To Care for the Sick and Bury the Dead

 In February 2022, my book on African American lodges and cemeteries in Tennessee, To Care for the Sick and Bury the Dead: African American Lodges and Cemeteries in Tennessee was released by Vanderbilt University Press. 

This book focuses on African-American fraternal and benevolent lodges in Tennessee by examining the lodge cemeteries that many of these groups created. As I have outlined in other posts, there are a number of lodge cemeteries located throughout Tennessee, in all regions, in both rural and urban areas. It examines the improtance of fraternalism and benevolence in African American communities, commemoration in lodge cemeteries, segregated landscapes, the silences of these places, and the importance of funerals and cemeteries in fraternalism.

One thing I examine is how several groups had specific burial rituals that they used for their members. While much of the language of these rituals borrows heavily from the Judeo-Christian tradition, there are elements involved which may have African origins.

Burial ritual from the Benevolent Society. Taken from the 1890 constitution for the organization.

I also examine the segregation that one can still see on the landscape at many of these cemeteries. Several are placed immediately adjacent or very close to a cemetery that was established for the white community. Others are placed in what were once segregated African American communities. An excerpt from the book:

"In several ways, geography played a crucial role in the placement and establishment of African American lodge cemeteries. In some cases, the cemeteries are a part of a larger neighborhood or community established in the post-Civil War era as African Americans created their own spaces across the state. While some of these communities still exist, in other instances one of the last remnants of these separate African American communities is the lodge cemetery, highlighting the ways these geographic landscapes were segregated, and the ways that segregation can still be seen on the landscape in the twenty-first century. Understanding the role of geography in the creation of African American cemeteries and community institutions provides more context for these cemeteries." (pg. 207)

You can find this book at Vanderbilt University Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other online retailers.

Odd Fellow(s) Cemetery, Ardmore, Giles County, Tennessee

Situated on a hilltop in rural Giles County, very close to the Alabama state line, lies the African American Odd Fellow(s) Cemetery. The age of the cemetery is not clear, although the oldest marked grave, commemorating Lee Holt, dates to 1912.

Odd Fellow Cemetery

The burials in the cemetery are arranged in neat rows, and are oriented east-west. The majority of the marked graves date from the mid to late twentieth century. There are also a number of grave depressions present, indicating the presence of unmarked graves.

Odd Fellow Cemetery contains several yucca bushes, such as this one planted at the grave of infant Catherine Patterson, as well as a few cedar trees at the edge of the property.

Grave marked by a yucca bush. It is not uncommon to find yucca bushes in African American cemeteries.

Sherene Baugher and Richard F. Veit noted the presence of yucca bushes in African American cemeteries in The Archaeology of American Cemeteries and Gravemarkers (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2014). When discussing how to identify if a cemetery is African American, particularly if it is not signed, “Various topographic clues may also help in the identification of forgotten African American burial grounds. Some are located adjacent to burial grounds for plantation owners; others are on hilltops; and a few may be marked by non-native plants, such as periwinkles, yuccas, daylilies, and cedar trees.(169)” As noted before, Odd Fellows Cemetery is located on a hilltop and contains both yucca and cedar trees.

More research is needed to uncover more information about Odd Fellow Cemetery. I would like to learn more about the specific lodge of Odd Fellows, and where the lodge was located. I would like to do a complete deed search and try to pin down the time period the cemetery was established. I would like to spend some time researching the people buried in the cemetery, to learn more about the people that made of the local African American community.

Despite the things I don’t yet know about the cemetery, Odd Fellow Cemetery is an interesting cemetery in a number of regards. First, it is remarkably well-signed for a rural African American lodge cemetery in Tennessee. In addition to a sign with the cemetery being present at the cemetery, there is sign directing traffic to the cemetery at Main Street and Drivers Lane, very close to the cemetery, and occurring very close to the exit off Interstate 65.

Secondly, the presence and location of the cemetery provides a mute testimony about the way in which segregation persisted beyond life and into death in Tennessee. This cemetery was established for African Americans in the community to bury their dead. There is a larger, white-established cemetery, Elliot Cemetery, literally within eyesight of Odd Fellow Cemetery. It is located approximately 200 yards of the Odd Fellows Cemetery. Why establish another cemetery so close to Elliot Cemetery? There are over 500 burials at Elliot Cemetery, and not all the internments were members of the Elliot family. A likely explanation is that the African American communities were not welcome for burial in the Elliot Cemetery, necessitating the establishment of a separate cemetery for members of the African American community.

 

View of Odd Fellow Cemetery

For more information on Odd Fellow Cemetery, please see the following:

“Odd Fellows Cemetery, Ardmore, Tennessee,” https://jparkes.github.io/smtc-website/Giles-Marshall-LincolnCountyCemWeb/OddFellow(AA)/odd_fellows_cemetery.html

 “Elliot Cemetery (Ardmore), Giles County, Tennessee,” https://jparkes.github.io/smtc-website/Giles-Marshall-LincolnCountyCemWeb/ElliotCemGilesCo/ElliotCemMaps.html

If you are interested in African American lodges and cemeteries in Tennessee, I am proud to announce that my book, To Care for the Sick and Bury the Dead: African American Lodges and Cemeteries in Tennessee, is scheduled to be published by Vanderbilt University Press and is forthcoming in Spring 2022. More details to come! 

The African American lodges of Tullahoma (Coffee County)

Tullahoma, located in Coffee County in Middle Tennessee, was established as a railroad town in the 1850s, and the railroad was key to the town’s growth and economic success. Both the Union and Confederate forces occupied the town during the Civil War, and as a result, many of the structures that existed at that time were destroyed. Following the Civil War, Tullahoma’s location on the railroad ensured that it was a busy, bustling town. By 1903, the town had 3,000 residents. According to the Handbook of Tennessee (1903), “Its schools are excellent; its church facilities are good; and it has numerous manufacturing industries, first-class hotels, a weekly newspaper, and a good electric light plant. It is a great summer resort.”

Close up of Coffee County from Colton's Map of Tennessee (1876). Image from Library of Congress.

Although the African Americans only made up 10.4% of Coffee County’s population in 1910, there was an active and thriving African American community in Tullahoma.  There were a number of churches, such as the Shorter Chapel AME, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist, and Howard Chapel M.E. Church. There was an African American baseball team for boys, which played teams from nearby towns, such as Shelbyville and Murfreesboro. There was a school, known as the Tullahoma Negro School (and later Davidson Academy), established at least by 1898. An early teacher at the school was John Work, Jr., who is regarded by some as the first African American collector of spirituals and folk music. The school continued in existence until 1964, when Tullahoma integrated their schools. The building later became a community center until it was demolished in 1998. This was replaced with a new community center in 2001. 

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Tullahoma. Photograph by author. 2021.

Describing the African American community of Tullahoma in 1910, W.L. Miller stated in the Nashville Globe that, “Lodges are Immaculates, Odd Fellows, Masons, and several other organizations. The first three have healthy women auxiliaries and own their buildings, which are very creditable.” The town also supported an African American businesses such as grocery store, owned by Green Edens, an ice cream parlor, owned by Rev. William Jenkins, and a park, Cherokee Park, described as  being, “just outside the city limits, a thing of joy and beauty.” The African American community also home to a billiard parlor and four choirs. In short, it was an active and thriving African American community.

Nashville Globe, March 11, 1910, pg. 3

As described, Tullahoma was home to a number of African American lodges, and there were at least two lodge halls in the town. The 1897 Sanborn Map identifies one building, at the corner of Lincoln and Wall, as a “Negro Lodge Hall.” It is unclear which lodge met here, but the building still stands in Tullahoma today. 

1897 Sanborn Insurance Map of Tullahoma. The African American lodge hall is circled in red.

Site of the African American lodge hall as it appears today. Photograph by author. 2021.

The Masons and the Eastern Star, the ladies auxiliary of the Masons, were an active presence in Tullahoma. In December 1907, the Zenith Lodge No. 98 celebrated St. John’s Day with “a grand Masonic banquet. Haley Lodge, No. 143, and Shelbyville Lodge, No. 82, sent representatives. Music was furnished by a string band from Winchester. Rev. N. P. Greggs (Knight Templar), Morning Star, No. 11, of Columbia, was the speaker of the evening. The speaker showed clearly that the Lodge is of Negro origin and that the Negro is the only race with prime authority of the 33rd degree. All kinds of refreshments of the season were served. The banquet was well attended.” In August 1910, the Masonic Lodge oversaw the laying of the cornerstone of the A.M.E. Church in town. In 1914, the Masons celebrated Palm Sunday at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church with a sermon preached by Rev. J.S. Swift.

The Independent Order of Immaculates were extremely active in Tullahoma and owned Immaculate Hall. They allowed their hall to be used by other groups, such as the Colored Fair Association, which held their business meeting at Immaculate Hall in 1907. In 1913, when the Knights of Pythias was trying to organize a lodge in Tullahoma, the Immaculates offered the Pythians free use of Immaculate Hall for 30 days. The Immaculates sponsored events, such as a picnic to nearby Estill Springs in 1910 and Easter celebration at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church. In 1918, the Immaculates were described as “one of the best lodges in the city and a lodge that stands for something has not failed to carry out a rule in five years. Tom Duncan, George Davidson, Will Miller, J.W.M. Jenkins, stand at the head of this lodge and they are men who believe in bringing things to pass.”

From "Tullahoma Notes," Nashville Globe, March 14, 1913.

The Grand United Order of Odd Fellows owned a lodge hall in Tullahoma, which they also allowed other groups to use. In 1910, a band used the Odd Fellows Hall to give an entertainment to benefit the local A.M.E. Church. A storm damaged their hall in 1913, but they must have rebuilt, because it was noted in 1917 that Mr. Coleman Scott had opened a lunch stand at the Odd Fellows Hall in Tullahoma. They must have struggled with regular meetings during World War I, as it was noted in February 1918 that the group, “have put on new clothes for the year 1918 and are meeting regular. They will always have a success if they follow the instructions and leadership of Amos Ryle, Henry Jenkins, and John Clendenen, who are chartered members.”

The Mutual Aid Association, a benevolent group, had a lodge in Tullahoma. In June 1917, the group celebrated their anniversary in Tullahoma with a sermon by Rev. D.S. Ransaw of Chattanooga. The “Tullahoma Notes” of the Nashville Globe for that June 22, 1917 article describes the Mutual Aid Society as “This society is one the leading ones of the town. Miss Paralee McGee, Mrs. Bettie Green and Mr. George Tally, are sparing no pains in pulling this society to the front, they are assisted by Mrs. M. E. Parker, the Chief Secretary.” In Tullahoma, the Mutual Aid Association was largely run by women. In September 1918, Tullahoma was home to the state grand lodge meeting of the Mutual Aid Association.

"Tullahoma Notes," Nashville Globe, June 22, 1917

The Knights of Pythias were a late addition to Tullahoma’s African American lodge scene. In 1913, it was noted that Mr. Luther Cummings of South Pittsburg was in Tullahoma “working up a K. of P. lodge.” As noted earlier, the Immaculates allowed the Pythians to use Immaculate Hall as their meeting place rent-free for 30 days to help the lodge get on its feet. In August 1913, twelve members were initiated into the new lodge.

"Tullahoma Notes," Nashville Globe, August 1, 1913.

While Tullahoma did not have a separate lodge cemetery, there was a separate African American cemetery just outside of town, known as Citizens Cemetery. This cemetery has a long and interesting history. It is believed that it began as a cemetery in the 1870s. In 1940, the U.S. Government acquired the site and made it part of Camp Forrest. From that time, burials were not allowed at the cemetery, and the cemetery fell into a state of disrepair. In 1996, a group of students of East Middle School cleaned the cemetery and repaired some of the broken stones. Visiting the cemetery recently, I noticed very few stone remaining. The site is full of old, large oak trees. The cemetery is in good maintenance now, and it is certain that many African American lodge members of Tullahoma are buried here.

Images from Citizens Cemetery. Photographs by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

Photograph by author. 2021.

For More Information/Sources:

Citizens Cemetery, Coffee Co. TN, TNGen Web Cemetery Database, https://www.tngenweb.org/cemeteries/#!cm=2096060.

G.W. & C.B. Colton & Co., “Colton’s Map of the State of Tennessee,” New York, 1876. Library of Congress, https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3960.ct010511. 

“History,” Davidson Academy Alumni Tigers. http://davidsonacademyalumni.org/History.html.

W.L. Miller, “Tullahoma and Coffee County,” Nashville Globe, August 26, 1910, pg 3.

Nashville Globe

Thomas H. Paine, Handbook of Tennessee. Nashville: McQuiddy Printing Company, 1903.

Sanborn Map Company, “Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Tullahoma, Coffee County, Tennessee,” September 1897, Sheet 4. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3964tm.g3964tm_g083871897.

Ian Skotte, “Old Cemetery holds key to city’s past,” Tullahoma News, June 29, 2013 (updated June 15, 2018), https://www.tullahomanews.com/news/local/old-cemetery-holds-key-to-city-s-past/article_7ed595b7-f332-51b2-9eb4-8c0c8c7add3e.html.

 Carroll Van West, “Coffee County,” Tennessee Encyclopedia, https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/coffee-county/.

John Wesley Work, Jr., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Work_Jr.

South Pittsburg's African American lodges

 This is the second in a series of posts about African American lodges in some of Tennessee's smaller towns.

South Pittsburg is a small town located on the Tennessee River in the Sequatchie Valley. It is part of Marion County, which was established in 1817. The county became a haven for industry and mining during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The creation of a spur railroad line of the N. & C. Railroad from Bridgeport, Alabama to Jasper, Tennessee, completed in c. 1868, was a catalyst for the economic development of the area. Coal and iron mines began to open in the late 1870s, and a company town, Richard City, was created in the early 1900s for the Dixie Portland Cement Company.

Close up of Marion County. South Pittsburg is circled in red. From Rand, McNally & Co.'s map of Kentucky, 1892. Image from Library of Congress.

South Pittsburg, named for Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in the hopes it would become the same industrial mecca as its namesake, did become the home of a number of industrial and manufacturing companies, including the Lodge Cast Iron Company. The Lodge Cast Iron Company is still in operation today, and attracts a number of visitors to the area. The population of South Pittsburg grew from 1,479 in 1880 to 2,106 in 1910.

Map of South Pittsburg from the South Pittsburg City Company. This company was active in promoting the development of the town in the 1880s. Map dates from 1887. Image from Library of Congress.

In 1910, Marion County was home to 2,289 African Americans, which accounted for 12.16% of the Marion County population. South Pittsburg itself was home to a thriving African American community, made of up a number of churches, lodges, and a school. Churches included the Mt. Bethlehem Baptist Church, Randolph Chapel M.E. Church, a First Baptist Church, an A.M.E. church, and an A.M.E. Zion church. McReynolds High School was built in 1921, but there had been at least one African American school in town prior to this. There was at least one predominantly African American community in the town, located in the area bounded by Cedar Avenue, 2^nd Avenue, and Laurel Street.

1944 Sanborn Insurance Map of South Pittsburg, showing one of the African American communities. You can see McReynolds High School, Mt. Bethlehem Baptist, and Reynolds Chapel. Map from the Tennessee Virtual Archive (https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll23/id/9990/rec/1)

South Pittsburg has a rich history of fraternal and benevolent African American lodges. In addition to the Masons, the Knights of Pythias, and the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows, there was also a lodge of the United Brothers and Sisters of Honor, the United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten, as well as the intriguingly named Ancient Order United Knights and Daughters of Africa.

The Masons and the Eastern Star (the ladies auxiliary associated with the Masons) were an active presence in South Pittsburg’s African American community in the early 20^th century; however, I have not been able to determine if they owned a lodge hall. In 1909, it was noted in the Nashville Globe that the Eastern Star Chamber held a bazaar at the Odd Fellows Hall which was a decided success. The bazaar included a quilt contest, which was won by Miss Janie Lightfoot. In 1912, the Eastern Star Ruth Chapter No. 10 held their anniversary sermon at the A.M.E. Zion church, at which they collected $10.75. In November 1913, the Ruth Chapter of the Eastern Star hosted a series of festivals at the Odd Fellows Hall, and they were “greatly enjoyed by a host of friends, as well as the order itself.”

"South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, December 5, 1913.

The Odd Fellows were very active in South Pittsburg, and it was noted in 1910 that the group “own a valuable hall at the corner of Cedar avenue and second street.” Also, in 1910, the group held their annual Thanksgiving service in May at Randolph Chapel, collecting $20 at the service. In 1911, seventy persons from South Pittsburg attended the Grand Lodge Session of the G.U.O.O.F. in Chattanooga, suggesting that there must have been quite a number of Odd Fellows in South Pittsburg.

Clip from the Nashville Globe, May 11, 1917, describing the Pythian rally. Mr. Luther Cummings is pictured.

The Knights of Pythias, along with the Courts of Calanthe (the female auxiliary) were also prominent fixtures of the African American community of South Pittsburg. In 1910, W.L. Miller, in his article, “South Pittsburg, The Metropolis of Sequachee Valley” in the Nashville Globe, noted that the Pythians, “own a fine two-storied building of pressed brick and steel right in the heart of town.” In 1911, the group celebrated their anniversary at the Opera House, located in South Pittsburg on Cedar Street, between Second and Third Streets. Mr. Luther Cummings of South Pittsburg was particularly active in the Pythians, even travelling to other towns for lodge business. In 1913, he set up a Pythian lodge in Tullahoma, and also travelled to Dunlap for “secret order work.” In 1917, the Pythians held a large rally in South Pittsburg at Mt. Bethlehem Church. The Knights marched from their hall to the church, where the joined the Courts of Calanthe ladies as well as the Juvenile lodges. There were several readings and speeches, and a charter member of the lodge spoke about “the trials and tribulations encountered during the early days of Pythianism in South Pittsburg.”

1907 Sanborn Insurance Map of South Pittsburg, Sheet 3. The Opera House is outlined in red.

The United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten were an active presence on the social life of South Pittsburg. The lodge was established in c. 1907, as an article in the Nashville Globe in 1908 indicates the group was to celebrate their first anniversary in July 1908. Miss Janie Lightfoot, a local teacher, was active in the U.B.F. and S.M.T., spending a week in 1910 in Pikeville, Whitwell, and Jasper for the order. She also led a choir of the U.B.F. and S.M.T., which performed at the 3^rd anniversary event in 1910, held that year at the A.M.E. Zion Church in South Pittsburg.

 

Logo of the United Brothers of Friendship. From the Nashville Globe, August 10, 1917.

The United Brothers and Sisters of Honor established a lodge in South Pittsburg in 1909. By 1910, when they were celebrating their first anniversary at the First Baptist Church, they had about 70 members. In August 1912, South Pittsburg hosted the state Grand Lodge of the organization. The Nashville Globe, in the “South Pittsburg Notes,” noted the event on August 16, 1912, stating, “The Grand Lodge of U. Brothers and Sisters of Honor is in session here this week. A large and representative delegation is present. S. Miller, G.M.; Jas. R. Ballard, G. Sec.; Ed. Johnson, G. Treas. This is the first Grand Lodge that this state can boast of the above mentioned order.” I have not studied this group in depth, but it appears they did offer death benefits, as the Nashville Globe noted in December 1912 that Mrs. Andrew Alley of South Pittsburg received $100 from the group following the death of her husband a few months prior.

 

"South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, July 15, 1910.

The most intriguingly named benevolent group active in South Pittsburg was the Ancient Order United Knights and Daughters of Africa. I have begun to study this group, and a separate blog will soon follow on this group. It was organized in Nashville in the spring of 1888 by Dr. Daniel L. Martin and Dr. Robert F. Boyd. According to the Daily American in 1889, the group was based “upon the principles of race pride and the general elevation of the negro race.” It was a benevolent organization and grew rapidly. By 1900, there were lodges in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Arkansas, as well as a few lodges in Pennsylvania and New York.

The Knights and Daughters of Africa lodge in South Pittsburg must have been an early lodge of the order, as the group in South Pittsburg celebrated their 22^nd anniversary in 1910 at the Second Baptist Church. In 1907, the group held a “baby show” at the Pythian Hall, offering prizes for the winners. The Nashville Globe noted in 1917 that, “The Daughters of Africa Lodge in connection with the Juveniles, held their annual sermon at the A.M.E. church Sunday at 2:30 o’clock. It was an occasion of much interest. The daughters were clad in white with purple bands. The most excellent queen. Mrs. J.J. McElroy, with the assistance of the members have made this order one among the best.”

 

Clip from "South Pittsburg Notes," Nashville Globe, February 22, 1907

South Pittsburg’s African American community was home to an active fraternal and benevolent lodge scene, with several lodge halls, and multiple events hosted in the town. It is not clear how many of the groups continue to exist in South Pittsburg. Some of the churches, such as Randolph Chapel and Mt. Bethlehem, are still active. McReynolds High School burned in the 1960s.

 

Sources/For More Information: 

Patsy B. Beene, “Marion County,” Tennessee Encyclopedia, (https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/marion-county/)

Dennis Lambert, “The Birth of South Pittsburg,” South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society, Inc., (https://www.historicsouthpittsburgtn.org/SPHistory1.html)    

W.L. Miller, “South Pittsburg, The Metropolis of Sequachee Valley,” Nashville Globe, Sept. 2, 1910, pg 3 (https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86064259/1910-09-02/ed-1/seq-3/).

Nashville Globe

Statistics for Tennessee - 1910 census (https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1910/abstract/supplement-tn.pdf).

Clifton's African American Lodges

 

This is hopefully the beginning of a series of posts looking at African American lodges in some of Tennessee’s smaller towns.

 

Clifton, Tennessee, is a town in Wayne County, Tennessee. It is situated on the Tennessee River, and is sixteen miles north of the county seat of Waynesboro. The town flourished in the decades following the Civil War. By 1876, it was described as “a flourishing little town of five or six hundred inhabitants, situated on the Tennessee River. It has five dry goods stores, two drug stores, two saloons, one saddler’s shop, one hotel, one foundry . . .”1 Despite its location on the Tennessee River, by 1920 the town’s growth slowed, and it was no longer considered as a bustling town.

Close up of Colton's Map of Tennessee (1876) showing Wayne County. Clinton is circled in red. Image from Library of Congress.

It may come as a surprise, but in the first two decades of the twentieth century, Clifton was home to a thriving African American community with at least 3 different African American lodges, 2 churches, and a school. The churches in the community were St. James M.E. Church, an A.M.E. church, and Mt. Tabor Baptist Church.

The Knights of Tabor had a lodge in Clifton. The Knights of Tabor was a fraternal group originally established in Independence, Missouri in 1871 by Rev. Moses Dickinson, an A.M.E. pastor. Both men and women were allowed to join the organization, with men meeting in “temples” and women meeting in “tabernacles.” The group paid sick and death benefits.2  In 1942, a Knights of Tabor hospital was started in Mound Bayou, Mississippi (http://knightsanddaughtersoftabor.com/taborian-hospital). In Clifton, the Knights of Tabor did things such as give a grand concert in 1910 and hold a picnic in 1912.

"Clifton Notes," from Nashville Globe, April 22, 1910

The United Brothers of Friendship and Sisters of the Mysterious Ten (also referred to as the U.B.F. and S.M.T.) were also a part of the African American community in Clifton. The U.B.F. started as a men-only benevolent organization in Louisville, Kentucky in 1861 and was made up of both the enslaved and freedmen. After the Civil War, the group reorganized and began to spread to states that bordered Kentucky. Women were allowed to join the group in 1878 when the Sisters of the Mysterious Ten were added to the U.B.F. There may have been as many as 250,000 members of the organization in 1906.3

Information on the United Brothers of Friendship from the Nashville Globe, December 29, 1911

In Clifton, members of the U.B.F. and S.M.T. held annual picnics and sermons. Local members of the U.B.F. were also active in both the Grand Lodge and in furthering the interests of the of the U.B.F. by setting up lodges in other towns. For example, in August 1911, it was noted that A.L. Warrington and Mrs. I.V. Mathes travelled to nearby Dixonville to set up a U.B.F. and S.M.T. lodge in that town. Also in 1911, several local Clifton members of the U.B.F. attended the Grand Lodge meeting in Memphis. Two of the members, Prof. M.C. Jones and George Johnson, were also elected to office at that meeting. 

Clip from the Nashville Globe, August 11, 1911

The Benevolent Society had 2 lodges in Clifton – Lodge No. 90 and Lodge No. 132. Lodge 90 met on the 1^st and 3^rd Monday nights of the month, and Lodge 132 met on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday afternoons of the month. In 1926, Lodge No. 90 had 46 members, and owned property valued at $125.

It appears that the Benevolent Society owned a lodge building in Clifton, known as Benevolent Hall. For Christmas 1909, students of the Clinton Training School held their Christmas exercises at Benevolent Hall, before quite a large crowd. Other groups, such as the High Art Club, used the building for entertainments as well. The Benevolent Society was active, hosting annual sermons and giving picnics for the members.

"Clifton Notes," Nashville Globe, January 14, 1910

In 1913, the Nashville Globe reported on the election of officers in the Benevolent Society, which gives us the opportunity to look at the people who were officers in the organization. Both men and women were elected to office, with a woman, Mrs. B.E. Spears, elected as president. In addition to officers such as Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplain, and head of Sick Committee, there was also a Board of Directors and an Advisory Board.

Clip from Nashville Globe, April 18, 1913, listing the officers elected to the Benevolent Society

Who were these officers? While I could not find information on all of them, I was able to find information on some. Mrs. Bettie Spears lived on Morris Avenue of Clifton in 1910, and was married to John Spears, a day laborer. Bettie did not work outside the home, which probably allowed her the time to preside over the Benevolent Society. The Spears family did own their home mortgage-free.  Mrs. Nannie Montague, the secretary, was aged 29 in 1910, making her approximately 32 when she served as secretary of the Benevolent Society. She worked as a cook in a private home. In 1910, Nannie was married but lived in a home on Elm Street in Clifton with her brother and her 3 children.

Miss Allena Hendricks, assistant secretary of the Benevolent Society in 1913, was approximately 20 years old in 1913. In 1910, she lived with her mother and stepfather on Elm Street in Clifton. Allena worked as a cook in a private home, as did her mother. 

Mart Mayberry, the treasurer and member of the Board of Directors, may have been one of the older members of the group. He was born in c. 1848, making him approximately 65 years old in 1913.  He was a farm laborer and married to Susan, who worked outside the home as a washerwoman.

Jerry Dillahay, the chief marshal and member of Board of Directors, was born in c. 1863, making him approximately 50 years old when he was elected to the Board of Directors. In 1910, he worked in a factory and lived in Clifton. By the time he died in 1918, he was working as a farmer/farm laborer.

Husband and wife Man and Luella Cook served on the Board of Directors (Man) and Trustees (Luella). Man was born in c. 1879 and Luella was born in c. 1881, making them approximately 34 and 32 when they served as a director and a trustee for the Benevolent Society.  In 1910, they lived on Pillow Street in Clifton, with Man working odd jobs and Luella working as a washerwoman in a private home.

So what does looking at the officers of the Benevolent Society tell us? It seems to indicate that many of the officers were solidly working class. They worked in odd jobs, in factories, and in private homes as cooks or washerwomen. They probably needed the sick benefits and death benefits that the Benevolent Society provided to their members as a safety net.

It is interesting to see that Clifton was home to a thriving African American community that contained a number of community institutions such as lodges, churches, and a school. When studying Tennessee history, places like Clifton are often overlooked. Clifton was not a large town. It never served as the county seat, home to the governmental workings of Wayne County. But it does highlight what life was like for a number of Tennesseans in the early twentieth century. They lived in small towns. They were members of churches and lodges. They worked in their community. They lived a life worthy of documentation.

Notes

1. J.B. Killebrew, Introduction to the Resources of Tennessee, Vol. 2 (Nashville: Tavel, Eastman & Howell, 1874), 977-978.

2. Theda Skocpol, Ariane Liazos, and Marshall Ganz, What a Mighty Power We Can Be: African American Fraternal Groups and the Struggle for Racial Equality (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2006), 52-53.

3. Skocpol et al., What a Mighty Power We Can Be, 49-50.

Odd Fellows Cemetery, Springfield (Robertson County)

In November 1916, the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 2806 purchased an existing cemetery in Springfield, south of downtown. This cemetery had been previously owned by the Lend-A-Hand Society, who, for unknown reasons, were not able to complete their purchase of the land. The Odd Fellows continued using this land as a cemetery, and it became known as the Odd Fellows Cemetery.

Odd Fellows Cemetery, Springfield

Springfield was home to several African American fraternal and benevolent groups during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Nashville Globe noted in 1910 that Springfield was home to the Masons, Odd Fellows, Benevolent Society, and the Knights of Pythias. It was noted that both the Masons and the Odd Fellows owned "splendid buildings," and that "These fraternities do much to promote good fellowship." ("Springfield and Robertson County," Nashville Globe, September 9, 1910, pg. 3.)

Of the Lend-A-Hand Society, I have been able to find very little information. I did find a notice in the Nashville Globe from February 25, 1910 from the "Springfield Notes" section. It stated that Mrs. Molly Hutchinson had been buried at the Lend-A-Hand Cemetery following her death from consumption. It is possible that this group was some sort of benevolent group, likely offering burial benefits to its members.

Nashville Globe, February 25, 1910, Page 8

In 1993, the City of Springfield took over management and care of the cemetery at the request of the owners. According to the City of Springfield's website, the City received no records of burials or any information concerning the location of graves.  https://www.springfieldtn.gov/Facilities/Facility/Details/Odd-Fellows-Cemetery-7

I visited this cemetery in November 2019, and it is a beautiful, peaceful cemetery surrounded by a chain-link fence. There are a number of old, very large, oak trees throughout the cemetery, as well as some cedar trees. The graves are largely arranged in rows, in an east-west orientation, and there are both marked and unmarked graves present.

Looking into Odd Fellows Cemetery from the South Main entrance

There are several different types of tombstones present in this cemetery, including obelisk markers, pedestal-urn markers, die-on-base, and government-issued military markers. There are several hand-carved markers. Additionally, the ornamentation of the tombstones runs the gamut from elaborately-carved markers to more plain, undecorated markers.

Tombstones at Odd Fellows Cemetery

Government-issued marker

Elaborately decorated marker

The deed of purchase from 1916 listed the trustees of GUOOF Lodge No. 2608 as J.B. Porter, A.M. Eathley, C.C. Bell, George McClain, and E.H. Porter. I was looking through the Robertson County Negro Year Book, published in 1938 and compiled by Jacob C. Morton and Virdner D. Moore, Jr. This slim publication had some interesting information about some of these trustees. You can find a copy of this at the Tennessee State Library and Archives. Information below about the trustees comes from this source.

Robertson County Negro Year Book is a fascinating look at the Robertson County African American community in 1938. 

Mr. C.C. Bell was a groceryman in Robertson County. In addition to his fraternal work, he was an officer at the First Baptist Church in Springfield, which was organized in 1888 and rebuilt in 1914. He also served as the Sunday School Superintendent for more than twenty years.

Mr. Ed Porter worked as the head janitor at Springfield High School and as the business manager for the Parham & Winters Funeral Home.

Mr. John B. Porter worked in the barber shop of I.H. Henderson for many years. Following Mr. Henderson's sale of his business, Mr. Porter opened his own business. He was described that he "enjoys a very nice business, for white people." This seems to indicate that his barber shop catered to white clientele only.

Information on Mr. John B. Porter from the Robertson County Negro Year Book.

The Odd Fellows Cemetery is a lovely cemetery in Springfield, and is the final resting place of numerous members of the Springfield's African American community. It is an interesting cemetery as it was owned by two different African American organizations in its history. 

The Working People's Labor and Art Association (WPLAA)

I have written before about the Sons and Daughters of Cyrene, the successor group to the Working People's Labor and Art Association (WPLAA). Today I am going to discuss the WPLAA, the group that drew me into researching African American benevolent and fraternal groups.

Cover page to the Working People's Labor and Art Association 1901 Constitution. It was printed in Nashville at Walden University, an African American school.

According to the 1901 Constitution of the Working People's Labor and Art Association, Perry Morton and H.H. Bains formed the group in 1890. From the beginning the group prided itself on being different from other benevolent and fraternal groups. They did not wear regalia and did not create rituals for the membership. The introduction to their Constitution states that the group was "fitly adapted for the learned and unlearned for the city and country . . ."

Introduction to the Constitution 

The language of the document is a product of its time, and it progressive in its tone. It warns about the dangers of "wealthy capitalists" who "combine, consolidate, monopolize and control the world of wealth." The group was also concerned with the uplift of their race, stating in the Preface that, "The aim of the Association is to elevate, unite and give employment to the Negro youth, to establish and encourage charitable undertakings . . . to encourage and foster trades . . . that will guarantee the Negro livelihood . . . and to be of practical utility to race and state." In addition to creating and fostering trade, the WPLAA was a temperance organization, and no one who sold alcohol could be admitted to membership.

Preface to the Constitution

Although the organization wanted to become national, my research indicates that it's reach did not extend beyond Tennessee.  Indeed, most lodges appear to be located in Middle Tennessee, although the Nashville Globe reported on July 9, 1909 that J.N. Watkins had recently been in West Tennessee visiting lodges in that region.

Murfreesboro was the site of at least 1 lodge hall for the WPLAA. In 1918, the Working People's Labor and Aid Association (the group had tweaked its name) purchased a lot on South Maple Street, just south of Lytle's Creek from B.F. Gannaway for $350. You can find the lodge hall (labeled as "Lodge Hall Colored") on the 1924 Sanborn map of Murfreesboro in the location described in the 1918 deed.

1924 Sanborn map of Murfreesboro showing the location of the WPLAA lodge hall (sheet 6)

While it is not known how long the group endured, it is known that the Murfreesboro lodge had ceased existence by 1953. In that year, in an effort to clear the "slums" known as "The Bottoms," the Murfreesboro Housing Authority obtained title to the property on South Maple Street that housed the WPLAA lodge. In the Circuit Court Minutes, it is stated that, "for a number of years past the Lodge has been inactive, no regular meetings have been held and no payment of dues made or required."

In 2011, I presented a paper to the Ohio Valley History Conference about the WPLAA in Murfreesboro and a lawsuit that tore the group apart. You can read the paper here.