Guy Beckley (1803–1847) was a

Methodist Episcopal The Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) was the oldest and largest Methodist denomination in the United States from its founding in 1784 until 1939. It was also the first religious denomination in the US to organize itself nationally. In 1939, th ...

minister, abolitionist,

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...

stationmaster, and lecturer. The Guy Beckley House is on the

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an List of federal agencies in the United States, agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government, within the US Department of the Interior. The service manages all List ...

Underground Railroad Network to Freedom The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by Fugitive slaves in the United States, freedom seekers to escape to the slavery in the United States#Abolitionism in the North, abolitionist Northern Un ...

and the Journey to Freedom tour. It stands next to Beckley Park, which was named after him.

Early life and preacher

He was born in

Weathersfield, Vermont Weathersfield is a New England town, town in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,842 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. History The town of Weathersfield was named after Wethersfield ...

. He attended the Methodist Episcopal Church and became a preacher at the age of 19. He was a traveling preacher for nine years for the Methodist Church. Beckley began his career in 1827, when he was admitted on trial to the New England Methodist Conference and was assigned to Rev. William McCoy of

Rochester, Vermont Rochester is a New England town, town in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,099 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The central village is delineated as the Rochester (CDP), Vermont, ...

. He was ordained a deacon in 1830 and an elder in 1831. He was a minister at the Newfane church in Vermont.

Anti-slavery lecturer and recruiter

Beckley was a paid lecturer for the

American Anti-Slavery Society The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist society in the United States. AASS formed in 1833 in response to the nullification crisis and the failures of existing anti-slavery organizations, ...

, traveling throughout New York and New England for three years. He reported that the Society purchased the freedom of twelve enslaved people in 1837. After moving to Ann Arbor around 1840, he continued to lecture against slavery and he recruited residents of Washtenaw County, Michigan to support the

. He sat on the executive committee and was the vice president of the Michigan State Anti-Slavery Society.

Underground Railroad

Although it was a federal crime (

Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 was an Act of the United States Congress to give effect to the Fugitive Slave Clause of the U.S. Constitution ( Article IV, Section 2, Clause 3), which was later superseded by the Thirteenth Amendment, and to al ...

), subject to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine () if caught, he operated an Underground Railroad waystation at 1425 Pontiac Trail beginning in 1842. His house had lower ceilings in his second-story closets that provided niches to hide enslaved people. One of the people that he aided was 16-year-old Caroline Quarlls, who was guided by conductor Lyman Goodnow in 1842. Quarlls' ultimate destination was Canada. Josiah and Minerva Bird Beckley, his brother and sister-in-law, were farmers who operated a waystation at 1709 Pontiac Trail. Beckley had 28 acres of land that adjoined his brother's property. His New England Georgian style house is located on the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom and the Journey to Freedom tour. Located near the house is Beckley Park that was named after him.

Publisher and editor

He published and was co-editor of ''The Signal of Liberty'' (formerly the ''Michigan Freeman'') with Theodore Foster from 1841 to 1847. It published stories of formerly enslaved people, like Robert Coxe, who settled in

Adrian, Michigan Adrian is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Lenawee County, Michigan, Lenawee County. The population was 20,645 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Adrian lies in Michigan's 5th congressional district. The c ...

and people who went through Michigan to Canada on the Underground Railroad.

Personal life and death

Beckley was married twice. On June 8, 1830, he was married to Caroline Walker in

Springfield, Vermont Springfield is a New England town, town in Windsor County, Vermont, Windsor County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 9,062. History The land currently recognized as Springfield is the ...

. She was the daughter of Philenia Spencer and John Walker. The Beckleys had six children together and Caroline died in 1839. In 1839 or 1840, he moved with his wife Phyla and eight children from Vermont to

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, Beckley died at his house in Ann Arbor on December 26, 1847, at which time his oldest child was 15. His wife Phyla died three years later.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Berkley, Guy 1803 births 1847 deaths Underground Railroad people People from Ann Arbor, Michigan Methodist Episcopal Church American publishers (people)