By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Harold Finley's family history is one that will interest everyone.
It started with his great-great-grandfather, Pasquel LaRue Finley, who first came to Niles in 1848 to work for the railroad. After working there two years, he saved enough money to purchase a piece of property, which is now the home the Jerry Tyler Memorial Airport.
But that's not the most interesting fact about Finley's great-great-grandfather. Not only was he against slavery, but he also built wagons with special compartments hidden on the bottom, where he would hide slaves and and help them reach freedom through the Underground Railroad.
"He did not like slavery, even from a very young age. Because of this, he was disowned by his family because they wanted nothing to do with someone who was against slavery," Finley explained.
For that, Pasquel's family gave him $1,000 of a family inheritance and sent him on his way. Coming from Virginia, Pasquel knew of Niles as he made many stops in and around the area, especially traveling the Underground Railroad that ran through Cassopolis.
On one of his final trips, after making a stop at a local general store to purchase food, someone discovered slaves hiding in his wagon. He knew the only way out was to escape through the woods.
Some time later, after ending up in Ohio, he met his wife, Sarah Nukes. Together, they had four children. Pasquel sold real estate, but knew he could not stay in Ohio.
"Back then, it was said that if you had a drop of Negro blood on you, you were considered a slave, so he knew he had to leave there," Finley said.
That's when he decided to come to Niles.
Of course, there is a lot more detail to the story. Finley is proud of his strong family his in this community and said next year, at the family reunion, they will celebrate 160 years of being in Niles.
"We've had up to eight generations living here at one time. That's something I'm really proud of," he said.
Tonight, Finley will tell a more in-depth story of his family at the Friends of Silverbrook meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. at the Law Enforcement Complex.