Slavery in Ohio County 1850-1870

Ohio County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870

          Ohio County was established in 1798 from a portion of Hardin County, and was named for the Ohio River. The county ran along the Ohio River before it was divided into additional counties. The Green River is one of the borders of Ohio County. Hartford is the county seat, and is located on the Rough River, a tributary of the Green. The land was part of a grant that Gabriel Madison received from Virginia, and Fort Hartford was one of the first settlements in the area.

          The 1800 county population was 1,223, according to the Second Census of Kentucky: 1,069 whites, 151 slaves, and 3 free coloreds.

          The population increased to 10,919 by 1860, according to the U.S. Federal Census, excluding the slaves.

          Below is the number of slave owners, slaves, free Blacks and free Mulattoes for 1850-1870.

1850 Slave Schedule

·                                 327 slave owners

·                                 865 Black slaves

·                                 268 Mulatto slaves

·                                 40 free Blacks

·                                 9 free Mulattoes

1860 Slave Schedule

·                                 320 slave owners

·                                 825 Black slaves

·                                 547 Mulatto slaves

·                                 20 free Blacks

                        9 free Mulattoes

[The Emancipation Proclamation took effect January 1, 1863.  The 13^th Amendment to the Constitution was passed by Congress January 31, 1865 and ratified by the States on December 6, 1865, and slavery was abolished.]

1870 U.S. Federal Census

·                                 1,190 Blacks

·                                 132 Mulattoes

·                                 About 42 U.S. Colored Troops listed Ohio County, KY, as their birth location.

Source: Notable Kentucky African Americans Database