Person:Ralph Quarles (1)

About Ralph Quarles

From wikipedia page of John Mercer Langston, son of Ralph Quarles:

John Mercer Langston was born free in 1829 in Louisa County, Virginia, the youngest of a daughter and three sons of Lucy Jane Langston, a freedwoman of mixed African and Native American descent, and Ralph Quarles, a white plantation owner.[4] Quarles had freed Lucy and their daughter Maria in 1806, in the course of what was a relationship of more than 25 years. Their three sons were born free.[2] John's older brothers were Gideon and Charles Henry.

Lucy had three children with another partner before she moved into the Great House and deepened her relationship with Quarles. Their three sons were born after her move. Of the older half-siblings, William Langston was most involved with Quarles' sons. He relocated with them to Chillicothe, Ohio (see below).[2]

Before his death, Ralph Quarles arranged for his Quaker friend William Gooch to be made guardian of his children. As requested by Quarles, after the parents both died in 1833 when John Langston was four, Gooch moved with the boys and their half-brother William Langston to Chillicothe, Ohio, in a free state.[5] Quarles had reserved funds for the boys' education. In 1835 the older brothers Gideon and Charles started at the preparatory school at Oberlin College, where they were the first African-American students to be admitted.[6] Gideon looked much like his father and took his surname at the age of 21, and thereafter was known as Gideon Quarles.[2]

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 .

   Ralph Quarles
   Birthdate: 1764
   Birthplace: Spotsylvania, VA, USA
   Death: Died April 1834 in Louisa, VA, USA
   
   Immediate Family:
   
   Son of William Quarles and Mary Mills
   Father of Charles Henry Langston; Gideon Langston Quarles; Maria Langston and Rep. John Mercer Langston
   Brother of Mary Duke (Quarles); Ann Dickenson; Charles Quarles; Frances Quarles; roger quarles and 4 others
   Half brother of John Quarles; James Quarles; Jane Quarles; Martha Quarles and Ann Quarles
   
   Occupation: Plantation Owner- Scottish
   
   http://www.geni.com/people/Ralph-Quarles/6000000006245598003