The Crime on Gridley Hill Gallatin County Kentucky
Channel: Johnathan Masters
Date: 2013-09-15

Gallatin Countians lynched an entire Gridley family on Gridley Hill. Set the house on fire, and shot all those who tried to run out.  Harrison and Klotter writes: "A band of five hundred whites in Gallatin County http://www.nkyviews.com/gallatin/text/gall_txt_gridley.htm, for example, forced hundreds of blacks to flee across the Ohio River." The Black Frenches were lynched, and so was Black Man Abijah Gridley. The Jailer ran away, and let his wife guard the prisoner, which didnt work. "Whites in Northern Kentucky were determined to force blacks to move elsewhere, even though the number of Afro-Americans living there was relatively small in comparison with the black population with the rest of the state. About a year after the close of the Civil War [1866], a large band of whites in Warsaw began whipping Blacks, stealing their property, and ordering them to leave the area. Freedman Bureau agent J.J. Landrum, unable to prevent the violence, reported, "Some 200 negroes I'm informed crossed the Ohio above this place today others are preparing to leave for fear of... other abuses." In a second letter describing the situation in Warsaw, Landrum concluded that only by using the "bluecoats" --Union soldiers--would the outrages end. The report from another bureau agent in August 1867 confirmed that blacks were still being ousted in northern Kentucky: "In a recent tour made by Captain Graham through Kenton, Boone, and Grant counties he found the blacks very much excited, and in many instances they have left their homes in the Country, and come to Covington. They allege that since the election they have been told that they are all going to be re-enslaved again. They... complain bitterly... that they are living in a regular reign of terror." Attempts to force blacks to leave this area of the state would continue well into the next decade." ~George C. Wright (1990) "The telegraph operator at Patriot, Ind., telegraphs that he has been called upon to aid in quelling a negro insurrection which broke out last night in Owen and GALLATIN Counties, in Kentucky. Great fears were felt, as it was supposed the negroes were led on by two or three white citizens of Kentucky. The people are gathering their forces to put down the rebellion, and runners have been sent to Indiana for assistance. Capt. Wells, of this place, who has a company ready for our own State service, has telegraphed that he would send his men and arms to their assistance, if needed.

The telegraph line has been down all the morning between Patriot and Vevay, so we are without any news from the latter place.. It is thought that the line has been cut by the insurgents, to prevent the transmission of the news of the insurrection." http://www.nkyviews.com/owen/text/insurrection.htm