Abolitionists did risk heavy fines and imprisonment from the federal government. Southern slave owners also offered rewards for the assassination of better known abolitionists!
Ripley is presently known for its Abolitionist activities during the early 1800's. A Rev. John Rankin was a staunch abolitionist who along with other abolitionist of the area defied the law to help fugitive slaves escape from their bondage. "Eliza" from the famed book called Uncle Tom's Cabin crossed the Ohio River into safety. The story within the book was based upon a true runaway slave who escaped and crossed the Ohio River into Ripley and made her way to freedom. Other stories of abolitionist activities involve a free black man, John Parker. He maintained a thriving business within Ripley, one of the largest within town. It is believed that he also helped escaped slaves to freedom.
One residence on Front Street of undocumented fame is the Signal House, a house owned by Vic and Betsy Billingsley. A lantern would be placed in the attic as a signal to the Rev. Rankin that the waterfront was safe and slaves could be transported to freedom.
Ripley bills itself today as "Freedom's Landing." The next two articles will look at the prominent Ripley Underground Railroad sites--the Rankin House and the Parker House.
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