Life of New Richmond resident celebrated

The life of New Richmond historical resident Louisa Picquet was celebrated at the Ross Gowdy House Museum Aug. 28.

Attended by about 30 interested residents, the program featured a presentation on the life and times of Louisa Picquet by Proctor and Gamble research executive and genealogist Katherine Flynn.

The President of Historic New Richmond, Bob Lees, said that the program featuring Lynn was a wonderful opportunity for the community to hear about a New Richmond resident who “touched the nation’s soul, and is doing so again today.”

“We were presented with a story of the life and times of a truly great New Richmond resident,” Lees said. “An incredible story about an incredible American woman.”

After a lifetime of slavery, in which she was separated from her mother and her children, and other family members, she was able to eventually raise the money to buy back her mother and her brother's freedom.

Louisa, and her husband, Henry Picquet, whom she married in 1850, are buried in New Richmond's Samarian Cemetery, but only Henry's grave is marked with a Civil War headstone that has since toppled over since the last restoration in the 1990's.

"The story we heard is about a truly great New Richmond resident who was able to free herself and her children from slavery, and then through amazing tenacity, raise the funds to buy her mother's freedom," Lees said.

Historic New Richmond, Inc. historical programs, which started last month with a presentation on the village's abolitionist movement by Gary Knepp, have been designed to preserve, celebrate, and educate the citizenry of the village's history.

Historian Greg Roberts will be speaking next month on the nearby famed Parker Academy. The group is also working with county historian Richard Crawford to offer a walking tour in early November.

"Our programs are intended to celebrate our incredibly rich and important history," Lees said. "Our village population is growing quickly and we want to educate our new citizens about the wonderful place they now call home and want to make our lifelong residents feel even more proud of our heritage."