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* A historical heirloom carried through th … * A historical heirloom carried through the Underground Railroad to Ripley, Ohio, from Kentucky.
* Tomato seeds of this variety, which later came to be called Aunt Lou’s Underground Railroad, were carried by a black man as he traveled on the Underground Railroad from Kentucky. The black man - unfortunately we don’t know his name - came from Kentucky and arrived in Ripley, Ohio, where many slaves crossed the river to freedom. Ripley is home to [http://www.ripleyohio.net/htm/rankin.htm Rankin House], a well-known stop on the Underground Railroad and now a museum. He grew these tomatoes there, and later shared seeds with a woman named Lou, who later shared seeds with her great nephew Francis Parker. Sixty years later Francis, who lives in Sardinia, Ohio, shared seeds with Wilfred Ellis, owner of Ellis’ Feed Mill. Francis died in 2010 but approved the addition of Underground Railroad to the name. Wilfred shared them with Susan Barber and Gary Millwood.
* First offered in the Seed Savers 2010 Yearbook by Maria Stenger, Kentucky (KY ST M), who received seeds from Gary Millwood, Kentucky. ceived seeds from Gary Millwood, Kentucky.
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