Israel Hill Explained

Israel Hill was an unincorporated community in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States along the Appomattox River. Founded in 1810 as a community for free black people in the area, Israel Hill has since become part of Farmville, Virginia.

History

Israel Hill developed as a community of free black people in Prince Edward County, Virginia along the Appomattox River around 1810.^[1] It was established by Judith Randolph after the death of her husband Richard Randolph who inherited land and slaves from his father. He was a nephew of Thomas Jefferson.^[2]

In 2009 a historical marker commemorating the community was erected.^{[3] [4]} The community is now part of Farmville, Virginia.

Melvin Patrick Ely, a history professor at the College of William and Mary, wrote Israel on the Appomattox about the community.^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Israel Hill on the Appomattox. Prince Edward County. 11 June 2015. 3.
2. Web site: Randolph Plantation, Scandal at Bizarre, and Israel Hill - High Bridge Walking Tour - PocketSights. pocketsights.com.
3. Web site: Marker recognizes free black community of Israel Hill. Richmond Times-Dispatch.
4. Web site: IsraelMarker. www.fpehs.org.
5. Book: Israel on the Appomattox: A Southern Experiment in Black Freedom from the 1790s Through the Civil War. Random House, Inc.. 2005. 978-0-679-76872-2 .