Discovering Black History in Southeast Ohio

By June 1, 1805, all Black residents of Ohio were required to register themselves and children with county authorities. The registration fee was 12-1/2 cents.  The following entries are contained in a ledger with the spine title, Marriage Record, Vol. 1, Probate Court of Washington County, Ohio. The ledger also has a label identifying its contents as Marriage Records - Ministers Licenses - Court Records. The entries are made on an unnumbered page in the last quarter of the ledger. Office of Clerk  28th Sepr 1805 This day Silpher Extor a black Girl of the age eighteen years having been born in the State of Connecticut, & lived with & in the family of George D Avery of Bellsvill [now in West Virginia] till the month of July last past came forward and entered herself in this office as is provided by a Law of this state regulating Black & Mulatto persons &c.                           ...

The Marietta Register , March 28, 1867 The suit of William D. Myers vs. William Devol, Alfred Marshall and John Gearhart, Trustees of Muskingum township, for rejecting plaintiff's vote at the last October Election on account of his color, went to the jury in our Common Pleas this week, who gave a verdict of $120 against Marshall and Gearhart. The case of I. F. Norman against the same parties, for the same cause, was submitted to the Court and $25 given against all three of the Trustees. The attorneys were Harte & Stafford, and Alban for plaintiffs; Oldham, Follett and Loomis for defendants. It was proved that both Myers and Norman were legal voters, each having a majority of white blood - voters under the "Democratic" Constitution as construed by a "Democratic" Court. Why cannot Democrats stand up to their own laws?

On June 28, 2006, Governor Robert A. Taft signed legislation enacting section 5.2234 of the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio House Bill 393, to designate September 22 as Emancipation Day in honor of the anniversary of the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln on September 22, 1862. The First Ohio Colored Regiment. / John M. Langston, colored, made a speech at the Court House, Tuesday night of this week, in behalf of the 1 st Ohio Colored Regiment, in Camp Delaware – asking for aid and recruits. We did not hear him, but learn from several who did that he made an eloquent speech, not surpassed in power by any one who has spoken in Marietta, this year. The house was filled, and at the close, the sum of $260 was raised and paid for the Regiment. It will be borne in mind that the Government does not pay bounty as for white recruits, the law not authorizing it. The colored people present raised $10 towards procuring colors for the Regiment. Two recruits were obtaine...