On our mini vacation last Fall we also visited the Parker House a National Historic Landmark, home of African-American abolitionist, John Parker.
He was the son of a black woman and white plantation owner in Virginia born in 1827.
He was sold to a doctor and was taught illegally to read.
His last owner allowed him to purchase his freedom in 1845 by earning extra money at a foundry.
A former slave who became a successful patented inventor and businessman.
He made Ripley, Ohio his home.
Ripley was a thriving abolitionist town, with over 300 members in the Ripley Anti-Slavery Society.
From his Front Street home he is credited with assisting hundreds of slaves to make their way north to freedom.
The borderlands along the Ohio River was waged around a few houses at the top of the river bank on Front Street. The occupants of these houses were called the Midnight Marauders, very secretive and silent in their ways, but trustworthy and friendly to fugitive slaves.
His foundry sat where this park is today, next to his house.
He has two patents for agricultural inventions, the earliest granted an African-American..
He married Miranda Boulden of Cincinnati, my Nati City.
Parker frequently crossed the Ohio River directly across from his home to bring fugitive slaves into Ohio, keeping the Underground Railroad filled with passengers.
During the Civil War, he was a major recruiter for the 27th Ohio Volunteer Infantry (Colored) Regiment.
Parker was well-known for his activities, and there was a $1,000 price on his head across the river in Kentucky.
Thanks for being a friend
Traveling down the road and back again
Your heart is true and your a friend mine
Signing Off
Sweet William The Scot
Psss ~ In doing Lee's Ancestry research we found her 2nd great-grandfather, Aaron Stratton, was part of the 59th Ohio Infantry in the Union Army during the Civil War. It was organized at Ripley, Ohio, September 12, 1861. He was at the Battle of Shiloh.
Got to get to the Beach Party at Dory's Backyard!
Like a hula, hula hoop, hula, hula hoop, oh
Round and round your loving winds me up!
Round and round your loving winds me up!
Do the Hula
William that was great to learn more about a man who had a heart... and who knew more about moral and humanity than a lot of people around him... it's a scary thought that people were sold once like gods...
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteMy word SW, what a noble person this John Parker was and proof pawsitiff of strong hearts winning through! Thank you for making him known to us all. Hugs and wags, YAM-aunty xxx
A very informative tale about a wonderful man's journey to freedom.
ReplyDeleteSo much history in your neck of the woods. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAroo to you,
Sully
Hi Sweet William and thank you for the tour of the Parker Grounds...you have the most interesting places to visit in your beautiful city. My human sis used to call the merry go round..the round round.
ReplyDeleteHugs madi your So. friend
Sweet William, you are such an awesomely versatile guy. One minute telling us all sorts of interesting stories about these wonderful abolitionists, the next moment hula dancing with style on the beach.
ReplyDeleteToodle pip!
Bertie.
Oh, MY! That was a man of great wisdom and feelings for fellow mankind. He sure regarded others as important or more so than himself, risking his life like that. Thanks so much for sharing this bit of our history...maybe not the nicest part of what we were once like, but still, it is now woven into the fabric of who we all are today.
ReplyDeleteI am Dory's Beach pawrty...sunning on a towel since I felt too wobbly to do much more, BOL! But nevfurtheless I still tried my paw at hula dancing, OMD! BOL!
I think you would enjoy a visit to my city too, we had a part of the underground railroad here too. There is a big monument here and a park.
Here is a tidbit to tantalize you...
An excerpt from this site:
http://www.heritagebattlecreek.org
Quakers Erastus and Sarah Hussey, commemorated on the Battle Creek Underground Railroad monument, were the local conductors who assisted more than 1,000 fugitives to freedom between 1840 and 1855. Many of these freedom seekers chose to stay in Battle Creek instead of continuing to Canada. They built homes, established churches and founded businesses as they integrated themselves into the fabric of the city.
A committed abolitionist and activist, Hussey also edited The Liberty Press, Michigan’s anti-slavery newspaper, and was active in local, state and national Republican politics. As a state Senator, he authored Michigan’s Personal Liberty Law, to counter the onerous provisions of the 1850 federal Fugitive Slave Law.
Woofs!
Love your Hulu skirt.
ReplyDeleteHave a fun time at the beach party.
$1000 wasn't chump change back them. Using the price of gold as the indicator (which it should be) The $1000 reward would be about $65000 today.
ReplyDeleteWe always love your history lessons William.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting history lesson Sweet William. WE had a lot of fun today at the spring break. So glad you joined us!
ReplyDeletehugs
Mr Bailey, Hazel & Mabel
That was very interesting, thanks....
ReplyDeleteSo interesting. Mom loves visiting historical places
ReplyDeleteLily & Edward
We luvs when ya shares yer neck of the woods wiff us... we learns so much! Thanks, Sweet William!
ReplyDeleteLove your history visits :) Looking good in that grass skirt Sweet William!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteYour blog is very useful for me.I really like you post.Thanks for sharing.
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