Letter from Albert B. Cleage to Pearl Reed. March 18, 1910.

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages, Photographs, sepia saturday
Albert B. Cleage Sr. This photo was enclosed in the letter.
This was the house where Pearl’s aunt lived. She received mail there sometimes because her mother disliked Albert.  The two houses were on opposite streets and shared a yard

3/18/10

My dear Sweetheart:-

How did you spend St. Patrick’s day? It was a lovely day sure and also has today been beautiful.  How are you? Have you gotten entirely well. I hope that pains and aches with you are now “past history.”Does your mother seem to be improving?

These are busy days with me. Examinations for the close of the winter term begin Monday and will last one week after which comes a ten or twelve day’s vacation.- What can I do with so much time all by my lone self. 

Do you remember that last year we planned a day’s outing in the country and I thinking the day appointed, too bad did not show up?  And also how you got angry with me?  See how well I remember. That has been one year ago but it to me certainly does not seem so long.  You did go to Brookside with me, which was the beginning of several very pleasant trips which will always be sweet sweet memories to me.  My vacation is about 10 days off and it may be yet that you will be able to take that trip which we planned last year.

Mrs. White, I believe goes to Lincoln Hospital tomorrow to be operated upon Monday.  Mrs. Brady – Little Marcum Mitchell’s grandmother died at the City Hospital this morning. 

Of course I selected that negative which you liked better, others whose opinion I asked were about equally divided.  I send you the other which is fast fading.

Be careful for yourself.  The things you said in your last letter were surely the product of a melancholie mind – such moods are not good for you. Cheer up!!  Of course, God in His wise providence might call your mother home, and ’tis he alone who can cause me to cease loving you.  So wake up from your dream – you shall nurse, not patients for someone else, but (__?__) for yourself – Won’t you like that better.  Yes, I believe you will – Ha! ha!

Your Albert

{Had better burn this letter up}

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My grandparents, Pearl Reed and Albert Cleage, exchanged letters for several years while they were courting.  The letters go from 1907 when they met to 1912 when they were married, my father had been born and they were moving from Indianapolis, IN to Kalamazoo, MI. Unfortunately I do not have copies of my grandmother’s letters, just my grandfather’s. You can read more of Albert’s letters to Pearl and what else was going on when he wrote them, by looking at the  Index of blog posts I wrote for the A to Z Challenge in 2014. Scroll down past the posts for 2017, 2016 and 2015 until you reach 2014. Perhaps I should give each year’s index a separate page.

At one point, this letter refers back to a letter from a year ago.  You can read it here at K is for Kenwood.

Me and My Goats

Biography, memories, sepia saturday
Years ago I sent this to my cousin Barbara. Recently her son sent it back to me. I’m so glad I sent it because I have no other such photos.

From 1976 to 1984 I lived in Mississippi and raised some goats, children and chickens. These are four of the goats. They needed their hoofs trimmed. I could talk their language. Recently I realized that it would have been a lot less trouble to go buy a couple of gallons of milk instead of milking all those goats twice a day, buying their feed and trying to keep them confined before I gave that up and just let them wander the area, losing garden after garden as they figured out how to break in and eat it.  However, it was an experience for the whole family that would not have been replicated by buying milk.

You can read more about those years in these posts:

Rt 1 Box 38 – The Luba Project

R Is For route 1 Box 173 & 1/2

1978 – Mississippi Shoes and Film

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My Sister Interviews Me

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Biography, Investigations, Slavery, The Book of Me

My sister Pearl interviewed me in 2010 about my interest and findings in family history research. I talked about some of the stories I’ve blogged about – Dock Allen’s Escape, finding Eliza in the 1860 census and slave documents. I have found more information since the time of this interview – court records about the land case between the Turners, newspaper articles, and several Wills from slave holders who owned my Cleages and Turners.

It gives you a chance to hear my voice and my thoughts about how to start your research.  I highly recommend being interviewed. I am enjoying listening to myself talk, for one thing.  If you can’t find anyone to interview you, interview yourself!  I think it makes a great addition to the legacy we are leaving for those following us.

2010 Story Corps interview with my sister Pearl asking me about my research and findings.

Pearl & Kristin walking through a field on cousin Ernest's land - SC 2013.
Me and Pearl walking through a field on cousin Ernest’s land – South Carolina, 2013.

 

Third Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate -1857

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Lowndes County, Turner

Wiley Turner died in 1851 in Lowndes County Alabama. The first inventory of his personal property, including those enslaved on his plantation, took place in 1852. You can see a list of names, ages and “values” in this post – Joe Turner in the 1852 Estate File of Wiley Turner.  The second inventory was taken in 1856 when the oldest child came of age – Second Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate – 1856.

The third inventory  was taken when the second child, James Mosely Turner, reached the age of 21 and wanted his share of the estate.  #63. Yellow Joe, was my great great grandfather. Click on any image to enlarge.

The State of Alabama}

Lowndes County}

To the Honorable E.H. Cook, Judge of Probate for said county The undersigned commissioners under and by virtue of the accompanying and foregoing commission by your Honor made and directed to them to divide the personal Estate of Wiley Turner deceased so as to set off one fifth thereof to James Turner one of the Heirs and distributees of said deceased shows that in conformity with said order after first having taken an oath before a Justice of the Peace to make such distribution fairly and impartially if the same can be made the proceeded on the 21st of December 1857 and continued and continuous until the 8th of January 1858 to divide and value the personal property of deceased as follows ______

Valuation of entire slave property of deceased – names of

  1. Andrew               $1,300
  2. Fanny                     1,100
  3. Tom                           400
  4. Harriett                    300
  5. Perry                        100
  6. Henry                    1,400
  7. Rachel                   1,000
  8. Emeline                   800
  9. Robin, little          1,000
  10. Frank                        800
  11. Fed (Ned?)          1,100
  12. Clara                        700
  13. Julia                         550
  14. Albert                      500
  15. Freeman                 800
  16. Harrison                 800
  17. Lucy                      1,100
  18. Henry Turner      1,200
  19. Lloyd                     1,200
  20. Margaret                 700
  21. Nelson                   1,250
  22. Betsy                         950
  23. Allen                         300
  24. Peggy                        550
  25. Phillis                       850
  26. Cary                       1,700
  27. Adam                        900
  28. Ellen                          950
  29. Edward                     400
  30. William                     300
  31. George Ann              150
  32. Ben                          1,000
  33. Mary                          900
  34. Peter                          350
  35. Henry McQueen   1,000
  36. Bill Tyus                 1,250
  37. Martha                   1,000
  38. Lewis Tyus            1,200
  39. Amy                           950
  40. Big Robin               1,200
  41. Cherry                       750
  42. Prince                        730
  43. Louisa                        350
  44. Tony                        1,200
  45. Mariah                    1,100
  46. Old Milly                    200
  47. William @@              750
  48. Rachel                        400
  49. Charles                    1,500
  50. William                       400
  51. Fanny                          600
  52. Matt                          1,350
  53. Long Ellen                  550
  54. Moses                          450
  55. Celia                            350
  56. Little Jesse              1,300
  57. Washington           1,250
  58. John                         1,150
  59. Jim                           1,250
  60. George                     1,100
  61. Isaac                            950
  62. Carter                          800
  63. Yellow Joe                1,200
  64. Austin                       1,250
  65. George Morris         1,200
  66. Hannah                        200
  67. Jack                               650
  68. Ellen Bullock               700
  69. Hagar                            700
  70. Sam                               700
  71. Big Jesse                       800
  72. Eliza dark                 1,050
  73. Manerva                   1,000
  74. Eliza Bullock               350
  75. Abigail                          550
  76. Emma                           400
  77. Handy                           250
  78. Turner old man          000

James Wiley Turner’s Lot consisted of:

  1. Henry May
  2. Rachel Patten
  3. Little Robin
  4. Ben
  5. Mary McQueen
  6. Peter
  7. Big Robin
  8. Long Ellen
  9. Moses
  10. Celia
  11. Washington
  12. Carter
  13. John
  14. Hannah
  15. Emeline
  16. Handy

Related Links:

The first list which was made in 1853 > Joe Turner in the 1852 Estate File of Wiley Turner

Second Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate – 1856

An article about valuation of the enslaved. It includes several charts about valuation at various ages and in various years, showing that (as I saw in these lists) values soared from 1852 to 1861 – Measuring Worth

Second Inventory of Wiley Turner’s Estate – 1856

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Alabama, Lowndes County, Turner

Wiley Turner died in 1851 in Lowndes County Alabama. The first inventory of his personal property, including those enslaved on his plantation, took place in 1852. You can see a list of names, ages and “value” in this post – Joe Turner in the 1852 Estate File of Wiley Turner.

The second inventory was taken in 1856 when Wiley Turner’s oldest daughter Mary J Hunter had reached the age of 21.  She picked lot #6, which is highlighted in red below.  Click the images of the inventory on the right to enlarge for reading.

“Land of Cotton”  By Edward Warren Day, 1900   Library of Congress [LC-USZC4-11947]

The State of Alabama
Lowndes County
To the Hone. E.H. Cook Judge of Probate for said County.

“The undersigned commissioners appointed by your honor to divide the real and personal Estate of the late Wiley Turner deceased under an order of the 20 January 1856 so that Mary J. a daughter and heir at law of said deceased now the wife of Clinton Hunter could get her part set off to her under said order. Beg leave to report that they met at the plantation  of said deceased. and after first being duly sworn accepted to said ? and valued said slaves separately and then placed them with same other property in six lots of as nearly equal value as possible as follows,”

Lot #1

  1. Austin – a man
  2. Bill Tyus – a man
  3. Henry Turner – a man
  4. Ben a man
  5. Adam – a man
  6. Henry – a man
  7. Martha – a woman
  8. Mary – a woman
  9. Peter – a child
  10. Mary Ellen – a woman
  11. Edmond – a boy
  12. Washington – a child
  13. Betsy woman – a woman
  14. Peggy – a girl
  15. Caroline – a girl
  16. Adaline – a child
  17. Phillis – a woman

Lot #2

  1. Henry May – a man
  2. Jim Swipes – a man
  3. Robin – a man
  4. Joe – a man
  5. Big Jess – a man
  6. Robin – a man
  7. Rachel Clary – a woman
  8. Cherry – a woman
  9. Prince – a boy
  10. Louisa – a girl
  11. Eliza – a girl
  12. Minerva – a woman
  13. Emeline – a woman
  14. Ellen Bullock – a woman
  15. Jack – a man
  16. Old Rachel – a woman

Lot #3

  1. Jess – a man
  2. Wilson – a man
  3. Washington – a man
  4. Cary – a man
  5. Fed – a man
  6. Carter – a boy
  7. Clary – a girl
  8. Freeman – a boy
  9. Harrison – a boy
  10. Julia – a girl
  11. Albert – a boy
  12. Fanny – a girl
  13. Lucy – a woman
  14. George – a boy
  15. Alice – a girl

Lot #4

  1. Mat – a man
  2. John – a man
  3. Tony – a man
  4. George Mims – a man
  5. Sam – a man
  6. Isaac – a man
  7. Mariah – a woman
  8. Ellen – a woman
  9. Mose – a boy
  10. Siller – a girl
  11. Old Hannah – a woman
  12. Eliza – a girl
  13. Abigail – a girl
  14. Emma – a girl
  15. Hagar – a girl
  16. Frank – a boy

Lot #5

  1. Andrew – a man
  2. Nelson – a man
  3. Lloyd – a man
  4. Lewis – a man
  5. Bill Camel – man
  6. Charles – a boy
  7. Fanny – a woman
  8. Thomas – a child
  9. Margaret – a woman
  10. Amy – a woman
  11. Rachel – a woman
  12. Sylvia – a woman
  13. Milly – a girl
  14. Hardy – an old man
  15. A B Turner

Lot #6

  1. Abram – a man
  2. Lewis Tyus – a man
  3. Charles – a man
  4. Jim Pot – a man
  5. Alfred – a man
  6. William – a boy
  7. Mariah Hopkins – a woman
  8. Louisa – a girl
  9. Deller – a girl
  10. Ransome – a boy
  11. Henrietta – a child
  12. Lucy Patten – a woman
  13. Liddy – old woman
  14. Leah – a woman
  15. Sarah Ann – a child
  16. Nelly – a woman
  17. Jane – a girl

_________________________

The pages from Wiley Turner’s file included here came from Ancestry.com.

Uncle Louis Cleage’s Yacht

Cleages, sepia saturday

Somewhere in my letter collection, I remember a comment of my father’s, something like, “Louis joined the capitalist class” when he got the yacht. I thought it was in the collection of letters he wrote home but after reading through them several times without finding it, I think it might have been in the old, crumpling, photo album. I can’t find that either, but either way, that puts the purchase of the yacht during the late 1940s, after the end of WW2. I was only on the boat once and I got sea sick. I also got train sick and bus sick.

Louis Cleage on his yatch.

Louis must have sold the boat in the early 1950s because I don’t remember it later.  My uncles used to talk about going over to Walpole Island,  unceeded territory at the mouth of the St. Clair River, and sitting around talking with the First Nation People.  There was mention of campfires and my Uncle Hugh almost staying or being left.  I remember a boy in my 6th grade art class who was from Walpole Island. His name was Frank Shipman and he opened a jar of glue for me when no one else could get the top off.  Later he moved to Wabash street.  I do not think it compared with an island between two rivers.

Two boys from Walpole Island.

I am adding this memory from the comments from my cousin who remembers a ride on the boat.

Carthage Mercenary says:

Louis took Skip, me and two other boys on a cruise up the river into Lake St. Clair. Had to be the summer of 1947. As I remember the boys resemble boys in that photograph. They were around Skip’s age (10 or 11). Louis docked his cruiser on the Windsor side at that time. The cruiser was a nice boat – lots of room. I enjoyed myself except when we got near a lake freighter – the water got very choppy, and I started to feel sick. Other than that it was good time. I wore a life jacket.

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Daniel Freeman – 1861 – 1923 Lowndes and Montgomery, Alabama

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Lowndes County, Turner
daniel-freeman
Daniel Freeman

Daniel Freeman, the father of Joseph Turner’s second wife, Luella Freeman, was a man of mystery.  I can find him in only one census, luckily he appears in other records.  I found myself disappearing down his family lines (which are not even my blood lines)  as I tried to get a feel for his life.

According to his death record, Daniel Freeman was born to Ella Freeman in Florida in 1861. I do not have the death certificate. He first appears in 1880 in Mildred Brewer Russell’s book Lowndes Court House, a nostalgic look back at Hayneville from it’s founding in 1820 to 1900. “On the corner of this block, Tuskeena and Washington streets, was the new store of Dan Freeman, colored.” He is mentioned as one of the two Negro merchants in Hayneville during those days.

I found him in the 1910 Census where he was listed as 65 years old, owned his own house and was a painter. Throughout the years a Daniel Freeman appears in the Montgomery City Directory as a laborer and drayman in the early years and then a painter and a carpenter. At the same time he was buying property.  I had the feeling that he was always taking care of business.

Here are several of Dan Freeman’s land transactions from the Montgomery Advertiser.

In his Will, written in 1922, Daniel Freeman left property to several of Luella’s young children, his grandchildren. Their father Joe Turner had died and Luella and her family had left the farm in Lowndes County and moved to Montgomery.

Below is a copy of the will. Click on it to enlarge for ease in reading.

will-book-10

daniel-turners-will-blog

The information concerning the Turner’s is in part four:  “To Mary Jones I give the house and lot known as No. 230 Sutter Street in the City of Montgomery;  to Annie Freeman McQueen I give the house and lot known as No. 165-B Day Street, To Salena Turner I give the house and lot No. 165 Day Street and to Annie May Turner house and lot No. 228 Sutter Street.“

Geneva Freeman and Annie Freeman McQueen were Luella Freeman Turner’s sisters. Ella McGhee was the daughter of Geneva Freeman. Salena (Selena) and Annie May Turner were Luella’s daughters.

According to Kyle Chapman, a descendant of Geneva Freeman and Ella McGhee, most of the land was eventually taken by the the state for a highway and the rest was sold or donated to a nearby church.  Also a thank you to him for sharing the photo of Daniel Freeman with me.

Congregation of Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church 1909

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages, sepia saturday
Witherspoon Presbyterian Church – 1909 Indianapolis, Indiana. Click to enlarge.

This is a photograph of the congregation of Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, IN in 1909, two years after they organized. This photograph is from the personal collection of my cousin Vivian Vaughn McDonald.  My grandmother Pearl Reed Cleage is the third person on the top right. My grandfather, Albert Cleage is next to her.  They wouldn’t be married for two more years. Next to Albert is his brother Jacob and next to him is their brother Henry.  Directly in front of my grandfather Albert is Jacob’s wife, Gertrude.

I was told that my grandfather’s sister Josephine, also a church member, was not there for the photograph, but was home pregnant with Hattie Ruth, the youngest of her five children. Her husband, James Cleage  stands four people to the left of Henry.  James Cleage was from a different branch of Cleages.  In the second row, second from the right, is Henrietta Cleage, oldest daughter of James and Josephine.

In the 1909 Indianapolis City Directory Witherspoon United Presbyterian Church is listed as located in Realty Hall with Rev. David White as Pastor.  I wonder if he is in this photograph and if so, which one he is?

The history below was from the Witherspoon web page, however they  have taken the history section down. My grandparents, Albert Cleage and Pearl Reed, are both listed as founders.

On April 30, 1907 the Presbytery of Indiana of the United Presbyterian Church held a called meeting at Realty Hall in response to a petition signed by 31 persons asking to be organized into a United Presbyterian congregation.

Begins With 31 Members

Prof. David Graham of Rushville was moderator and Rev. W. W. McCall of Greensburg was secretary. Other members present were Rev. Fred W. Schmuch of Milroy, Rev. N. B. McClung of Vevay, Rev. Mr. McDill of Madison, and Dr. Cowan of Indianapolis.

The petition was discussed at some length. By unanimous vote an organization was decided upon. The 31 members who signed the petition were as follows: Henry W. Cleage, Mrs. Carrie Perkins, Mrs. Emma Moore, A. T. Roney, Mrs. Cora Donann, Mrs. Cathern Crenshaw, Mrs. Daisy L. Brabham, Albert Cleage, Mrs. Gertrude Cleage, James Myers, Mrs. A. L. McElrath, O. F. Dennis, Mrs. Hattie  Mitchell, H. M. Mitchell, Mrs. Theresa Finley, Othello Finley, Miss Edith Finley, Miss Luell E. Hibbett, Mrs. Mary Peterson, Mrs. Anna Bowman, John T. Fox, Miss Pearl Reed, Thomas H. Bransford, Mrs. O. F. Dennis, Miss Alice Mathews, Miss Hilda Reeder, W. J. Perkins, Henry Moore and H. L. Hummons.

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Joe Turner Land Transaction – August 11, 1868

African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Lowndes County, Turner

On my first trip to the local Family Search Center several weeks ago, the microfilm machine broke as the second roll of film was being loaded. I was afraid the ancient machine would never be fixed so that I could continue my research. Earlier this week the volunteer at the center called to let me know that the machine had been repaired.  I made an appointment to look at more film of my 2X great grandfather, Joe Turner’s land transactions.

It was hot and there was no air conditioning, although I heard what sounded like an air conditioner. Watching the microfilm scroll by made me feel queasy again. Deed book “I”, the first roll I looked through, yielded no information about Joe Turner.

Index Click to enlarge

I had been at the Center almost two and a half hours and decided to go through one more roll before I left. Chewing a new piece of gum to combat the nausea, I began to go through roll “F”, which contained the earliest dated land deal for Joe Turner. It covered from 1860 to 1871.  I was not very hopeful, but scrolled slowly through the index and found that Joe Turner’s transaction was on pages 438 and 439. Slowly scrolling through the microfilm, I learned that a complete rotation of the scrolling handle, took me through 30 pages.

Finally, I arrived at the pages I wanted. As I began to read, the volunteer came in and asked if I realized how long I had been there.  I did, about two and a half hours. She had an appointment elsewhere and I had to stop. I quickly took multiple photos of the two pages, hoping they would come out to be readable. It is difficult for me to take good photographs because of the setup of the microfilm machine.

When I got home, I uploaded the photos to see if there was anything readable. Page 439 was pretty good, but the several shots of page 438, the most important page, were blurred, or my hand with the phone blocked half of the words.  Looking carefully, I was able to transcribe the page, although the bottom left corner was indecipherable.

This morning I got up and opened a couple of the photos in Photoshop to see if I could fill in some blanks in my transcription. I did not see it but, a very readable image of page 438 came up. The Ancestors at work?  Below are those pages and the transcriptions.

State of Alabama}

Lowndes County }

Know all men by these presence in pursuance of the  direction after and of the Probate Court of said County to me this day granted and in consideration of the sum of ninety dollars paid by Joe Turner to Sarah S Givens formerly administrator of the Estate of George Givens deceased – proof which payment has been made I Thomas S Herbert administrator de bonis mon of the estate of said George Givens deceased – have bargained sold and conveyed and do by these presents bargain sell and convey to the said Joe Turner the following described lot or parcel of land to wit: All that portion of land lying west of the lot formerly owned by D C Whipley now owned by me Thomas S Herbert, – and street running North and South by John P Streety’s residence and all of the portion of land lying South of said lot (formerly Whipley now mine) and South of Mrs. Hunters lot – in the town of Hayneville County and State aforesaid, to have and to hold the aforesaid granted premises above (Can’t read) the said Joe Turner and his heirs and assigns forever. Witness my hand and seal this 11th day of August 1868 Thomas S Herbert {seal}

The State of Alabama}

Lowndes County}

  I J.V. McDuffie Probate Judge of said County  certify that Thomas S. Herbert whose name signed to the foregoing conveyance and who is known to me acknowledged before me on this day that being informed of the contents of the conveyance he executed the same voluntary on the day the same bears date. Given under my hand this 11 day of August 1868 J V McDuffie J.P.L.C. The foregoing is a true copy of the original Instrument recorded for record and recorded this 13th day of August 1868.               JV McDuffie

Judge of Probate

________________________________

Unfortunately there was no drawing of this property, but from the description, I wonder if this is the same piece of land that he sold in 1872 described here Joe Turner & Wife Emma Turner Convey Land 1872.

Next week I go back and hope to successfully view the last two rolls of film.  Maybe I will have time to look at Deed Book “I” again.