Erastus Hussey
Encyclopedia
Erastus Hussey was a leading abolitionist, a stationmaster on the Underground Railroad
, and one of the founders of the Republican Party
.
Hussey was born in New York State and emigrated to Wayne County, Michigan
, in 1824. He and his wife Sarah moved back to New York briefly before moving to Battle Creek, Michigan
, setting up a general store and home there in 1839. Strong Quakers, the Husseys were outspoken opponents of slavery and within a year (1840) began hiding escaping slaves in their home. Soon the Hussey home had become one of the main stations on the Underground Railroad.
In 1846, Erastus Hussey ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on the abolitionist Michigan Liberty Party ticket. He lost the election, but remained undeterred.
In 1848, Hussey began to publish an abolitionist newspaper called the Michigan Liberty Press. He became inreasingly involved in politics. In 1850, Hussey won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives, as the representative from Calhoun County
.
In 1854, he ran for a seat in the Michigan Senate
as the Free Soil Party
candidate, winning the seat and serving through 1856. During this time, he distinguished himself by drafting legislation that outlawed the capture of runaway slaves in Michigan. On July 6, 1854, Hussey attended the "Under the Oaks" convention in Jackson, Michigan
, where the Republican Party
had one of its earliest meetings.
An official State of Michigan Historical plaque on the grounds of the Kellogg Foundation Headquarters in Battle Creek quotes Hussey as saying, "I have fed and given protection to over 1,000 fugitives, and assisted them on to Canada". The plaque goes on to say that when Hussey was asked if any stationmaster had been paid, he had answered, "No.... We were working for humanity."
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
, and one of the founders of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Hussey was born in New York State and emigrated to Wayne County, Michigan
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
, in 1824. He and his wife Sarah moved back to New York briefly before moving to Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek, Michigan
Battle Creek is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, in northwest Calhoun County, at the confluence of the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek Rivers. It is the principal city of the Battle Creek, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area , which encompasses all of Calhoun county...
, setting up a general store and home there in 1839. Strong Quakers, the Husseys were outspoken opponents of slavery and within a year (1840) began hiding escaping slaves in their home. Soon the Hussey home had become one of the main stations on the Underground Railroad.
In 1846, Erastus Hussey ran for the U.S. House of Representatives on the abolitionist Michigan Liberty Party ticket. He lost the election, but remained undeterred.
In 1848, Hussey began to publish an abolitionist newspaper called the Michigan Liberty Press. He became inreasingly involved in politics. In 1850, Hussey won a seat in the Michigan House of Representatives, as the representative from Calhoun County
Calhoun County, Michigan
-Interstates:* I-69* I-94* I-194* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Albion.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Battle Creek.* I-94 Business Loop serves the city of Marshall.-Michigan State Trunklines:* M-37* M-60* M-66* M-78* M-89* M-96* M-99...
.
In 1854, he ran for a seat in the Michigan Senate
Michigan Senate
The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. The Senate consists of 38 members, who are elected from constituencies having approximately 212,400 to 263,500 residents....
as the Free Soil Party
Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States active in the 1848 and 1852 presidential elections, and in some state elections. It was a third party and a single-issue party that largely appealed to and drew its greatest strength from New York State. The party leadership...
candidate, winning the seat and serving through 1856. During this time, he distinguished himself by drafting legislation that outlawed the capture of runaway slaves in Michigan. On July 6, 1854, Hussey attended the "Under the Oaks" convention in Jackson, Michigan
Jackson, Michigan
Jackson is a city located along Interstate 94 in the south central area of the U.S. state of Michigan, about west of Ann Arbor and south of Lansing. It is the county seat of Jackson County. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 33,534...
, where the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
had one of its earliest meetings.
An official State of Michigan Historical plaque on the grounds of the Kellogg Foundation Headquarters in Battle Creek quotes Hussey as saying, "I have fed and given protection to over 1,000 fugitives, and assisted them on to Canada". The plaque goes on to say that when Hussey was asked if any stationmaster had been paid, he had answered, "No.... We were working for humanity."