Joshua Glover facts for kids
Joshua Glover was an enslaved person who escaped to freedom. He ran away from St. Louis, Missouri, in 1852. He found a safe place to live in Racine, Wisconsin.
In 1854, his former owner, Bennami Garland, found him. Garland tried to use a law called the Fugitive Slave Act to get Glover back. Glover was captured and taken to a jail in Milwaukee. But on March 18, 1854, a large crowd helped Glover escape from jail. He was secretly taken back to Racine. From there, he traveled by boat to Canada. He lived most of his life in Etobicoke, Ontario, working on a farm. He married twice. Joshua Glover passed away in 1888. He is buried in St. James Cemetery in Toronto.
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Who Was Joshua Glover?
Joshua Glover was an enslaved person in the United States. He lived in Missouri. In the 1800s, many people were forced to work without pay. They were not free. Joshua Glover wanted to be free. He made a brave choice to escape.
The Escape and Capture
In 1852, Joshua Glover escaped from slavery. He traveled north to Wisconsin. He settled in a town called Racine. He thought he was safe there.
However, a law called the Fugitive Slave Act was in place. This law said that escaped enslaved people had to be returned to their owners. It even made it a crime to help them. In 1854, Glover's former owner found him. Glover was arrested by federal marshals. He was taken to a jail in Milwaukee.
A Daring Rescue
News of Joshua Glover's capture spread quickly. Many people in Wisconsin were against slavery. They believed the Fugitive Slave Act was unfair. A man named Sherman Booth helped to gather a large crowd. On March 18, 1854, about 5,000 people gathered outside the Milwaukee jail.
The crowd broke into the jail. They rescued Joshua Glover. This was a very bold act of defiance. Glover was then hidden and taken back to Racine. From there, he traveled by boat across the Great Lakes to Canada. Canada was a safe place for escaped enslaved people.
Life After Freedom
After reaching Canada, Joshua Glover was truly free. He settled in Etobicoke, Ontario. He worked as a farm laborer. He built a new life for himself. He married twice and lived in Canada for many years. He died in 1888.
A Landmark Case
The rescue of Joshua Glover was a very important event. The United States government tried to punish Sherman Booth for helping Glover escape. This led to a big legal fight. The case helped to make the abolitionist movement stronger in Wisconsin. Abolitionists were people who wanted to end slavery.
Eventually, the Wisconsin Supreme Court made a historic decision. It declared that the Fugitive Slave Act was unconstitutional. This meant they believed the law went against the U.S. Constitution. Wisconsin was the only state to make such a declaration. This showed how strongly people in Wisconsin felt about freedom and justice.
Remembering Joshua Glover
Today, a Wisconsin Historical Marker stands in Cathedral Square Park in Milwaukee. This marker shows the spot where the old courthouse and jail once stood. It reminds people of Joshua Glover's story. It also marks the place where he was rescued by a large crowd.
Efforts are being made to create a special monument there. This monument would be part of the National Park Service's National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This network recognizes important places related to the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom.
