Boone County

Boone County

Jacob Rile, colored soldier, living on farm of Hogan Rile, former master, February 18, 1866, a band of armed men came to his house, took his family out and told them to stand while they burned the house, the negro, in trying to escape was shot at several times and wounded in the heel.  They then made the soldier and his family leave the county.  (Witness given, Affidavit of Oyler)

The following is a copy of a notice sent to different freedmen in this county through the post office:

"As you have been running at large for some time, you had better gather up your duds and leave for parts unknown, as you will get hell under the shirt, and that by the 10th of next month.  Don't fail to go.  Look out for the rangers." (Affidavit of Mr. Oyler)

Harrison Griggs, colored residing with Mr. E. Burke, near Hamilton, Sunday night, 18th of February, was taken from his bed and beat with white thorn sticks for an hour.  Many of the thorns broke off and are still in his head, his face, and back.  They drove him off, and said they would kill him if he ever returned (See Supplemental Affidavit of Oyler.)

Covington and Vicinity

Amanda Bishop, daughter of Henry Bishop, (colored), sergeant of the 124th United States colored infantry, was at work about the 1st of October, 1865, for Wm. Bishop, a Union citizen of Kenton county, when Lewis Connor and his son waited upon her and told her she must leave and work for Connor; upon her refusing they struck her with a club and tied her, took her to Burlington, Kentucky, and hired her to a man by the name of Glover, and told her if she refused to go they would blow her d____d brains out.  (see Affidavit of Charles P. Oyler, witnesses and references given)

Another daughter of the colored sergeant, Henry Bishop, was, about 1st of August, 1865, maltreated by Allen Conner, for whom she was working; she left and was followed by John Conner, who beat her severely and made her return.  (Names and references given.  See affidavit of Oyler).

About 1st of July, 1865, a party of citizens, vicinity of Boone county, Kentucky, made an attack upon the house owned by Jordan Finney, and drove his family therefrom, damaged his house very much, destroyed his household effects an property to the amount of five hundred dollars, and told the family they would be shot if they returned.

from House Documents, Otherwise Publ. as Executive Documents, United States Congress, 1866. This appears to be a summary from what are more commonly known as the Freedman Bureau Papers, which recorded racial atrocities after the Civil War