Breaking Chains: Slavery on Trial in the Oregon Territory

Tells The Story Of The Only Slavery Case Ever Adjudicated In Oregon Courts - Holmes V. Ford. Drawing On The Court Record Of This Landmark Case, Nokes Offers An Intimate Account Of The Relationship Between A Slave And His Master From The Slave's Point Of View. He Also Explores The Experiences Of Other Slaves In Early Oregon, Examining Attitudes Toward Race And Revealing Contradictions In The State's History. Oregon Was The Only Free State Admitted To The Union With A Voter-approved Constitutional Clause Banning African Americans And, Despite The Prohibition Against Slavery, Many In Oregon Tolerated It, And Supported Politicians Who Were Pro-slavery, Including Oregon's First Territorial Governor--unedited Summary From Book Cover. First Slaves -- The Good Life In Missouri -- Lure Of Oregon -- On The Trail -- Freedom Delayed -- Oregon's Dixie -- Land And More Land -- The Applegate Trail -- Oregon's Lash Law? -- The Cockstock Affair -- Gold Miners And Slaves -- My Children Held As Slaves? -- Holmes Vs Ford, Day-by-day -- Ford's Secret Strategy -- Enter Judge Williams -- Reuben Shipley -- They Weren't Alone -- An Army Slave -- The Free State Letter -- Let Voters Decide -- The Great Slavery Non-debate -- Consecrate!!!--oregon For Whites -- Voters Do Decide -- A Voice For Equality -- Reuben And Mary Jane -- Who Was Reuben Ficklin -- Mary Jane's Final Trial -- Slaveholders' Last Stand -- Moving On. R. Gregory Nokes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 209-214) And Index.