Greene County Historical Society

Women’s Occupations Just Before the Civil War

Women working during the Civil War

They weren’t all teachers or washerwomen or servants. There were farmers and tavern keepers and even a couple of carpenters. Some women worked outside the home during the 19th century, […]

Ohio Soldiers & Sailors Orphans Home 1869-1995

boys in band with instruments, white uniforms, xenia

The Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans’ Home (later the Ohio Veterans’ Children’s Home) was a landmark institution in Xenia, Ohio, that served over 13,500 children during its 125-year history. Established in response to the devastation of the Civil War, it provided a self-sufficient sanctuary for children of veterans who were deceased or unable to care for them.

Black Soldiers from Greene County in the Civil War, 1863-1865

127th Ohio Volunteer Infantry was composed of African-American men

Between 1863 and 1865, black residents from Greene County, Ohio, served in pivotal Civil War units, including the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Infantry and the 5th and 27th U.S.C.T. Regional efforts, supported by figures like John Mercer Langston, saw dozens of local recruits join the fight, with records identifying roughly 265 men linked to the area who served in major battles from Florida to Virginia. For more details, explore the full research on Greene County’s Black Soldiers in the Civil War.