Correspondent photo / Nancilynn Gatta Meghan Reed, director of the Trumbull County Historical Society, points to Trumbull County and a graphic showing the percentage of votes for President Lincoln prior to the Civil War during her talk, “Trumbull County and the Civil War,” on Saturday at the Brookfield branch of Warren-Trumbull County Public Library.

BROOKFIELD — Many locals might know about Trumbull County’s involvement with the Underground Railroad, but are they aware of the area’s contribution to the Union Army in the Civil War?

Meghan Reed, director of the Trumbull County Historical Society, addressed that issue with her talk, “Trumbull County and the Civil War,” on Saturday at the Brookfield branch of the Warren-Trumbull County Public Library.

Giving some background on the beginning of the conflict, Reed said, “The Civil War starts April 12, 1861, with the battle of Fort Sumter at Charleston, South Carolina. Most of the conflict is kicked off because of President (Abraham) Lincoln. He took office in March of 1861 and Fort Sumter was just about a month later in April.”

She gave a comparison of Trumbull County presidential votes in 1861 with its relationship to slavery.

“This map breaks down by county and by state how the different counties were feeling at the time. About 60% of Trumbull County voted for President Lincoln,” Reed said. “There’s a few reasons for that, but the biggest one that is most regionally significant is the Underground Railroad. Our area was a huge hotbed for the Underground Railroad. Abolition was a huge piece of the value system of many people in our region.”

Showing a local map with the in and out locations for slaves in Trumbull County’s Underground Railroad, she said, “I’m not sure why this map does not have a line to Brookfield because we know there was significant Underground Railroad activity, especially with the Obermiyer House that still stands on the square in downtown Brookfield.”

Reed mentioned that the Brookfield Historical Society has a shackle and a shoe from the Obermiyer House in its collection.

Ohio’s participation in the Civil War was significant.

“Every three out of five Ohio men between the ages of 18 and 45 served in the Civil War,” she said.

Reed cited the area’s participation.

“Just from Trumbull County, the regiments that signed up went to Infantry, Calvary, artillery/battery and two independent light artillery batteries,” she said.

One local man commanded a regiment.

“Emerson Opdyke was born in Hubbard. He organized and led the 125th regiment of Ohio Volunteer Infantry, which was dubbed Opdyke’s Tigers. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in downtown Warren. He made it through the war, but he died from a gunshot wound to the abdomen that they said he got while cleaning his gun,” Reed said.

A training camp was located in Trumbull County.

“It was called Camp Hutchins and it is now on the grounds of Warren G. Harding High School. It was used to train calvary,” Reed said.

She pointed out that items in TCHS collection include a “”witness tree,” which has slugs from a battle brought back to the area, a drum from a Civil War musician and photos of the veterans group, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), whose local post was the Bell Harmon post.

“About three years ago, Dave Cover, who is extremely involved with the Fowler Historical Society, had a collection of over 90 letters that were written by local folks during the Civil War,” Reed said.

To preserve the letters, he donated them to TCHS. She read one from a soldier to a farmer in Brookfield. TCHS has a letter in their collection that a soldier wrote to his mother and the piece of a flag that he chronicled the battles that he fought.

Local women made clothing for the soldiers.

“Each soldier was provided a grey shirt, which was made by the women in a few days,” she said.

They also provided them with two hats.

Reed related that a rededication will take place Oct. 17 at the first Civil War memorial in Ohio, which is located in northern Trumbull County in Bristol Township. It was originally dedicated on Oct. 15, 1863. The war ended on April 9, 1865.