Preble County played special role in Underground Railroad
By Eddie Mowen Jr. • emowen@aimmediamidwest.com
PREBLE COUNTY - Historians in Preble County are shining a spotlight on an important part of the county's past, highlighting its role in the Underground Railroad and the local residents who risked their lives to help enslaved people find freedom.
Long before the Civil War, Preble County served as an active route on the Underground Railroad, with churches, private homes and local conductors quietly assisting freedom seekers traveling north toward Canada. Among the most recognized figures connected to that effort is Gabriel Smith, commonly known as "Old Gabe," a formerly enslaved man who became one of the few specifically identified Black conductors associated with the Underground Railroad in southwestern Ohio.
Born enslaved in Maryland in 1803, Smith later gained his freedom and eventually settled in the Fairhaven area of southern Preble County. Historical accounts connect him to Hopewell Church, a congregation founded by settlers opposed to slavery and widely recognized as part of the region's Underground Railroad network. Smith is believed to have worked alongside other anti-slavery supporters to guide escaping enslaved people through Preble County on their journey north.
Much of Smith's documented history centers around the historic Bunker Hill House in Fairhaven. Historical markers and preservation records indicate the property served as a refuge for freedom seekers traveling secretly along Four Mile Creek. Accounts describe a small concealed room beneath a staircase in the home's summer kitchen where escaping enslaved people could hide safely while continuing northward. Today, the site is recognized as a Historic Ohio Underground Railroad Site and is included in the National Park Service's Underground Railroad Network to Freedom listings.
Local historians note that much of the surviving information about Smith and other Underground Railroad participants comes from oral histories, church records, historical markers and preservation research rather than extensive written documentation. Because Underground Railroad operations were conducted in secrecy, many details were intentionally left unrecorded. Even so, multiple independent historical sources consistently identify Smith as an important figure in Preble County's abolitionist history.
Interest in preserving and sharing those stories has expanded in recent years as part of local America 250 efforts. In December 2025, the Preble County Historical Society dedicated a historical marker at the Jesse Stubbs House in West Elkton, recognizing the property's role in the Underground Railroad. The marker dedication was part of a countywide historical plaque initiative created in preparation for America 250, the nationwide observance of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.
According to Preble County Historical Society Director of History and Collections Brittany Corwin, the Jesse Stubbs House traces its origins to 1805. Stubbs, who was born on the property in 1809, later became known for helping freedom seekers traveling through the area. Historical accounts indicate Stubbs and his wife, Mary, provided food, shelter and concealment for escaping enslaved people despite the personal risk involved.
One of the most notable stories tied to Stubbs occurred in 1858, when he reportedly traveled to Kentucky to secure the freedom of the wife and seven children of Craig Langford, a formerly enslaved man. Historical accounts estimate the effort cost more than $5,000 at the time - the equivalent of nearly $200,000 today - demonstrating what historians describe as an extraordinary moral and financial commitment to the anti-slavery movement.
The county's effort to preserve Underground Railroad history continued earlier this year when the Preble County Historical Society unveiled a new exhibit dedicated to the Underground Railroad in Preble County. The exhibit, named in honor of Smith, opened Feb. 28 at the historical society museum on Swartsel Road in Eaton. Executive Director Lisa White credited researchers Walt Mast, Amanda Dowler, Brittany Corwin and the organization's research team for helping bring the exhibit to life.
As America 250 approaches, local historians say the effort is about more than preserving buildings and artifacts. It is also about ensuring the stories of courage, sacrifice and the pursuit of freedom remain part of the county's shared history for future generations.
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