Jacksonville Florida

Slave Narrative of Willis Williams

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Willis Williams Location: Jacksonville, Florida Occupation: Carpenter, Mail Clerk Willis Williams of 1025 Iverson Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was born at Tallahassee, Florida, September 15, 1856. He was the son of Ransom and Wilhemina Williams, who belonged during the period of slavery to Thomas Heyward, a rich merchant of Tallahassee. Willis does not know the names of his paternal grandparents but remembers his maternal grandmother was Rachel Fitzgiles, who came down to visit the family after the Civil War. Thomas Heyward, the master, owned a plantation out in the country from Tallahassee and kept slaves … Read more

Slave Narrative of Young Winston Davis

Interviewer: Rachel DavisPerson Interviewed: Young Winston DavisLocation: Jacksonville, FloridaAge: 62Occupation: Preacher Young Winston Davis states that he was born in Ozark, Alabama, June 28, 1855 on the plantation of Charles Davis who owned about seven hundred slaves and was considered very wealthy. Kindness and consideration for his slaves, made them love him. Reverend Davis was rather young during his years in slavery but when he was asked to tell something about the days of slavery, replied: “I remember many things about slavery, but know they will not come to me now; anyway, I’ll tell what I can think of.” He … Read more

Slave Narrative of Acie Thomas

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Acie Thomas Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 79 Mr. Thomas was at home today. There are many days when one might pass and repass the shabby lean-to that is his home without seeing any signs of life. That is because he spends much of his time foraging about the streets of Jacksonville for whatever he can get in the way of food or old clothes, and perhaps a little money. He is a heavily bearded, bent old man and a familiar figure in the residential sections of the city, where he earns or begs a very … Read more

Slave Narrative of Claude Augusta Wilson

Interviewer: James Johnson Person Interviewed: Claude Augusta Wilson Location: Sunbeam, Florida In 1857 on the plantation of Tom Dexter in Lake City, Columbia County, Florida, was born a Negro, Claude Augusta Wilson, of slave parents. His master Tom Dexter was very kind to his slaves, and was said to have been a Yankee. His wife Mary Ann Dexter, a southerner, was the direct opposite, she was very mean. Claude was eight years old when Emancipation came. The Dexter plantation was quite a large place, covering 100 or more acres. There were about 100 slaves, including children. They had regular one … Read more

Slave Narrative of “Father” Charles Coates

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: “Father” Charles Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 108 “Father” Charles Coates, as he is called by all who know him, was born a slave, 108 years ago at Richmond, Virginia, on the plantation of a man named L’Angle. His early boyhood days was spent on the L’Angle place filled with duties such as minding hogs, cows, bringing in wood and such light work. His wearing apparel consisted of one garment, a shirt made to reach below the knees and with three-quarter sleeves. He wore no shoes until he was a man past 20 years … Read more

Biography of James Lotan

James Lotan was born in Paterson, New Jersey in 1843, and is of Irish descent, his father John Lotan, having been born in Ireland and emigrated to America in 1840. Until his twelfth year young Lotan attended the public schools of his native city. He then became an apprentice to the machinist trade in his uncle’s shop. After acquiring a full knowledge of his trade he went to Jacksonville, Florida, where with an elder brother he was employed until the war of the Rebellion began, when he returned home, and a few months thereafter, in May 1861, enlisted for two … Read more

Slave Narrative of Edward Lycurgas

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Edward Lycurgas Location: Jacksonville, Florida “Pap tell us ‘nother story ’bout do war and ’bout de fust time you saw mamma.” It has been almost 60 years since a group of children gathered about their father’s knee, clamoring for another story. They listened round-eyed to stories they already knew because “pap” had told them so many times before. These narratives along with the great changes he has seen, were carefully recorded in the mind of Edward, the only one of this group now alive. “Pap” was always ready to oblige with the story they never … Read more

Slave Narrative of Florida Clayton

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Florida Clayton Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 82 The life of Florida Clayton is interesting in that it illustrates the miscegenation prevalent during the days of slavery. Interesting also is the fact that Florida was not a slave even though she was a product of those turbulent days. Many years before her birth – March 1, 1854 – Florida’s great grandfather, a white man, came to Tallahassee, Florida from Washington, District of Columbia, with his children whom he had by his Negro slave. On coming to Florida, he set all of his children free except … Read more

Slave Narrative of Shack Thomas

Interviewer: Martin Richardson Person Interviewed: Shack Thomas Location: South Jacksonville, Florida Age: 102 Shack Thomas, Centenarian Beady-eyed, grey-whiskered, black little Shack Thomas sits in the sun in front of his hut on the Old Saint Augustine Road about three miles south of Jacksonville, 102 years old and full of humorous reminiscences about most of those years. To his frequent visitors he relates tales of his past, disjointedly sometimes but with a remarkable clearness and conviction. The old ex-slave does not remember the exact time of his birth, except that it was in the year 1834, “the day after the end … Read more

Slave Narrative of Anna Scott

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Anna Scott Location: Jacksonville, Florida Anna Scott, an ex-slave who now lives in Jacksonville near the intersection of Moncrief and Edgewood Avenues, was a member of one of the first colonization groups that went to the West coast of Africa following the emancipation of the slaves in this country. The former slave was born at Dove City, South Carolina, on Jan. 28, 1846, of a half-breed Cherokee-and-Negro mother and Anglo-Saxon father. Her father owned the plantation adjoining that of her master. When she reached the adolescent age Anna was placed under the direct care … Read more

Straight, David Duane – Obituary

Union, Oregon David Duane Straight, 63, of Jacksonville, Fla., and formerly of Union and La Grande, died Nov. 3 in Jacksonville. Following cremation, his ashes will be returned to Alaska in the spring. Mr. Straight was born April 21, 1943, to H. David and Dorothy Anne Straight. He was raised in Union and lived in La Grande while attending college. He graduated from Southwestern Oregon Community College with two degrees in 1969 and married Joyce Marie Emmons in Kodiak, Alaska, on April 8, 1972. He lived and worked in Alaska for 35 years before retiring to Portland. He later moved … Read more

Slave Narrative of Samuel Simeon Andrews

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Samuel Simeon Andrews Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 86 For almost 30 years Edward Waters College, an African Methodist Episcopal School, located on the north side of Kings Road in the western section of Jacksonville, has employed as watchman, Samuel Simeon Andrews (affectionately called “Parson”), a former slave of A.J. Lane of Georgia, Lewis Ripley of Beaufort, South Carolina, Ed Tillman of Dallas, Texas, and John Troy of Union Springs, Alabama. “Parson” was born November 18, 1850 in Macon, Georgia, at a place called Tatum Square, where slaves were held, housed and sold. “Speculators” (persons … Read more

Slave Narrative of Irene Coates

Interviewer: Viola B. Muse Person Interviewed: Irene Coates Location: Jacksonville, Florida Immediately after slavery in the United States, the southern white people found themselves without servants. Women who were accustomed to having a nurse, maid, cook and laundress found themselves without sufficient money to pay wages to all these. There was a great amount of work to be done and the great problem confronting married women who had not been taught to work and who thought it beneath their standing to soil their hands, found it very difficult. There were on the other hand many Negro women who needed work … Read more

Biography of George Miller, Jr.

George Miller, Jr., engaged in the practice of law in Muskogee, concentrating his efforts and attention upon civil law, was born in Leon county, Florida, December 18, 1882, and is a son of George and Frances (Shaw) Miller, both of whom were natives of North Carolina. The father owned a plantation, devoting his life to its improvement and cultivation. The son, George Miller, Jr., was educated in the public schools and in the South Florida Military Institute. He also studied stenography at Thomasville, Georgia, and was employed in the office of Duncan W. Fletcher, now United States senator, at Jacksonville, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Margrett Nickerson

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Margrett Nickerson Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 89-90 In her own vernacular, Margrett Nickerson was “born to William A. Carr, on his plantation near Jackson, Leon County, many years ago.” When questioned concerning her life on this plantation, she continues: “Now honey, it’s been so long ago, I don’ ‘meber ev’ything, but I will tell you whut I kin as near right as possible; I kin ‘member five uf Marse Carr’s chillun; Florida, Susan, ‘Lijah, Willie and Tom; cose Carr never ‘lowed us to have a piece of paper in our hands.” “Mr. Kilgo was … Read more

Slave Narrative of Samuel Smalls

Interviewer: Martin D. Richardson Person Interviewed: Samuel Smalls Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 85 A voluntary slave for seven years. The story of a free Negro of Connecticut, who came south to observe conditions of slavery, found them very distasteful, then voluntarily entered that slavery for seven years is the interesting tale that Samuel Smalls, 84 year old ex-slave of 1704 Johnson Street, Jacksonville, tells of his father Cato Smith. Smith had been born in Connecticut, son of domestic slaves who were freed while he was still a child. He grew to young manhood in the northern state, making a living … Read more

Hubert Grey Todd of New Orleans LA

Hubert Grey Todd9, (James A.8, Alfred7, Caleb6, Caleb5, Stephen4, Samuel3, Samuel2, Christopher1) born Sept. 1, 1872, in Sherman, Mich., married Jan. 16, 1907, Annie Lee, daughter of Frederick A. and Lee J. (Guice) Dicks, who was born Oct. 30, 1876, in Natchez, Miss., her father having been born in Mississippi and her mother in Minnesota. He went with his parents in 1874, to Burr Oak, Mich., where he attended school and graduated from the High School there in 1888. He took a commercial course in 1892. He began learning the printing business in March 1888, when he secured a position … Read more

Slave Narrative of Frank Berry

Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Frank Berry Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 78 Frank Berry, living at 1614 west Twenty-Second street, Jacksonville, Florida, claims to be a grandson of Osceola, last fighting chief of the Seminole tribe. Born in 1858 of a mother who was part of the human chattel belonging to one of the Hearnses of Alachua County in Florida, he served variously during his life as a State and Federal Government contractor, United States Marshal (1881), Registration Inspector (1879). Being only eight years of age when the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, he remembers little of his life as a … Read more

Patterson, Lola B. Brannock Mrs. – Obituary

Baker City, Oregon Lola B. Patterson, 77, a 45-year resident of Oak Harbor, Wash., and a former Baker City resident, died Oct. 23, 2003, at Providence General Medical Center in Everett, Wash., after a long illness. Her graveside service will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Mount Hope Cemetery. There was a funeral today at Burley Funeral Chapel at Oak Harbor, Wash. Pastor Benjamin J. Norris officiated. Mrs. Patterson was born on May 10, 1926, at Baker City to Adoniram Judson Brannock and Alma E. Irvin Brannock. She was raised at Baker City where she graduated from high school. She … Read more

Slave Narrative of Luke Towns

Interviewer: Rachel A. Austin Person Interviewed: Luke Towns Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 100+(?) A Centenarian Luke Towns, a centenarian, now residing at 1335 West Eighth Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was the ninth child born to Maria and Like Towns, slaves, December 34, 1835, in a village in Tolberton County, Georgia. Mr. Town’s parents were owned by Governor Towns, whose name was taken by all the children born on the plantation; he states that he was placed on the public blocks for sale, and was purchased by a Mr. Mormon. At the marriage of Mr. Mormon’s daughter, Sarah, according to custom, he … Read more