The Free Union Fire of 1896: Tragedy and Injustices

July 6, 2023

Helice Jones, Erik Irtenkauf and Alice Cannon will present the story of the Free Union Fire of 1896

One White man died in a fire in Free Union on a cold January night in 1896 and four Black Men fell under suspicion for his death. One was hanged, one sent to the penitentiary for 18 years, one sentenced to five years in prison and one testified to the untrue story that convicted the others and he went free.

Helice Jones is a descendant of Taylor Harmon, who was executed. Alice Cannon has been researching this difficult narrative since Helice told her about it and Erik has mapped the extensive network of people involved as witnesses or suspects in the aftermath of the fire.

Next Meeting:

Tricia Johnson and Horace Scruggs of the Fluvanna Historical Society: The Words They Left Behind: Legacies of Bremo
November 2, 2023 Many of the people enslaved by John Hartwell Cocke of Bremo between1803 and 1865 could read and write. Separated from their families and community by forced migrations, they wrote letters back to Bremo. This exhibit features those letters, alongside artifacts connected to their lives. The exhibit is the result of collaboration between
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