BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//wp-events-plugin.com//7.2.3.1//EN TZID:America/New_York X-WR-TIMEZONE:America/New_York BEGIN:VEVENT UID:900@mariettaohio.org DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20230617T130000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20230617T130000 DTSTAMP:20230614T134521Z URL:https://mariettaohio.org/events/charlotte-scott-historical-marker-dedi cation-ceremony/ SUMMARY:Charlotte Scott- Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony DESCRIPTION:The Civil War Round Table of the Mid-Ohio Valley will host a hi storical marker dedication ceremony on Saturday\, June 17\, 2023\, to reco gnize Charlotte Scott\, a formerly enslaved woman who lived in Marietta at the conclusion of the Civil War\, for her vision\, generosity and initiat ive that resulted in the first monument dedicated to the memory of Preside nt Abraham Lincoln.\n\n \;\n\nCharlotte was born enslaved on the Scott Plantation near Lynchburg\, Virginia.  It is believed that her birthdate was between 1803 and 1805.  At birth she was the property of Thomas Scot t.  At the outset of the Civil War\, Charlotte resided with Thomas Scott ’s daughter\, Margaret Scott Rucker\, and her husband\, Dr. William Park s Rucker\, in Covington\, Virginia.  Although a slave-owner\, Dr. Rucker was an outspoken supporter of the Union and President Lincoln\, and openly collaborated with Federal army officers and scouts.  In 1862\, Dr. Rucke r was arrested by Confederate authorities\, accused of treason\, and held in prison to await trial.  While Rucker was imprisoned\, President Lincol n directed the Union army to escort Margaret and the Rucker family to Mari etta\, Ohio for their safety.  Charlotte accompanied the family as a free dman\, or former slave\, and lived with them as a domestic servant.  Afte r fifteen months in Confederate prisons\, Dr. Rucker made a dramatic escap e\, and joined his family in Marietta.  As a freedman\, Charlotte was com pensated for her services and had accumulated modest savings when the war ended.  When she learned of Lincoln’s assassination\, Charlotte “was in great distress” and declared\, “The colored peoples have lost their best friend on earth!  Mr. Lincoln was our best friend and I will give f ive dollars of my wages towards erecting a monument to his memory”.  Dr . Rucker made strategic contacts that put Charlotte’s vision and donatio n into the hands of worthy fundraisers\, including James Yeatman\, Preside nt of the Western Sanitary Commission.\n\n \;\n\nNews of this initiati ve spread rapidly across the nation and by December 1865\, more than  $ 1 6\,000 was raised – entirely from freedman\, including many who were for mer U.S. Colored Troops and veterans of the Civil War.  President Grant u nveiled the Emancipation Memorial in Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Park on A pril 14\, 1876\, the anniversary of the assassination\, and Frederick Doug lass was the keynote speaker at the dedication ceremony.  More than 25\,0 00 people attended – including Charlotte Scott.  Abraham Lincoln and Ch arlotte Scott are the only names commemorated on the monument.  After the war\, Charlotte lived as a free woman on the Scott Plantation until her d eath on January 24\, 1891.\n\n \;\n\nThis ceremony will begin at 1:00 p.m.\, Saturday\, June 17\, 2023\, at the First Congregational Church\, 31 8 Front Street\, Marietta\, Ohio.  The event will feature music performed at the 1876 Emancipation Memorial dedication ceremony\; Marcia E. Cole\, a re-enactor from Washington\, D.C.\, will portray Charlotte Scott\; and\, Alicestyne Turley\, Ph.D.\, an educator from Georgetown\, Kentucky\, will present\, “African-Americans in the Civil War”.  Light refreshments will be served.  See more information at www.cwrtmov.org. CATEGORIES:Historical LOCATION:First Congregational Church Fellowship Hall\, 318 Front Street\, M arietta\, OH\, 45750\, United States X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=318 Front Street\, Marietta \, OH\, 45750\, United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=100;X-TITLE=First Congregatio nal Church Fellowship Hall:geo:0,0 END:VEVENT BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20230312T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 TZNAME:EDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE END:VCALENDAR