Wordless Wednesday The Freeman Family

Standing: Lawrence, Allura, Robert
Seated: Ozell, Minor, parents Lydia Herring Freeman and Jim/James Freeman, Arntee, and James

How does this family connect to my family tree?
Lydia Herring Freeman's sister
Mary Jane Herring married John Coleman who was the son of
James Coleman and Mary Ann Markham
Mary Ann Markham is a sister of Monroe Markham, my great grandfather.

Photograph courtesy of Anthony Neal, Sr

Steve Herring - The Fiddler

Steve Herring was the fiddler on the David and Mary Leggett Herring's plantation in Franklin County, Mississippi. He was a house slave who played at various parties up and down the Homochitto River. He was the entertainment when the Herring family had visitors. It was said that when Steve played, it was hard to distinguished who enjoyed the music the most, Steve or the listeners. I like to think that among the tunes he played, maybe one sounded like this, played by Joe Thompson and Bob Carlin.

Herring Plantation House

Amanuensis Monday Burning Cross Left in Negro Couple's Yard

Mr and Mrs Robert and Lessie Herring

Cheri Herring, the couple's daughter-in-law, shared this newspaper article with me. Below are Cheri's words concerning the incident.

This news story is about my in-laws Robert & Lessie Herring. They had lived in this neighborhood since 1943. The area was and is primarily a white middle class neighborhood. Robert Jr, has told this story to me previously, but this was the first time that I had seen it in published format.

The incident occurred on Saturday, June 29th, 1963. When the cross burning occurred, neighbors came to make sure Robert and Lessie were OK. They were quite upset and wanted to ensure them than no one in neighborhood had any part in this and the police stepped up patrols passed their home. It isn't known if the person who set up the burning cross earlier in the day was the same person who slashed their truck tire later Saturday night. The culprit was never identified. But, there were also never any other incidents. The general feeling at the time was that someone from outside of the neighborhood had learned that a black family lived in this home and was trying to start trouble.

Robert & Lessie remained in this home until their deaths in 1998 and 1999. Their grandson Robert III has owned the home since 2000.

Transcribed from The Seattle Times, June 29, 1963
Mr and Mrs Robert Herring, a Negro couple, of 5513 Kensington Place N, reported to police early this morning that a burning wood cross was implanted in their lawn.

The two foot cross, which had burned itself out, was discovered by Herring as he set out for work at 1 o'clock.

Mrs Herring today spoke without emotion about the incident.

"You start thinking about the people and you can only pity them," she said.

There are only two Negro families in this neighborhood, one moved in recently. We have been here 21 years and nothing like this has ever happened before."

"Oh, there were small incidents when we first moved here but that was long ago. My boy, Robert Herring, Jr., even played on the university of Washington football team."

Herring in the class of 1957, was a halfback.

Mrs Herring said there appeared to be pieces of clothing attached to the cross.

"I don't know who could have done it," she said.

Lessie Hilliard Herring was my mother's cousin. Lessie was the daughter of Archie Hilliard & Lucy Coleman
Photograph courtesy of Cheri Herring.

Herring Plantation House Franklin County, MS

Picture circa 1950
This is a typical plantation house built during the late 1820s. David Herring and his wife Mary Leggett owned this home near the Homochitto River in Franklin County, MS. It was a two story oblong shape with chimneys at either end, a one story lean-to across the back and a porch across the front. It was made of hand hewed logs and covered with dressed lumber. The doors and flooring are hand hewed, and are about two inches thick.

Members of my family were slaves on the Herring farm. They worked the land, cooked the meals, maintained the house. Steve Herring was the fiddler and entertained the guests on the front porch and in the parlor. David Herring died in 1842, leaving a widow with several children. When the children reached their majority, the slaves were distributed causing rifts within slave families.

The enslaved men left the plantation to serve in the Civil War. A few enlisted with the Colored Troops and others worked for the Troops as cooks and laborers. A couple of the men's widows applied for pensions from the United States government, giving informative testimonies about their lives on the Herring place.

Below are recent photos of the home. The second story was taken off and the house still stands. The last picture is of the building that housed the kitchen. Kitchens were built separately from the main house for safety reasons, to protect from kitchen fires.

Pictures Courtesy of Freddie Johnson
House description from the research notes of Freddie Johnson.

Do You Know My Name

I've been identified!

From time to time, I will post a photograph of unknown individuals hoping someone will see their faces and remember their names. This man may be from Franklin County, Mississippi, or a neighboring county. The photo was carried in a pouch with other photos by the late Willie Scott. Written on the back of the photo is A Herring.

The Herring family of Franklin County, Mississippi, married into my maternal family.

According to Allen & Helen Herring, this is a picture of their brother Alton Herring [b. abt. 1914], son of Hurley Herring and his 1st wife Estella Jones. Allen & Helen are half-siblings by Hurley's 2nd wife, Arie Crockett.
Identified Feb 24 2012.
Thank you, Cheri Herring.

Photograph Courtesy of Nathaniel Thomas