Ripley in Brown County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Charles Young in Ripley / Colonel Young's Achievements

Charles Young in Ripley (<i>side 1</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 27, 2021

1. Charles Young in Ripley (side 1)

Inscription.

Charles Young in Ripley, also, Colonel Young's Achievements. . Charles Young in Ripley. Upon his death in 1922, Colonel Charles Young was the highest ranking African American officer in the United States Army. Born into slavery in Kentucky in 1864, Young moved to Ripley with his parents Gabriel and Arminta in the 1870s. He excelled academically, graduating with honors from Ripley High School in 1881 and accepted a teaching position in Ripley's African American school thereafter. Encouraged by his father, a Civil War veteran, mentored by J. T. Whitman, superintendent of the school, and John P. Parker, entrepreneur and former Underground Railroad conductor, Young sought and accepted, in 1884, an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was the third African American to graduate, in 1889, and the last to do so until Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. in 1936. , Colonel Young's Achievements . . Rose from 2nd lieutenant to lieutenant colonel in the "Buffalo Soldier" regiments of the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 25th Infantry in the American West (after 1889), the Philippines (1901-'02), and Mexican Punitive Expedition (1916-'17) . Professor of Military Science, Wilberforce University, Ohio, 1894-'98 . Commanded 9th Battalion, Ohio National Guard, Spanish-American War, 1898-'99 . U.S. military attaché to Hispaniola, 1904-1907 and Liberia, 1912-15, 1920-'22 . First African American National Park Superintendent, of Sequoia National Park, 1903 . Recipient of the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, 1916 . Promoted to full colonel and was retired, 1917 . To prove his fitness after a forced retirement, Young made a 16 day, 497 mile horseback ride from Wilberforce to Washington, D.C. in 1918 and was reinstated . Died in 1922 while military attaché to Liberia. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery . This historical marker was erected in 2019 by Ripley Heritage, Inc.; Parker Historical Society, Inc.; and The Ohio History Connection. It is in Ripley in Brown County Ohio

Charles Young in RipleyUpon his death in 1922, Colonel Charles Young was the highest ranking African American officer in the United States Army. Born into slavery in Kentucky in 1864, Young moved to Ripley with his parents Gabriel and Arminta in the 1870s. He excelled academically, graduating with honors from Ripley High School in 1881 and accepted a teaching position in Ripley's African American school thereafter. Encouraged by his father, a Civil War veteran, mentored by J. T. Whitman, superintendent of the school, and John P. Parker, entrepreneur and former Underground Railroad conductor, Young sought and accepted, in 1884, an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. He was the third African American to graduate, in 1889, and the last to do so until Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. in 1936.

Colonel Young's Achievements • Rose from 2nd lieutenant to lieutenant colonel in the "Buffalo Soldier" regiments of the 9th and 10th Calvary and the 25th Infantry in the American West (after 1889), the Philippines (1901-'02), and Mexican Punitive Expedition (1916-'17)

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• Professor of Military Science, Wilberforce University, Ohio, 1894-'98
• Commanded 9th Battalion, Ohio National Guard, Spanish-American War, 1898-'99
• U.S. military attaché to Hispaniola, 1904-1907 and Liberia, 1912-15, 1920-'22
• First African American National Park Superintendent, of Sequoia National Park, 1903
• Recipient of the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, 1916
• Promoted to full colonel and was retired, 1917
• To prove his fitness after a forced retirement, Young made a 16 day, 497 mile horseback ride from Wilberforce to Washington, D.C. in 1918 and was reinstated
• Died in 1922 while military attaché to Liberia. Buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Erected 2019 by Ripley Heritage, Inc.; Parker Historical Society, Inc.; and The Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 12-8.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Education • Parks & Recreational Areas • War, Spanish-American. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical date for this entry is March 12, 1864.

Location. 38° 44.96′ N, 83° 50.924′ W. Marker is in Ripley, Ohio, in Brown County. Marker is on Locust Street east of North Front Street, on the

Colonel Young's Achievements (<i>side 2</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 27, 2021

2. Colonel Young's Achievements (side 2)

left when traveling east. Marker is located beside the sidewalk, on the south side of John P. Parker Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ripley OH 45167, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. John P. Parker (within shouting distance of this marker); John P. Parker Memorial Park (within shouting distance of this marker); The Residence of General Granville Moody (within shouting distance of this marker); Rear Admiral Joseph Fyffe (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named John P. Parker (within shouting distance of this marker); John Parker’s Path (within shouting distance of this marker); The John P. Parker Family (within shouting distance of this marker); John P. Parker’s Early Life (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Ripley.

Also see . . .
1. Charles Young. Wikipedia entry:
Charles Young (March 12, 1864 – January 8, 1922) was an American soldier. He was the third African-American graduate of the United States Military Academy, the first black U.S. national park superintendent, first black military attaché, first black man to achieve the rank of colonel in the United States Army, and highest-ranking black officer in the regular army until his death in 1922. (Submitted on August 29, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Colonel Charles Young, Early Park Superintendent

Marker detail: Colonel Charles Young image. Click for full size.

3. Marker detail: Colonel Charles Young

. National Park Service website entry:
Young’s military career flourished in the cavalry. In 1903, while serving as a Captain of an all-Black regiment at San Francisco’s Presidio, he was asked to take his troops to Sequoia and General Grant national parks (what is now Sequoia National Park and a small portion of Kings Canyon National Park). Here, he became acting superintendent for the summer. On May 20, ninety-six enlisted men of troops I and M of the 9th Cavalry, known as Buffalo Soldiers, departed San Francisco for their new assignments at the parks. (Submitted on August 29, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 27, 2021

4. Charles Young in Ripley (side 1)

(looking west • Front Street & Ohio River in background)

Colonel Young's Achievements (<i>side 2</i>) (wide) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 27, 2021

5. Colonel Young's Achievements (side 2) (wide)

(looking east • Locust Street on right)

Credits. This page was last revised on May 29, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 29, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 322 times since then and 140 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on August 29, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.