Orindatus Simon Bolivar Wall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Orindatus Simon Bolivar Wall
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| Born | August 12, 1825 Richmond County, North Carolina |
| Died | April 26, 1891 (aged 65) |
| Place of burial | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1866 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Spouse(s) | Amanda Ann Thomas Wall |
Orindatus Simon Bolivar Wall, known as O.S.B. Wall (1825–1891), was an American lawyer and politician. He was born into slavery but became a very important figure during the American Civil War. He was the first black man to become a captain in the regular U.S. Army. O.S.B. Wall was one of several children born to a white plantation owner and an enslaved woman. His father freed him and his siblings, gave them money, and sent them to Ohio for education at Oberlin College. After the war, Wall studied law and became a lawyer.
Wall later moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he worked as a lawyer and became the city's first black justice of the peace. He also served as a police magistrate. He was elected twice to represent a district in Washington's legislative assembly. His family was among the leading African American families in the capital city.
Early Life and Education
Orindatus Simon Bolivar Wall was born in Rockingham, North Carolina. His father was Stephen Wall, a white plantation owner. His mother was Priscilla, an enslaved woman. Stephen Wall freed O.S.B. and some of his siblings in 1838. He sent them north to live in Harveysburg, Ohio, a Quaker settlement. He also gave $1,000 for each child to their guardian, Nathan Dix. This money made the Wall children quite wealthy for their time.
Wall attended Oberlin College in Ohio. He started a successful shoe business in the town of Oberlin, Ohio. Later, he studied law under John Mercer Langston, who was also an activist working to end slavery. Wall married Amanda Ann Thomas Wall, who was also a student at Oberlin.
Fighting for Freedom and Justice
Wall became active with Langston and other people who wanted to end slavery. They worked to resist the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. This law made it harder for enslaved people to escape to freedom. Wall was even arrested for his part in the Oberlin–Wellington Rescue. This was an event where people helped an enslaved man escape.
During the American Civil War, Wall helped recruit soldiers for the Union Army. He was then made a captain. This was a very big deal because he was the first black man to reach that rank in the regular U.S. Army.
After the Civil War, O.S.B. and Amanda Wall moved to Washington, D.C.. They both played active roles during the Reconstruction period. This was a time when the country was rebuilding after the war. Wall graduated from Howard Law School. President Ulysses S. Grant appointed him as the first black justice of the peace in Washington, D.C. He also worked as a police magistrate.
Wall was elected twice to Washington's legislative assembly. He represented a district where most people were white. This showed how respected he was. Later in his life, Wall faced some challenges. He died in 1891. The Walls had five children who grew up and all went to Oberlin College.
