Oella is world known as the community where the first Black man of Science, Benjamin Banneker was born and reared, however, this book clearly notes that Banneker was not the only free African American in the mill town of Oella; as a matter of fact, there were free African Americans in Oella many years before Banneker came into the picture.
There was Shadrick Hall who was freed from slavery in Oella by Walter Hall in 1690, and given 13 1/2 acres of land, on which descendants of his family still resides on; and there was another slave by the name of Brown who was freed from slavery in Oella by Mrs. Mary Williams in 1786, and given 10 acres of land on which descendants of his family still resides on.
In addition, there is an African American church in Oella named Mt.
Gilboa AME Church that was built around 1799, and is still active
in the community. Reverend Edmunds from Oella. He was the pastor of an
African American church in Ellicott City. He lived to be over 100 years of age.
Three of the five homes on Oella Avenue in Oella that was built by an African American, William H. Washington from Catonsville. His great grandson, Louis (Bunky) Diggs resides in one of the homes that he built in 1910.
Ms. Zola Cryenian (Susan) Saunders, a Hall descendant, who has done
extensive genealogical research on the Halls. She still resides in
Oella, home of her ancestors from 1690.
Team of volunteers helping to survey out the old cemetery of Mt.
Gilboa AME Church in Oella. Left to right: Lenwood Johnson,
Lisa Vicara, Julie DeMatteis, and Louis Diggs.
Picture of homes in the Oella area.