United States, 3rd Oct 2026 - Long before it became a quiet chapter of local memory, the corridor running through Volney, New York was part of a much larger and more dangerous story. Author Jim Hinman's forthcoming book, "The Story of James W. Seward and the Underground Railroad: And the Bristol Hill Church," draws that history back into view, centering it on one figure history nearly forgot: James Watkins Seward.
Hinman's research reconstructs Seward's world through primary sources rarely examined together: correspondence with abolitionist Gerrit Smith and Seward's own dictated words, recorded before his 1841 execution in Missouri. Woven through the narrative is the story of the historic Bristol Hill Congregational Church in Volney, a site with deep ties to the region's abolitionist movement.
“This isn’t just Seward’s story, it’s a window into a whole network of ordinary people who risked everything for freedom,” Hinman explains. “Central New York played a real part in that history, and much of it has simply never been told.”
The book situates Seward's life within the broader movement of the Underground Railroad, offering readers a regionally grounded account that complements the larger, more widely known narratives of the era.
"The Story of James W. Seward and the Underground Railroad: And the Bristol Hill Church" is scheduled for release across major digital and print retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
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