Underground Railroad house in Indiana gets historical marker

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - An Underground Railroad safe house in Indiana has received a historical marker.

The Lafayette chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution unveiled the marker on Saturday. It commemorates the work of Quaker couple Buddell and Elizabeth Sleeper, who helped runaway slaves escape to Canada.

"It is important that we preserve our history so that it is not lost," said Katherine Windle Cox, a DAR historian. "Tippecanoe County has some rich history that we want to share and educate others about."

Cox is a descendant of the Sleeper family. Old letters and notes provided proof that the Sleepers were involved in the Underground Railroad, she said.

The Sleepers moved to the area in 1835. The marker will detail their contributions to the Underground Railroad, such as hiding runaways under a trap door and shielding them with bags of wheat as they transported them to the next safe house.

"What a legacy of not living for yourself but to help those who need help and doing what's right," Cox said.

The group began fundraising for the project in August and was able to raise $6,300, double the original fundraising goal, Cox said. The extra funds will be used for a live storytelling event about the Underground Railroad.

The unveiling ceremony featured a speech about Quakers, slavery and the Underground Railroad from Thomas Hamm, a professor at Earlham College.