentured to the masters who brought them north for years and years. This is the story of one of those enslaved women, Susan, and the family that helped her when she and her children were severely mis-treated and chose to escape. William Hayes was a devout covenanter, who, along with his church, believed that slavery was sin and was not afraid to act on that belief even when it cost him a great deal. The book is mainly based on letters recently found in William Hayes's old home that document his underground railroad activities and the trial for his role in Susan's escape.

The writing in this book wasn't always amazing, but it was well researched and very interested, especially since my own ancestors were members of the same church as William Hayes and doubtless would have known him.

[Roger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides new information about the underground railroad in Illinois, based on previously unknown correspondence, but is a bit amateurish. In a bit of nitpicking, I would note that the author, at least in one place, refers to the Civil War as the "War between the States." I always object to this erroneous view pursued by Lost Cause fanatics.

[Aketzle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really interesting to read about towns I grew up hearing about and their involvement with the Underground Railroad. A quick read and worthwhile for anyone interested in Southern Illinois history or the Underground Railroad.