The Journal of Negro History Volume V Part 67

Rev. Ceasar Perkins, Buckingham " Fountaine M. Perkins, Louisa William P. Lucas, "

Samuel P. Bolling, c.u.mberland.

This makes the number forty-nine (49)

Respectfully yours, (Signed) J. W. CROMWELL.

Tuskegee Inst.i.tute Alabama May 13, 1920.

MR. M. N. WORK, Department Records and Research, Tuskegee Inst.i.tute, Alabama.

_Dear Mr. Work:_

In looking through the last number of _The Journal of Negro History_, I note that you are asking for information concerning those Negroes who were members of the State Legislatures during reconstruction days, just following the Civil War.

I do not know if it has already been called to your attention or not, but my grandfather, Shandy Jones, was at that time a member of the Alabama Legislature. I do not know the year, but think I can get the dates for you if it is of interest to you.

His early life was spent in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He was a very successful business man, barber by trade. His later life was actively spent in church work. He was presiding elder in the A.

M. E. Z. church and was nominated for bishop, but his age was an obstacle.

He lived in Mobile, Alabama at the time of his death at 70 years.

He was still in the ministry at this time.

Very truly, (Signed) MRS. M. E. RICHARDSON.

245 WEST 139TH ST., NEW YORK CITY, July 22, 1920.

CARTER G. WOODSON, Ph.D., Editor _The Journal of Negro History_, 1216 You St., N. W., Washington, D. C.

_Dear Sir:_

You have presented the matter of the Reconstruction Period in splendid shape and no doubt it will be read with much interest especially by the few "old timers" who can recall those halcyon days.

There are some errors I would like to correct and a few additions I would like to make as it was not my intention to slight any person engaged in that laudable work of making Negro history, and I would like to know at your earliest convenience if there will be time before the July number goes to press. There is just one error I want to correct now and that is relative to myself. In the foot notes it is stated that I was a page in the House of Representatives in the Reconstruction Period. I do not know how Mr. Work made the error as there is nothing in my retained carbon copies to show that I gave him that information. It was my brother, Dr. J. E. Wallace, now with the Standard Insurance Company of Atlanta who occupied that position. I certainly would have preferred that job as it was more remunerative than the one I held. I was employed in the post office at Columbia, S. C., from March 1, 1871 to August 15, 1886, when I resigned under the democratic postmaster, Major W. H. Gibbes, notwithstanding the fact that he requested me to continue in the position. It was owing to my position that I came in contact with the prominent people from all over the State and was thus enabled to get much information that has helped me greatly in compiling the data.

Handling the mail for several years of these Reconstructionists made me quite familiar with their names and as the impressions of youth are lasting they remained with me.

As I understand it the Reconstruction Period is from the close of the civil war to April 20, 1877, when the United States troops were withdrawn from the New Orleans, La., state house, the troops having been withdrawn from the state house in Columbia, S.C., April 10, 1877. Therefore data since then would not be considered as belonging to the Reconstruction Period.

Very Respectfully, (Signed) HENRY A. WALLACE.

245 WEST 139TH ST., NEW YORK CITY, August 6, 1920.

DR. CARTER G. WOODSON 1216 You St., N. W., Washington, D. C.

_Dear Sir:_

In looking over the data published in the January number of _The Journal of Negro History_ relative to the Reconstruction period in South Carolina I find several errors which I would be glad to have you correct in the next number:

Page 81--The christian name of Senator Bird is Israel.

Page 83--The initials of Fraser, representative from Colleton County are W. H.

Page 84--Aaron Logan was from Charleston county and Samuel P.

c.o.ker from Barnwell county.

Page 89--Opposite name of Joseph H. Rainey, strike out 46th, 47th and 48th and insert 43rd. See sketch on page 95.

Page 90--F. B. Perry should be B. F. Perry.

Page 97--under Robert C. DeLarge, should be 1868-1870 as a member of the House of Representatives.

Page 98--Under Francis L. Cardozo--four years as State Treasurer instead of two. See page 89.

Pages 103 and 104--A. Q. Jones should be A. O. Jones.

Page 104--countries should be counties.

Page 85--Jervay, Page 107--Jervay and Jarvey--should be Jervey.

Page 100--Under Thomas E. Miller--1866 should be 1886 as member of the S. C. House of Representatives.

Additional members of the Senate:

Jared Warley--Clarendon County Dublin I. Walker--Chester County J. L. Duncan--Orangeburg County Additional Members of the House of Representatives: Abbeville Co.--Everett Cain, H. A. Wideman, Aiken Co.--Gloster H. Holland, W. B. Jones Barnwell Co.--B. W.

Middleton, E. M. Sumpter Charleston Co.--R. B. Artson, P. P.

Hedges, J. J. Hardy, J. J. Grant, J. W. Lloyd, C. F. North, Lewis Simmons Chester Co.--Ceasar Simmons Colleton Co.--Sherman Smalls, R. S. Tarlton Edgefield Co.--David Graham, Augustus Simpkins Georgetown Co.--Charles H. Sperry Kershaw Co.--Frank Adamson Laurens Co.--James Young Marion Co.--William A. Hayne Marlboro Co.--Jacob Allman Newberry Co.--Isham Greenwood Orangeburg Co.--John Dix, Abram Dannerly, H. Reilly Sumter Co.--W. W.

Ramsey, J. C. Wilson Williamsburg Co.--Fortune Giles, E. H.

Gourdin, Thomas Pressley

Relative to Hon. J. H. Rainey I would state that he was the only Negro Congressman who presided over the U. S. House of Representatives. That courtesy was extended to him by Speaker James G. Blaine.

The following may be interesting in connection with Senator W. B.

Nash:

"It is not too much to say that the leading man of the Republican party in the Senate is Beverly Nash, a man wholly black. He is apparently consulted more and appealed to more, in the business of the body, than any man in it. It is admitted by his white opposition colleagues that he has more native ability than half the white men in the State" _The Prostrate State_--J. S. Pike.

"Beverley Nash of Columbia is probably the foremost Negro in the State. He has made many speeches, which, homely in manner, have, nevertheless, a subsoil of strong common sense. He has been employed by the Military authorities from time to time in aiding, by "moral suasion" to preserve peace; is about 45 years of age; was formerly a hotel servant in Columbia where he still resides. Some months ago, on the same platform with Gen. Wade Hampton and other distinguished citizens he made a speech to the colored people recommending qualified suffrage; but subsequently was obliged by high-pressure to recant, and to set himself right has since become intensely radical. His idea now is that the Negro is ent.i.tled to everything the white man enjoys--an opinion which has been encouraged by his appointment as magistrate, General Sickles having conferred the office upon him to punish the citizens of Columbia for an a.s.sault made by two intoxicated young men on a itinerant radical speaker and his traveling companion while in that town"

"Q" in _New York Times_--March 23, 1868.

The above would indicate that Senator W. Beverly Nash was the first Negro to exercise judicial power in the United States.

Concerning a.s.sociate Justice J. J. Wright I would add that he graduated from the Lancaster, Pa., High School--studied law at Montrose, Pa.,--admitted to the Bar in Susquehanna county, being the first Negro to practice law in Pennsylvania--four years before going to South Carolina.

Very respectfully, HENRY A. WALLACE.