The Legacy of Supt. Alexander Richardson of Amite, LA

Supt. Alexander Richardson and wife
Melissa Wheat Richardon

Alexander Richardson was born on October 25, 1907 to Thomas Alexander Richardson and Emma Vining in St. Helena Parish. In an effort to support his family, and also to teach his children that success comes with hard work. Alexander held several jobs prior to opening his own business.

He worked on federally funded W.P.A. He cut the right of way for the Montpelier to Greensburg Highway during the Depression Area; He sold Life Insurance and worked at Good Shepherd Funeral Home; He worked as a gas station attendant in Houston, Texas. He also built prefabricated houses at Galette's Manufacture site in Amite as a master painter.

With nothing more than an eight grade education and a strong supporting wife at his side Alex Richardson, Sr. decided in the late 1950s or early 1960s to open his own funeral home and insurance agency in Amite, LA. This accomplishment was made possible because of the "Grandfather Clause." This clause said that if you learned a trade and learned it well, then you were permitted to operate the in fields of your acquainted trade. He mastered his trade while working as a mortician and insurance agent at Britton's Funeral Home in Columbia, Ms of a period of five years. He was also employed at Good Shepherd Funeral Home in Amite, La.

Today, four funeral homes proves their dream of reality. Richardson Funeral Home, Inc., and Insurance Agencies was considered at that time to be top's in all of its service areas. The home office is still based in Amite, LA., with three branch offices existing in Kenner, Covington, and Hammond, La.

Amite, Louisiana First Black Veterinarian Percy L. Walker

Dr. Percy Walker
Photo Credit: Daily Star Photographer
George Anderson

Percy Leroy Walker was born on December 18, 1918, and died October 1995 in Amite, Louisiana. He was the son of Festus M. Walker and Corean Walker.  He graduated from Southern University in Agriculture Education and Tuskegee University in Veterinary medicine. He also graduated from officer training school and served in W.W.II and the Korean War as 1st Lieutenant. After his service years, he was a substitute teacher, social worker, and government meat inspector. He established the Amite Veterinary Clinic in 1953 and continued his practice until 1995. He considered this area a "veterinarian's paradise" and loved his work as well as the people.

On any afternoon he can be found vaccinating, dehorning and castrating animals. Vaccinations were for bangs disease, blackleg, and malignant edema. Dr. Walker said he vaccinated some 1,000 animals a year, primarily large ones. He is buried in the Amite Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Amite, Louisiana.

The Legacy of Farming with Ernest Frazier of Amite, Louisiana.

“He was born to be a farmer. It was something that he was good at, something he knew well. He was a giver of life, an alchemist that worked in dirt, seed, and manure.” ― Tracy Winegar, Good Ground

Ernest Fazier

Like his father who was passionate about tilling the soil and making things grow.  Ernest Frazier is just like his father Mr. Willie Charles Frazier known to everyone in the Amite community as Mr. W.C. Just like his father, Ernest spend a great deal of time working and tilling the soil. What I have learned about men and women who are like Ernest and his father, they have a natural connection to the soil! It is in their blood and they look forward to planting  crops every year. They are masters of agriculture, some people went to school to get a degree to study agriculture. For Ernest and his father it came natural and was passed down from generations. Black farmers in America dreamed of owning their own land. They worked hard to make that dream come true.  Many black farmers in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes wanted to operated independently from the white farmers or land owners. I heard many say that they wouldn't get the same price for their produce as white men and women in the community or markets.

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

The Census of Agriculture is now conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture every 5 years. The Federal agricultural schedules were taken beginning in 1840. The schedules provide information like the owner's name, acres improved and unimproved, value of the farm, farming machinery, crop and livestock production, and "home manufactures." 

Black farmers in America faced discrimination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture loans for decades. Women both black and white faced a discrimination as well. It is good to see men like Ernest carry the family tradition of farming on today. My maternal grandfather Jasper Harrell, Sr., and his mother Emma Mead Harrell were farmers.  Jasper's brother Palmer Harrell also farmed, I hold fond memories of farming with my great uncle Palmer. For the newly freed slaves, owning your own land meant freedom and a ticket to becoming independent and self-sufficient. One thing is for sure a farmer will never go hungry and they know what they are eating. Ernest enjoy watching the vegetable grow and certainly enjoy the fresh taste of squash, cucumbers, corn, beans, tomatoes, strawberries and sweet potatoes. He is the kind of man that shares with his neighbors just like his father did. After all the planting and picking, his wife Jo-Ann, cans the vegetables and make some of the best tasting homemade jams you want to taste.

She learned how to can from the women who came before her. I was very happy to hear that she held on to the tradition. It isn't that many women who are still canning. When I was little girl, I remember my mother and grandmother canning. Although I have never canned any fresh fruits or vegetables. I am willing to learn because there is nothing to compare to the taste. 

Thank to both Ernest and his wife Jo-Ann for holding on to those value lessons of farming and canning. It would be good to see them both co-author a book on farming and canning and how the tradition was passed on to them by their ancestors.

The Legacy of the late Mr. W.C. Frazier of Amite, Louisiana

Willie Charles Frazier

On Sunday, November 11, 2012, Brother Willie Charlie Frazier, affectionately known as “W.C.” passed from earth to heaven’s reward. There will be no more sorrow, pain or suffering, it was God’s will that he should go.

Bro. W.C. was born on November 10, 1920 to the late  Thomas Frazier and the late Lena Green Frazier. He was united in holy matrimony to the late Lizzie Coleman Frazier and to that union eleven children were born.

He was a hard-working man who believed in providing for his family. He labored hard and long in the vineyard of life reaping many rewards. His passion was tilling the soil and making things grow; many people knew him because of his generosity with the fruits of his labor. W.C. was employed by the Town of Amite with the City Maintenance Department for many years. He was an industrious and loyal employee until his retirement.

Bro. W.C. was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He made sure that his wife, his children and his grandchildren were provided for. He and his wife had a very special and loving relationship, in later years he served as her caregiver during her illness. His concern was always for “Lizzie”. “Big Daddy” as he was known to the grandchildren would always be there when he was needed.

Bro. W.C. devoted his life to God and became a member of Gordon Chapel Church of God in Christ under the leadership of Supt. Alexander Richardson. He served as a devoted member under the leadership of both the late Supt. Samuel Richardson and Supt. Emmitt N. Richardson, Sr. and attended services until his health no longer allowed him do so. His devotion to God and his church never wavered; he continued to do all that he could in the service of the Lord.

The late Mr. Willie Charles Frazier

He leaves to cherish his memory five sons: Emmitt (Elaine) Frazier of Roseland, LA, Earnest (Jo-Ann) Frazier,  and John H. Frazier of Amite, LA, James (Audrey) Frazier of Livermore, California, and  Rogers (Connie) Frazier of Roseland, LA; five daughters:  Lillie (Robert) Warren of San Francisco, California, Catherine  (Carl) Galmon, W. Dolores Topps, Josie Dell Frazier, and  Joann (Calvin) Winfield, all of Amite, LA; a devoted niece/daughter: Mary Smith;  thirty (30) grandchildren, thirty-seven (37) great-grandchildren and two (2) great, great-grandchildren; sister-in-law: Bertha Coleman, brother-in-law: Wade Wilson, god daughters: Ella M. Hughes, Betty Franklin   and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and  Lena Green Frazier, a devoted step-mother: Celestine Ward Frazier,  his loving and devoted wife, Lizzie Coleman Frazier, one son, Willie C. Frazier, Jr.; three sisters: Velma Coleman, Rosa Caston and Ellen Frazier, three brothers: William Frazier, Ivory Frazier and Robert Frazier;  and grand daughter, Eulandra D. Frazier.

"Gone But Not Forgotten"

Special Thanks to Jo-Ann Frazier

Diamond Merchant from Africa Settled in Amite, Louisiana

This book was given to Frank H. Drake, Mayor of Amite, LA in 1904. on June 7, 1973.  Dr. Ed. Burleigh, a retired physician from Opelousas, presented the Amite Rotary Club a picture album of early pictures of Amite. The book was handed down in his family  through a cousin, Florelle Porter, who was a former school teacher in the Amite area.

The "Copy Album" is being prepared by Leo's Photo Service in Amite, La. This photograph is of the Ogden Home. Apparently the spelling of the last name of the man from Africa should be "Beit" rather than "Diet."

The Odgen Home-Orginally Carter Home called the Camellia Lillian Center married Oteo Diet, diamond merchant from Africa.

Source: Amite Genealogy Library-Archival Room

The Legacy of Sunny Cohn of Amite, Louisiana

Sunny Cohn
No name were given for the woman in the
photograph

A man whose energy, determination and varied interests led him to become a very influential man in Amite and the northern section of Tangipahoa Parish. Sunny was born in Roseland, Louisiana, where he attended grammar school in Kentwood, Louisiana. He served seven years in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in France, England and Germany.

On his return home in 1950 he attended a trade school in Hammond, La., and then worked for Ardillo's Supermarket in Amite. In 1960 he purchased his own school bus and began driving for the Tangipahoa Parish School Board. He was also the Assistant Supervisor of Maintenance at the Parish Court House in Amite, a position he held since 1973.

Serving his community by taking part in many civic organizations is one of the highlights of his life. One of his favorite projects was serving on the board of director of the Head Start Program in Tangipahoa Parish and Amite for three years. The Head Start Program is 80% funded. Sunny assisted by a cousin Leatha Cook, who was director of the Head Start were very active in fund raising for the remaining 20% need to continue the program.

Sunny was very proud of being on the board of the Tangipahoa Black Festivial, Inc., for the past three years. He was recognized as a member who could be counted on to do his job well. He and his wife, the former Mary Lee Head have been married for forty years, they had one son Floyd, Jr., who has three children.

Sunny was a great enthusiast of all sports. He really enjoyed watching the local high school games because he had watched these kids grow up over the year while riding his school bus.  Sunny's outlook on life is to help his fellow man when ever possible.

Source: African American Album donated to the Amite Genealogy Library by Mrs. Gracie Perry of Amite, LA