Christmas Gentleman Identified Andrew Gustavus

We believe we know the name of the distinguished, dignified African American man in photographs with a Christmas gift in his hand shown on this blog during the Christmas season. I do community research and the name is already on my family tree.

A few years ago, Georgia Wise and her family shared pictures of the gentleman. On the above picture, he is standing with two small boys adorned with their Christmas gifts. One of the boys is Georgia's father who remembered they called the man Uncle Gus. In December 2013, he remembered the man's full name was Andrew Gustavus.

Looking over the emails from Georgia, I learned Andrew was born during slavery and he told the young boys tales of eating from a trough.

Memories of the Trough from the Slave Narratives
"Ebry day dar wus a big pail uf milk put in a big trough in front uf mammy Lit's house, under a shed, fur all uf de little black chilluns ter eat wid bread in it. Ebry one uf us hed er spoon en we wuld dip in ter it en see who culd git the mostern. Mammy Lit wuld beat me ober de head en tell me not ter be so greedy en eat it all frum de udders." Barney Alford of Mississippi

"Mrs. Sartin had a long wooden trough constructed just outside the kitchen door in which was placed "pot-likker", milk, and a generous portion of cornbread in a pulverized state. About the middle of the morning Mrs. Sartin would walk to the negro quarters, and have all the little negroes who ranged in age from 1 to 8 rounded up like so many small animals."
Harry Bridges of Pike County, Mississippi

"There was a long trough about a foot deep in Grandma May's house. This she filled with buttermilk and broke up corn bread in it. Each child that was big enough to stand was given a cockle shell to get their something to eat out of the trough." Mollie Edmonds of Mississippi

Andrew was born about 1856 in Mississippi per the census records. In 1870, he was 14 years old living in the household of his father James Gustavus, a farmer. James and his family plus two adult sons and their families were living as neighbors.

1870 Copiah County Census of Gustavus Family

James married Sarah Macon, 30 Apr 1874, in Copiah County. Sarah is probably a second wife and not the mother of Andrew. There is an eight year gap between Andrew and the next child in the household.

Andrew's father, James, was described as a brick mason on the 1880 census. Father and son were neighbors. Andrew was living in the house with his sister Nancy and her children. All members of the family indicated their birthplace was Mississippi. In the previous census, James and Sarah listed their birthplace as South Carolina.

Andrew and his father were both listed on the 1880 agriculture schedule as farmers, both renting the land with their own tools. Andrew rented 25 acres from William L Shelby near Heaths Store in rural Copiah County, Mississippi. Andrew had a mule and horse, 3 calves were born. He raised pigs and chickens. He made 50 lbs of butter, grew corn, cotton, Irish and sweet potatoes. Andrew's farm was productive.

Did Andrew remain a farmer, marry, have a family? To be continue on next post.

Wordless Wednesday Christmas 1920s II

Howard Divinity of Copiah County, MS Slave Narrative

Howard Divinity is on the right.
Photograph Courtesy of Mississippi Department of Archives and History

Copiah's best known ex-slave was Howard Divinity, or "Uncle Divinity," who, since the close of the war until a few years before his death in 1930, attended practically all of the National Reunions of Confederate veterans and of World War veterans. Richmond, New York, Washington, and many other cities of the nation knew him as a familiar figure when the veterans gathered there. He always wore the gray uniform of the Confederacy, the coat being literally covered with reunion medals. Uncle Divinity was born early in the 1820's and served from 1861 until the close of the war as body slave and cook with Bob Scott, of Copiah County, in Company D, of the Twelfth Mississippi Regiment. While in the Confederate army, Divinity acquired the reputation of being the champion forager in the whole Confederate army and was called the chicken provider of the Confederacy. In 1926 Uncle Divinity made a speech before the Mississippi Legislature in behalf of the Confederate soldiers, their widows, and servants. It is said that when in Washington some years ago, Uncle Divinity learned the difference between a senator and a congressman in the following way:

He went to the senate office building and asked to see his senator. When he was admitted to see John Sharp Williams, the Mississippi senator asked which he would rather have - five dollars, a toddy, or straight whiskey; Divinity came away with five dollars. A short while later Uncle Divinity met up with Congressman Percy E. Quin, representative of the Copiah District. Mr. Quin gave him a silver dollar. Shortly afterwards, Divinity remarked to a group of veterans that he had learned the difference between a senator and a congressman. They asked him what the difference was, and of course he answered - "Four dollars."

Uncle Divinity and his wife Susan lived on the old Rembert place, near Bayou Pierre, until Susan's death some ten years ago. Divinity, who was blind his last years, survived his wife by only a few years.

Census records indicate he was born between 1832-1850, likely around 1845. He was married to Susan and the couple had at least three children: Marilla, Joe and Beulah.

Although the narrative mentions he wore the gray uniform of the Confederacy, I note he has on a regular man's suit, possibly gray with a hat which appears to be one worn by Confederate soldiers.

Divinity's Pension Application

Amanuensis Monday Professor Phillip D Gullage's Slave Narrative

Professor Phillip Davenport Gullage is the gentleman on the top row. He was the principal of the Brookhaven Colored High School. This photograph was taken in 1931, the last graduating class of the school.

Professor Gullage's Slave Narrative

Prof. Phillip Davenport Gullage was born Simpson County Dec. 16th 1854 the community of Gum Springs on plantation of Mr. Will Gullage. At the age of 11 until 1872 he resided in Rankin County. His early education was received in Hazlehurst and Brandon and later attended summer normal schools at Tougaloo, Miss. He began teaching in 1877, at Little Rock, 7 miles from Hazlehurst. In 1891 he came to Brookhaven as Principal of the negro High School which place he held for 42 years. Owing to his advanced age he was replaced by a younger man but since has been teaching an adult class of the W.P.A. program. Gullage has been a very outstanding negro in his line of work. Very instrumental in securing Summer Normals for negroes in Brookhaven.
Slave Narratives - Mississippi - Federal Writers Project

On a previous post, those in the photograph were identified.
Photograph Courtesy of
Lincoln-Lawrence-Franklin Regional Library
100 S. Jackson St
Brookhaven, MS 39601
601-833-3369

UPDATE
Professor Gullage was the son of Wisdom Gullage and Parthenia Reed.
Professor Gullage married Martha J Overton 26 Dec 1878 in Copiah County, MS.
Their children were: Queen Esther, Newaline, Blanche, Claudius, Dewitt, and Luther.
Queen Esther married Inzeay "N Z" Jones, 04 Jun 1914, in Lincoln County, MS.
Blanche married Beny F Smith, 20 Mar 1912, in Lincoln County, MS.
Professor Gullage died, 02 Jan 1943, in Chicago.

Tombstone Tuesday - Sarah Jane Buie

In Memory of Sarah Jane Buie
Wife of Joe Buie
Died April 04 1904
Age 40 years
Zion Chapel A. M. E. Church Cemetery
Caseyville, Lincoln County, MS

Sarah was born about 1862 in Caseyville, then Copiah County, MS. She was the daughter of Henry Israel and Martha Ann Henderson. Her husband Joseph Buie was one of the former slaves who was interviewed by the WPA during the 1930s.

Joseph Buie's Slave Narrative