Cornwall Dickinson Farm
Introduction
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Backstory and Context
Text-to-speech Audio
The Underground Railroad in Iowa
John Brown Freedom Trail 1859 - Stop Number Ten: Near Grinnell, Iowa
Iowa Freedom Trail Project
On February 19, 1859, John Brown’s group stopped at the Cornwall Dickinson Farm on the far eastern edge of Jasper County (see map). The Dickinson Farm was located at the site of the Interstate Highway 80 Eastbound Mile Post 181 Rest Area.
With mild winter weather, John Brown and his entourage stayed only one night at the Dickinson's before continuing on to Grinnell.
Dickinson was a 45 year old farmer, originally from Ashtabula County, Ohio – an antislavery stronghold. He and his wife Rebecca had six children. Based on research at the State Historical Society of Iowa Research Center, we know that Dickinson purchased two parcels of land in Poweshiek County and moved his family there in 1864.
Next Stop: Grinnell, Iowa
Sources
Iowa and the Underground Railroad
https://iowaculture.gov/sites/default/files/History%20-%20Education%20-%20Lifelong%20Learning%20-%20Iowa%20Underground%20Railroad%20(PDF).pdf