Samuel D. Burris

Samuel D. Burris (October 14, 1813 – December 3, 1863) was a member of the Underground Railroad. His parents, George and Mary Burrows, were born free and lived in the Willow Grove area, where they owned property. Burris was "well-educated and eloquent".

Burris worked as a laborer, farmer, and teacher throughout his life. Burris lived in California for the rest of his life.

Underground Railroad Burris was an active member of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society in Philadelphia. He worked on the Underground Railroad as a conductor, guiding Emeline and Samuel Hawkins and other escapees who passed through Camden and Dover. He was sentenced to ten months in jail, a $500 file, and two seven-year sentences of slavery for a total of 14 years. It was believed that he would not come back to his family.

The auction was described as follows:

Later years He continued to assist runaway slaves. Some state that he continued to enter Delaware, Citizens lobbied the state legislature for a law to further discourage Underground Railroad conductors. Burris was mentioned in a law that stipulated that people who tried to abet slaves had 24 hours to leave the state, or they would receive 60 lashes of a whip, Catharine died in San Francisco on September 11, 1869. She was 55 years of age.

Legacy Notified by descendent Ocea Thomas of the presence of his remains, on April 8, 2017, Cypress Lawn held a dedication ceremony honoring Samuel D. Burris. At a ceremony at the Old State House in Dover, Burris was pardoned on November 2, 2015, of all crimes by Governor of Delaware Jack Markell. Some of his descendants, such as Ocea Thomas, attended the ceremony. Thomas read the letter that Burris wrote to his brother while in jail. A plaque, naming Burris for his role in the Underground Railroad, is installed at Peter Spencer Plaza in Wilmington, Delaware. The plaque was subsequently moved to Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park, Wilmington, DE. The story of his life has been illuminated through the research by the Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. Madeline Dunn, one of the staff members initiated the research into Delaware's African American history and developed interpretive programs at the Division's museums. Beverly Laing has been conducting research on Burris since 1996.