Juneteenth celebrates Fairfield’s past

Editor:

Juneteenth should be celebrated with the same fervor that Independence Day is celebrated here in Fairfield. Juneteenth marks the last day of slavery in the United States. Fairfield played a very important role in everything that led up to that day in 1865.

Slavery was an anathema to most who settled in Jefferson County in the 1830s and 1840s. Currently it is believed that some of the very founders of our city worked actively to help freedom seekers from Missouri. They would certainly celebrate Juneteenth. Possibly Fairfield was settled in part to help with the Underground Railroad.

The most prominent of early citizens, Ward Lamson, would certainly celebrate Juneteenth. His work in the Underground Railroad is yet unknown, but his brother was a conductor, and his father was jailed for his anti-slavery sentiments. Lamson entertained prominent Underground Railroad conductor and father of Louisa May Alcott, Bronson Alcott. I believe that Ward Lamson certainly would celebrate Juneteenth.

Lamson’ s neighbor was Sen. James F. Wilson. Sen. Wilson worked on writing the 13th Amendment to the constitution which made Juneteenth possible. Wilson gave us our Carnegie Historical Museum, the First National Bank, a block of buildings bear his name, and his house still stands. That house would be the center of a Juneteenth celebration if Wilson were still here.

Christian Slagle, who gave us Chautauqua Park, came to Jefferson County carrying the seeds of freedom. His family was from Washington County, Pennsylvania, which gave us such luminaries as Robert McElhinney, Al McKemy and Joshua Monroe Shaffer. All stood four square against slavery and would certainly celebrate Juneteenth if they were with us today.

Twelve hundred young men from Jefferson County fought in the war that ended slavery. Mehetibel Woods made sure their feet were warm and dry with socks and supplies. They would all celebrate Juneteenth loudly and proudly.

James and Nancy Yancy came to Fairfield as free Blacks. They pitched in to keep freedom seekers safe and moving north. They would definitely celebrate Juneteenth. As would Robert Winn. Winn found out that the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed as he escaped through Jefferson County. He immediately joined the Union Army. Upon mustering out, he settled in Fairfield.

The editor of our newspaper in Fairfield, The Ledger, during the 1850s was W.W. Junkin, an ardent abolitionist who had an editor of proslavery newspaper hauled off to Washington in chains for his proslavery stance, and shot the leader of the Iowa Democratic Party (all was forgiven later) would most certainly be celebrating Juneteenth.

The list of those in Fairfield who helped bring about Juneteenth is long. Many are laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery. Remembering and celebrating Juneteenth is remembering and celebrating our past. The city should be planning for our first Juneteenth celebration in 2022. We have a lot to celebrate.

Stan Plum

Fairfield