Anna was owned by a widow, named Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Lushy, who resided on a farm of her own.  Fifteen slaves, with other stock, were kept on the place.  She was accustomed to rule with severity, being governed by a “high temper,” and in nowise disposed to allow her slaves to enjoy even ordinary privileges, and besides, would occasionally sell to the Southern market.  She was calculated to render slave life very unhappy.  Anna portrayed her mistress’s treatment of the slaves with much earnestness, especially when referring to the sale of her own brother and sister.  Upon the whole, the mistress was so hateful to Anna, that she resolved not to live in the house with her.  During several years prior to her escape, Anna had been hired out, where she had been treated a little more decently than her mistress was wont to do; on this account she was less willing to put up with any subsequent abuse from her mistress.

To escape was the only remedy, so she made up her mind, that she would leave at all hazards.  She gave her husband to understand, that she had resolved to seek a home in Canada.  Fortunately, he was free, but slavery had many ways of putting the yoke on the colored man, even though he might be free; it was bound to keep him in ignorance, and at the same time miserably abject, so that he would scarcely dare to look up in the presence of white people.

Sam, apparently, was one of the number who had been greatly wronged in this particular.  He had less spirit than his wife, who had been directly goaded to desperation.  He agreed, however, to stand by her in her struggles while fleeing, and did so, for which he deserves credit.  It must be admitted, that it required some considerable nerve for a free man even to join his wife in an effort of this character.  In setting out, Anna had to leave her father (Jacob Trusty), seven sisters and two brothers.  The names of the sisters were as follows:  Emeline, Susan Ann, Delilah, Mary Eliza, Rosetta, Effie Ellender and Elizabeth; the brothers—­Emson and Perry.  For the commencement of their journey they availed themselves of the Christmas holidays, but had to suffer from the cold weather they encountered.  Yet they got along tolerably well, and were much cheered by the attention and aid they received from the Committee.

William Henry Laminson came from near Newcastle, Delaware.  He was smart enough to take advantage of the opportunity to escape at the age of twenty-one.  As he had given the matter his fullest attention for a long time, he was prepared to make rapid progress when he did start, and as he had no great distance to travel it is not unlikely, that while his master was one night sleeping soundly, this young piece of property (worth at least $1,000 in the market), was crossing Mason and Dixon’s Line, and steering directly for Canada.  Francis Harkins was the name of the master.  William did not give him a very bad character.

George Washington Gooseberry, alias Isaac Stout, also took advantage of the holidays to separate from his old master, Anthony Rybold, a farmer living near Newcastle, Delaware.  Nothing but the desire to be free moved George to escape.  He was a young man about twenty-three years of age, of a pure black color, in stature, medium size, and well-made.  Nothing remarkable is noted in the book in any way connected with his life or escape.