Naomi Tulane about four years old. 1904. (Copyright Jacqui Vincent)
This photograph of my grandmother Fannie’s cousin, Naomi Vincent was printed on the cans of Tulane Coffee. This was one of her father Victor Tulane’s many projects, which included real estate, founding a Penny Bank, and owning Tulane’s Grocery. He was also on the Board of Directors of Tuskegee Institute and a generally active citizen of Montgomery. I found the advertisement below in the Montgomery Advertiser.
V.H. Tulane, Prop. was married to my great grandmother’s sister, Willie Lee (Allen) Tulane. Miss Fannie M. Turner, Mgr., was my maternal grandmother.
Years later, he traveled North selling Alaga Syrup. Naomi traveled with him and it was on a trip to New York City that she met her future husband, Dr. Ubert Vincent.
Alphonso Brown, Victoria McCall, 1970 photo of former Tulane Grocery, More recent photo of empty building.
These are the family groups I picked out from the first (1852) appraisment done of Wiley Turner’s Lowndes County, Alabama estate. I will follow those I can through the other three lists and then see what families I can find in the 1870 census. My 2X great grandfather, Joseph Turner, is listed as “Joe (white)” on page 3. He was too old to be in a family group at 15, so I do not know if his mother was on this file.
There are four family groups on page one (above) of the 1852 probate record.
Forty year old Ellen and child, and Abby, age fourteen and Little Margaret age ten.
Thirty year old woman Maria and child Ransom, nine year old little Jane, four year old Louisa and two year old Adella.
Doctor, Mary and fourteen year old Eliza went to Wiley Turner’s wife and so do not appear in later lists. Twelve year old Minerva and Ten year old Amanda, who may be part of this family, were not included in Francis Turner’s group.
Twenty two year old Adam, eighteen year old Mary Ellen and child Edward.
Fifty year old William, fifty year old Rachell and eight year old little Charles.
There are six possible family groups on page 2 (above) in the 1852 record.
Eliza 36 and Harriett 5.
Robbin 25, Cherry 36 and child Louisa, Prince 5
Rachell Patton 28, Robert 11, Frank 6
Rose 28 and child Gabriel – to Francis Mosely Turner.
Abigail 23 and child Ema
Clara 35 and child Alford, Sylvia 12, Lucy 10, Alice 8, Freeman 6, Harrison 6, Julia Ann 3.
There were five family groups on page 3 (above) in the 1852 appraisment.
Man Old Jim 45 years, Minty 45, Daniel 3 – to widow Francis Mosley Turner
Ben 33, Mary McQueen 28, Henry 12
Hannah 55, George 13
Betsy 23, child Caroline, Phillis 8, Peggy 3
Achilles 43, Mariah Mosely 35, Elvira 14 – to widow Francis Mosley Turner
There was one family group on page 4 (above)
Yellow John 24 (from previous page), Yellow Milly 30, Anthony infant, Little William 10, Carter 6, Braxton 4
I will be taking each family as far as I can in time, through the other probate lists as groups are made up to give to various family members and into the 1866, 1870 and for some beyond to later censuses.
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The photograph is from the National Archives. The pages from the Estate File are from Ancestry.com.
This post continues the series using the Alphabet to go through streets that were significant in my life as part of the Family History Through the Alphabet Challenge. It was first published in June, 2012.
Grand River Avenue figured in my life in multiple ways. I walked to both McMichael Junior High and Northwestern High Schools down Grand River. I took the Grand River bus home when I worked at J.L. Hudson’s Department store during several Christmas seasons. In 1971 and 1972, the Black Conscience Library was located at 6505 Grand River and that is my focus in this post.
Grand River Avenue in 1967. The Black Conscience Library was at the far end of the block past the church on the right.
In 1971 the Black Conscience Library relocated from temporary quarters to 6505 Grand River, the upstairs offices in a building right across the street from Northwestern High School. I continued as librarian for awhile. This was around the time that the heroin epidemic hit inner city Detroit hard. Chimba, one of the active members of the Library, was from the North End community. I remember him saying that the year before they had a baseball team, but that in 1971 there were so many heroin addicts in the community that they couldn’t get a team together. It was Chimba’s idea to start a methadone program in the Black Conscience Library to help addicts get off drugs. This was before it was widely known that methadone was a powerful, addictive drug in it’s own right. Eventually, the drug program over shadowed all other Library programs. I spent less time there and eventually got a job as assistant teacher at Merrill Palmer preschool. I still came around but not everyday and not as librarian. It was pretty depressing up there.
The scale is off. The “Doctor’s Office” was for Dr. Gerald, a lay doctor, not an MD.
There were lines of junkies waiting to collect their scripts, men and women. Some brought their children. In the beginning, I watched the kids while the parents went to the lectures. I remember one baby with a bottle full of milk so spoiled it was like cottage cheese.
We came to the Library one morning to find it had been broken into the night before. All of the printing equipment and the tape recorder were securely locked up. There were no prescriptions laying around. Nothing was stolen, but we couldn’t figure out how they got in, until I noticed glass from the skylight on the table. They had come through the skylight. One night someone was found hiding in the Men’s room hoping nobody would notice they were there so they could rob the place. Another man tried to break in one early morning. Luckily, he couldn’t get through the front chained door. I remember a junkie who nodded off and fell out of his seat during the planning session for a radio program.
There were a few non-drug related activities. One I remember, was a panel discussion on the role of the father in parenting that was presented by several ex-members of SNCC (Student Non-violent Co-ordinating Committee). There were karate classes. One night I had come back after a particularly trying day and a car crashed into the shop downstairs. I caught a plane to visit my sister in Atlanta the next day. Those were the days of cheap standby tickets. I remember The Last Poets record playing over and over and over. The relief when the drug program ended.
The Black Conscience Library was in the dark part of the building on the far corner. There seem to be vertical blinds on the windows. The Lucky Strike Bowling Alley was next door. You can see part of the sign “…TRIKE”
This is a police memo from my husband Jim’s police file from October 23, 1970.
The poster in question.
Memo #2 about who rented the building.
This is one of a three page surveillance report from October 29, 1971 is from Jim’s police file. We knew they were watching, but when we got this report several years ago it was still creepy to see how much time they were actually spending watching, following, keeping track. “N/M” = Negro Male. “N/F” = Negro Female.
Staff – Dr. Gerald, Sam, Miriam, Chimba, Me & Jilo, James Williams
The block where the Black Conscience Library once stood. That end is now a vacant lot.
Several months ago I spent hours at the local Family Search Center looking through microfilmed property records trying to figure out how my 2X great grandfather, Joseph Turner became a land owner. The only thing I found out was that he bought and sold some lots in Hayneville. I found nothing about the land he farmed, until I found the article below in a 1918 issue of The Emancipator. The article says that he owned 240 acres.
Joseph Turner died in February of 1919. In 1910, Joseph Turner was 62 years old and lived on his farm in Lowndes County, Alabama. His second wife Luella, was 29 and his four youngest children – John, Anna, Dan and Josephine were between the ages of seven to one years old. He owned the farm and it was mortgaged.
In 1920 Luella was 37. She lived on the farm with her seven children, John (16), Annie (15), Dan (14), Buck (12), Elizabeth (9), Talmadge (7) and Selena (an infant). Two children, Josephine and Luella, died in 1915 and 1916. Although Joseph Turner left Luella the land, there was a dispute about it between Luella and Alonza, Joseph’s youngest child from his first marriage and the only one from that union still living at the time. Soon afterwards, Luella and her children moved to Montgomery. I assume Alonza got the land, but I have no records.
From The Emancipator Montgomery, Ala, April 30, 1918
Joe Turner owned 240 acres of land in 1918
At the closing of the Lowndes County Training School for Negroes at Charity, Ala. a few days ago many startling facts concerning the progress and development of the school and the colored patrons in that community were made known to the public. This promising school of which Prof. S.T. Wilson is principal, was established about two years ago. The institute has three splendid buildings. The colored people of the community raised $1,025 including labor and the cost of the land. The balance came from the Rosenwald School Fund, through Prof. Booker T. Washington, Jr., and the state of Alabama. One two-story building, costing $2,350 was dedicated 1916 by former Spt. Fagain, Dr. James L. Sibley, Probate Judge J.C. Wood, and others. The school also has a two-story frame teachers home worth $1,500 donated by Fisher of Nshvile, and a one story frame trades building, costing $500, donated by the Slater Fund.
The school has an enrollment of 147 boys and 129 girls, taught by five teachers.
According to Dr. A.F. Owens of Selma University, who preached the annual sermon at the recent closing of the Lowndes County Training School, within a radius of four miles, there are 43 patrons who own a total of 6,259 acres of land ranging from 2 acres of land to 1,000. Among these land owners are the following:
I recently found that The Emancipator newspaper was online at Newspapers.com. The Emancipator was published from October 1917 to August 1920. My grandmother’s first cousin, James Edward McCall and his wife were the publishers. You can read more about him at the link above.
Lowndes Adams sang a solo. Victor Tulane walked the bride in. Clifton Graham was best man. Naomi Tulane played the piano.
Fannie, Jennie, Alice with Daisy standing in back.
Announcement
Mrs. Jennie Turner wishes to announce the engagement of her daughter, Fannie Mae, to Mr. Mershell C. Graham of Detroit, Mich. The marriage to take place in the spring.
Mershell and Fannie (Turner) Graham. August 1919 Detroit, Michigan.
Graham-Turner Wedding
Graham-Turner Wedding
On Sunday, June 15th at four o’clock Miss Fannie Turner and Mr. Merchell Graham were happily united in marriage at the home of the bride on E. Grove St. The home was prettily decorated for the occasion.
Just before the entrance of the bridal party, Mr. Lowndes Adams sang a beautiful solo, immediately after which the groom entered the parlor to the strains of Mendelson’s wedding March, with Mr. Clifton Graham, his brother, as best man. The bride entered with her uncle, Mr. V.H. Tulane, who gave her away, gowned in white satin with real lace and pearl bead trimmings the hat, a beautiful creation of white Georgette, the bride made a very pleasing appearance. She carried a large bouquet of roses and fern.
The home was crowded to its fullest capacity, fully two hundred guests being present which bespoke the esteem and popularity in which the young couple are held.
The presents were many and varied, consisting of silver, cut glass, linen, wearing apparel, money, and many useful household articles.
Rev. E.E. Scott performed the ceremony and Miss Naomi Tulane presided at the piano.
The guests were served delicious refreshments.
The happy couple left Sunday evening for Detroit, Mich., their future home.
Some of the Graham’s friends in Detroit. Mershell and Fannie are at the end of the line.
On Friday evening, 29th inst. at 8:30 the beautiful home of Mr. and Mrs. M.L. Walker, St. Jean Ave., was the scene of a delightful entertainment complimentary to Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Graham. The guests were limited to Mrs. Walker’s Club members and their husbands. The house was artistically decorated with cut flowers. Progressive Whist was played, mints and salted peanuts were served throughout the evening, after which a delicious salad course with punch was served.
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Mrs. Topp Detroit 1919
Mrs. J.W. Topp had a few friends over to meet Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Graham on Saturday evening. Progressive whist was played after which a delicious two course luncheon and punch were served.
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Mrs. J.A. Martin entertain quite a few friends at a real Southern dinner Sunday afternoon at 4 o’clock. Among the guests were Mrs. M.L. Walker, Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Graham, Mrs. Thompson, Mr. Moses Thompson, Mr. Chas. Love, the Dale Family, Mr. and Mrs Mills, Mrs. Dora Davis, Mr. James Payton, Mr. Joe Shannon, Mr. Oliver, Mr. Barnette, and others.
The window on the top left was our bedroom window.
The parsonage now and us back in 1953.
In 2004 I spent a day driving around Detroit taking photographs of places where I used to live and of other houses family members lived in. The angle of this house fit almost perfectly with the photograph taken in 1953 of my father with my little sister Pearl and me. We are in front of the parsonage on Atkinson. My father was the minister of St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church, two blocks up the street on the corner of 12th Street and Atkinson.
My sister and I shared the bedroom on the upper left. We used to look out of the side window into the attic of Carol and Deborah. They were our age and lived next door and got to stay up much later then we did. They had a wonderful playroom in the attic. I taught Pearl to read by the streetlight shinning into our bedroom. I don’t know why we waited until we were supposed to be in the bed to teach and learn reading.
Sometimes after Pearl was asleep, I would kneel in front of the windows and look out. I remember an amazing pale pink Cadillac. The cars I had seen up until then were dark colors. I remember looking out of that window and watching for my mother to get home. Was she taking night classes while working on her teaching certificate?
On our other side lived Eleanor Gross with her family. Eleanor was a teenager and babysat with us during the rare times our parents went out. My paternal grandparents lived down the street.
This photo first appeared on my blog in 2012 in a post about my grandparents magical yard. I used that post again in June of 2017. This time I am only posting the picture of my sister looking glamorous and me looking worried as we stand next to our trusty mounts. Neither of us can remember where we went on those horses. I remember a pillow/saddle that was made of some shiney purple fabric. That may have been the one I am leaning on.
This book has seen much use. It is held together with masking tape. It is full of the old standards of the day. It was published by “The Cable Company, Manufacturers of the famous Cable Line of Pianos and Inner- Player Pianos.” Click all images to enlarge.
My grandmother Fannie Turner Graham wrote on the cover of the book “Mary Virginia and Doris Graham. 1933. From Aunt Daisy who died suddenly 1961”
Aunt Daisy Turner who gave the book to my mother and her sister in 1933, the year after their little brother Howard died.
Bonzo, MV and Doris Graham. 1932. Backyard of house on Theodore, East Side of Detroit, Michigan.
I chose this poem by James Whitcomb Riley because I was feeling rather nostalgic, thinking about my sister and me back in the olden days.
One of my uncle Henry Cleage’s photographs from the porch of our house at 5397 Oregon in Detroit. Below is a photo of the house and porch from which he took the photos. They were developed at Cleage printers, where Henry and Hugh had a full dark room.
I do not know who the little girls are. I have memories of riding bikes when I lived here, but no photographs. I remember going bike riding all around the neighborhood with my cousins, Dee Dee and Barbara. We rode in the street, which I wasn’t supposed to do. My sister and I used to go bike riding too but we usually had a destination – the library or my grandmother’s house. I lost that bike when I left it unchained outside of a store on W. Grand Blvd. We were on the way home from the Main Library.
View of the porch. My mother and I are sitting on the porch. Henry took this photo too. About 1962.
This was the fourth and final inventory of the estate of Wiley Turner, deceased, formerly of Lowndes County Alabama. In the spring of 1865 the people enslaved in Alabama were emancipated by the presence of the Federal Army. This list was made in March of 1865. Emancipation followed shortly thereafter. Columns are Name, Age (approximate and if known) and Value. Number 27. Joseph, was my great great grandfather. He was my maternal grandmother Fannie Turner Graham’s grandfather.
Fed 36 $3,500
Nat 4,500
Andrew 32 4,500
Tony 37 3,500
Nelson 27 4,500
Cary 25 3,500
Lloyd 29 4,000
Freeman 18 4,500
Long George 31 4,000
Jim 31 4,000
Henry 30 4,500
Harrison 18 4,500
George 25 4,000
Lewis 30 2,500
Bill Tyus 44 4,000
Frank 18 3,500
Bill Campbell 33 3,500
Prince 17 3,500
Isaac 22 3,000
Jessie 33 1,500
Aolbut 13 3,000
Adam 34 1,000
Samuel 47 1,000
Wilson 40 4,000
Jack 500
Jess 33 4,500
Joseph 27 4,500 (My 2X great grandfather)
Ed 15 2,500
Rachal 72 800
Fanny 33 1,000
Ellen 37 1,000
Clary 25 1,000
Eliza 49 500
Milly 67 500
Amy 41 2,500
Martha 37 2,500
Hagar 35 1,500
Emma 15 3,000
Abigail 45 500
Peggy 15 3,500
Cherry 48 500
Louiza 17 3,000
Margaret 25 1,000
Harrit 17 2,500
Fanny(35) & child Mary 4,000
Lucy(24) & child Rubie 4,000
Frances 1,200
Polly 1,200
Phillis (23) & child Susan 4,000
Betsy 1,000
Adeline 2,000
Eliza(29) & child 4,000
May & child Virginia 4,000
Wesley 8 1,000
Mariah & child Minty 4,000
Ellen 3,000
Anna 1,000
Georgiana 8 2,000
Tom 2,000
William 25 2,000
Julia 15 1,000
State of Alabama} Lowndes County} Probate Court March 14th 1865
Personally came before me James W. Graham Judge of Probate of Lowndes County John A. Tyson, Thomas E Gully and William J Garrett appraisers of the personal estate of Wiley Turner late of said County – deceased, who being severally sworn that the foregoing sheets contain a full and complete appraisementof all the personal estate of Wiley Turner, exhibited to them the said appraisement by James W Turner the administrator on the 13 day of March 1865.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 14th day of March 1865 James W Graham Judge of Probate
John A Tyson Thomas E Gully W.J. Garrett
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Related Links:
Joe Turner in the 1852 Estate File of Wiley Turner – The first list which was made in 1853 when all of the property of Wiley Turner was valued. It includes names, ages and valuations for all the enslaved before any divisions were made. My 2 X great grandfather, Joe was about 15 when this list was made.
Measuring Worth – An article about valuation of the enslaved. It includes several charts about valuation of enslaved people, at various ages and in various years, showing that (as I saw in these lists) values soared from 1852 to 1861.
