Husband of Catherine Agnes (Pearson) Cromwell. Son of Jacob Giles Cromwell, Sr., and his second wife, Elizabeth (Hilton) Cromwell.
"SLAVE INSURRECTION AT HARPER'S FERRY
HEADED BY 250 ABOLITIONISTS
The U. S. Arsenal Seized-Trains Stopped
........The Wheeling express train in charge of Conductor Phelps, reached the Camden station at 12 A. M. yesterday. The train was detained by the rioter's at Harper's Ferry until 7 o'clock in the morning. From Mr. Jacob Cromwell, the baggage master of the train, we gather the following particulars:
STATEMENT OF MR. CROMWELL.
The train reached Harper's Ferry about Twelve o'clock midnight. I knew nothing of the disturbance or the plot going on in the town until the train was stopped on the bridge by a band of armed men. At the request of Conductor Phelps, I went ahead with a lantern, and was immediately confronted by the men who, with rifles at my head, told me to stand. At this moment one of the watermen on the bridge, a colored man named Hayward Sheppard, was confronted in the same way, and being told to stand, became frightened and ran, and was shot through the back.
Thinking that moment was my last chance, I then started and dodged behind the bridge, but was fired after before I could gain shelter. The other watchman at the bridge was subsequently taken by the insurgents, and confined under a guard in the office at the bridge. When this condition of things was made plain to Conductor Phelps, he ordered William Wollery, the engineer, to back the train, and went forward himself and had a conference with the rioters. He was introduced to the reputed captain of the insurgents, an old man who was called Anderson.
Conductor Phelps told them he was in charge of the train, and carried the United States mail, and desired to go through. This was granted, and he was given five minutes to pass. Phelps was then conducted to his train, with a man before and behind, with a rifle pointed at his head. He was told not, on pain of death, to look either way. The train immediately left, and that is all I know."
The Baltimore Sun 18 October 1859
"SLAVE INSURRECTION AT HARPER'S FERRY
HEADED BY 250 ABOLITIONISTS
The U. S. Arsenal Seized-Trains Stopped
........The Wheeling express train in charge of Conductor Phelps, reached the Camden station at 12 A. M. yesterday. The train was detained by the rioter's at Harper's Ferry until 7 o'clock in the morning. From Mr. Jacob Cromwell, the baggage master of the train, we gather the following particulars:
STATEMENT OF MR. CROMWELL.
The train reached Harper's Ferry about Twelve o'clock midnight. I knew nothing of the disturbance or the plot going on in the town until the train was stopped on the bridge by a band of armed men. At the request of Conductor Phelps, I went ahead with a lantern, and was immediately confronted by the men who, with rifles at my head, told me to stand. At this moment one of the watermen on the bridge, a colored man named Hayward Sheppard, was confronted in the same way, and being told to stand, became frightened and ran, and was shot through the back.
Thinking that moment was my last chance, I then started and dodged behind the bridge, but was fired after before I could gain shelter. The other watchman at the bridge was subsequently taken by the insurgents, and confined under a guard in the office at the bridge. When this condition of things was made plain to Conductor Phelps, he ordered William Wollery, the engineer, to back the train, and went forward himself and had a conference with the rioters. He was introduced to the reputed captain of the insurgents, an old man who was called Anderson.
Conductor Phelps told them he was in charge of the train, and carried the United States mail, and desired to go through. This was granted, and he was given five minutes to pass. Phelps was then conducted to his train, with a man before and behind, with a rifle pointed at his head. He was told not, on pain of death, to look either way. The train immediately left, and that is all I know."
The Baltimore Sun 18 October 1859
Husband of Catherine Agnes (Pearson) Cromwell. Son of Jacob Giles Cromwell, Sr., and his second wife, Elizabeth (Hilton) Cromwell.
"SLAVE INSURRECTION AT HARPER'S FERRY
HEADED BY 250 ABOLITIONISTS
The U. S. Arsenal Seized-Trains Stopped
........The Wheeling express train in charge of Conductor Phelps, reached the Camden station at 12 A. M. yesterday. The train was detained by the rioter's at Harper's Ferry until 7 o'clock in the morning. From Mr. Jacob Cromwell, the baggage master of the train, we gather the following particulars:
STATEMENT OF MR. CROMWELL.
The train reached Harper's Ferry about Twelve o'clock midnight. I knew nothing of the disturbance or the plot going on in the town until the train was stopped on the bridge by a band of armed men. At the request of Conductor Phelps, I went ahead with a lantern, and was immediately confronted by the men who, with rifles at my head, told me to stand. At this moment one of the watermen on the bridge, a colored man named Hayward Sheppard, was confronted in the same way, and being told to stand, became frightened and ran, and was shot through the back.
Thinking that moment was my last chance, I then started and dodged behind the bridge, but was fired after before I could gain shelter. The other watchman at the bridge was subsequently taken by the insurgents, and confined under a guard in the office at the bridge. When this condition of things was made plain to Conductor Phelps, he ordered William Wollery, the engineer, to back the train, and went forward himself and had a conference with the rioters. He was introduced to the reputed captain of the insurgents, an old man who was called Anderson.
Conductor Phelps told them he was in charge of the train, and carried the United States mail, and desired to go through. This was granted, and he was given five minutes to pass. Phelps was then conducted to his train, with a man before and behind, with a rifle pointed at his head. He was told not, on pain of death, to look either way. The train immediately left, and that is all I know."
The Baltimore Sun 18 October 1859
"SLAVE INSURRECTION AT HARPER'S FERRY
HEADED BY 250 ABOLITIONISTS
The U. S. Arsenal Seized-Trains Stopped
........The Wheeling express train in charge of Conductor Phelps, reached the Camden station at 12 A. M. yesterday. The train was detained by the rioter's at Harper's Ferry until 7 o'clock in the morning. From Mr. Jacob Cromwell, the baggage master of the train, we gather the following particulars:
STATEMENT OF MR. CROMWELL.
The train reached Harper's Ferry about Twelve o'clock midnight. I knew nothing of the disturbance or the plot going on in the town until the train was stopped on the bridge by a band of armed men. At the request of Conductor Phelps, I went ahead with a lantern, and was immediately confronted by the men who, with rifles at my head, told me to stand. At this moment one of the watermen on the bridge, a colored man named Hayward Sheppard, was confronted in the same way, and being told to stand, became frightened and ran, and was shot through the back.
Thinking that moment was my last chance, I then started and dodged behind the bridge, but was fired after before I could gain shelter. The other watchman at the bridge was subsequently taken by the insurgents, and confined under a guard in the office at the bridge. When this condition of things was made plain to Conductor Phelps, he ordered William Wollery, the engineer, to back the train, and went forward himself and had a conference with the rioters. He was introduced to the reputed captain of the insurgents, an old man who was called Anderson.
Conductor Phelps told them he was in charge of the train, and carried the United States mail, and desired to go through. This was granted, and he was given five minutes to pass. Phelps was then conducted to his train, with a man before and behind, with a rifle pointed at his head. He was told not, on pain of death, to look either way. The train immediately left, and that is all I know."
The Baltimore Sun 18 October 1859
Gravesite Details
Burial Date: 05/20/1891, Permit # 13019
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