Last Updated on November 15, 2011 by 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 […]
Last Updated on June 15, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 13, 2012 by Interviewer: Rachel Austin Person Interviewed: Clayborn Gantling Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 89 Clayborn Gantling was born in Dawson, Georgia, Terrell County, January 20, 1848 on the plantation of Judge Williams. Judge Williams owned 102 heads of slaves and was known to be “tolable nice to ’em in some
Last Updated on June 19, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on January 4, 2013 by 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
Last Updated on June 19, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 18, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on May 5, 2023 by Dennis 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
Last Updated on June 20, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 20, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 13, 2012 by Interviewer: Pearl Randolph Person Interviewed: Harriett Gresham Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 98 Occupation: Field Worker Born on December 6, 1838, Harriett Gresham can recall quite clearly the major events of her life as a slave, also the Civil War as it affected the slaves of Charleston and Barnwell,
Last Updated on January 30, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 15, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on June 20, 2012 by Interviewer: Samuel Johnson Person Interviewed: Rev. Squires Jackson Location: Jacksonville, Florida Occupation: Bricklayer, Preacher Lying comfortably in a bed encased with white sheets, Rev. Squires Jackson, former slave and minister of the gospel living at 706 Third Street cheerfully related the story of his life. Born in a
Last Updated on January 30, 2012 by Tuesday morning the body of Ralph Hamilton arrived from a Florida Camp, he too, dieing from pneumonia following an attack of Spanish Influenza. Ralph left in June with a quota of Wallowa County boys for Benson Polytechnic School, Portland, for special training for the army. He was stationed
Last Updated on June 20, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on March 29, 2013 by 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
Last Updated on June 17, 2012 by Interviewer: J. M. Johnson Person Interviewed: Mack Mullen Location: Jacksonville, Florida Age: 79 Mack Mullen, a former slave who now lives at 521 W. First Street, Jacksonville, Florida, was born in Americus, Georgia in 1857, eight years before Emancipation, on a plantation which covered an area of approximately
Last Updated on June 19, 2012 by 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
Last Updated on August 20, 2012 by Dennis Scholars have long assumed that Cape François was either present day Cape Canaveral They have also assumed that the May River was the St. Johns River. However, the distances between these points and Beaufort, SC (Port Royal Sound) don’t seem to correlate with the time that French
