John Noland facts for kids
John Noland (1844 – June 25, 1908) was an enslaved man who was the personal servant of bushwhacker William C. Quantrill during the American Civil War. Noland was a chattel slave owned by Francis Asbury Noland in Jackson County, Missouri.
In 1863, Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation which did not apply to border states like Missouri. Slavery was still legal there and in Kansas where many of Quantrill's actions occurred. There is no conclusive evidence Asbury Noland freed Noland. That same year, Noland may have helped with scouting Lawrence, Kansas before the massacre by Quantrill's men which killed over 143 people.
Life with Quantrill Raiders
According to one historian, several white men in Quantrill’s guerilla group shared Noland’s last name and might have been familial relations. In this time period, it was not unusual for slaveholders to send a servant to camp to perform menial tasks or to “hire out” slaves. It is unknown how John Noland became William Quantrill’s servant and hostler.
In a 1904 letter from William H. Gregg to William E. Connolley, Gregg wrote that he “cornered” John Noland about his role in the Lawrence raid. Noland confirmed that Asbury Noland was his one-time owner. He did not want to cause trouble by talking about the incident but admitted he was sent to Lawrence to spy. He maintained that he had not met up with Quantrill before the raid.
In his memoir, Andrew Walker described Noland as a “brave, resourceful fellow.” Walker was also clear on another claim, "no negro ever fought with us as a regular member of the band". Walker explained that Noland was not a fighter but "John would have done so" had Quantrill allowed it.
Reunion Attendance & Death
Post-war pictures show Noland, an African-American, sitting with his comrades at reunions of the Raiders. Noland tried to attend most of the reunions and was popular among other Quantrill veterans, who described him as "a man among men."
A newspaper article covering the 1905 reunion and his obituary emphasize Nolands’ devotion to Quantrill as a personal servant. John Noland died at the Kansas City Poor Farm at 64 years old. During his life, Noland experienced 21 years in chattel slavery, (1844-1865), 12 years of Reconstruction (1865-1877), and 31 years of Jim Crow laws (1877-1908).
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