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plain brick. A grove of young maple trees surrounds the house and makes the yard a cool and pleasant spot for the weary wayfarer. ' *The view from the front of the house isexceedingly fine. In the valley below isthe pretty little village of Sharonville, andoff to the right and left are prosperous-looklng farmhouses surrounded by fields ofwaving grain, while in the distance can beseen the turrets of Mt. Notre Dame Convent at Reading and the smokestacks of the factories of Lockland.At the foot of the hill is the canal, along which may occasionally be seen the sor-rowful-looking mules as they sleepily drag the boats along. A little piece farther away are the tracks of the Big Four and Pennsylvania Railroads. The house can be plainly seen from both railroads. Just across the road from the house and on the same hill is the elegant country home of Mr. Mortimer Mathews. Mr. Mathews occupied the Van Zandt house for a year while his present residence was being built, and he is perfectly familiar with the story of Eliza’s stay there and vouches for its authenticity. The Van Zandt property is now owned by Mr. Louis Heineman, ofCincinnati, and is occupied by a German tenant named John Gerlins:.IS WELL REMEMBERED.John Wan Zandt is well remembered by the older citizens of the valley, as he became quite conspicuous before the war on account of his zealous efforts in aiding slaves to escape to Canada. His house was the first station on the underground railroad after leaving Cincinnati, and man?' a poor black fugitive has found shelter beneath his roof. Van Zandt was a Kentucky farmer and owned a large plantation of slaves. Becoming convinced that slaverywas wrong, he freed his negroes, and, com-the fspurchasedHe began at once to assist slaves in escaping, and this fact beingcame under* the notice of Mrs. Stowe, who worked him into “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” as John Van Trompe. The story of Eliza’s escape actually occurred almost precisely as related, the Senator Bird referred to being a resident of Walnut Hills.Van Zandt was finally arrested for assisting fugitive slaves to escape, and was thrown into prison and his property attached.CASE WENT AGAINST HIM.Salmon P. Chase, who was then a young lawyer of Cincinnati, had the hardihoodto appear as his attorney. Chase made ahard struggle for his client, but prejudicetrcwas too strong, and the case went against him. As the lawyer left the courtroom one of the Judges remarked: “There goes a young man who has juined himself today,” and this was the general opinion of the public. Chase carried the case to the Supreme Court of the United States, where the judgment of the lower court was sustained* Van Zandt was forced to sell hisnilfarm, and he was left almost penniless inhis add age.Tx^^emains of Van Zandt were interredin the family graveyard, but about fiveyears ago they were removed to Cummins-ville, where a marble shafttenow marks the spot where they are.The portion of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” referring to Eliza’s escape will be perused with renewed interest if the reader will visit the old house and become familiar with the surroundings. The midnight ride of Senator Bird and Eliza is vividly brought to mind as one slowly drives up the torturous, rocky road leading to the house,and a reahzing sense of the difficultiesre enand dangere encountered is forcibly impressed upon the mind of the visitor.
Newspaper Details
The Cincinnati Tribune
Cincinnati, Ohio, US
Sun, Jul 21, 1895
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Cincinnati A.
OH, USA 26 Jun 2023
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