Walton Family & the Neel's Creek Anti-Slavery Society 1839-1845

A Walton Family Story

On Saturday evening, January 5, 1839 a meeting was held in the public school-house on Neel's Creek in Jefferson County, Indiana for the purpose of forming an anti-slavery society. It looks like 73 people attended the meeting and gave their names as members of the new society. Among those new members are a bunch of our relatives. Circled at the lower left is the name of Abraham Walton (1777-1859) who was Rhoda (Walton) Rowlison's grandfather. In the left column outlined in yellow is the name of Isaiah Walton, Rhoda's father. Other marked names were members of Abraham Walton's extended family, sons, daughters, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law and other connected people

The founding members of the Neel's Creek Anti-Slavery Society, January 5, 1839 in
Jefferson County, Indiana near the town of Lancaster.

To place this meeting in context, remember that Jefferson County is on the north bank of the Ohio River across from Kentucky, a slave state. And that this society was formed in the first days of 1839, twenty-two years before the Civil War.

The small town of Lancaster, Indiana promotes the Neel's Creek Society including the preserved house of Lyman Hoyt shown here.

Lyman Hoyt House, on the west edge of Lancaster, Indiana

I was told that there is the "Walton House" is also still standing but the two fellows I talked to that day "weren't sure" where it was. Pressed for time, I did not do my due diligence - maybe next time.

An online search will lead you to references, and chances to acquire, the "minute book" for the Neel's Creek Society. Thanks to correspondence with the Phillips of Franklin, Tennessee some twelve years ago, I have a copy of the transcription of the minute book. 

The Minute Book will be at the reunion. -  Jerry