In 1931 my uncle Louis J. Cleage was a senior at Northwestern High School in Detroit, Michigan. He was the second of the seven children of Dr. Albert B. and Pearl (Reed) Cleage. He graduated cum laud and went on to become a family doctor in his father’s practice. Years later he became a ham radio operator.
You can read more about Louis in this post and there are links there to even more posts! L – Louis Cleage
I just came across this interview that Studs Terkel did with my father in 1967. He talks about his first book, The Black Messiah. There are about two minutes of a black woman talking about what if Jesus came back and then the interview. The link is below.
Reverend Albert B. Cleage, Jr. discusses his book “the Black Messiah”
Jennie Virginia Allen Turner was my maternal grandmother’s mother and Eliza’s daughter. This photo was taken about 1918, before my grandmother Fannie, married my grandfather. They lived in Montgomery, Alabama.
Jennie was a widow and was a seamstress, working for herself. Fannie managed her Uncle Victor Tulane’s grocery store. Daisy was a teacher and Alice was at home.
After her marriage my grandmother moved to Detroit with her new husband, Mershell C. Graham. Several years later, the rest of the family joined them.
Graham-Turner Wedding
Jennie Virginia Allen Turner
Daisy Turner
Tulane’s Groceries
Annie Williams was the mother of Eliza Williams Allen and my 3X great grandmother. She was born into slavery about 1820 in Virginia or South Carolina. There are no death records that early for Alabama. I know that Annie Williams appeared in the 1880 census and she didn’t appear in the 1900 census. This death is in the right place, Ward 1 and I believe it to be my 3 X great grandmother. Still looking for further proof – cemetery records for instance.
Annie Williams was listed as 50 in the 1870 census. She was born in Virginia about 1820. She lived with her daughter Eliza and her family in Ward 1, Montgomery, Alabama. She was illiterate and worked as a domestic servant. She was identified as black.
Ten years later in the 1880 census, Anna Williams age was 53. Her birth date was 1827 and her birthplace listed as South Carolina. She lived with her granddaughter, Mary Allen McCall and her husband Edward. The house was next door to Ann’s daughter Eliza and her family. She was unable to read or write and worked as a cook. She was a widow.
The only thing I remember hearing about her growing up, aside from that she was Eliza’s mother, was from my Great grandmother’s sister, Aunt Abbie. She said she remembered cutting her grandmother’s toenails when she was a girl and that she had very bad arthritis.
I have gone through a couple of possible themes for this year’s A to Z Challenge… my grandfather Poppy’s migration from Alabama to Detroit in 1917, and revisiting favorite posts from the past 12 years of blogging.
Then I realized that the 1950 U. S. census would be released on April 1 and I decided that was what I wanted to be doing all of April and beyond, looking at the 1950 Cenus because I WAS THERE!
So, that is going to be my theme. I’ve written a few hypothetical posts about what I expect to find, now I can fact check and see what was really going on. Or what my family told the census taker anyway. Also included will be various facts about what was going on in my four year old life – what books was I being read, visits to and from Detroit, what toys was I playing with, milk delivery by horse and wagon and what was the news of the day (which most likely passed me by at the time).
I am going to try and get some posts written between now and then, after all there are three weeks and if I do one post a day, it’ll be almost as stressful as doing one post a day during the challenge. Not quite though. I can do all of them except those that I actually need to see the 1950 Census for. I think.
This will be my ninth A to Z Challenge. My first was in 2012 and I missed last year, only doing two before dropping out. I’m looking forward to reliving life as a four year old, with good knees and my life before me.
This unlabeled photograph was found in my Graham grandparent’s photographs. It shows a young man standing in front of my grandparent’s house by a car, which may be their car. The background house is the same one in the photograph of my mother and her friend.
Although I believed this to be Caruso Martin, my mother’s second cousin because I thought he looksed like little Caruso in the photo below. I just received an email from a Martin/Martino descendant who informs me that based on having met Caruso, who was his cousin, he does not think that this mystery man is him. So, back to being an unidentified man with a car again. Oh well, those unidentified photos are so frustrating and now I’m wondering if when I think I’ve finally identified them, I actually haven’t. It was nice to meet a cousin through my blog at any rate!
In 1940 Caruso was living with his mother, his stepfather and three step-brothers in Detroit. His mother was born in Alabama and had four years of high school. She did not work outside of the home. His stepfather was born in Italy and had had no schooling. He worked as a machine repairman at an auto manufacturer. His income during the previous year was $2,000.
All of the young people in the house had been born in the United States and gone through the 8th grade. The oldest son was 24 and married. He worked as a garage man at the City Water Co. He earned $1040. His wife did not work outside of the home. The second son was 21 and unemployed, and had been unemployed all year.
Caruso was 19 and worked as a linen folder in a linen supply company. He had worked 52 weeks during the past year and earned $1,000. His 19 year old step-brother worked at the same place and made $988 during the previous 23 weeks.
Annabelle and Caruso were listed as “Negro”. The Champine’s were listed as “white”. Annabelle McCall Champine, Caruso’s mother, was the person who gave the information to the census taker.
Below are two sad stories about the Martin family in 1923, when the husband and father died of typhoid while on a musical family trip from Florida to their home in Lima, Ohio.
The Martinos are happy again- as happy as a family can be when their father lies seriously ill. Their mother came back to them yesterday afternoon and Welfare Officer W. W. Holland and a group of representative Statesville women who heard her story today at his office are convinced that the children were jumping to a conclusion when they assumed she had deserted them and her sick husband for another man. “When I heard how well-bred the children were, I knew their mother was the right kind of woman,” remarked one of the group. “I wasn’t ready to believe the story about her.”
The trouble came about in this way, Mrs. Martino stated. Jeff her son by a former marriage, couldn’t get along with the Martino boys, sons of her husband by his first marriage. When they got into trouble, she could not side against her own son, she remarked; he was as much hers as the other children. Matters came to a head when her husband gave Jeff a whipping and put him outside to ride on a fender – they travel from place to place in their truck.
The only way out, she decided, was to take her son to her mother. This she did, pawning two of her rings in Salisbury to buy tickets to their home in LIma, O. She had no idea of going off with their manager, she said: and that she left Salisbury the same day she left her family, leaving him there. “He was nothing but a spendthrift,” she said; “I would have been ambitious – a mother of children – to have gone off with him, wouldn’t I?”
Letters have passed between her husband and herself since she went away. At Lima, where they are paying on a home, she planted her garden and wrote to her husband asking him to bring the children there, she said. She wanted to quit the road anyway, as it no longer agreed with her. Mrs. Martino gives the impression of being a thoroughly good woman and the children were more than glad to have her back again. The The other two children she took with her to Lima returned with her.
Yesterday morning the five children who were here played several sacred selections at the Men’s Bible class of the Broad Street Methodist church. Mr. Holland related their story. The members contributed #91 to a fund for their benefit. Contributions from another class brought up the total to $104. Their father remains seriously ill at the Davis Hospital with typhoid, though reported slightly better today.
Note: In 1923, Anna Belle’s mother, Mary Allen McCall lived in Detroit. Perhaps the photo taken above with my grandparents was taken during this trip to drop off her oldest son. The youngest three children are in the picture and they accompanied her.
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Mr. E. N.. Martino died died Monday at Davis Hospital, after a protracted illness. He was brought here some weeks since from Mooresville, where he had stopped with his family in their journey by truck from Florida to his home in LIma, Ohio. At one time he had rallied to treatment an his recovery was anticipated. He was 56 years old. The funeral service and interment were at Oakwood cemetery Tuesday at 4 o’clock with Rev. John W. Moore officiating.
Surviving are the widow and eight children, all but one here with her, encamped by their truck on the north side of the court house. They are Napier, Estill, Anna Maria, Eddie, Geneva, Thelma and Caruso, three years old. The oldest son is 1. Mrs. Martino plans to leave for for Lima, where they are paying on a home, next week.
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For more about the Martin family, including photos, click these links
Oh, Dry Those Tears! (1901)
The Midget Band
More About Annabell’s Family
I can’t see what Barbara is doing here as she gets the copy ready to photograph and print.
You can read more about Cleage Printers and my Aunt Barbara in these posts
Cleage Printers.
B is for Barbara Cleaage
Person of the Month – Barbara Pearl Cleage Martin
My Aunt Barbara Colorized
Celebrating my Aunt Barbara’s 90th Birthday
The Afram River and Freedom School 1964 including an article written by my Aunt Barbara, who was married to Mr. Smith at that time so signed the article as Barbara Smith. This was during the time of the photograph above was taken.
It has been a long time since I participated in Sepia Saturday. When I saw the prompt photo, I immediately thought of the photo I featured today.
Corvatt & Whitfield
Attorneys and Counselors
Brunswick, Georgia
February 26, 1909
United States Pension Agent,
Knoxville, Tenn.
Dear Sir:
IN RE: Susan Abbott certificate
No. 416395, dated February 20th 1895
I beg to advise that Susan Abbott died January. 17, 1909.
Your Truly,
A. J. Crovatt
ABBOTT, Susan
The Brunswick Journal; Monday 18 January 1909
SUDDEN DEATH OF OLD SERVANT—For Many Years a Faithful Servant in Family of Judge Crovatt.
There will be genuine sorrow expressed by a very large number of white people when they learn of the death of “Mammy Sue,” who has been faithful servant in the family of Judge A.J. Crovatt for the past thirty years.
Everybody knew “Mammy Sue”; she had been so identified with the family of “her people” as to be one of them.
Born in Charleston, a slave, Susan Abbot [sic], as she was known, was brought to St. Simons Island and was the servant of the Hazzard family there.
At the close of the war, Susan became a member of the family of Col. C.L. Schlatter, the father of Mrs. A.J. Crovatt. After the marriage of Miss Mary Lee Schlatter to Mr. A.J. Crovatt, “Mammy Sue” went with her young mistress and was the nurse of three children of Judge and Mrs. Crovatt.
As the widow of a soldier in the Federal Army during the war, Mammy Sue was awarded a pension by the government. Though her husband fought on the Federal side, Mammy Sue staid [sic] with her “own people.”
Famous as a cook, devoted to the interests of those with whom she had been so many years, the death of Mammy Sue removes another of the rare ante-bellum negroes.
Her illness was of only a few hours duration; the young daughter of the house, Mary Lee Crovatt, had gone to see the old woman at ten o’clock to give her a cup of tea; Mammy did not complain of being ill, and had been about her usual duties all day yesterday. Though eighty years of age, Mammy Sue was remarkably active, and was in full control of all her faculties. At one o’clock another of the servants heard the old woman calling, and Miss Crovatt and her brother went to the room in the servant’s house. When the door was opened, Mammy Sue was unconscious and died with(in) a few minutes.
Four children survive, Thomas and Joseph Abbot and Eliza Cuyler, all of whom live on St. Simons. Another son, Randolph Abbot, being in Charleston (note: no Randolph found). The body will be carried to St. Simons where it will be interred tomorrow.
FUNERAL OF MAMMY SUE HELD ON ST. SIMONS
The body of Susan Abbott, or “Mammy Sue” the aged servant of Judge A.J. Crovatt, was carried to St. Simons this morning for interment.
Services were held last night in the First African Baptist Church, of which church, Mammy Sue had long been a member. The Brunswick Journal; Tuesday 19 January 1909; pg. 1
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Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 1 – 1829-1866
Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 2 – 1867-1909
From the Pension File
Susan Abbott’s Deposition
Susan Abbott’s Marriage –Pension #2
Death of Randolph Abbott – Pension #3
Character of Susan Richardson Abbott – Pension File #4
Susan Richardson Abbott seems to have had an easier time getting her widow’s pension than other’s I have read about. I believe it was because she had several important white citizens testify as to the truth of her statements and her good character. There was also testimony from several people that had been enslaved on the Col. Hazzard’s plantation on St. Simons Island.
This character reference was given by A. J. Crovatt, who was her employer and a well known attorney and eventually mayor in Brunswick, across the Mackay River from St. Simons Island.
GENERAL AFFIDAVIT
State of Georgia, County of Glynn, ss:
In the matter of the application of Susan Abbott widow of Randolph Abbott because late private Co. “A” 33 Regt U. S. C. Inft
On this 5th day of January, A. D. 1895, personally appeared before me notary public in and for the aforesaid county, duly authorized to administer oaths, A. J. Corvatt aged 36 years, a resident of Brunswick, in the County of Glynn, and State of Georgia. Whose Post office address is Brunswick Georgia. Etc. etc.
Affiant has had Susan Abbott in his employ as a nurse for fourteen years and therefore knows her well. She is now in the employ of his family and has always been and is a faithful servant – reliable, trustworthy and truthful – She is as well as can be properly written in the neighborhood of seventy (70) years and is therefore feeble and will not be able to work much longer – She is now from time to time complaining and is frequently forced to remain in her room and bed and be treated by a physician.
Affiant further states that he fully believes from his knowledge of all the parties concerned their characters and the character o Susan Abbott that all of the statements made in and concerning her application for pension are true.
In making this affidavit I am not prompted by any written or printed statements or recital prepared or dictated by any other person but make it from knowledge gained from personal acquaintance with said Susan Abbott and her witnesses.
And we further declare that we have no interest in said case, and that we are not concerned in its prosecution
A. J. Corvatt
(signature of affiants)
******
This is the sixth post about the life of Susan Richardson Abbott. You can read earlier parts of Susan Abbott’s story at these links.:
Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 1 – 1829-1866
Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 2 – 1867-1909
Susan Abbott’s Deposition – Pension File Part 1
Susan Abbott’s Pension File Part 2 – Marriage
Death of Randolph Abbott – Pension #3
In 1890 Susan Richardson Abbott received a widow’s pension because of her husband Randolph Abbott’s service with the United States Colored Troops during the United States Civil War.
Today’s statement was made by fellow soldier, Wesley Lee. He testified several times during these pension hearings.
Click on any of the images to enlarge them.
State of Georgia, County of Glynn, ss:
In the matter of the application of Susan Abbott widow of Randolph Abbott deceased late private Co “A” 33 Regt USC infantry
Personally came before me a notary Public in and for aforesaid County and State Wesley Lee aged 66 years a citizen of the town of St. Simmons Mills, County of Glynn and State of Georgia. Well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit and who being duly sworn declares in relation to aforesaid case as follows.
That Randolph Abbott who was a fellow comrade of mine in Co. “A” 33 Reg USC Infantry died on St. Simons Island Glynn County Georgia in the month of January 1874 and that he was with him at the time he died and saw him buried at St. Simons island at “West Point” burying grounds which is an old colored cemetery.
Affiant further declares that this affidavit was all written by W. B. Moore on the 6th day of August 1895 in his presence and only from his oral statements then made and that he made his oral statement to W. B. Moore and in making the same he did not use and were not aided or prompted by any written or printed statement or recital prepared or dictated by any other person and not attached as an exhibit to his testimony. And further declares that he has no interest in said case, and is not concerned in its prosecution.
Sworn to and Signed in the presence of
L. M. Earhardt Wesley (his X mark) Lee
M. L. Moore
___________________
This is the fifth post about the life of Susan Richardson Abbott. You can read earlier parts of Susan Abbott’s story at these links.:
Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 1 – 1829-1866
Susan Richardson Abbott – Part 2 – 1867-1909
Susan Abbott’s Deposition – Pension File Part 1
Susan Abbott’s Pension File Part 2 – Marriage
