The first African-American born in the American North West Territory, James Davis (1787-1862), was born at Fort Harmar, now part of Marietta, Ohio. He went to Dayton when he was quite a young man, and soon became a leader of colored people there. He was one of the leading hunters in Ohio, and had the credit of killing the largest bear of his day. He also was a leading violinist and barber in Dayton, and a founder and first president of the American Sons of Protection, the oldest benevolent (colored) society in this city, which he helped to organize in February, 1849. This society aided fugitive slaves from south of the Ohio River on the Underground Railroad trip to Canada.
November 6, 1811, he shaved General W.H. Harrison while the general sat upon a log. The next day the great battle of Tippecanoe was fought, and the red men of the great Shawnee chief -- Tecumseh -- killed upward of sixty men of Harrison's army and more than one hundred wounded.
Excerpted from: Underground Railroad History
By: Henry Robert Burke
Date: 11/29/2004
November 6, 1811, he shaved General W.H. Harrison while the general sat upon a log. The next day the great battle of Tippecanoe was fought, and the red men of the great Shawnee chief -- Tecumseh -- killed upward of sixty men of Harrison's army and more than one hundred wounded.
Excerpted from: Underground Railroad History
By: Henry Robert Burke
Date: 11/29/2004
The first African-American born in the American North West Territory, James Davis (1787-1862), was born at Fort Harmar, now part of Marietta, Ohio. He went to Dayton when he was quite a young man, and soon became a leader of colored people there. He was one of the leading hunters in Ohio, and had the credit of killing the largest bear of his day. He also was a leading violinist and barber in Dayton, and a founder and first president of the American Sons of Protection, the oldest benevolent (colored) society in this city, which he helped to organize in February, 1849. This society aided fugitive slaves from south of the Ohio River on the Underground Railroad trip to Canada.
November 6, 1811, he shaved General W.H. Harrison while the general sat upon a log. The next day the great battle of Tippecanoe was fought, and the red men of the great Shawnee chief -- Tecumseh -- killed upward of sixty men of Harrison's army and more than one hundred wounded.
Excerpted from: Underground Railroad History
By: Henry Robert Burke
Date: 11/29/2004
November 6, 1811, he shaved General W.H. Harrison while the general sat upon a log. The next day the great battle of Tippecanoe was fought, and the red men of the great Shawnee chief -- Tecumseh -- killed upward of sixty men of Harrison's army and more than one hundred wounded.
Excerpted from: Underground Railroad History
By: Henry Robert Burke
Date: 11/29/2004
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