Bill of Sale for Charity, Caroline, Jim, Joe, Sally, Arch, Margth, Bill, Charles, Mary, Henry and Lydia Cleage

November 25, 2014African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages#slaveryKristin

This is a copy of a companion Bill of Sale to the one that conveyed my 2 X great grandfather Frank Cleage from David Cleage, Walter Nutter and Elizabeth H. Nutter to Alexander Cleage. After the death of Samuel Cleage, father of David, Elizabeth and Alexander, died there was some shuffling around of enslaved people, livestock and household property between the sibling. In each document 12 slaves and the same amount of money are exchanged. This is one of three Bills of Sale that I have of those transactions. It is transcribed below. As always, click on them to enlarge. There was no punctuation in the document and I added none.

Know all men by these presents that we Alexander Cleage and Walter Nutter and his wife Elizabeth H Nutter have this day bargained and sold to David Cleage and his heirs and assigns forever Charity fourteen, Caroline sixteen Jim thirty Joe eight Sally near ten Arch sixteen Margth fourteen Bill forty five Charles twenty four Mary thirty one Henry four Lydia one year of age

For five thousand two hundred and fifty dollars being his distribution share out of the proceeds of the slaves of Samuel Cleage deceased We warrant said negroes (sic) to be slaves for life and that we as the heirs at law of Samuel Cleage have a right to convey them

Given under our hands and seals this 20th day of March 1852

Witness

Sam H Jordon Alex Cleage

Geo W Mayo Walter Nutter

Elizabeth H Nutter

State of Tennessee

County of McMinn

Personally appeared before me Geo W Mayo clerk of the county court of said county Alexander Cleage Walter Nutter and Elizabeth H Nutter wife of said Nutter the bargainers to the above bill of sale with whom I am personally acquainted each of whom acknowledge the due execution of the same on the day and year it bears date and for the purpose therein expressed and that the said Elizabeth Nutter wife of the aforementioned Walter Nutter was by me examined privately and apart from her said husband Walter Nutter who declared that she executed same knowingly & free from any compulsion or restraint on the part of her said husband Walter Nutter

Given under my hand at office in Athens the 20th day of March 1852

Geo W Mayo clerk

Bill of Sale

Alex Cleage

Walter Nutter

Elizabeth H Nutter

David Cleage

Bill of Sale for Joe, Jane, Lynd, Frank, Phillip, Lewis, Sam, Jeff, Martha, Lea, Julian and Patsy Cleage

November 24, 2014African-American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research, Cleages, Slavery#Frank Cleage, #slaveryKristin

This is a copy of the Bill of Sale that conveyed my 2 X great grandfather Frank Cleage from David Cleage, Walter Nutter and Elizabeth H. Nutter to Alexander Cleage. After the death of Samuel Cleage, father of David, Elizabeth and Alexander, died there was some shuffling around of enslaved people, livestock and household property between the siblings. This is one of three Bills of Sale that I have of those transactions. The documents are transcribed below. As always, click on them to enlarge. There was no punctuation in the document and I added none.

Know all men by these presents that we David Cleage and Walter Nutter and his wife Elizabeth H Nutter have this day bargained and sold to Alexander Cleage and his heirs and assigns forever Joe forty four years of age Jane eighteen Lynd eleven Frank thirty nine Phillip forty Lewis twenty six Sam ten Jeff five Martha twenty one Lea thirty four Julian forty three Patsy five

Given under our hands and seals this 20th day of March 1852

Witness

Sam H Jordon David Cleage

Geo W Mayo Walter Nutter

Elizabeth H Nutter

State of Tennessee

County of McMinn

Personally appeared before me Geo W Mayo clerk of the county court of said county David Cleage Walter Nutter and Elizabeth H Nutter wife of said Nutter the bargainers to the above bill of sale with whom I am personally acquainted each of whom acknowledge the due execution of the same on the day and year it bears date and for the purpose therein expressed and that the said Elizabeth Nutter wife of the aforementioned Walter Nutter was by me examined privately and apart from her said husband Walter Nutter who declared that she executed same knowingly & free from any compulsion or restraint on the part of her said husband Walter Nutter

Given under my hand at office in Athens the 20th day of March 1852

Geo W Mayo clerk

Bill of Sale

David Cleage

Walter Nutter

Elizabeth H Nutter

Alex Cleage

Timelines – Frank and Juda Cleage: 1816 – 1870

November 24, 2014Cleages#Frank Cleage, #Juda CleageKristin

Yesterday I added slave documents to Frank and Juda Cleage’s timelines. Without these additions, there would only be the 1866 Marriage record and the 1870 Census. I have been unable to find them after 1870. I am still hopeful that more information will become available.

A Silhouette of Cousin Warren

November 22, 2014sepia saturday#Warren EvansKristin

Here is a silhouette of my cousin Warren Evans in about 1951. He was born in 1948 and looks about 3 to me. I don’t know who did the cutting, as there is no signature.

A few years later Warren and his brother Dale at Christmas time with a horse under the tree.

Fast Forwarding to November 2014 Warren Evans was elected Wayne County CEO with 72% of the vote.

Earlier posts about Warren: Warren Evans – Then and Now and Warren’s Christmas Birthday Party.

Louis Cleage & Family – 1880

November 22, 2014Cleages#Louis Cleage, #TennesseeKristin

In 1880 my great grandfather Louis Cleage was 28. His wife Celia (Rice) Cleage was 24. They were farming in Loudon County Tennessee. They had been married for 8 years and were the parents of four children – 7 year old Josie, 5 year old Jacob, 3 year old Henry and 1 year old Edward. Louis’ 20 year old sister, Tennessee lived with them along with 5 year old Louseny. Their 5th child, my grandfather Albert, would not be born until 1882. None of the adults could read or write. The children were too young to attend school.

32686_236972-00701n — The census as it appeared on Ancestry.com.

The 1880 Agricultural Census Schedule that includes Louis Cleage are in poor condition. Parts of it are unreadable because they are blackened. Other parts are pale and blurry making them difficult to read. This is the information I could make out. He rented his land for shares of his crops. He had 15 tillable acres and 5 acres in woodland and forest. The farm, buildings, land and fences were worth $150. Farm implements and machinery were worth $125. The livestock was worth $125. He had 1 milch cow and produced 25 lbs of butter in 1879. I was unable to read if he had any swine, chickens, mules or horses, I hope he did. He had no working oxen. He planted 25 acres of Indian corn, yielding 100 bushels. He planted 5 acres of oats, yielding 25 bushels and 5 acres of wheat that yielded 25 bushels.

As I was going over the 1880 Agricultural Census for Louis Cleage, I noticed some differences with my 2X great grandfather on my mother’s side, Joe Turner in Lowndes County, AL. When I compared population censuses, farmers who owned enough land to be included in the agricultural census were further apart in Lowndes County. There were many farm laborers enumerated in between. The farmers in Loundon County TN were right next to each other in the population schedule. Farm holdings were also smaller in Loudon County than in Lowndes County, AL. I may go into this more in a future post.

By 1991, The Cleages were back in Athens, McMinn County. This post Louis Cleage – Work Day Wednesday follows Louis through the following decades as he worked in the mines of Birmingham, AL and as a railroad hand.

Carrying The Damsel – 1939

November 13, 2014sepia saturday#MeadowsKristin

Last week while looking for a photograph of a fisherman for Sepia Saturday, I came across this photograph of a man carrying a woman on a sandbar in the river or creek that ran through the Meadows. I talked about the Meadows in last weeks Sepia Saturday post Hugh Fishing At the Meadows.

I don’t know who the couple is but I have put out a call and will post the information if/when I get it. Here is a photo of the same couple walking through the Meadows.

And here is a photograph of them walking on a ridge, the sky behind, the future before, and now so very far in the past.

Hugh Fishing At the Meadows

November 7, 2014Cleages, sepia saturday#Hugh Cleage, #MeadowsKristin

I have used some of this information before but the photographs are all first timers.

These photographs were taken at “The Meadows” near Capac, St Clair County, Michigan around 1939.

My Aunt Gladys remembers that her father Dr. Albert B. Cleage Sr and a bunch of fellow doctors bought it. It was to be a place where everyone could get away and the kids could meet and play… big house on the property with a porch that wrapped around 2/3 of the house… dances on the porches… near Capac Michigan… they sold it later. She kind of remembers parties on the porch… a getaway other than the Boule or Idlewild … her brothers and their friends spending a couple weeks at the meadows during the summer and brother Louis packing the provisions.

Hugh at meadows — “Hugh at Meadows” fishing with a homemade stick pole. I wonder if he caught the fish on the string below with that pole.

Hugh fish meadows 7:1939 — This photograph of Hugh was also taken at the Meadows in July 1939.

Some entries about the Meadows from Hugh’s brother Henry’s diary, several years earlier in 1936.

August 29 Meadows
Arrived at meadows at about 7:30 (getting dark) Had seen Velma before I left – I have her ring now – after had gotten our trunk in – we went down to creek – other’s brought some wood up and started a fire – I stayed down watching the creek and the farm – as it was dark they worried and came and got me.

August 30 Meadows
Sunday Richard’s club gave a picnic – we played ball off and on all day. Daddy came out and brought Bobby – wrote two letters – Velma and Carolyn. Bobby deliver them.

Last night when the others were in bed Morrow, George, Paul, Hugh and I sat around camp fire and sang – Nice but a little chilly (Benard’s parents came out)

Henry Cleage at the Meadows in July 1939.

August 31 Meadows
After breakfast some of us went swimming – after that we all worked on a raft till dinner – chopped heavy logs from a fallen tree – tied together with grape vines and barrel wire – after dinner went & christened it “Frogy Bottom” & launched it – it immediately sank – logs were too heavy – were we mortified – the same group sat around the campfire again sang after dark.

September 1 Meadows
“Gee! but I’m blue, and so lonely, I don’t know what to do, but dream of you!” (a song I like to sing out here)

Boys are playing horse shoes just after dinner – we fished and swam today – George caught a pretty large bass and I, trying to throw him across river to Morocco – threw him in.

I like to get on the hill and look down towards the creek in the evening and watch – The other nite I was there, Morocco, George, Hugh and Benard were chopping wood. Louis and Paul were sitting further down the hill with their arms full of wood – It was almost nite – The faint light from the west gave the scene a surreal quality – The grass uneven, the rolling land, the giant trees, the creek, all outlined in this light and the boys too reminded me of an illustration in the book “Tom Browns School Days.”

2014.10W.05 — To see more Sepia Saturday posts, CLICK!

Home Coming Banquet -1966

October 31, 2014Detroit, sepia saturdayKristin

October is Home Coming Month for the church I grew up in. At the time of this banquet on October 9, 1966, the church was known as Central United Church of Christ. Later it became the Shrine of the Black Madonna. Looking over the room, I can’t find myself. I was a junior at Wayne State University and lived at home so I don’t know why I wasn’t there. Maybe I just made myself scarce during picture making. Or maybe I had a lot of homework due the following Monday and pleaded out. I don’t remember ever helping serve or dish up the food. Now that I think of it though, I don’t see my cousin Jan either. Where were we? My sister Pearl was a freshman at Howard in DC so that explains her absence. But enough rambling.

The Banquet is taking place in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the morning service. Services started at 11:30AM. My father preached for about an hour so 1 really would be right after the service. The sermon that week was a part of a Series that extended over several weeks. Women are circulating around bringing plates to the table. Unfortunately there is no clock showing in these photos, so we don’t know what time it was.

By banquet time the next year, after the 1967 Detroit Riot, there would be afro hair styles here and there. This year there are quite a few hats, everybody still in their Sunday best, eating and waiting. There are real plates and glasses and silverware being used. I wonder if there was a dishwasher in the kitchen or if after waiting table the women washed all those dishes by hand.

When — I see my mother, Doris Graham Cleage (with the white blouse) and aunt Gladys Cleage Evans (sleeveless dark top) over at the window to pick up plates to serve the waiting crowd.

My uncles Henry and Winslow with my little Grandmother Cleage in the hat and my Aunt Anna.

My father's Sermon Notes. — My father’s Sermon Notes for that Sunday morning.

Annabell Washington 1966 — Ms Annabell Washington serving plates. She was one of the advisors for the youth fellowship. She later retired to Tybee Island, off of Georgia and became an artist, a painter.

grace & Jimmy boggs 1966 — Grace and Jimmy Boggs chatting with fellow diners while they all wait to be served.

Ed Vaughn, founder of Vaughn's Books. Sitting a few seats away on the left is Arthur Smith who later took an African name, but I can't remember it right now. — Ed Vaughn, founder of Vaughn’s Books. Sitting a few seats away on the left is Arthur Smith who later took an African name, but I can’t remember it right now. I wonder if the people at this end of the table had been waiting a long time for their food.

homecoming menu 1967 — I do not have the menu for the 1966 Banquet but it was probably similar to this one from 1967, except I think they had chicken.

Church dinner in the Fellowship Hall. — At the far end of this table was my family – on the left we see Henry Cleage, Winslow Shreve, Ernest Martin and Dale Evans with his eyes closed. On the other side is my Aunt Anna Shreve and her daughter Anna with glasses.

church_supper_anniversary — Mr. Perryman at the head of the table. To his right is Oscar Hand, I don’t recognize the next man, then my father, then a man, I suppose, from the United Church of Christ Associateion, Rev Webb and his wife giving the photographer a very firm look.

And from that day’s service “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” sung by Mahilia Jackson. Of course she didn’t sing at our service but this is the same version we used.

2014.09W.17 — For more Sepia Saturday offerings, CLICK!

My Aunt Barbara Colorized – 1943

October 30, 2014Cleages, Photographs#Barbara Cleage MartinKristin

Last week I had several photographs of my Aunt Mary V. colorized. This week I have a colorized photo of my father’s sister, Barbara Cleage Martin. This photo is printed on thick, off white paper. I believe one of the Cleage photographers took and developed the photo. Which family member, I don’t know. It was taken in 1943 when she was 23 years old.

Barbara colorized blog — Colorized photo. Click photos to enlarge.

A photo taken the same day that wasn't colorized. — A photo taken the same day that wasn’t colorized.

Anti-Police Brutality Demonstration – 1963

October 23, 2014Detroit, Newsletters, sepia saturday#Albert B. Cleage Jr, #Louis CleageKristin

Police brutality was a problem in 1963, as it is today. Today I am sharing an issue of the Illustrated News that covered a demonstration held in front of the Detroit police station, then at 1300 Beaubien. The protest was against the killing of Cynthia Scott, an unarmed woman. She was shot in the back. The demonstration was peaceful and there was no interference by the police. The article says there were 2,500 people at the protest. Also “We wonder if a grand jury investigation might not clear the air and throw some light upon the police brutality practiced on Negroes and why such shootings never come to trial.” And that is something people are still wondering today. There was no investigation and the officer was not charged. Click on all pages to enlarge enough to read them.