WORTHINGTON, Ohio — For generations, the Kelton House on Town Street has stood as a landmark of freedom and history in downtown Columbus — a documented stop on the Underground Railroad.

But after a gas leak and fire severely damaged the historic home last week, two descendants of an escaped slave connected to its legacy say the loss feels deeply personal.

Rosanna Penn-Fields, the great-granddaughter of Martha Hartway, explained how her family’s story is tied directly to the Kelton House.

“My great-grandmother and her sister Pearl were trying to escape the South, slavery and they were on route by way of the Underground Railroad,” Penn-Fields told 10TV. “It just so happened that Martha Hartway became ill, and they were right there at the Kelton House. They didn’t know that the Keltons w

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