Ross County — A Revolutionary War veteran who was a “man of color” and moved to Ross County was commemorated recently, as the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution continues to march forward.
The Nathaniel Massie chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution held a ceremony last Sunday in Grandview Cemetery in Chillicothe to honor Henry Hill. It is part of an effort by the DAR to note the legacy of under-represented groups like African-Americans. (The DAR hosted a display with the same theme in The Gallery at 97 North Paint in July and August.)
Terressa Reep of the Chillicothe-area chapter explained that this is only the second event in the state in the “Continuing the Legacy” program.
In her speech, DAR member Julie Dyke gave credit to local African-American historian Beverly Gray for helping to research Henry Hill. He was a free man who enlisted in 1778 in Virginia and fought in several battles, including the final Yorktown.
She said his family moved to Ross County by 1803, where they lived in a log house at the southeast corner of Water and Hickory streets. They were members of the First Anti-Slavery Baptist Church, now First Baptist. With his son, he operated a floating tannery on Scioto River.
Reep said they have all his service documentation, but it’s unknown where Hill is buried. His cenotaph, or grave marker without a grave, is in “Patriot Square” in Grandview Cemetery – where an additional marker was placed in the ceremony.
Interpreters of the “Joseph Ogle Company, Ohio Company of Virginia Militia” lent authentic color to the ceremony with marching and three musket and rifle salutes, which you can see in my second video of the event.
Hear Reep in the interview video, and most of the speeches in my first video of the event. Find photos of the event in the Nathaniel Massie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution public Facebook page.
