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| Nathaniel Sharper, Sr. and his Old Hound Dog |
Monday, February 28, 2022
Nathaniel Sharper, Sr. and His Old Hound Dog
Nathaniel Sharper, Jr. 1921-1981
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| Nathaniel Sharper, Jr. Nathaniel was the son of Nathaniel Sharper and Maggie Smothers of Bain, West Feliciana, Louisiana. He was born on January 2, 1921 and died on December 6, 1921. He is buried at Port Hudson National Cemetery in Zachary, Louisiana. |
The Happy Landers at John S. Dawson High in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
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| Photo Courtesy of West Feliciana Historical Museum The Dawson exhibit remains on display at the museum and the public is welcome to visit and learn more about the exhibition. A very special thanks too J.S. Dawson Alumni Association and Foundation members are to be commended for all their efforts to preserve the school rich history. The school building had been placed on the Historic Places in West Feliciana. Photo was taken by Dr. Antoinette Harrell at the museum. |
Ouida Plantation in St. Francisville, Louisiana
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| Ouida Plantation West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Ouida Plantation contains about 475 acres of land in West Feliciana. In 1881, he married Rosa Routh Ker daughter of Captain John Ker and the former Rose Routh of Ouida Plantation in West Feliciana. Gob. Foster Murphy and his wife purchased abandoned plantation near Franklin., and named it "Dixie."
Source: Foster (Murphy J. Ande Family) Papers (Mss. 4710) Inventory, Compiled by Charles F. Thomas
Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collection, Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1998
Exploring and Discovering African American Genealogy and History in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana
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| Charley Smothers Greater Hollywood Church, West Feliciana Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Sunday was the perfect day to drive down the back roads in West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. The charming and inviting town of St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish was so beautiful. St. Francisville is the parish seat. We drove along the back roads taking in the view of the beautiful countryside. West Feliciana is about sixty minutes from my home. After arriving in the very clean and charming small town, we took a drive through the historic district in order to see the town's Victorian homes. Afterward we made our way to visit the West Feliciana Historical Society which lasted about an hour.
We took the opportunity to drive to Rosedown Plantation, which was built by the Turnbull family. Cotton was one of Daniel Turnbull's main sources of wealth. The plantation consists of 28 acres of formal gardens, which can be walked toured by visitors. I couldn't help but think about the enslaved from the perspective of their experiences. "They worked until the day they died, for others until the freedom bell rung." I want to know their names and learn as much as possible about the people who was forced to work from sun up to sundown.
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| Old Wooden Cabin West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Due to my own family history research expedition, I am aware of the importance of obtaining accurate information and interpreting the message of the oral history. It is important to note that black people have made significant contributions to these small towns, and their history is the least undocumented history of the towns.
We visited two church cemeteries while there, Greater Hollywood churches and found Gilmores, Sharpers, Handy, Pate, and Jones in the cemeteries. The oldest headstone was marked 1853 and was found on "Old Hollywood Church Road" right off Sligo Road. According to the 1880 United States Federal Census. Charley was born in 1855. In the 8th Ward, West Feliciana. His wife was Adelaide Smother. Both his parents were bring in Louisiana. His occupation was a farm laborer.
In Search of Their Louisiana Florida Parish Family Roots
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| Researching in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Three years ago Carla Butler and Karma M Ede contacted Dr. Antoinette Harrell concerning researching their Richardson, Gordon, and Johnson family history in Louisiana. The next day, Harrell met with the group and shared information concerning the places she would like to take the group to conduct research. The group of seven traveled from Milwaukee, Georgia, Ohio, and Missouri to meet new family members and research their southern roots for the first time. "The Ties That Bind Louisiana Roots" Gordon, Johnson, Steptoe, Washington's Descendants Reunion is the message their purple and gold tee shirts said.
Harrell set up a meeting with some of her Richardson relatives to meet with the group. Dr. Valarie Richardson and Earl Scott Richardson, Jr., owners of Richardson Funeral Home, Inc, Amite, welcome their extended family with opened arms. The following day, Harrell took the group to Rocky Hill AME Church and the church cemetery to visit the gravesite of their 4th and 5th great grandparents Thomas Richardson and Amanda Breland Richardson in St Helena Parish, Louisiana. After a discussion about the cemetery and church they learned about Rocky Hill AME Church which was founded in 1874.
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| Zuri Amuleru-Marshall, Carol Richardson Carter Karma M Ede, Stacy Rene Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell |
Following the cemetery visit, Dr. Harrell took the group to the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office to conduct genealogical research. Among the research sources, "Harrell recommended researching marriage records, Land Deeds, and slavery inventory also known as chattel property." Everyone was so happy to find records on their ancestors. Zuri Amuleru-Marshall stated. "We always has a desire to meet our family down south she said." This has been an amazing journey in search of our ancestral roots in the South, said Marshall." Meanwhile, Carol Richardson Carter continues to search the files of the records in order to find a marriage license of her ancestors that was filed in St. Helena Parish. Her eyes lit up with such gleam when she found their marriage licenses. It was time to leave and visit the St. Helena Genealogy Department at the library. The librarian brought a rolling shelf of genealogy material for the group to review. They looked at books and discuss their findings. I enjoyed looking at the excitement on their faces and the smiles that revealed the joy of finding their ancestors.
After the group left St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court, several of the group members traveled to Amite to research at the clerk's office. Before going to the Amite Clerk's Office, Harrell had them to stop a Gordon Richardson Temple of Deliverance C,O,G.I.C in Amite to visit the church cemetery. They found Richardson, Harrell, and Gordon family members gravesites.
Once they arrived at the Amite Clerk of Court, they started researching and finding marriage records of their ancestors. Karma met Dedria Brown, and employee who work at the clerk office. Harrell introduce the group to Dedria Brown who descends from the Dillon family in Mississippi and Tangipahoa. As it turns out they were distantly related. Once again another family connection for the researchers.
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