Francis Giltner vs. Charles T. Gorham, Oliver C. Comstock, Jr., Asa B. Cook, Jarvis Hurd, John M. Easterly, George Ingersoll, William D. Rector, Herman Camp, Randall Hobart, Planter Moss, William Parker, Charles Bergen and James Smith

Francis Giltner vs. Charles T. Gorham, Oliver C. Comstock, Jr., Asa B. Cook, Jarvis Hurd, John M. Easterly, George Ingersoll, William D. Rector, Herman Camp, Randall Hobart, Planter Moss, William Parker, Charles Bergen and James Smith

Author: U.S. Circuit Court for the Southern (Detroit) Division of the Eastern District of Michigan

Year: 1848

This file consists of a law case that involved Kentucky enslaver Francis Giltner who attempted to recover fugitive escaped enslaved family of Adam and Sarah Crosswhite and their children. Marshall, Michigan resident Charles T. Gorham led a group of townspeople that prevented agents for Giltner in their attempt to return the fugitive enslaved persons to bondage. Besides Gorham, Oliver C. Comstock Jr., James Hurd, Planter Moss, William Parker, Charles Bursan, James Smith, Randall Hobart, George Ingersoll, John M. Easterly, Jarvis Hurd, and Asa B. Cook aided the Crosswhites. This case is considered to have influenced the creation of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. Case includes depositions of most of the individuals involved including Adam and Sarah Crosswhite. The Crosswhites were able to escape their would-be captors and never returned to enslavement.