Names of Prominent Blacks
from Cox’s Black in Topeka,
Kansas 1865-1915
Nick Chiles --“”resident of the Third Ward, editor of the
Plaindealer, and a party to sundry legal and illegal business ventures, also
exercised considerable influence in the city and state Republican
councils. Throughout the 1900s, Chiles
had a reputation as a ward heeler, as one through whom elections could be
bought and who meted out patronage, primarily to the Third Ward. ..not documented “
William Carter-- Principal of Lane School
Martin Oglesvie,--Tennessee Exoduster, came to Topeka in
1878, gardener, laborer, 1/3 owner of the Apex Theatre, member of St. John AME
and charter member of the NNBL
Dr. Seth Varnella –Topeka’s first black physician, his wife
taught sewing classes at Topeka Industrial
J.C.S. Owens—pastor, his wife taught sewing classes at
Topeka Industrial
Lutie Lytle-- lawyer, Populist campaigner
Pearle McNeal-- stenographer in the county clerk’s office
Lena Thompson--bread maker
Mack Walker--barber
William Schroud--janitor at the State House
John W. Barber-- black minister of the North Topeka Baptist
Church, involved in real estate and insurance business. Supported by black independents in a
unsuccessful bid for state representative.
Thomas W. Henderson,--assistant editor of the Colored Citizen
John Wright--from Michigan, came to Topeka at 15 in 1882,
graduated from THS, postal clerk, 1897 appointed deputy county clerk from 1897
to 1901, NNBL, St. Simon’s, many social and political groups. An accountant who served as city treasurer
and country clerk off and on between 1900 and 1916.
John M. Brown—gentleman farmer, emigrated from Mississippi in
1877, was responsible for the management of the Barracks and superintendent of
the Kansas Freedman’s Relief, member of the Colored State Emigration Board
Mabel Jeltz (daughter of Fred)
Fred Jeltz—editor-publisher of the Kansas State Ledger
William Carter-- first superintendent of operations/principal
of Topeka Industrial, 1900, student of Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee
George Bridgeforth--former director of the
agricultural department at Tuskegee became principal of Topeka Industrial in
1917
Elizabeth Cooper
William Damascus Cooper
Lulu Harris--president of National Colored Women’s Club federation state convention 1906 and
1916
Willliam Eagleson-- political iconoclast, editor of the
Colored Citizen, leader of black independents in Topeka until death in 1901 .
(Colored Citizen ended in 1905), had been the editor of the Colored Citizen in
Ft. Scott
E.H. White-- founded the Topeka Tribune, a short run
newspaper
David Ware-- was in the 1st Kansas Colored, worked
at the State House, member of Second Baptist, Great Western Lodge and Shawnee
County Colored Horse Fair Association
--in 1906 wrote a pamphlet “Thoughts for Careful
Consideration” –pro Republican
Spencer and Lucinda Hawkins--11 kids, Exodusters, carpenter,
and trash collector, municipal garbage collector , streetcleaners and watchman
for the city dump. NNBL, St. John’s AME
William B. Townsend--municipal coal inspector
William Sharp-- messenger at the mayor’s office
James Boyd-- overseer of the rock pile at the Topeka jail
Wesley Jamison--the Squire, 1885 Tennessee—some legal
training in Nashville at the central college, served three terms as justice of
the peace and was a criminal lawyer
Robert Buchner--born in Canada, carpenter for the Santa Fe,
member St. John’s AME, well to do, single minded advocacy of education for
trades
Dr. Oliver A. Taylor-- physician
Julia Roundtree-- elementary school teacher at Douglass
Elementary, member of Alpha Assisi Charity Club and St. John’s.
Rev. C.G. Fishback-- pastor Shiloh Baptist
Solomon G. Watkins--Topeka's second Negro teacher arrives
from Tennessee, protested segregated schools and with the Anti-Taft league,
later NAACP , Colored Republican's Club and St. John. He and his wife both taught at Quincy
school. Member of the Populist Democrats
Tolliver Byrd-- laborer, founding member of the Prayer Circle
which later became ST. John AME, member of the Freemason’s, worked at the State
House
Henry Clay Wilson—house painter, barber, restaurateur,
operated a 15- chair barber shop across from the capitol, controlling interest
in a recreation park on the eastern outskirts of the city, business membership
in Second Baptist Church
James H. Stuart--Topeka’s first black lawyer came from
Tennessee and began practicing in 1878
John J. Jennings--a professor and tonorialist, operated a
barbershop on Kansas Avenue adjacent to the Taft House
C.C. de Randamie--Topeka’s first black real estate agent,
his office and home was at 106 E. Kansas Ave.
Alonzo D. DeFrantz--partner with Benjamin Singleton and the
Tennessee Real Estate and Homestead Association, barber, and founded the United
Colored Links with Singleton, president of the Southern Kansas colonization
Society, Colored State Emigration Board
Columbus M Johnson--partner with Benjamin Singleton and the
Tennessee Real Estate and Homestead Association, member of the Colored State
Emigration Board
Nathaniel Sawyer-- teacher, Exoduster, wrote articles for the
black press, involved in Interstate Literary Assoc.
Sarah Malone--supervisor of the black Florence Crittendon
Home, attended annual conferences on charities and corrections
James Guy-- from Ohio, lawyer, came to Topeka in 1885,
charter member of St. Simon’s, deputy county attorney 1896, many and varied
social, political and protest organizations,
Ira Guy-- barber, James Guy’s brother, first vice president
of national organization of NNBL
William McKnight-- 1895 from Tennessee, custodian at the KS
state house
Benjamin Perkins-- laborer from Kentucky
George Hagan--stonemason from Missouri, NAACP and Populist
Party member
William O. Lynch-- pastor of the Asbury AME church, presiding
elder in the black Kansas Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, involved with
KFRA
Andrew Jordan, owner of Tennessee town tavern, made available
to house Sheldon’s Tennesseetown library
Edward Stephens--co-founder of Kansas Industrial, 1895
Lizzie Reddick--co-founder of Kansas Industrial, 1895
Rev George Shaffer-- St. John’s AME
B.C. Duke--came from Tennessee. First librarian of the Tennessee town
library, member of the Second Christian Church , later a pastor at St. Mark’s
Christian Church, member of 1905 governing board of black and white Kansas
Christian churches.
Rev. J. Barrett--pastor
of the North Topeka Baptist Church
George Wellington Gross-- journalist, Republican
From King's History of Topeka, 1905
Black Elementary School Principals:
Washington |
J. L. Harrison | |
Monroe |
Fred Roundtree |
|
Douglas |
Mary E. Langston | |
Buchanan |
C. F. Clinkscale |
|
Oct. 28, 1908--The Carbondalian.
Teachers:
E. Ridley, Mrs. Sadie McClain, Mrs. WI Jamison, Miss Lillian Jeltz, Miss Irene Smith, Fannie Foster, Inez Wood, Etta McClain, Bessie Hawkins, Mary Jordan, Effie Burge, Lily Cooper and Missouri Bennings
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