William Camp Gildersleeve (1795-1871)
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Prominent merchant and ardent abolitionist significant to the Underground Railroad in Wilkes-Barre. He provided refuge to fugitive slaves at his home and business near here. In 1853, Gildersleeve testified in a U.S. Supreme Court case, Maxwell vs. Righter, in which a fugitive, William Thomas, was shot and wounded by deputy U.S. marshals. The case and his testimony received national attention, especially in African American newspapers.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
A prosperous Wilkes-Barre merchant, William Camp Gildersleeve turned his home and business into a refuge for freedom seekers, making him a central figure in the Underground Railroad of the Wyoming Valley. In 1853 he testified in a widely reported federal case arising from the shooting of a fugitive named William Thomas by deputy marshals—testimony that drew national notice, especially in African American newspapers. His public stand came amid the fierce national conflict over the Fugitive Slave Act.
Why it matters
Gildersleeve shows how a respected Northern businessman used his standing to shelter the enslaved and publicly challenge the machinery of slave-catching before the Civil War.
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Related people
- · William Camp Gildersleeve
- · William Thomas
Related events
- · Underground Railroad
- · Maxwell v. Righter
Themes & tags
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