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 stuf