ANCESTRAL HERITAGE TOUR, 2001

Karen G. Davis

 

            The African American Historical Association of the Niagara Frontier in cooperation with Forest Lawn Cemetery sponsored the first “African American Ancestral Heritage Tour” in August, 2001.  On August 19^th and again on August 22^nd, two tour busses toured the grounds of Forest Lawn.   The group viewed the burial sites of prominent African Americans.  Burial sites included such names as Charles Fuqua, one of the original “Ink Spots”; local members of the 54^th Massachusetts Colored Troops; Dan Montgomery, owner of a local hotel and supper club; Daniel Acker, past president of local NAACP; some of Buffalo ’s well known local ministers including Revs. Bernie McCarley, Elijah Echols, (Sr. & Jr.), Bennett W. Smith, and J. Edward Nash.  A highlight of the tour was Mary Craig’s portrayal of Mary B. Talbert.  Ms. Craig descended from the hilltop location of Talbert’s burial site, entered the buses and told Ms. Talbert’s life story.  The tour ended with a short program in the Forest Lawn chapel.  There were no costs for the tour.

            The tour planning committee included Association board members Dr. Felix Armfield, Karen G. Davis, and Sharon Y. Holley.  The committee is already making plans for a tour in the summer of 2002 featuring different burial sites.  Interested persons are encouraged to submit the names and a short biography of persons who should be featured in future tours.  Inquiries and suggestions should be sent to Ancestral Tours, P.O. Box 63 , Buffalo 14207 .

 

 

AFRICAN AMERICANS BURIED IN THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC SECTION AT FOREST LAWN

 

There are 16 African American men who are buried in the Grand Army of The Republic (GAR) section at Forest Lawn Cemetery .  These men who were veterans of the Civil War are listed in this article by name, unit and if available, where the unit originated.  Information was provided by Pat Kavanagh, Historian at Forest Lawn. 

 

Robert H. Smith             21^st  Color Troops – Hilton Head, S.C.

William H. Brown           U.S. Color Troops (see remarks below *)

John Thomas                  102^nd USC Inf. Co. F  (Born in Africa )

Michael H. Johnson       2^nd US Color Troops – Arlington , Va

James H. Wilson           54^th Mass. Color Troops Co. F

Samuel Butler                25^th Color Troops Co. D

Jacob Jones                  6^th New York Color Troops Co. H

Henery Strothers          Co. H 3^rd US Color Troops – Philadelphia , Pa.

Alexander Jackson        31^st U.S. Colored Troops – Harts Island , NY

Charles J. Duffin          Co M 11^th U.S. Col. Hvy. Art. – Providence , R.I.

James M. Harper          38^th U.S. Color Inf. Co. F

David U. Smith             Co. F 26^th U.S. Colored Inf. – Riker’s  Island , NY

William Spencer           Co. K 20^th U.S. Colored Troops – Riker’s Island

George R. Eights           Co. F 20^th U.S. Colored Troops – Riker’s Island

Tinsley Collins             U.S. Colored Art. – Memphis , Tn.

John H. Dover             Co. D 54^th Mass. Vol. Inf. – Camp Meigs , Readville, Ma.

*William H. Brown –     There are 23 soldiers by the same name that served in various regiments.

The White officers of the U.S. Colored troops buried in the same section are; Henry M. Deming, Co. G 31^st  Col. New York Inf. – Harts Island , N.Y.   William Hadden, Co. G 2^nd U.S. Col. Inf, - Arlington , Va.   Levi A. Preston, Co. B 8^th U.S. Col. Inf.- Camp William Penn, Pa.   Joseph P. Bulak, Co. M 11^th U.S. Col. Hvy. Art. – Providence , R.I.

Nathaniel Alexander, Co. D 43^rd U.S. Colored Troops – Philadelphia , Pa.   George Jacob Smith, 2^nd Dist. Colored Inf. Co. H.    

 

AFRICAN AMERICANS BURIED AT FOREST LAWN CEMETERY

1874 – 1886

The information contained in this article was supplied by Edward Dibble, Historian  for Forest Lawn.  All persons listed in this article will be by burial permit number, name, age, place of birth (if available) and date of death.  They all died in Buffalo , N.Y.   The undertakers were Kraft ,Atkins, Sackett, Kempke Funeral Homes.  Price for burial permits varied from $4 to $14.  Some names were difficult to read and may not be exact.

 

The first African American recorded buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo was a 2 year old girl named Elmaira Brockenburgh who was born in Lockport .  Elmaira died of Scarlet Fever on 9/24/1874 , buried on 9/25/1874 under permit # 260.

#422  Davis Gambella          40 12/13/1874

#1034 George Franklin’s Child (still born)  Buffalo 10/13/1875

#1172 Henry Elebeck  Buffalo   30 10/13/1875

#1213 Edward Dominies   2/3/1876

#1423 Lizzie Edwards  13  Canada 5/24/1876

#1879 Louisa C. Davidson 47 Buffalo 3/16/1877

#1478 Louisa P. Leggett  6  Buffalo  6/25/1876

#1886 Thomas Tasco  16  Buffalo 3/17/1877

#1954.Edward W. Crosby   60 Philadelphia 1/20/1877

Augusta Brock  41  New York 7/1877

#2419  Thomas E. Green  21 Buffalo  2/25/1878

#2532 John McClane 70 Virginia   5/4/1878

#2561 Amanda Struthers  8  Canada   5/20/1878

#2584  Charles E. Smith 81  Virginia   6/1/1878

#2656  Edward Dominoes 85 Virginia 7/15/1878

#2905 William Douglas  82  W.I.  11/29/1878

#2958 Littleberry Moseby  68  Richmond   1/11/1878 (79)

#2964 Francis L. Jackson   11 Buffalo  1/15/1879

#3009 William A. Buljer  25  Buffalo  2/9/1879

#3050 Charles Clark  26  Buffalo   3/7/1879

Walker Johnson  10  Toledo , O  4/4/1879

#3175  Elizabeth F. Spencer  25 5/5/1879

#3292  Mary Anne Norton  64 Erie , Co. 6/16/1879

#3327  Martha E. Thompson  14 Buffalo  7/4/1879

#3355  Henry Moxley  73  Virginia   died 12/12/78 , buried 7/16/1879

#3446  Elizabeth Johnson  69  Virginia 8/24/79

#4173  Danbridge Coton (?)  75  Kentucky 8/18/1880

#3633  Charles Thompson  59  W. I.  1/6 died, buried 12/8/1879

#4195  Reufus Bennett    Buffalo    8/30/1880

#4474  William Field  48  Canada 12/31/1880

#5851  Thomas Prowett  Lancaster   6/21/1882

#7107   Alfred Jackson  38  U.S.   10/24/1883

#7137   Lanes Child (still born) Buffalo 11/11/1883

#7221   Elizabeth Britten  70  Virginia 12/21/1883

#7237   Mary P. Shorter  62  U.S. 12/25/1883

#7263   Pearl F. Neal    Toronto 1/13 1884

#7269   George Freeman  60   1/16/1884

#7306   Lewis Greene  59  Virginia   2/1/1884

#7312   Ellen V. Statesman 20 Buffalo 2/2/1884

#7455   Louisa Gaten  63 Pennsylvania 4/7/1884

#7477   Lucy Struthers  47 Canada 4/18/1884

#7668   Thomas Peitch  51  England   6/26/1884

#7770    Joseph Lewis 8  Buffalo 8/3/1884

#7806   Elizabeth Thompson  59  8/13/1884

#7833   Philip W. Murray   17 Buffalo 8/18/1884

#7873   Benj. B. Gaylord 39 New Burg, N.C. 9/1/1884

#7960   Harriet M. Hines  36  9/29/1884

#8267   Ann Wood  80  2/12/1885

#8439   Ninwood Thompson  69  Virginia 4/27/1885

#8555   Aldridge Dwa Wright  1  Buffalo  6/2/1885

#8660    George J. Wright 4  Buffalo 7/14/1885

#8671    Wm. David Parker  38  Canada 7/18/1885

#8704    Ambrose McAlpin  33  Virginia   7/30/1885

#9002    Eliza J. Pell   24  Buffalo   11/19/1885

#9016    Fanny Washington  74  12/4/1885

#9067    Henry H. Lewis  45  America 12/30/1886

(1885)

#9184          Mary E. Henson  45  Pennsylvania   2/26/1886

#9235          John Simpson   69  Virginia   3/20/2886

#9432          Walter Lewis Bell   1 Buffalo 5/31/1886

#9651          Emma Jane Harry  54  Virginia   8/20/1886

#9758          John Butler  57   10/5/1886

 

 

25th ANNUAL CARTER G. WOODSON ESSAY CONTEST

  The theme for the 25^th Annual Carter G. Woodson Essay Contest is: "African American Celebrations and Festivals in Western New York ."  Students in grades 4-12 will be asked to write an essay of 500 words or less on African American Celebrations and Festivals in this area.  Some examples of the celebrations are: Martin Luther King Day, Juneteenth Festival, Jefferson Avenue Art Festival, Pine Grill Reunion, Kwanzaa, Marcus Garvey Day Celebrations, Family Reunions, etc.  The essay should include a history of the celebration in this area, how it is celebrated and by whom.  It may also include an interview of someone who celebrates the Festival.  The contest will close in February 2002 with an awards program.  Informational flyers will be available at the North Jefferson Branch Library, 332 East Utica Street in November.

 

AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE PAN AMERICAN CELEBRATION

  The Pan-American Exhibition opened in Buffalo , New York in 1901.  The centennial celebration has been scheduled during 2001 and includes several African American contributions.  (1) The Women's Pavilion of the Pan-Am has sponsored several activities including: The Uncrowned Queens Project - a web page dedicated to African American women who have made contributions in their community.  The web site can be viewed at http://wings.buffalo.edu/uncrownedqueens.  Dr. Peggy Brooks-Betram and Dr. Barbara Nevergold developed this site.  (2) The Women's Pavilion also sponsored a public art project: Art Across Borders.  Among the public art projects is the five-panel "Women as Warriors" mural painted by William Y.

 

JOIN THE TEAM THAT IS PRESERVING LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY

Cooper and on display on the outside of the Langston Hughes Institute, 25 High Street .  The women warriors are Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Rosa Parks, Fannie Lou Hamer and Marva Collins.  (3) "Through a Clouded Mirror: Africa at the Pan-American Exposition" is an exhibit that explores the African Villages exhibit at the Pan-Am in 1901.  The Exhibit will be at the Buffalo Museum of Science through October 21, 2001 .  (4) The Studio Arena Theatre Production of "City of Light " offers a characterization of Mary B. Talbert, an African American women who was involved in Black Buffalo's history in the 1900's.  (5) The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library published the booklet, "The Forgotten Negro Exhibit: African American Involvement in Buffalo 's Pan-American Exposition, 1901."  The booklet, written by William H. Loos, Ami M. Savigny and Robert M. Gurn with a foreword by Lillian S. Williams describe the souvenir pamphlet of the "Negro Exhibit" found in the library's Pan-Am scrapbook.  The booklet may be purchased from the library for $10.  Visit the library's web page for more information:  http://www.buffalolib.org.

 

HISTORICAL RECORDS SEMINAR

The Afro-American Historical Association presented its annual "Preserving Historical Records" Seminar on September 15 at the Humboldt Parkway Baptist Church .  The seminar, conducted by Sharon Holley (board member of the Historical Association), was well received and attempts to encourage individuals and organizations, such as churches, clubs, and community groups to adapt records management  and preservation procedures for the records of their organization.  The Historical Association will assist interested individuals and organizations in the preservation of their records on microfilm at no cost to them.  The Association sponsors the preservation seminar at least once each year.  Interested persons should call Sharon Holley for information and assistance in preserving their records on microfilm [(716) 858-7153].

 

UNDERGROUND RAILROAD

 

On Saturday, September 8, 2001 Murphy's Orchard, 2402 McClew Road in Burt, New York became the first site in New York State to receive a designation on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.  The designation was based on owner, Carol Murphy's interpretation and educational effort to teach the history of the Underground Railroad and provide tours through Motherland Connextions.  According to Carol, archaeologist is currently researching the property to document the room in the barn as an Underground Railroad site.  The day was advertised as the Underground Railroad Heritage Festival with proclamations, music, storytelling and exhibits.

 

LOCAL AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY ON WEBSITE

  Information about Joseph Hodges, Buffalo's first Black resident and Doug's Dive, a place on Commercial Street near the Erie Canal can be found on the website: http://www.buffalonian.com.