This year I am going through an alphabet of news items taken from The Emancipator newspaper, published between 1917 and 1920 in Montgomery, Alabama. Most are about my grandparent’s circle of friends. All of the news items were found on Newspapers.com. Each item is transcribed directly below the clipping. Click on any image to enlarge.
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Victor Tulane was my grandmother Fannie’s uncle by marriage. He was the husband of Willie Lee Allen, my great grandmother Jennie Virginia Allen’s sister.
I thought his obituary summed up his life pretty well.
Victor H. Tulane Dead
Montgomery, Ala., Jan, 16., 1931
Transcribed from The Chicago Defender Jan 17, 1931 via ProQuest Historical Newspapers online database.
Victor H. Tulane, a leader of his Race here for many years, died at his home, 430 S. Union St., at the age of 57. His rise to affluence, through his own industry and native shrewdness, was little short of remarkable. Prior to his death he owned a mercantile business and operated a real estate agency of considerable scope. Tulane first came to Montgomery when he was 15 years old, having walked here from Wetumpka, where he was born. His first job was porter in a saloon, but later he opened a store at the corner of High and Ripley Streets. which he operated for about thirty years. He later rented his store and entered the real estate business, and before his death had accumulated a comfortable estate.
For many years Tulane served on the board of trustees of the Tuskegee Institute. He was also chairman of the board of trustees of the Hale infirmary. He was widely known for his generosity and willingness to serve in charitable movement. He was actively connected with the community chest and was one of the first to donate toward the Y.M.C.A. building for colored persons.
Surviving are his widow, Willie L. Tulane of Montgomery, and his daughter, Naomi Tulane Vincent, New York city. Funeral arrangements will be announced later by the Loveless Undertaking company.
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Victor Tulane wrote this letter to my grandmother Fannie as her mother and sisters were in the process of moving up from Montgomery to join her in Detroit. This was soon after Fannie and my grandfather, Mershell, bought their house on Theodore, where they lived for over 40 years. They had two children under five and the third, my mother was on the way.
V. H. Tulane
Real Estate and Insurance
Scott Building 123 Monroe St
Telephones
388
555
Rents Collected Homes Bought
Loans Negotiated And Sold
Estates Managed
Dear Fannie,
I am enclosing check from this M.R. & Ins. Co; for ten dollars which the sec’y should have mailed you some time ago.
We are winding up the affairs of this company and will send you another payment on stock acct. pretty soon. I think that the company will be able to pay off it’s stock holders dollar for dollar.
I trust this will find all well and getting along nicely.
Your mother’s things were shipped yesterday. Trust they will arrive on time and in first class condition. Remember me to all the folks. Tell the kids hello!
Let us have a line from you when convenient.
Your Uncle,
Victor
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Other posts about Victor Tulane
I found this information on Ancestry.com in Census Records, Directories, Death Records, Military Records and Marriage Records. News items were found on Newspapers.com. I also use Google Maps. Photographs and correspondence from my family archives.
He had a good head for business, it seems. Isn’t it nice to be remembered so well?
Yes. I sometimes wonder how I will be remembered. Not by my head for business, I’m sure.
He’s handsome! He also was clearly a very determined person. My favorite trait noted in his obituary is “native shrewdness.” Love that!
I like that “He was widely known for his generosity and willingness to serve in charitable movement” regards Anne
Fascinating! He was clearly a real entrepreneur.
A remarkable man – walked to Montgomery when he was fifteen – and then look what followed!
Quite a handsome man and an interesting description of his life and achievements.