Category Archives: Indianapolis

Oh Dry Those Tears

Cleages, Indianapolis, sepia saturday

My paternal grandmother, Pearl Reed Cleage was born in Lebanon, Kentucky. Her family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana when she was a young girl and that is where she grew up. She sang at various events before she married and my father was born and the family moved to Kalamazoo, MI. I found this newspaper article in the box of family photos and was able to find more information about the event in several local papers. I found one of the songs she sang (Oh Dry Those Tears) and I shared it below.

Sings in Concert at Simpson Chapel

 Miss Pearl D. Reed The violin recital of Clarence Cameron White will be given this evening at Simpson Chapel under the direction of the Colored Y.M.C.A. Orchestra.  He will be supported by the best local talent.  The following program will be given:
Overture – “Northern Lights,” Y.M.C.A. Orchestra
Violin – Hungarian Rhapsodie, Clarence Cameron White
Song – “Oh Dry Those Tears,” Miss Pearl D. Reed.”
Piano – “Vaise in C sharp minor (b) Polanaise in A major.  Mrs. Alberta J. Grubbs.
Violin – (a) Tran Merel: (b) Scherzo, Clarence Cameron White
Intermission
Orchestra – “The Spartan,” orchestra
Vocal – “Good-by”, Miss Pearl D. Cleage
Readings A.A. Taylor.
Selection – “The Bird and Brook,” orchestra

The Indianapolis Star, Friday       May 8, 1908

“The Cameron White Recital” 

Clarence Cameron White ably sustained his reputation as a violinist at Simpson Chapel church last week under the auspices of of the Y.M.C.A. Mr. White plays a clean violin; he gets all out of it there is – dragging his bow from tip to tip, and more if it were possible.  He did not attempt any of the great big things – the big concertos, and perhaps for the best.  Yet he showed his capability for such work and at the same time satisfied his audience.  His encores as a rule were selections that the audience recognized and through the beautiful renditions it could easily form some estimate of his playing ability.  Mr. White was a decided success.  Seldom is has a good class of music been so thoroughly appreciated.  He was supported at the piano by Samuel Ratcliffe whose playing was commendable.  Miss Pearl D. Reed proved an acceptable contralto singer.  The orchestra under Alfred A. Taylor did some very effective work.  Mr. Taylor proved a reader of ability; he read several of his own selections.  The audience was magnificent and paid the utmost attention to the renditions.”

The Freeman An Illustrated Colored Newspaper 1908    May 16 page 4

One of the songs Pearl Reed sang at the recital, “Oh Dry Those Tears”

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Vivian Vaughn McDonald 1926-2021

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages, Indianapolis, Obituary
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  • Vivian and her grandmother, Josephine Cleage
  • Vivian – marriage with Clark DeLoach

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Vivian Vaughn McDonald was my second cousin. Her grandmother Josie Cleage and my grandfather Albert B. Cleage Sr. were siblings.

Thanks to Jody DeLoach for sharing photographs, and to Tanya Harris for sharing the funeral program with me.

Students Wanted in Detroit

Cleages, Detroit, Indianapolis,
Albert B. Cleage Sr, 1910

I was quite surprised to find this news item awhile ago while searching for information about Jacob Cleage. It would have been interesting to find that my grandfather and his brother were involved in a knife fight, however there are several things in this clipping I know to be untrue.

R.C. Cleage is unknown to me. Jacob was my grandfather’s older brother’s name. My grandfather, A. B. Cleage, was the only medical student name of Cleage in Indianapolis during that time. He did work on the excursion boats out of Detroit during the summer of 1909. However, he graduated in June of 1910 and did not work on the boats in 1910.

My grandfather was married with a baby (my father) in September 1911. My grandmother did receive several postcards from Detroit dated July, 1911. I could find no record of legal happenings and no further news articles about it.

July 12, 1911 (Mrs. Pearl Cleage)
Just got back to Detroit, Hope you all are well and happy. Will feel better when I hear from you. Albert.

7/12/11 to Master A. B. Cleage Jr.
Did not forget you were 4 weeks old yesterday and tomorrow you will be 1 month. My, but you are getting old fast.
Papa

7/21/11 to Mrs. Pearl Cleage
Dear Pearl –
I am lonesome for you and baby. Want to see you all awful bad. Hope you are well and happy. Albert

Physicians License – Dr. A.B. Cleage Sr.

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages, Indianapolis

Physicians License

My grandfather, Albert B. Cleage Sr. – 1909.

State of Indiana

County of Marion

I, Leonard M Quill Clerk of the Circuit Court of Marion County of the state of Indiana certify that Albert B. Cleage has complied with the laws of the state of Indiana relating to the practice of medicine, surgery and obstetrics in the County and State aforesaid.

Witness my hand and seal of said Court, this 1st day of Sept, 1910

Leonard M. Quill Clerk

James Cleage 1870 – 1933

Cleages, Great Migration, Indianapolis
Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church Congregation. James Cleage is in the back row, 5th from the left. My grandparents are 3rd(Pearl Reed) and 4th (Albert Cleage) from the right. My grandfather’s brothers, Jake and Henry Cleage are next to him.
James Albert Cleage

James Cleage was born in 1870, the eighth of the ten surviving children of formerly enslaved Jerry and Charlotte (Bridgeman) Cleage. His parents had been enslaved on David Cleage’s plantation before the Civil War. Neither Jerry nor Charlotte learned to read or write. Jerry worked as a laborer until his death at age 92.

In September 1894, twenty-two year old James Cleage married twenty year old Josie Cleage. Although they were both named Cleage, it was not because they were related. Josie’s family was enslaved on Alexander Cleage’s plantation while James Cleage’s family was enslaved on David Cleage’s plantation and both families took the surname of “Cleage”. Both were born  after the Civil War.

They had six children – Henrietta born in 1897, Lucille in 1899, James in 1901, Albert David in 1907 and Hattie Ruth was born in 1909. One child was born and died between censuses and I do not know if it was a boy or girl or their name.

James seems to have been the only one of his siblings to get an extensive education. In April 1890 Jacob Lincoln Cook, came to Athens to establish a Presbyterian Mission and founded the Athens Academy. James Cleage was one of the small group of dedicated educators that worked with him and taught there in the early years. In 1900 James was 29 and teaching school at the Athens Academy.  He and his family were living next door to his wife’s mother, step-father and her younger brothers.

In 1900 J.L. Cook was appointed president of Henderson Normal Institute in Henderson, North Carolina. James also went to North Carolina and began teaching at the Institute. In 1901 Josie and James son, James Oscar, was born there. My grandfather, Albert Cleage, lived with his aunt’s family while he was attending high school at Henderson Normal. He graduated in 1902.   By the time Albert David (called David) was born in 1907, the family was back in Athens, Tennessee, but not for long.

By 1905 Henry and Jacob Cleage had relocated to Indianapolis, Indiana and in 1908 James, Josie and their growing family joined them there. Their youngest daughter, Hattie Ruth was born in Indianapolis in 1909.  James worked as mailing clerk for  The Indiana Farmer. Here is a link to the January 2, 1909 issue of that paper.  Josie stayed home and raised the children and kept the house.

Both James and Josie were active in Witherspoon Presbyterian Church. I found these short items in the Indianapolis Star “News of The Colored Folk” during 1911.

March 11, 1911
Officers of the Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church entertained its members at the church at a banquet Tuesday night.  Dr. H.L. Hummons was toastmaster.  Addresses were made by Henry and James Cleage, Mrs. Lillian T. Fox and Mrs. M.A. Clark.

April 9, 1911 Sunday
The Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church will give its annual musicale Friday evening at the church on North West street.  The following program will be given:  Solo, Mrs. T.A. Smythe; reading, Mrs. James Cleage; clarinet solo, Philip Tosch; reading, Mrs. Harriet Mitchel; quartet, Messrs. Lewis, Thompson, Chavis and Thompson.  The church choir will render three selections.  Mrs. Daisy Brabham has charge of the program.

My father and his siblings regularly traveled from Detroit to visit their cousins in Indianapolis. My aunt Anna remembered her uncle James as a very quiet, gentle man who helped around the house.

James’ wife Josie and four of their children. I do not have a picture of James Oscar. Special thanks to my cousins from Uncle James and Aunt Josie’s line for sharing photos with me.

The children all finished several years of high school and then got married or started working or both. Lucille seems to have been the first to relocate to Detroit where her uncles Albert, Jacob and Henry Cleage had settled.

James A. Cleage was 62 when he died from prostrate problems in Indianapolis City Hospital on October 21, 1933. He is buried in New Crown Hill Cemetery.

After he died Josie also moved to Detroit.  In 1940 she lived with her son David and his family on the Old West Side of Detroit, not far from her brothers.

Other posts about this branch of the family.

Pearl’s Letters – An Index

Indianapolis, Letters, Pearl Reed's Letters, Reeds,

My Grandmother’s Letters
Finding The Letters
The Letters – The People
May 17, 1903 – Evangeline
July 3, 1903 – Hot Weather and A Train Trip
December 21, 1903 – Invitation to Christmas Dinner
January 27, 1904 – Illness and The True Reformers
January 31, 1904 – Misunderstood & Helping Homer Forget
February 7, 1904 – Evil Thoughts
March 8, 1904 – Guitar and Piano Lessons
March 17, 1904 – A New Address and The Mullins Move to Michigan
April 7, 1904 – Mother Very Ill, Minnie’s New Address
April 12, 1904 – Mother Ill Again
May 27, 1904 – Happy For Homer’s Speedy Return
June 16, 1904 – Minnie Coming to Visit
August 24, 1904 – An Entertainment
Aug 29, 1904 – An Invitation
November 8, 1904 – Pearl’s Mother Very Ill and Homer Shares “Vitality Supreme”
November 11, 1904 – Homer Advised Not to Visit
December 1, 1904 – Tired of Sarcasm and Baby Arthur Walks!
December 21, 1904 – Would She Be That Selfish?
January 2, 1905 – Mother Ill and Homer In Hot Springs, Arkansas
January 15, 1905 – Mother Better and Homer Describes Mountains
January 18, 1905 – Shall We Cease Writing?
January 27, 1905 – Minnie and Family Visiting, All Are Sick & Pearl Takes a Walk
February 6, 1905 – Pearl Accused of a Flighty Disposition & Illness in Homer’s Family
March 2, 1905 – Delighted With Stereoscopic Views, a Big Fire and Neglect of MacFadden’s Program
March 10, 1905 – Homer Sends Music and 50 Stamps. Hugh Whistles.
March 20, 1905 – Sorry to Read Homer’s Letter
April 21, 1905 – Busy Sewing for Mother’s Trip to Benton Harbor
April 26, 1905 – No Flowers For Easter & A Mystery Cousin
May 22, 1905 – Homer Reckless and Little Eulala Dies of Pneumonia
May 28, 1905 – A Walk, Request For A Photograph & Mother Ill in Benton Harbor.
June 25, 1905 – Pearl Receives Photograph of Homer, Promises to Send Hers in Return
July 11, 1905 – Missing Minnie & Music In The Night
July 16, 1905 – Music Through the Night and A Visit With Homer
July 22, 1905 – Mother Dangerously Ill, Pearl Fixes Hot Lemonade
August 27, 1905 – A Very Short Letter
Sept 7, 1905 – Pearl Sings & The Weather Cools
Oct., 24, 1905 – “Most exasperating of people…”
Oct. 29, 1905 – A Walk Into the Country, A New Aqueduct And A New Post Office
Nov. 28, 1905 – The Last Letter – An Invitation to Thanksgiving Dinner

Nov. 28, 1905 – The Last Letter – An Invitation to Thanksgiving Dinner

Great Migration, Indianapolis, Letters, Pearl Reed's Letters, Reeds, Thanksgiving,
Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library/University of Georgia Libraries. Click to enlarge.
Pearl Reed

Homer Jarrett
131 Puryear St. City

2730 Kenwood Ave.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Nov. 28, 1905

Mr. Jarrett,
Dear Homer, You are most cordially invited to take Thanksgiving dinner with us at our home Thurs. Nov. 30th. It will be very informal.

Yours sincerely
Anna Reed

P.S. I neglected to tell you that dinner will be served at “7:00 P.M.”
Anna Reed

_______________

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Oct. 29, 1905 – A Walk Into the Country, A New Aqueduct And A New Post Office

Indianapolis, Letters, Pearl Reed's Letters, Reeds,
Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library/University of Georgia Libraries. Click to enlarge.
Pearl Reed

Homer Jarrett
Forwarded from French Lick to
131 Puryear St. City

2730 Kenwood
Oct. 29, 1905

Dear Homer;

I wonder what you are doing tonight? Are you at home? I have but just returned home after leaving with Hugh about four o’clock for a walk. O, and it was a walk too Homer! We reached home about nine thirty o’clock.

I enjoyed it though. Everything was and is just beautiful. The trees all shades of yellow and red and the fields with the green and yellow pumpkins lying here and there amid the shocks or stacks of grain. Past groups of cows and horses all of which I gave ample space while Hugh laughed and tried to assure me that they were harmless. And such a lovely sunset!

He took me over the new aqueduct supposed to be the only one of it’s kind in the world. He helped to construct it. We walked on and on until the new moon came to warn us of the end of the day and we then winded our way in downtown stopped at the Dairy Lunch, got a lunch and caught the car and came home. Was to have gone to a friend’s house and from there to church, but Hugh suggested the walk and it just suited me, for it was just cool enough today to walk briskly.

What did you do today I wonder? Tell me about French Lick? Will you? Is it a pretty place? Do you like it there?

I wonder if you are at church now? Hope you are.

Yours Pearl Doras Reed

P.S. O Homer, I forget, did I tell you that the new Post Office was completed? I suppose you read of it in the paper? It is simply grand. I think I have been in it once since it has been completed.

What are you going to do Halloween? Celebrate? I hope you have a pleasant time.

Good night
Pearl

__________________

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Baltimore Dairy Lunch The_Indianapolis_Star_Sat__Sep_10__1904
Baltimore Dairy Bar The_Indianapolis_Star_Sat__Sep_9__1905

Oct., 24, 1905 – “Most exasperating of people…”

Great Migration, Indianapolis, Letters, Pearl Reed's Letters, Reeds,
Courtesy of Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library/University of Georgia Libraries. Click to enlarge.
Pearl Reed

Homer Jarrett
French Lick, Indiana

2730 Kenwood Ave.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Oct., 24, 1905

Dear Homer

Most exasperating of people, your difficulties and troubles must have ruined your memory, for you asked me to or why I had not answered your letter and you should know that I wrote last and did so about six or seven weeks ago. Did your tribulations run away with your pen, ink, pencils and paper? You have my sympathy, I am sure.

You know very well that you did not come to French Lick to be near me, of course it sounds nice to be told that but of course you do not mean it Homer.

Where you did not answer my letter I thought you had gone south or some other place and was agreeably surprised to get your letter. Glad you are well and coming home, if “even for a visit” O Homer are you coming? Soon? I am curious you see?

What have you been doing with yourself for so long? Everything? How is your mother? Mine is quite well and sends her best regards to you. She tells me that she will be glad to see you again.

We are having ugly weather here Homer, it is raining now, just a fine penetrating rain that soaks you through.

I suppose I’ve about spoiled your temper Homer so I shall cease.

Pearl Doras Reed

P.S.
Wait a second, please, Homer, mother, just now, tells me to tell you that she wishes you were here now to paint this house, for you know you told her that you painted “houses”. She says she is trying to get ready for you Thanksgiving for she expects to have you out here.

Good night
your
Pearl

_________________

Sept 7, 1905 – Pearl Sings & The Weather Cools

Great Migration, Indianapolis, Letters, Pearl Reed's Letters, Reeds,
Pearl Reed

No envelope.

2730 Kenwood
Sept 7, 1905

Dear Homer;

Your letter came o.k. after I had despaired of receiving it and I was very glad to hear from you. I thought at first that you had gone south and that I should receive my letter back again but I was agreeably surprised to hear from you and that you are so near.

You spoke of the weather, yes I am glad it is cooler. Are you? Last Sunday I visited Riverside Park and although it was cool and I’ve had to wear jackets, I enjoyed it. We stayed out until about 7:30 P.M. and from there to church. We had our supper out there, of sandwiches, hot coffee and cream.

Last night (6th) I took part in a concert at Allen Chapel and did not get home until 1:00 A.M. We had a very nice time.

O Homer what are you doing? Are you well? May “we” hope to see you soon? How is your mother and friends at home? Mother and the boys send their best regards to you.

Homer forgive this pencil, for the old pen point refused to write at all and I have not another just now and it is 9:30 P.M.

I have worried you to desperation Homer I am sure and I shall say good-bye.

Yours truly, P.D.R.

________________

________________

Looking online I found that “The Old Maid’s Association” was a farcical entertainment for thirteen females and one male that was often put on by church groups as a money raiser in the early 1900s.

Miss Blanche Young mentioned in the news item, married Pearl’s brother, Hugh the following year. In 1905 she was a 17 year old high school student at Manual Training High School, a well respected and innovative new high school. Blanche was several years younger than Pearl. According to several news items, she was active in both the Ninth Presbyterian Church and Allen’s Chapel, as Pearl was. She lived about a mile from Allen’s Chapel and a mile and a half from Pearl.

Blanche was born on October 26, 1887 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the oldest of the seven children born to James Harvey Young, a teacher and Roberta Ruth (Jordan) Young, a housewife. Two of her younger siblings died before 1900. The youngest, Elizabeth, died of cholera in 1900 before she was a year old. Her mother died of meningitis in 1901.

Blanche’s father re-married a widow with a young daughter later that year. Soon afterwards he and his new wife moved to Southern California. They took the two youngest daughters. Blanche and her brother Clifford, remained in Indianapolis. Blanche completed two years of high school and married Pearl’s brother Hugh  in 1906 when she was 18 years old.

You can read more of Blanche’s story here Blanche Celeste Reed aka Celeste J. Averette.