But. There are some questions about the story.
Joe Nick - as told by Tom Randall, a former slave, in 1936
"There was a colored man by the name of Joe Nick, called Old Nick by a great many white people of the city. Joe was owned by Reuben Rogers, a lawyer and farmer of Howard County. The farm was situated about 2 1/2 miles on a road that is the extension of Main street, the leading street of Ellicott City.
Joe could read and write and was a good mechanic and wheelright. These accomplishments made him very valuable to Rogers' farm, as wagons, buggies, carriages, plows and other vehicles and tools had to be made and repaired.
When I was about 8 or 9 years old, Joe ran away, everybody saying to join the Union army. Joe Nick drove a pair of horses, hitched to a covered wagon to Ellicott City. The horses were found, but no Nick. Rogers offered a reward of $100 for the return of Nick. This offer drew to Ellicott City a number of people who had blood hounds that were trained to hunt Negroes - some coming from Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard and counties of southern Maryland, each owner priding his pack as being the best pack in the town. They all stopped at the Howard House, naturally drinking, treating their friends and each other, they all discussed among themselves the reward and their packs of hounds, each one saying this his pack was the best. This boasting was backed by cash. Some cash, plus the reward on their hounds.
In the meantime Old Joe was thinking, not boasting, but was riding the rail. Old Joe left Ellicott City on a freight train, going west, which he hopped when it was stalled on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad a short distance from the railroad station at Ellicott City. Old Joe could not leave on the passenger trains, as no Negro would be allowed on the trains unless he had a pass signed by his master or a free Negro and had his papers.
At dawn the hunters left the Howard House with the packs, accompanied by many friends and people who joined up for the sport of the chase. They went to Rogers' farm where the dogs were taken in packs to Nick's quarters so they could get the odor and scent of Nick. They had a twofold purpose, one to get the natural scent, the other was, if Old Nick had run away, he might come back at night to get some personal belongings, in that way the direction he had taken would be indicated by the scent and the hounds would soon track him down. The hounds were unleashed, each hunter going in a different direction without result. Then they circled the farm, some going 5 miles beyond the farm without result. After they had hunted all day they returned to the Howard House where they regaled themselves in pleasures of the hotel for the evening.
In June of 1865 Old Nick returned to Ellicott City dressed in a uniform of blue, showing that he had joined the Federal Army. Mr Reuben Rogers upon seeing him had him arrested, charging him with being a fugitive slave. He was confined in the jail there and held until the U.S. Marshal of Baltimore released him, arresting Rogers and bringing him to Baltimore City where he was reprimanded by the Federal Judge.
This story is well known by the older people of Howard County and traditionally known by the younger generation of Ellicott City, and is called "Old Nick: Rogers lemon"
Federal Writers' Project: Slave Narrative Project, Vol. 8, Maryland, Brooks-Williams. project interviews 1936-7 Reference: Personal Interview with Tom Randall at his home, Oella, Md
Tom Randall (1856- after 1936) recalled this story in 1936, at 80 and when the others involved were dead. His birth date was in the WPA as 1856, so when he was 8 (according to his story) it was about 1863 when Joe Nick escaped. The rest of his interview and more info about him HERE
Reuben Rogers - who was he?
Reuben Rogers was not listed in the 1850 or 1860 census (or variants of spelling). Tom Randall described him: "Reuben Rogers, a lawyer and farmer of Howard County. The farm was situated about 2 1/2 miles on a road that is the extension of Main street." Randall may have confused the name of Joe Nick's owner with Reuben D. Rogers who later became a lawyer and farmer, but born in 1851, was too young; or his grandfather the wealthy Reuben M. Dorsey, not a lawyer.
In the 1861 slave list of Howard County, no Rogers owned slaves and none of Dorsey's slaves were named Joe Nick or variants. HERE. Joe Nick may have changed his name when he ran away, but would have been called by his old name by those who greeted him on his return.
Reuben D Rogers and Reuben Dorsey put no runaway ads in the papers for any name in the 1860s. In fact, there were no ads for a "Joe" or "Nick" from Ellicott City area during this time period. There was no mention in the Baltimore Sun newspaper of a Reuben Rogers being arrested in 1865 and taken to Batimore for claiming his ex-slave (according to Tom Randall's story).
A too young Reuben Dorsey Rogers (1851-1925) would have been 14 in 1865 when he was supposed to own a farm in a different area, had Old Joe arrested, and was sent to Baltimore to answer for his actions. Reuben D. Rogers was listed living with his grandfather in the 1860 census and was elected State's Attorney for Howard County from 1924-1930.
Reuben Rogers was born at the estate "Wyoming" near Ellicott mills to Dr. Samuel Owings Rogers (1824-1854) and Sarah (Sally) Meriweather Dorsey (1824-1854). More on "Wyoming" HERE After his parents died, Reuben Rogers and his brother moved in with grandfather Reuben Dorsey. His aunt Josephine Dorsey (1831-1881) and her husband Anthony Morris Johnson (1820-1891) owned "Wyoming" and had many children. AM Johnson is Wyoming on the 1860 map upper left over large letter O, just above Reuben Dorsey's farm.
Reuben D. Rogers ended up owning his great uncle's "Dorsey Hall" (built about 1810 with additions to about 1850) but he encountered financial difficulty and it was sold at auction in 1914 to Rogers family members so he lived there until his death when it was sold out of the family.
The photo (at top) is of an unknown soldier in the Library of Congress collection.
©2018 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD
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