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		If You Visit: Open by appointment only. Call in advance.
		Rossville, a neighborhood located in Piqua, Ohio, is the area where a group of freed slaves from Virginia settled in 1846. The Rossville Museum, is located in a house built in 1873 by York Rial, one of the freed-slaves. It contains photos, documents and art by and about the group the settled there and their descendants. The museum also has information about the Underground Railroad and Rossville's historic black cemetery. In 1833 a rich Virginia land owner, John Randolph (cousin to U.S. President Thomas Jefferson) died. In his will he requested that all his slaves be freed. His brother contested the will, and not until thirteen years later, in 1846, were the Randolph slaves set free. As part of John Randolph's will, Judge William Leigh purchased 2,000 acres of land in Mercer County, Ohio, for the group to settle on. Jimmy Jeems Rial Last living Randolph Slave (died - 1913) The Randolph slaves formed a wagon train to get from Roanoke Plantation, Virginia, to Cincinnati, Ohio. There, they took boats on the Miami-Erie Canal for the journey north to the Mercer County area. When they reached their destination, the Randolph group was attacked by German settlers and turned back. The Randolph slaves went back down the Miami-Erie Canal to nearby Piqua where the white people were more friendly. (Years later the group lost a court case to try and get their land in Mercer County back.) They camped out in an area known as Rossville, in north Piqua, and eventually many of them settled there. Part of the group moved to a new settlement called Marshall Town near Troy, Ohio, and others to Hanktown, a settlement near West Milton, Ohio where there was a Quaker community. All together, 383 freed Randolph slaves settled in Miami County and Shelby County. In Rossville the first black church was organized in 1857. When a formal building was constructed for this African Baptist Church in 1869, they also started the first black school in the area. In 1861, nine black men, all freed slaves from Rossville joined the U.S. Army to serve in the Civil War. Several of these men are buried in Jackson Cemetery, Rossville's historic black cemetery. Many of the houses in Rossville were built by the Randolph slaves, and several still stand. Each year on the third Saturday in June, decedents of the Randolph slaves come to the Rossville Museum to celebrate Randolph Freedom Day. The 1999 Randolph Freedom Day takes places on Saturday, June, 20. Both the Jackson Cemetery and the York Rial house are on the National Register of historic places.   More Information on the Randolph Slaves The Miami County Genealogical Researchers have some information regarding the Randolph Slaves on their web site, including: Who were the Randolph Slaves - a brief history, including a newspaper account of their arrival in Piqua. Randolph Slave List - from the will of John Randolph. 1850 Miami County Census Abstract - list of blacks and mulattos in Miami County, many of which were from the Randolph Slave group. List of Published Resources on the Randolph Slaves CLICK HERE to go to this genealogical area. 1883 Atlas image of SpringCreek Township in Miami County. Rossville is identified in section 25. (look closely). CLICK HERE to go to this map. 1883 Atlas image of Union Township in Miami County. "Randolph Settlement" is identified in section 12. This would be the Hanktown settlement. (look closely). CLICK HERE to go to this map. African-American Surnames of Ohio. This is a web site run by an individual with links to historic and genealogical information on African-Americans in Ohio. CLICK HERE   Still More Information TDN-NET, a regional web site for Miami County has links to both online and non-Internet genealogical and historical information. See the following listing: TDN-NET Genealogy page Links to Miami, Darke and Shelby County and surrounding area genealogical information Miami County Libraries - Contact Information for: Piqua Library (has Randolph Slave, Rossville and local history Information) Troy-Miami County Library (has local history texts and information) West Milton Library (near Hanktown and home of an important Quaker community who were active in the Underground Railroad) Troy History Room (Research Library with Troy and Miami County records - birth, death, marriage etc.) Miami County Museums - Contact Information and links to: Piqua Historical Museum (operated by the Piqua Library) Has local historical artifacts and photos. Piqua Historical Area (a.k.a. The Johnston Farm) - An early homestead that was important in the War of 1812. It has historical information on the Miami-Erie Canal and a working canal boat that gives rides on a restored portion of the canal. (Operated by the Ohio Historical Society.) Union Township Historical Museum and Quaker Research Center (located near Hanktown with lots of Quaker and local history). Some Underground Railroad information.   Return to the top of this page