The Swindler's Treasure (29 page)

PETER JAMES CHRISTOPHERSON:
Blond, blue eyes, 10 years old, and looks surprisingly much like a younger Caleb. As a result, mistaken identity is possible. Because he lost his hearing at the age of 7, Peter is able to speak. He explains: “I had brain fever when I was seven years old. My parents had it too. That's how they died. And that's why I'm deaf.” But Peter not only knows how to teach sign language to others. He has learned to take care of himself—for a very good reason!

AUNTIE VI THORNTON:
A sister of Libby's mother, but very unlike her. Vi took care of Libby until recently when she joined her father to live on the
Christina
.

EDWARD DEXTER:
Swindler well-known to Mississippi steamboat captains. When Pa keeps him from swindling an immigrant farmer out of his land, Dexter holds up his clenched fist and shakes it at the captain. “If it's the last thing I do, I'll get even with you!”

MARTIN:
Young mud clerk, called by that name because he often stands in mud while collecting fares along a levee. But
what
has he done now?

RIGGS:
A cruel slave trader who keeps reappearing, making Jordan's life not only miserable, but also dangerous. Cold blue eyes. Cruelest-looking man Libby has ever seen.

REV. FREEMAN:
The white-haired black leader at Galena AME Church, he has a wise heart and knows how to lead his people in a time of crisis.

SPRINGFIELD POLICE OFFICER and other unnamed walk-ons
.

SAMSON:
Libby's Newfoundland dog and special friend. Black coat with white patches on nose, muzzle, chest and tips of toes. In how many ways can a Newfoundland dog like Samson become a hero?

HISTORIC CHARACTERS

This series is a place where you can bump into all kinds of famous people…
.

JOHN JONES:
A tailor and wealthy free black who used his home and abundance to provide for fugitives. Later wrote the paper that was largely responsible for getting the Black Laws of Illinois rescinded in 1865. One of the first elected officials of the city of Chicago. Wife, Mary. Friends with Allan Pinkerton. Frederick Douglass often stayed in the Jones home on his visits to Chicago.

SAMUEL MORSE:
Yes! The man who developed the Morse code. He and his deaf wife used the code as a way to talk with each other.

PRISCILLA BALTIMORE:
The Harriet Tubman of Alton, Illinois, Priscilla was wise in the ways of outwitting slave catchers. She had amazing strength for rowing people across the wide Mississippi River. She also helped found Alton AME Church, later known as Campbell Chapel.

MAJOR AND MRS. CHARLES HUNTER:
Residents of Alton, leaders in the Underground Railroad, and friends of Elijah Lovejoy.

ELIJAH LOVEJOY:
A Presbyterian pastor and editor in Alton, IL, Rev. Lovejoy stood strong in his beliefs to uphold the value of people who lived in slavery. Because of what he believed and wrote, Rev. Lovejoy is remembered as the first American martyr for freedom of the press. Caleb regards him as his hero.

JOHN LIVINGSTON:
A friend who considered it a privilege to run the press for Elijah Lovejoy. Rev. Livingston is regarded as the father of the AME Church and established Baptist churches in Alton, Jacksonville (1837), and Springfield (1838), Illinois. In Alton his name is spelled
Livingstone
.

THOMAS DIMMOCK:
Lived in Alton as a boy. Editor of the Alton
Telegraph
in 1857. Because the principles of free speech and free press meant so much to him, Mr. Dimmock placed a marker on Elijah Lovejoy's grave. See acknowledgments for more about the Lovejoy monument.

BENJAMIN GODFREY:
The owner of the warehouse used by Elijah Lovejoy and a friend of his. Mr. Godfrey was the contractor for the Alton and Sangamon railroad line and established Monticello Seminary, a school for girls in Godfrey.

DR. THOMAS BROWN:
A medical doctor with his home being the first stop in the Brighton, Illinois Underground Railroad chain. And he truly did lose a passenger.

FRANCES BROWN:
The daughter of Dr. Brown, Frances wore her hair in two pigtails and was 12 years old at the time when Libby, Caleb, and Jordan visited her home. Many years later she enjoyed telling people how she read Bible stories to slaves in hiding.

J. W. GILSON:
The magistrate in Brighton whose freedom words still ring down through history: “This is the Lord's day. I make no arrests on Sunday.”

JOHN HART:
Last in the chain of stops for Brighton Underground Railroad.

ALLAN PINKERTON:
Irish founder of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. During this time period, he often rode the trains under contract with the owners.

BILLY THE BARBER, WILLIAM FLORVILLE:
Lincoln's friend.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN:
Of course! And where did he keep his important papers?

COLORED BAPTIST CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD:
Founded in 1838 by John Livingston, now called Zion Missionary Baptist Church. One of my really helpful resource persons was from this church. I'm grateful to say that she introduced me to other members as “My friend.”

THE STEAMBOAT
CHRISTINA:
Owned and operated by Libby's father and named after her mother. With the exception of the sidewheeler
Christina
and the
James Mason
in the
Mysterious Signal
, the steamboats in The FREEDOM SEEKERS series are historic.

H
ave you asked yourself,
Who are my heroes? Who are the people I believe in and trust and want to shape my life after?

For Caleb and for all of us, it's an important question. In this time when we often feel disappointed by the way famous people act, we especially want to choose heroes who are worthy of our respect. Such a person may be a relative or friend, a teacher, leader, or some other person we want to be like.

In thinking about who our heroes should be, we need to understand that no human being is perfect. Only God fills that role. Yet if we ask for His help and choose wisely, He can give us role models who help us grow strong.

In life and in death, Caleb's hero, Elijah P. Lovejoy, stood for beliefs that are important to all of us. Because of his courage and his love for African Americans, he became the first American martyr for freedom of the press.

With the help of William Johnson, a cemetery custodian and the only person who knew the exact site, Major Hunter changed the location of Mr. Lovejoy's grave in 1864. During a time when the principles of free speech and free press meant a great deal to him, editor Thomas Dimmock placed a marker on the grave. Through his work and the cooperation of the people of Alton and the state of Illinois, a one-hundred-foot-high monument to Lovejoy was completed in 1897. The year 1997 marked the 100th anniversary of this memorial dedicated “In Gratitude to God and in the Love of Liberty.”

On every November 9 since 1864, those who wish to honor Elijah Lovejoy and the beliefs for which he stood have gathered for a memorial service. All are welcome to join them at noon at the Lovejoy Monument in Alton, Illinois.

In a letter to the African Americans of Alton, Mr. Dimmock asked them to protect and care for Mr. Lovejoy's grave. By tradition, the trustee of the grave site has always been an African American. Those chosen for this position regard it as a sacred honor. However, the president and other members of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial Board of Directors have been both African American and white. When the association received its charter in 1952, it became the first nonreligious organization in Alton with an interracial leadership.

The association membership is made up of black and white citizens who want to live Mr. Lovejoy's call to defend the great constitutional principles of human rights and a free press. Mr. Lovejoy knew that the country would survive only as long as there were men and women who would defend those values with their lives.

As the Alton Historical Society reminds us, “The vigil in Alton has become the American vigil—a determination to maintain freedom and justice for all men and women. It is a vigil of peace, the longing for a day when we shall beat our swords into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks.”

Alton AME Church is now called Campbell Chapel. In the early history of Illinois, this church was joined by three other AME churches—New Bethel-Rocky Fork, Allen Chapel, and Model Chapel. Priscilla Baltimore was Alton's own Harriet Tubman. Reverend John Livingston is believed to be the first pastor of Union Baptist Church in Alton. He also organized Mt. Emory Baptist Church in Jacksonville and what is now called the Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Springfield. Known for his missionary efforts in the region, Reverend Livingston has been called the father of the Colored Baptists in Illinois. He lived to be an amazing 105 years old.

Monticello Seminary, the school for girls, is now the Lewis and Clark Community College. The nearby church has been moved across the road and is used as a chapel for weddings.

In Brighton some of the buildings used as Underground Railroad stops are still in use. Over the years houses have been built between the “stations,” so that today the lantern signal would not be possible. Yes, Dr. Brown's loss of a fugitive and the magistrate's statement that he would not make an arrest on Sunday are true to history. Years later, Frances Brown loved to tell people how she read Bible stories to fugitives hiding in their home.

I am deeply grateful for all who have helped me in the writing of this book. Four people gave an enormous amount of time in providing information about the people and history of their cities. There is much I could say about the giftedness of J. Eric Robinson, for his strong sense of story helped me lay out the scenes in Alton. Yet when I attempted to describe his many accomplishments, he simply said, “I am Eric Robinson, president of the Elijah P. Lovejoy Memorial.” Thanks, Eric! And my heartfelt gratitude to Charlene Gill, president, Alton Area Historical Society; and June Wilderman, president, Brighton Heritage Group and curator of the Brighton Museum. In addition to providing information, these people read portions of the manuscript. Many thanks also to Jessie Mae Finley, historian emeritus, of the Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Springfield.

H. Scott Wolfe, historical librarian of the Galena Public Library District, Galena, Illinois, also provided details and read part of the manuscript. Thanks to Susan Kulasekara, adult services librarian, Hayner Public Library District, Alton; Sister Wilma Wittman, Ursuline Convent, Alton; Kim Bauer, historical research specialist, and E. Cheryl Schnirring, curator of manuscripts at the Illinois State Historical Library; and William Tubbs, Associate Editor,
Illinois Historical Journal
, Springfield. J. Hurley and Roberta Hagood, authors of such classic books as
The Story of Hannibal
and
Hannibal, Too
, helped Libby celebrate her birthday.

A number of people have helped Peter come to life. You may wonder about his explanation of how he became deaf. The term
brain fever
was often used in the years in which this book is set. Because of the historical time frame, we don't know exactly what was meant. We do know that many people lost their hearing or died from brain fever because it was highly contagious.

My life has been made rich by Tilly (Caroline) Raven and by the students, faculty, and staff of the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville. Kathleen Cook, second-grade teacher, and Marene Mattern, educator aide, worked long hours to teach me, answer my questions, and then help with the manuscript. A million thanks, Kathy and Marene!

My gratitude also to Dude Wildrick, junior high principal; teachers Nancy Kelly-Jones and Joe Lee; and interpreter Christine Good. Thanks to Joan M. Forney, superintendent of the Illinois School for the Deaf, for permission to use the finger alphabet chart in this book.