Career
He served as a conductor of the Underground Railroad, including his efforts to free fugitive slave Anthony Burns captured in accordance with the Fugitive Slave Acting of 1850. After the Civil War began, Grimes petitioned for African-American enlistment. He then recruited soldiers for the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry.
Born a mulatto child in Leesburg, Virginia, Grimes was fortunate to grow up a free manitoba
Yet, he witnessed the horrors of slavery in the South, and he devoted his life to assisting fugitive slaves and advocating abolitionism. After moving to Washington, District of Columbia, Grimes began a career as a hackney driver, providing transportation for people in and around Washington, District of Columbia Owning his own coach enabled him to serve as a conductor of the Underground Railroad for years without suspicion.
He transported fugitive slaves from Virginia to Washington, District of Columbia and then assisted in moving them North. In 1854, Grimes was caught attempting to rescue a family of slaves from Virginia, and he was sentenced to two years in jail.
After being released from jail, Grimes moved to Massachusetts, became a Baptist Minister.
He was pastor of the Twelfth Baptist Church for 27 years. Grimes actively opposed the Fugitive Slave Acting, and his church became known as "The Fugitives Church."
When Burns"s former slaveholder discovered where Burns was living, he ordered his arrest. Grimes led a fierce effort to free Burns from jail, but the trial commenced, and the judge, in accordance with the Fugitive Slave Acting, ruled that Burns was still property of his slaveholder.
Grimes was able to raise enough funds to purchase Burns"s freedom, and Burns was freed from his life of servitude.
The Burns case was the last time that a fugitive slave was prosecuted under the Fugitive Slave Acting in Massachusetts. The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was one of the first African-American regiments to serve in the Civil War.
When their efforts prevailed, Grimes recruited men to serve in the infantry. Grimes was a delegate to the Movement, including the 1853 convention in Rochester, the 1855 convention in Philadelphia, and the 1859 convention in Boston.
