Tice Davids’ owner thought his slave must have taken an underground road because the slave had disappeared without a trace, leading the owner to believe that the slave had escaped through some mysterious or underground route to freedom. This story has since become part of the Underground Railroad folklore.
The underground railroad actually got its name when a slave named Tice Davids escaped from Kentucky in 1831 and swam across the Ohio River to freedom in Ripley, Ohio. According to legend, Davids' owner was chasing him in a boat when he lost sight of his swimming slave. The owner thought Davids must have taken an 'underground railroad'. That comment was reported in the press, and the term has been used ever since.The underground railroad was named for the slaves' method of escape to freedom. "Underground" means the movement was secret and intentionally took place below the awareness of public officials and most members of society. The "railroad" designation took its name from the code for safe houses, which were called "stations" or "depots," and the participating abolitionists, who were called "station masters."In many respects, the underground railroad resembled a real railroad operation in that there were fixed routes, conductors, stations or depots, and a final destination.It was referred to as "underground" because it was considered to be (intentionally) obscured; "travelers" spent time at "stations", also known as "safe houses", under the watchful care of "Conductors" who assisted escaped slaves despite the considerable risks to their own life and limb.See more information at the related Wikipedia link listed below:
Child Slavery Women and Slavery Owner/Slave Relationship Slave/ Domestic Servant Relationship The Middle Passage The Underground Railroad
The story of Tice Davids is one myth of how the Underground Railroad got its name. As the story goes: In 1831, Davids ran away from his master's plantation in Kentucky. When he reached the Ohio River, with his master close on his trail, he had no choice but to swim across the river. His master was determined to not lose sight of him, so he kept his eyes on him while he attempted to find a boat, watching Davids climb onto the Ohio shore. When his master reached Ohio, he searched the shoreline before deciding to go into the town of Ripley. After finding no trace of his slave, he exclaimed "that his slave must have escaped on an underground railroad"
the underground railroad
The underground railroad actually got its name when a slave named Tice Davids escaped from Kentucky in 1831 and swam across the Ohio River to freedom in Ripley, Ohio. According to legend, Davids' owner was chasing him in a boat when he lost sight of his swimming slave. The owner thought Davids must have taken an 'underground railroad'. That comment was reported in the press, and the term has been used ever since.The underground railroad was named for the slaves' method of escape to freedom. "Underground" means the movement was secret and intentionally took place below the awareness of public officials and most members of society. The "railroad" designation took its name from the code for safe houses, which were called "stations" or "depots," and the participating abolitionists, who were called "station masters."In many respects, the underground railroad resembled a real railroad operation in that there were fixed routes, conductors, stations or depots, and a final destination.It was referred to as "underground" because it was considered to be (intentionally) obscured; "travelers" spent time at "stations", also known as "safe houses", under the watchful care of "Conductors" who assisted escaped slaves despite the considerable risks to their own life and limb.See more information at the related Wikipedia link listed below:
The underground railroad actually got its name when a slave named Tice Davids escaped from Kentucky in 1831 and swam across the Ohio River to freedom in Ripley, Ohio. According to legend, Davids' owner was chasing him in a boat when he lost sight of his swimming slave. The owner thought Davids must have taken an 'underground railroad'. That comment was reported in the press, and the term has been used ever since.The underground railroad was named for the slaves' method of escape to freedom. "Underground" means the movement was secret and intentionally took place below the awareness of public officials and most members of society. The "railroad" designation took its name from the code for safe houses, which were called "stations" or "depots," and the participating abolitionists, who were called "station masters."In many respects, the underground railroad resembled a real railroad operation in that there were fixed routes, conductors, stations or depots, and a final destination.It was referred to as "underground" because it was considered to be (intentionally) obscured; "travelers" spent time at "stations", also known as "safe houses", under the watchful care of "Conductors" who assisted escaped slaves despite the considerable risks to their own life and limb.See more information at the related Wikipedia link listed below:
underground railroad
The web address of the Slave Haven Underground Railroad is: http://www.slavehavenundergroundrailroadmuseum.org/slavehaven.html
The address of the Slave Haven Underground Railroad is: 826 N 2Nd St, Memphis, TN 38107
Tice Davids was a runaway slave. He swam across the Ohio River trying to get to Ripley, Ohio and his master was chasing him. When Tice reached the shore his master couldn't see him and said "He must have gone into an underground road" that's how the Underground Railroad got it's name.
Harriet Tubman