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Good people, and they may even be blood brothers, cannot always see eye-to-eye on all moral issues. There was a time in America when some could not square their consciences with a manner of living that permitted them to re main slave holders. During this same era, others as conscientious, and in their own opinion as right eous, could see no wrong in the ownership of human slaves. For, according to their reasoning, when one reaped the benefits of a man’s labor, and in return provided that person with food and shelter, the account was cancelled out. Each class, consequently, was as consistent in its belief as are many persons today over controversial maters. But when the great clea vage came and the subject of sla very was made a national issue many families were torn as under Reconcilation came in some fami lies where had been an area of disagreement, but in others the breach that had been opened was never closed during the lifetime of the disputants. This tale concerns a man and a period that were a quarter-cen tury in advance of the climax that brought the conflict between the States. The man was described as one who had personal scruples against the ownership of human hattels. He was a member of a proud family, a person of stately appearance and bearing. It is safe to assume that his convictions were not held by many of his kinfolk. For one of the same name as his, with whom its claimed kinship, threw his in fluence with the side that did not denounce slavery, and he became one of General Robert E. Lee’s ‘most able and trusted generals in the Confederate Army. Jubal Early Was Trusted General The Early family of Virginia was distinguished by some of its odd “given” names, and Captain Tubal Early, the central figure of this sketch claimed blood relation ship with General Jubal Early, whose military career reached its zenithy quarter-century after the incidents in this tale took place. In addition to being a trusted lieutenant of General Stonewall Jackson during what is considered the bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War at Antietam, General Jubal Early was one of the central figures at the battle of Winchester. While, no doubt, he saved the Confederate forces from defeat, at the indecisive battle of Antie tam, in September 1862, he was roundly trounced in the previous March by General Phil Sheri dan’s forces at Winchester. This information is here inter polated to show the accomplish ments of the family of Captain Tubal Early, who was the older man, and who came to Ohio around eighteen-hundred forty for the express purpose of freeing his slaves, and we suppose, incidentally of easing his conscience. Although ,there seems no definite infor mation it appears a safe premise that one reason for his leaving Virginia was to escape a mental martyrdom which so often ‘comes to one who must dwell among those of such diverse ‘views. Captain Early must have been a man of some competence to be able to forfeit the investment that he held in the possession of two score- slaves that he brought to Ohio for manumission, and at the same time purchase one of the show places of Goshen township built by Dr. Samuel G. Meek in 1834 at “East Goshen” which had come to be known as Meek’s man sion, where the road from Wil liamsburg to Lebanon crossed Wooster Pike. Much has been related of southern Clermont’s sympathies and its record in pre-war days in giving assistance to escaping sla ves by means of the Underground Railroad, but not so much has been said with regard to an oppo site sentiment that seems to have infiltrated into northern Clermont. However, the two situations were not analogous, for aid given to escaping slaves was understood to mean that these unfortunates would make their home elsewhere; while the slaves that Captain Tu bal Early brought to northern Clermont for manumission meant that they would be settled where none but the Caucasian race had formerly resided, and the two such settlements that had been located in Brown County had fared badly in the matter of self-support. Slave Settlement Worried Goshen And so when Captain Early an nounced the purpose of his phil anthropic enterprise the senti men of the Goshen neighborhood was divided. None were less chari table than persons found in other communities where unfortunate individuals were concerned, but some reasoned that if these slaves who had not been trained to care for themselves were to be freed.
Newspaper Details
The Clermont Courier
Batavia, Ohio, US
Thu, Jul 26, 1951
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Laura B.
USA 15 Jul 2026
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