Thomas Garrett

Thomas Garrett was born in 1789 in Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania. He married five times, had two children, and ran a successful business. He helped more than 2,500 African Americans escape slavery. He was arrested for helping Emeline and Samuel Hawkins escape slavery in 1854. Garrett was the inspiration for the character Simeon Halliday in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. He lived in Wilmington, Delaware, which was the last city before Philadelphia within a slave state. He actively participated in the Underground Railroad but was never arrested. A $10,000 bounty was established for his capture. He died on January 25, 1871, at age 53. The full biography is available in two volumes.