100 tons Hay with potatoes & other crops in smaller quantity but
enough to do him.
He raises most of his meat. Has twelve horses & fifteen cows.
He is a good churchman, attends, counsels and pays. Believes in
lodges & helps them too. His city property is said to be worth
from $15,000 to $20,000. His obligations he says are very slight,
well within his ability to handle. The best citizens of the
community are loud in praise of him.
Mr. Fountain Randolph went up with the colony a boy. He is not
very active now & has not prospered as Giles has, but lives in
his own house of brick with four rooms I think, and is still
respected by the community. He & Giles lead in trying to keep the
descendents of the colony together & in the effort to get the
land which it is claimed was bought for them.
Randolph still lives in Piqua. A son of his, John S. Randolph was
born there, educated in the city schools, and was called to
Macon, Ga. several years ago to teach in the schools there, is
reported to have done well, established a school at Montezuma,
Ga. known as Bennett University. I have not had chance to look
him up or his work.
A Miss Anna Jones born at Troy, O. is a descendent who has been
prominent as teacher I was told. Mr. Fountain Randolph said she
now lives & teaches at Wilberforce as Mrs. Coleman. I wrote Prof.
Scarborough about her but have not heard from him.
Mr. Robert Gordon living at Troy is prospering in business and is
greatly helped--says Mr. Randolph, by his wife who is one of the
descendants.
Mr. Samuel White at Troy is a prosperous farmer owning his farm &
is a successful Tobacco grower. He is a descendent.
Mr. Cash Evans is a prosperous barber in Piqua. He is one of the
descendants & is said to own several houses there.
In the summer of 1901 Messrs Goodrich Giles & Fountain Randolph
started what became known as "The Randolph Slave Society."
It grew out of a custom in Ohio of holding what they call "Family
Reunions" one day in each year. This is a day of feasting and
special amusement of some kind when all the members and relatives
of a family from far and near are brought together and rejoice
among themselves.
The day chosen is usually the anniversary of the birth of some
member of the family when all others make special effort to cheer
that one, bringing presents & greetings of various sorts.
* * * * *
Giles & Randolph being impressed with this, arranged for a picnic
and invited all the members of the Randolph colony that could be
reached and their descendents. A number came and spent the day
pleasantly together. A permanent organization was effected. Mr.
Fountain Randolph was made President & still holds that position.
That meeting and later ones attracted attention. The Newspapers
got interested and began to write them up. The story of their
going into Ohio, of the land which was said to have been bought
for them in Mercer Co., and of the refusal of the settlers to
permit them to occupy the land and more was set forth in the
papers. Then lawyers began to talk with them about the lands. A
colored lawyer named Henderson from Indianapolis was among the
first to call upon them advising that the land could be secured.
He was employed to look it up, He advised & secured the
employment of a white lawyer, Mr. Johnson at Salina, O. in Mercer
Co. to assist him in working out the matter. Mr. Johnson is said
to have a certified copy of the Randolph will providing for the
liberation of the slaves--their transportation into Ohio, the
purchase of land for them, its distribution among them etc. How
much money has been raised for the lawyers I could not find but
some money has been raised & more probably will be.
Speaking of John Randolph the Master, old Mr. Fountain Randolph
said "my father said he had lots of peculiarities about him. He
never sold a slave & never allowed them to be abused. He never
sold any produce as corn, meat and stuffs used by the slaves
without first enquiring of the slaves if they could spare it. He
would say to the person wanting to buy "You must ask my slaves."
"and my mother said:" continued Mr. Randolph "He would often go
among his slaves, parents & children & pat them on the head
saying 'all these are my children.' His chief body guard was a
faithful slave called John White for whom some special mention &
provision was made in the will."
This man went with the colony to Ohio, was respected by the
others & treated by them just as if he had not been favored by
the Master, says Mr. Randolph.
The master gave as his reason for not marrying that should he
die--his heirs would want to hold the slaves or sell them and he
wanted neither of the things to happen.
He often called the slaves together and asked which they
preferred: "Freedom while he lived or after his death and they
always said after his death."
Mr. Fountain Randolph has in his possession an old copy of "Life
of Randolph of Roanoke" written by Hugh A. Garland, & Published
in New York in 1850 by D. Appleton & Co. and Published in Phila.
the same year by G. S. Appleton & Co. It is in two volumes. Mr.
Randolph had both Vols. but loaned Volume I to the Indianapolis
lawyer & has not been able to get it back.
The Randolph will is set forth in Vol. II from which I made the
following notes:
Will 1st written in 1819 & left with Dr. Brockenbrough saying:
"I give my slaves their freedom to which my conscience tells me
they are justly entitled. It has long been a matter of deepest
regret to me that the circumstances under which I inherited them
and the obstacles thrown in the way by the laws of the land have
prevented my emancipating them in my life time which it is my
full intention to do in case I can accomplish it. All the rest &
residue of my estate (with exceptions herein after made) whether
real or personal, I bequeath to Wm. Leigh, Esq., of Halifax, Atty
at Law, to the Rev. Wm. Meade of Frederic and Francis Scott Key
Esq., of Georgetown, D. C. in trust for the following uses and
purposes viz:
1st To provide one or more tracts of land in any of the States or
Territories not exceeding in the whole 4000 acres nor less than
2000 acres, to be partitioned & apportioned by them in such
manner as to them shall seem best, among the said slaves.
2nd To pay the expense of their removal & of furnishing them with
necessary cabins, clothes & utensils."
In 1821 another Will was written saying: 1st I give and bequeath
to all my slaves their freedom--heartily regretting that I have
ever been the owner of one.
2nd I give to my executor a sum not exceeding $8,000 or so much
thereof as may be necessary to transport & settle said slaves to
& in some other state or Territory of the United States, giving
to all above the age of 40 not less than ten acres of land each.
Then special annuities to his "old faithful servants Essex & his
wife, Hetty, same to woman servant Nancy to John (alias Jupiter)
to Queen and to Johnny his body servant." In 1826 a codicil was
written confirming previous wills. In 1828 a codicil to will in
possession of Wm. Leigh Esq., confirming it as his last will and
testament revoking any and all other wills or codicil at variance
that may be found.
In 1831 on starting home from London another codicil adding to
former provisions as follows:
Upwards of 2000 £ were left in the hands of Baring Bros, & Co of
London & upwards of 1000 £ in the hands of Gowan & Marx to be
used by Leigh as fund for executing the will regarding the
slaves.
Respectfully yours,
The following account and the clipping attached thereto give an
interesting story of the success and the philanthropy of a Negro:
I was born in Milledgeville, Ga. about the year 1867. My mother
belonged to a white man by the name of Dr. Garner Edwards. My
father belonged to a different family. About two weeks after I
was born my mother died. She was still working for the same
people who once owned her. She was much liked by them so they
decided to keep her child and try and raise it. They taught me at
home so when I went to school I knew how to read and write. They
sent me to a school four or five years. Dr. Edwards had a son by
the name of Miller or (Buck) Edwards. It was through him that I
received my schooling as Dr. was old and Miller was the support
of the house. After years Miller died and I had to stop school
and go to work. I worked in a number of stores in Milledgeville
and was always trusted.
My earnings I always carried them home and gave them to the white
people. They never asked me for anything. They gave me all I made
but I thought they needed it more than I, so that went on for a
number of years. At this time I was about twenty years old so I
told them I was going to Macon, Ga. to work. I secured work at
the Central R. R. Shop. I worked on the yard a number of months.
During that time I was called off the yard at different times to
work in the office when some one wanted to get off. Finally I was
given one office to clean up. My work was so satisfactory until I
was moved from the shop to the car shed and was given a job of
delivering R. R. Mail. I was promoted three times in two years.
It was then where I became acquainted with a route agent. He
boarded at the same house. We were often in conversation. He was
telling me of a daughter he had in school. I told him I wanted to
go but I was not able. He ask me did I know Booker Washington. I
said no. He said well he runs a school where you can work your
way through school. I told him I would like to go so he gave me
the address. I wrote and received a little pamphlet. I was
looking for a catalogue so I was much disappointed in getting
this little book and said it was not much. But I decided to go
and try. I did not have much money. I had been living high in
Macon and spending all I made. I did not stay to make more but
left in about four weeks after I received the first letter. I
asked for a pass to Montgomery. It was given me. I arrived in
Montgomery with 10 or 12 dollars. I said well I am going to
school so I will have a good time before going so I got broke did
not know any one, thought my trip was up. I walked up the street
one morning. In passing a drug store I saw a young man inside. I
step back a few steps to look again. I recognized it to be some
one I knew some years ago so the first thing came in mind was to
borrow enough money from him to take me to Tuskegee. After a long
talk he asked me where I was going and what I was doing there, so
now was my chance. I told him I was on my way to Tuskegee. He
said it was a fine that he had worked up there. I told him I had
spent all the money I had and wanted to borrow enough to get
there which he very liberally responded. But before I saw him I
begged a stamp and some paper and wrote to Mr. Washington that if
he would send me the money to come from there I would pay him in
work when I came. I received an answer from Mr. Logan stating
that if I would go to work there it would not be long before I
would get enough money to come on so I borrowed some money from
that man and landed there with $3.40. The food was very poor so I
soon ate that up. I was not satisfied at first and wanted to
leave but I did not have any money and did not want to write home
because I did not want my white people to know where I was until
I accomplished something so I made up my mind that if all these
boys and girls I see can stay here, I can too. So I was never
bothered any more. I went to work at the brick mason's trade
under Mr. Carter. They did not have any teacher at that time.
Soon after Mr. J. M. Green came and I learned fast and was soon
a corner man. I was a student two years and nine months. After
that time I secured an excuse and left for home. I was very proud
of my trade and all seemed to be surprised as no one knew where I
was but my white people. I wrote to them once a month and they
always answered and would send me money, clothes something to
eat. They were very glad I had gone there and tried to help me in
many ways when I got home. They had spoken to a contractor and I
had no trouble in getting work. I worked at home about two years.
Meantime I received a letter from Mr. Washington stating he would
like for me to return and work on the chapel, which I did. At
this time I was a hired man and not a student. I worked for the
school five or six years. Within that time I had helped build two
houses in Milledgeville Ga. and paid for them and bought me
thirty acres of land in Tuskegee, Ala. I feel very grateful to
the school for she has help me in a great many ways. I have
always had a great desire to farm but I said I never would farm
until I owned my land and stock.
So three years ago I bought some land and I am at the present
time farming. I like it and I expect I will continue at farming
instead of my trade. My white people are as good to me now as
they were when I was a boy. I made it a rule not to ask them for
anything unless I was compelled to but when I do they always send
more that I ask for. I will say that I did not know the real
value of a dollar until I had spent 2 years and 9 months at
Tuskegee. The teachings from the various teachers and the Sunday
evening talks of Mr. Washington made an indellible impression
upon my heart. I remember the first Sunday evening talk that I
ever heard him. He spoke of things that were in line with my
thoughts and I have tried to put them in practice ever since I
have been connected with the school. There is one word I heard
Mr. W. Speak 13 years ago that has followed me because I was
taught the same words by my white people and they were not to do
anything that will bring disgrace upon the school you attend. I
was taught not to do anything that will bring disgrace upon the
people that raised you. There are a number of other thoughts that
I will not take time to mention for I have thanked him a thousand
times for those Sunday evenings talks.