The Travels of Increase Joseph: A Historical Novel about a Pioneer Preacher

16. Underground Railroad

Chapter 16 Underground Railroad Early November 1859 H enry Bakken was the only member of the Standalone Fellowship who subscribed to the Milwaukee Sentinel. Even though he received the paper a few days late by mail, it kept him current on happenings in the state as well as nationally. Many stories in the Sentinel he rewrote and included in the pages of the Link Lake Gazette. He read in the Sentinel of turmoil developing between the northern and southern states. It was clear to Bakken that slave ownership in the South was creating deep rifts in the federal government and throughout the country. Earlier he read about the 1820 Missouri Compromise. This resulted when northern and southern congressmen debated whether slavery should be allowed in those vast territories west of the Mississippi River. He remembered that Missouri had been allowed slaves but the other lands of the Louisiana Purchase were not given that right. He read of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 that allowed bounty hunters to go after escaped slaves 122 Apps and return them to their Southern owners. He learned about the great anti-slavery, anti-Southern feelings this law created in the North. Henry Bakken thought these events would never involve him, or the Standalone fellowship that was trying to keep body and soul together in the wilds of Wisconsin. As a result, he included only the briefest mention of North-South strife in the Lake Link Gazette. That is until he read what happened at Harper's Ferry. The November 9th issue of the Link Lake Gazette , on the second page, carried this headline: "John Brown Tries to Seize Federal Arsenal." The story continued. "On the night of October 16, 1859, John Brown and several of his followers attempted to seize the Federal Arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. The marauders' intention was to steal the weapons stored there, place them in the hands of southern slaves, and start a slave insurrection in the South. Brown succeeded in holding the arsenal until the morning of the eighteenth. On that date, a Marine detachment, under the command of Robert E. Lee of the U.S. Army succeeded in overpowering Brown and his followers. Brown awaits trial for treason." A short time after the John Brown story appeared in the Link Lake Gazette, Increase Joseph returned from his trip to Cheyenne Valley in western Wisconsin. He told only his wife, Elwina, of the details of his visit. When Henry Bakken inquired , Increase Joseph told him that the trip was about plowing around' hills rather than up and down them. With no further information, Henry was puzzled, but this was not the first time. A couple weeks later a well-dressed man in a The Travels of Increase Joseph 123 horse drawn buggy arrived at the offices of the Link Lake Gazette on Main Street. "I'm looking for Preacher Increase Joseph Link," the rather serious looking man with a white beard said. He limped and walked with a crooked wooden cane. "Try at the round log church at the top of the hill," Henry Bakken said. "When he's not out preaching, you can find him there, puttering around." Henry did not think it unusual for a man from out-of-town to visit Increase Joseph. "Thank you sir," the well-dressed man said. He climbed back on his buggy seat, gently snapped the reins and headed up the hill toward the church. "Anyone about?" the man inquired when he arrived at the church, opened the door and stepped inside. "Down here, in the preaching pit," Increase Joseph answered. He climbed up the fieldstone steps and walked toward the man with the cane. "And who might be calling on Increase Joseph Link this fine day?" "Name is Josiah Longstreet," the man said. "Can I sit? My bad leg's giving me fits today." "By all means good sir, have a seat. Are you a man in need? Do you require direction in your life? Can I help with your bad leg?" "As a matter of fact I am looking for assistance. You were referred to me by Walden Stewart." "Stewart, Stewart, don't think I know a Walden Stewart." "He's the black man you visited a few weeks ago." "Oh, Yes, Walden Stewart. Nice man. Interested in the land. Going to plow around the hills rather 124 Apps than up and down them." "He...