Alabama

Biography of Henry G. Parsons

HENRY G. PARSONS. Among the representative agriculturists and stock-raisers of Pierce Township, Stone County, Missouri, we are pleased to present a sketch of the gentleman whose name appears at the head of this paragraph, and whose pleasant home and excellent farm are to be found on Crane Creek. He claims Alabama as his native State, his birth occurring near Tuscumbia in November, 1853. He is a son of Hiram and Martha (Goode) Parsons, natives respectively of Tennessee and Mississippi. The parents were married in the latter State and removed thence to Alabama. Later, or in 1854, they settled in Jefferson … Read more

Slave Narrative of Rev. W. B. Allen

Interviewer: J. R. Jones Person Interviewed: Rev. W. B. Allen Interviewed: June 29, 1937 Location: Columbus, Georgia Residence: 425-Second Ave, Columbus, Georgia [JUL 28 1937] [TR: Original index refers to “Allen, Rev. W.B. (Uncle Wash)”; however, this informant is different from the previous informant, Washington Allen, interviewed on Dec. 18, 1936. The previous interview for Rev. Allen that is mentioned below is not found in this volume.] In a second interview, the submission of which was voluntarily sought by himself, this very interesting specimen of a rapidly vanishing type expressed a desire to amend his previous interview (of May 10, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Washington Allen

Person Interviewed: Washington Allen Interviewed: December 18, 1936 Location: Columbus, Georgia Residence: 1932-Fifth Avenue, Columbus, Georgia Born: December –, 1854 Place of birth: “Some where” in South Carolina Present [MAY 8 1937] [TR: Original index refers to “Allen, Rev. W.B. (Uncle Wash)”; however, this informant is different from the next informant, Rev. W.B. Allen.] The story of “Uncle Wash”, as he is familiarly known, is condensed as follows: He was born on the plantation of a Mr. Washington Allen of South Carolina, for whom he was named. This Mr. Allen had several sons and daughters, and of these, one son—George … Read more

Slave Narrative of Martha Colquitt

Interviewer: Sarah H. Hall Person Interviewed: Martha Colquitt Location: Athens, Georgia The aged Negress leaned heavily on her cane as she shuffled about her tiny porch in the waning sunlight of a cold January day. An airplane writing an advertising slogan in letters of smoke high in the sky was receiving but indifferent attention from Aunt Martha. Sha shivered and occasionally leaned against a post until a paroxysm of coughing subsided. “What would you have thought of that if it had suddenly appeared in the sky when you were a child?” she was asked. “It would have scared me plum … Read more

Slave Narrative of Mary Colbert

Interviewer: Sadie B. Hornsby Person Interviewed: Mary Colbert Location: Athens, Georgia (NOTE: This is the first story we have had in which the client did not use any dialect. Mary Colbert’s grammar was excellent. Her skin was almost white, and her hair was quite straight. None of us know what a “deep” slave was. It may have the same meaning as outlandish Negro. The “outlandish Negroes” were those newly arrived Negroes who had just come in from any country outside of the United States of America, and were untrained. They were usually just from Africa. Sarah H. Hall) With the … Read more

Slave Narrative of George Brooks

Date of birth: Year unknown (See below) Place of birth: In Muscogee County, near Columbus, Georgia Present Residence: 502 East 8th Street, Columbus, Georgia Interviewed: August 4, 1936 Age: 112 This old darky, probably the oldest ex-slave in West Georgia, claims to be 112 years of age. His colored friends are also of the opinion that he is fully that old or older—but, since none of his former (two) owners’ people can be located, and no records concerning his birth can be found, his definite age cannot be positively established. “Uncle” George claims to have worked in the fields, “some”, … Read more

Slave Narrative of Annie Gail

Person Interviewed: Annie Gail Location: Dade County, Florida Annie Gail, 1661 NW 6th Court, Miami, Florida, was four years old when “peace came.” “I was borned on Faggott’s place near Greenville, Alabama. My mother, she worked for Faggott. He wuz her bossman. When she’d go out to de fiel’s, I ‘member I used to watch her, for somehow I wuz feared she would get away from me. “Now I ‘member dat jes ez good as ’twas yesterday. I didn’t do anything. I just runned ’round. “We just ‘stayed on’ after de’ ‘Mancipation’. My mother, she was hired then. I guess … Read more

Slave Narrative of Frank Bates

Person Interviewed: Frank Bates Location: Dade County, Florida Frank Bates, 367 N.W. 10th Street, Miami, Florida was born on Hugh Lee Bates’ farm in Alabama in the country not very far from Mulberry Beat. “My mother and father lived on the same plantation, but I was too little to do more than tote water to the servants in the fields. “I saw Old Bates whip my mother once for leaving her finger print in the pone bread when she patted it down before she put it into the oven. “I remember seeing Lundra, Oscar and Luke Bates go off to … Read more

Slave Narrative of Priscilla Mitchell

Person Interviewed: Priscilla Mitchell Location: Dade County, Florida Priscilla Mitchell, 1614 NW 5th Ave., was born in Macon County, Alabama, March 17, 1858. “Y’ see, ah wuz oney 7 years old when ah wuz ‘mancipated. I can ‘member pickin’ cotton, but I didn’t work so hard, ah wuz too young. “I wuz my Massy’s pet. No, no he wouldn’t beat me. Whenever ah’s bad or did little things that my mother didn’t want me to do and she’d go to whip me, all I needed to do was to run to my Massy and he’d take me up and not … 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

Biography of Lafayette Davenport

LAFAYETTE DAVENPORT. This gentleman is retired from the active duties of life, and is in the enjoyment of a competency which his early industry brought him. He was born in Alabama December 15, 1833, a son of George and Mary (Wimbs) Davenport, both natives of the Palmetto State. The paternal grandfather was a Virginian, and he attained the rank of colonel in the Revolutionary War. He removed from his native State to South Carolina, and there reared his family. George Davenport was nineteen years old when he located in Jefferson County, Ala., and there he continued to make his home … Read more

Biography of Capt. Francis Marion Pollock

CAPT. FRANCIS MARION POLLOCK. This well-known farmer, stock trader and mill man, of Mt. View, Missouri, owes his nativity to Limestone County, Ala., where he first saw the light on the 19th of April, 1840. His parents, Francis Asbury and Ann (Wilkinson) Pollock, were also born in Limestone County, Ala., in 1808 and 1810, respectively, were reared and married there, and about 1834 removed to Cooper County, Missouri, where Mr. Pollock was soon after elected sheriff, and died while in office in 1839. He was a very prominent Mason, one of the wealthy farmers of the county, and became prominently … Read more

Biography of William T. Davenport

WILLIAM T. DAVENPORT. Among the worthy residents of Searcy County, Arkansas, it is just to say that Mr. Davenport occupies a conspicuous and honorable place, for he has always been honest, industrious and enterprising, and as a result has met with more than ordinary success. He is a man well known in agricultural circles, and is recognized as a careful, energetic farmer, who by his advanced ideas and progressive methods has done much to improve the farming interests of his section. He was born in Alabama, October 13, 1822, a son of George W. and Mary (Weemes) Davenport, the former … Read more

Biography of R. D. C. Griffin

R. D. C. GRIFFIN. The name of Griffin is well known throughout Searcy County, for it has been connected with the business interests of this section for a long term of years, and is the synonym of honesty, industry and business integrity. Mr. Griffin was born in Huntsville, Ala., August 31, 1828, a son of Jesse and Sarah W. (Brooks ) Griffin, who removed first from Alabama to Tennessee, and in 1846 to Searcy County, Arkansas, where they entered a tract of land on which the father lived until his death, which occurred in 1886. Throughout the active years of … Read more

Biography of James H. Jones

JAMES H. JONES. James H. Jones, sheriff of Oregon County, Missouri, is worthy and well qualified in every respect for the responsible position he fills, and being a whole-souled, generous man, is deservedly popular with the public in general. One of the most gratifying features of government in the United States is the efficiency and integrity of those who are called upon to hold office. The subject of our sketch is one who reflects the greatest possible credit on those who supported him for the office of sheriff of Oregon County, for he fills that position with an earnestness of … Read more

Biography of Capt. Lewis A. McPherson

CAPT. LEWIS A. McPHERSON. He whose name heads this sketch is a prominent and well-known citizen of Mountain Home Township, and resides in comfort near the town of Mountain Home. He was born in De Kalb County, Ala., October 2, 1840, his parents being William Wilson and Hannah (Palmer) McPherson, who were born in Tennessee and Kentucky, respectively, and in 1844 came to Arkansas from the State of Mississippi, having for some time been a resident of Marion County. At the time of their location in Arkansas, there was but one cabin on the spot where the flourishing town of … Read more

Biography of Dr. James M. Robinson

DR. JAMES M. ROBINSON. This successful old medical practitioner is well known for his genial personality, his ready and kindly sympathy with those who come to him as invalids, and for this reason his clientele is perhaps even larger than would have been attracted by his recognized ability and the success which has attended his efforts. He belongs to that class of physicians who recognize the fact that there is something more than a barren ideality in “ministering to a mind diseased,” or, in other words, that the mental condition of the patient has in many cases much to do … Read more

Biography of Maj. Matthew George Norman

Beginning life with a clear head, true heart and high purpose, Maj. Matthew George Norman pressed on past the ranks of adversity and became what he is today-one of the most prominent and honored of Oregon County’s citizens. As a representative man of the county he is looked upon as one of the best type. Maj. Norman was born near Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee, February 27, 1830, and was the seventh of eight children born to John and Elizabeth (Colquit) Norman, natives, respectively, of North Carolina and Georgia. The parents were probably married in Tennessee, and she died in Alabama … Read more

Biography of Isaac Preston Looney

ISAAC PRESTON LOONEY. The subject of this biographical notice is an honorable and progressive farmer, and as such no name in the memorial department of this work is more worthy of mention. He was born in Roane County, Tennessee, in 1831, a son of John and Lucinda (Edrington) Looney, both of whom were natives of east Tennessee. The father was a carpenter and farmer by occupation, and when the subject of this sketch was a child removed with his family to Franklin County, Ala., and there made his home until 1853. They next located in Smith County, Tex., where both … Read more

Biography of Hon. Peter G. Stewart

HON. PETER G. STEWART. – Peter Grant Stewart was born on the 6th of September, 1809, in Stanford, Delaware County, New York. When eight years of age he moved to Jefferson, Scohane County, where he received a common-school education, and learned the trade of a watchmaker. He followed the occupation of watchmaker and jeweler in Middlebury until the spring of 1838, when, with a selected stock of watches, jewelry, etc., he started for the West, going by way of Niagara Falls, Buffalo, Toledo and Fort Wayne to Mount Vernon, Indiana, and from there to Morganfield, Union County, Kentucky, where he … Read more