Samuel Gushing operated the underground railroad out of his home in Crete during the first half of the 19th century. It is said that he helped approximately 80-90 slaves escape (History of Will County, 1878). He reported that they would come from a house in Wilmington or Joliet and he would keep them in the upper room of his log cabin and assist them at night to Crown Point, Indiana-the next stop on the underground railroad. He was arrested in 1843 for harboring slaves and the original indictment from Will County states on July 1, 1843 he helped four slaves from Missouri. During the trial, it was found that the prosecuting attorney was not ready and a nolle pros was entered and Mr. Gushing was allowed to return home to continue the Underground Railroad (The History of Will County, 1878). The History of Will County states “Samuel expresses no regret for the part he took in “feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and sheltering the cold and weary, worn traveler, remembering that the Master had said “In as much as ye have done it unto the last of these ye have done it unto me”.
