Mary Keesling's husband's Swain family were active in the Underground Railroad according to the History of the Mechanicsburg: "The Underground Railroad -- There was a strong anti-slavery sentiment in Mechanicsburg. The home of John Swain, Sr., north of town was one of the "Underground Railroad Stations." Many a negro was brought here from Greensboro by Daniel Saint who always came in the night, rapped at the door, stepped aside where he could not be seen when the door was opened, and with a laconic "Here's your goods." sped away in the darkness. Mr. Swain, who was a staunch anti-slavery Quaker, took the fugitive slave in, cared for him and, usually on the following night, sent him in charge of one of his own sons to the next Station. John Swain, Jr., now of Middletown, took a number of these slaves to the "Back Creek" Neighborhood near Fairmount where there was another Station, Later, Lewis Swain's home served as a Station. Mrs. Beulah A. Swain who helped care for these slaves had, when a young girl, listened to the inspiring words of the noted anti-slavery speakers. She attended the dedication of the famous "Pennsylvania Hall" where she saw Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Burleigh, the Grimke Sisters, Abby Kelly, and John G Whittier. She heard Lecretia Mott plead for the slave from the pulpit and from the platform, Mrs. Swain now eighty-eight years old, has lived to see the slave for whom she labored enjoy more than forty years of freedom."
