Knox College's Underground Railroad Legacy Explored

Director Owen Muelder shares insights on Galesburg's abolitionist history

Mar. 16, 2026 at 8:13pm

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Owen Muelder, Director of the Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center at Knox College, provides a detailed look at the college's deep roots in the abolitionist movement and Galesburg's role as a safe haven on the Underground Railroad. From the influence of the Oneida Institute and the Second Great Awakening to the tragic story of escaped slave Susan Richardson, Muelder's lessons shed light on this important chapter of Illinois history.

Why it matters

Galesburg and Knox College played a pivotal role in the abolitionist movement, serving as a hub for the Underground Railroad and providing a safe haven for escaped slaves. Understanding this history is crucial to appreciating the community's longstanding commitment to social justice and the college's legacy as an institution that has championed progressive causes.

The details

Muelder explains how the Oneida Institute in New York, founded by Presbyterian minister George Washington Gale, laid the groundwork for Galesburg's abolitionist leanings by providing an affordable education to students through manual labor. This model inspired influential figures like Charles Finney and Theodore Weld, who went on to become leading voices in the anti-slavery movement. Galesburg's large population of Congregationalist and Presbyterian abolitionists made it a popular destination for escaped slaves, with no known cases of runaways being returned to the South from the city.

  • In the 1820s and 1830s, the Second Great Awakening religious movement took hold, embracing the belief that everyone, including slaves, was worthy of accessing heaven.
  • In the 1840s, Galesburg residents intervened to prevent the capture of escaped slave Susan Richardson and her children, though Richardson was ultimately forced to leave her kids behind.
  • The Lincoln-Douglas debate held at Knox College in 1858 allowed Lincoln to make a strong moral stand against slavery, capitalizing on Galesburg's reputation as an anti-slavery stronghold.

The players

Owen Muelder

The Director of the Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center at Knox College and a leading scholar on the Underground Railroad.

George Washington Gale

A Presbyterian minister who founded the Oneida Institute in New York, which inspired the abolitionist movement and the founding of Galesburg and Knox College.

Charles Finney

A prominent evangelical preacher during the Second Great Awakening who was inspired by Gale and the Oneida Institute.

Theodore Weld

A student at the Oneida Institute who became a leader in the abolitionist movement after being inspired by Finney's preaching.

Susan Richardson

An escaped slave who found refuge in Galesburg, but was ultimately forced to leave her children behind when recaptured.

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What they’re saying

“With manual labor, the Oneida Institute allowed students to attend who normally would not be able to go to college.”

— Owen Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center

“At the heart of the Second Awakening were three beliefs about how you could get to heaven. You needed to repent, embrace Christianity, and perform good works to others. If you did this, everybody was worthy of heaven, including slaves.”

— Owen Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center

“There is no record of any slave that made it as far as Galesburg ever being returned to slavery.”

— Owen Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center

“On Sundays, it was not unusual at all for slave owners after church to have some fellow slave owners over where they had parties and sat on the veranda. The house slaves are bringing out drinks, bringing out lemonade, bringing out food, and many of them said that they learned about how to escape and what to do from listening to slave owners tell stories about those damn people in Galesburg, and that damn abolitionist William T. Allen up in Geneseo, and Lovejoy in Princeton.”

— Owen Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center

“The abolitionists in Galesburg go over to Knoxville. It's early November of 1842. They put her in a sleigh and they take her to Galesburg to safety. They have to convince her that she's going to have to not see those kids again. They tell her, if you go to the kids, many slave owners when slaves escape, immediately sold the slaves, figuring they'd try to run away again. So they convinced her that they'd probably sell the kids away. She wouldn't see them anyway.”

— Owen Muelder, Director, Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center

What’s next

Muelder's lessons provide a rich tapestry of Galesburg and Knox College's abolitionist history, offering valuable insights for those interested in exploring this important chapter further through Muelder's published works and the resources available at the Galesburg Colony Underground Railroad Center.

The takeaway

Galesburg and Knox College's legacy as a hub of the abolitionist movement and the Underground Railroad demonstrates the power of a community committed to social justice and the transformative impact that educational institutions can have in championing progressive causes. This history continues to shape the identity and values of the Galesburg community today.