Randolph Freedpeople facts for kids

The Randolph Freedpeople were 383 people who were freed from slavery by their owner, John Randolph of Roanoke. They were also known as the Randolph Slaves. John Randolph was an American politician who decided to free them in his will.

A Promise of Freedom

John Randolph's Wills

John Randolph was a politician who owned a large farm in Virginia. He had 383 enslaved people working on his 6,000-acre property. He wrote three different wills over the years. These wills had different plans: one would free the enslaved people and buy land for them, while another would sell them.

When Randolph passed away in 1833, his family disagreed about which will was valid. After 13 years, in 1846, a court decided that his 1821 will was the correct one. In this will, Randolph wrote that he gave "to all my slaves their freedom." He also said he was very sorry he had ever owned anyone. He set aside $8,000 to buy land for them to live on. A judge named William Leigh, who was in charge of carrying out the will, bought 2,000 acres in Mercer County, Ohio.

The Journey to Ohio

In 1846, the Randolph Freedpeople began their journey to Ohio. They had 16 wagons, but most of them walked. They camped in tents along the way. After about a month, they reached Kanawha, West Virginia. From there, they took a steamboat to Cincinnati. Then, they traveled up the Miami and Erie Canal to Mercer County, Ohio.

When they arrived in Mercer County, they faced a big problem. Other settlers, who were armed, stopped them. These settlers told the Freedpeople they had to leave by the next morning. They also said the Freedpeople would not get the land that had been bought for them. The settlers even wrote a statement saying they would not live among Black people and would "resist the settlement of blacks and mulattoes in this country to the full extent of our means."

Because of this, the Randolph Freedpeople could not settle in Mercer County. Instead, they spread out and created new communities in Miami and Shelby counties. One of these new places was called Randolph Settlement, near Rossville, Ohio. In 1857, one of the Freedpeople, William Rial, bought land there, officially starting the settlement. This area later became the site of the African Jackson Cemetery.

Later Years and Legacy

Reunions and a Lawsuit

In July 1900, the Randolph Freedpeople who were still alive held a reunion. They formed a group called the Randolph Ex-Slaves Association. About 62 of the original people from Virginia attended, along with those who had been born in Ohio. These reunions happened every year from 1900 to 1906, with 100 to 300 people attending each time.

In 1907, 170 of the Freedpeople filed lawsuits. They wanted money or the land in Mercer County that they had been prevented from settling on. They asked for $38,000. However, the court ruled that they could not get compensation because too much time had passed. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States, but the court agreed with the earlier decision.

Remembering Their Story

The story of the Randolph Freedpeople is still remembered today. In 2017, the city of Piqua, Ohio opened an information center about them. During the opening ceremony, a minister washed the feet of the mayor, Kazy Hinds, as a sign of coming together.

In 2018, the Piqua Public Library showed a special exhibit called "Freed Will: The Randolph Freedpeople from Slavery to Settlement." This exhibit was created by the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center and the Ohio History Connection.