James and Sophia Clemens Farmstead
Encyclopedia
The James and Sophia Clemens Farmstead is a historic farm
in far western Darke County
, Ohio
, United States
. Located at 467 Stingley Road, little more than 1 miles (1.6 km) from the Indiana
border, it is among the oldest extant buildings that remain from a small community of free blacks
founded before the Civil War
.
Natives of Rockingham County
, Virginia
, James and Sophia Clemens settled in Darke County in 1818 and soon became prosperous farmers. Their success led many other former slaves to migrate to the vicinity, and a community known as "Longtown" (alternately "Tampico") gradually grew up in the vicinity of the Clemens farm. As the years passed, the community became a center for the Underground Railroad
, complete with a Quaker
school known as the "Union Literary Institute"; among the movement's leaders in the community were the Clemens family.
The Clemens house itself was erected circa 1850 on land that its residents purchased in 1822. A two-story
brick building, it rests on a limestone foundation and is covered with a tin roof. Built with an "I-house" floor plan
, Although the house today sits without human inhabitants, a movement to restore the house and designate the Longtown vicinity a state historic landmark began in the mid-2000s. The Clemens house itself has been designated a historic site
, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 2001, although with the other building on the property. It qualified for the Register both because of its place in local history and because of its association with James Clemens, who was seen as a significant individual in the history of Darke County.
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
in far western Darke County
Darke County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 53,309 people, 20,419 households, and 14,905 families residing in the county. The population density was 89 people per square mile . There were 21,583 housing units at an average density of 36 per square mile...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located at 467 Stingley Road, little more than 1 miles (1.6 km) from the Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
border, it is among the oldest extant buildings that remain from a small community of free blacks
Free people of color
A free person of color in the context of the history of slavery in the Americas, is a person of full or partial African descent who was not enslaved...
founded before the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Natives of Rockingham County
Rockingham County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, James and Sophia Clemens settled in Darke County in 1818 and soon became prosperous farmers. Their success led many other former slaves to migrate to the vicinity, and a community known as "Longtown" (alternately "Tampico") gradually grew up in the vicinity of the Clemens farm. As the years passed, the community became a center for the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
, complete with a Quaker
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
school known as the "Union Literary Institute"; among the movement's leaders in the community were the Clemens family.
The Clemens house itself was erected circa 1850 on land that its residents purchased in 1822. A two-story
Storey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
brick building, it rests on a limestone foundation and is covered with a tin roof. Built with an "I-house" floor plan
Floor plan
In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan, or floorplan, is a diagram, usually to scale, showing a view from above of the relationships between rooms, spaces and other physical features at one level of a structure....
, Although the house today sits without human inhabitants, a movement to restore the house and designate the Longtown vicinity a state historic landmark began in the mid-2000s. The Clemens house itself has been designated a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
, having been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 2001, although with the other building on the property. It qualified for the Register both because of its place in local history and because of its association with James Clemens, who was seen as a significant individual in the history of Darke County.