The Fever-Heated and Blood-Hot Abolitionists of Falls City: Southeast Nevraska and the Battle for Bleeding Kansas by Robert Nelson, Nebraska History magazine, Vol. 104, No. 4 Winter 2023, pp 193-207.
The founding and growth of Falls City was very much tied to Kansas and the conflict that took place there over the slavery issue. A group of abolitionist traveled from the north east. A group of pro slavery people, mostly from Missouri had the intention of meeting them and not letting them into Kansas, or at least confiscating and weapons they might have. They were particularly wary of James H. Lane and had they gotten him would have arrested im or worse. He stayed in Falls City which is not far from the border. People went into Kansas, but without weapons. They were shipped by a different route, farther to the west.
With an influx of people who opposed slaverhy, Kansas became a free state. John Brown frequented Falls City during this time, over a dozen times. He and Lane helped direct the Kansas efforts from here.
Some of the people still living in Falls City became part of the Underground Railroad, helping runaway slaves escape to freedom. Of particular note were David and Ann Dorrington. Their barn became a stopping place for escaped slaves. Mrs. Dorrington would often provide a meal and kept watch on those in the barn. Runaways could access it freely. It 2022 the area of the Dorrington house and barn (which had been removed) were recognized by the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program. This was the second location so noted in Nedbraska. The other being in Nebraska City.
It is neat to think there are places involved in the abolitionist side of aBleeding Kansas and the Underground Railroad so close to me.
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