Susan Richardson

Susan Richardson (June 6, 1810 – June 16, 1904), also known as Aunt Susan and Susan Van Allen, was an enslaved person who escaped and later helped to found Allen Chapel AME in Galesburg, a town that was a known safe haven on the Underground Railroad. Her escape prompted the 1844 Illinois Supreme Court case Borders v. Hayes. Richardson helped escaped slaves on the underground railroad while she lived in Galesburg.

Early life Susan “Sukey” Richardson, was born Susan Neil on June 6, 1810, in Virginia. She was enslaved by Andrew Borders after he received her from a dowry from his marriage to Martha Borders. The Borders’ moved from Georgia to Randolph County, Illinois on January 1, 1816, almost moving their four slaves, including Richardson. Illinois required all indentured servants to be registered, although it was considered a “free” territory. On January 10, 1817, at the age of five, Susan was officially indentured to Borders.

At the time of her escape, Richardson was about 31 years old and brought her three sons with her: Jarrot, about 12 years old, Anderson, almost 4, and Harrison, about 2. Another source claimed that her oldest child was 17 years old. Given descriptions of Jarrot, it is likely that Borders fathered Jarrot, most likely without Richardson's consent. It is reported that Borders threatening her sons prompted Richardson to run away along with 19/20 year-old Hannah, daughter of Sarah Morrison, a previous runaway slave of Borders. The court case originated after Andrew Borders badly wounded Sarah Morrison's arm, an indentured servant he had acquired in 1825. The next night, Morrison escaped and went to the neighboring house of Matthew Chambers, and then later fled as to not be found by the Borders. Borders blamed the neighborhood for stealing and secreting his property.

Richardson’s escape to freedom

Richardson escaped slave owner Andrew Borders on September 15, 1842, with her three children, accompanied by Hannah Morrison, another indentured servant to the Borders family. On this journey, the enslaved people apparently arrived at William Hayes’ farm outside of Eden. Hayes allegedly helped Richardson and the children on their journey to Knoxville as their final destination. Testimonies from several residents living in Knoxville advocated for Hayes’ involvement in the escape. One claimed that Hayes had accompanied Richardson on a boat "up to the mouth of Coperras Creek" while another said part of the fugitives’ journey was in Hayes’ wagon. A citizen even claimed that Hayes had obtained certificates proving the slaves were free. Other witnesses argued against his participation in general. Hayes himself said he never aided the escape of the slaves in question.

After the auction, Richardson and her children were released from police custody. As runaways, Richardson rented a home in Knoxville and became a housekeeper, the same position she had with Borders. Her two young boys assisted with her cleaning job while Jarrot, the oldest, worked at a nearby farm.

Late November, early December 1843, Borders arrived in Knox County with indentured papers for Richardson and her children. After showing these documents to Sheriff Peter Frans, Borders and the sheriff went to retrieve the boys from their hotel. According to the History of Knox County, Borders met the younger children in the hallway of the hotel they were hiding at. Unfortunately, the oldest son was also unable to escape. Borders claimed that he could not get to Richardson because she “either ran away or was taken away.” Grief-stricken, Richardson wanted to go after her children, but her friends persuaded her to escape.

Borders v. Hayes court cases On February 8, 1843, Borders sued Hayes for $2,500 in damages for aiding the escape of Susan Borders, Hannah Morrison, and Susan's three children, Jarrot, Anderson, and Harrison. Originally, the case was going to take place in Randolph County, but, on April 28, it was moved to Pinckneyville, Perry County, Illinois because the defendant, Hayes, felt that the residents of Randolph county were prejudiced against him for his involvement in the Underground Railroad. The trial began on April 18, 1844. During this case James Shield was the judge appointed by the supreme court justices.

Borders tried to argue that Susan Richardson and her kids were rightfully his property and that William Hayes had broken the law by aiding and helping them to escape from the border's house. Hayes protested the legality of the case. He lost, and Borders was awarded $300 by the court, which covered the costs of finding and retaking Hannah, Richardson, and her children. Hayes then asked the court to grant a retrial because:

The verdict was contrary to law The verdict was contrary to evidence Improper evidence was permitted to go to the jury The court misdirected the jury

The court refused, so Hayes appealed the case to the Illinois Supreme Court. His attorneys argued that some of the counts in the case had been misjoined and that the process by which Richardson's children had been bound out into Borders’ ownership was performed in error and therefore void. They also argued that the registry of slaves from the Randolph county clerk was not properly certified and was filled out by an incorrect authority, that improper instructions were given to the jury which unjustly favored Borders, and that the court's refusal to grant a retrial was in error. Borders’ attorneys argued that the misjoinder did not occur, there was no defect in the registry, it was properly certified by the correct court authority, the court did not err in providing alternate instructions, and that the refusal to grant a retrial was not an error. The supreme court sided with Borders throughout the appeal and upheld the Perry Circuit Court's judgment. Justice Thomas wrote the opinion of the court, and Justice Lockwood dissented.

Freedom and later life After coming to Galesburg, Richardson moved into a house at the northeast corner of West street and Ferris street. She adopted the names, “Aunt Susan,” “Aunt Sukey (Suky),” and “Mrs. Richardson” after living in Galesburg. In 1846, she married Harry Van Allen. They had three children together, named Evelene, Mary, and Owen.

Allen Chapel AME In 1851, Richardson began to host prayer meetings at her house for the growing black community of the town. In 1853, their gatherings coalesced into a church led by Rev. J. W. Early. In 1855, Richardson learned of an A. M. E. meeting in Chicago. In 1858, Rev. Woodfork came from the conference to Galesburg to help the church move from Richardson's house to a permanent location, and, by 1860, A. M. E. Allen Church was constructed at 153 E. Tompkins Street. Richardson's husband, Thomas Richardson, was one of the founding trustees of the new church.

Richardson died of old age on the afternoon of June 16, 1904 in the Chicago home of her daughter, Mary Fleming, and was buried in Hope cemetery in Galesburg. One of her great-granddaughters was Susan E. Cannon Allen, an African-American suffragist and temperance activist.