The History and Legacy of Alice L. Irving Vernon

Alice Luberta was one of eleven children born to Lemuel and Susie Irving.  Her siblings were Lucy, Robert, Thomas, Wilbert, Alma, Ethel, Edward, Lemuel Jr, Ralph and Roscoe. She also had one stepsister by the name of Luvenia, born to Lemuel and Millie Harrell. It has been said that great grandpa Lemuel given name was " Green," but was later changed to his slave name Irving."

Lemuel had 37 acres of land in Roseland, Louisiana where he and Susie farmed and raised their 11 children. He donated land to the Big Zion School and Church where the family worshipped. He was and entrepreneur and he hired help for his farm and had a shipping boxcar business used to ship vegetable up North. His children followed in his footsteps as business owners. Their business included farming, carpentry, seamstress, midwife and school teachers.

Grandma Alice met and married Fred Vernon, Sr., around 1917 in Roseland, La., This union produced five children: Norman, Felton, Fred, Jr., Dorothy and Osborn. Alice and Fred operated a very large farm that required the whole family's participation along with the hired help.

In addition to her cutie on the farm, grandma Alice had a seamstress business. On and old singer sewing machine that was manually operated by a floor foot paddle, she would sew anything and never used a store bought pattern. Instead, she used a Sears catalogue to have customers select a style, and she would used newspapers to design the outfit and cut out a perfect copy. She had amazing sewing talent with a large clientele having to sometimes work around the clock to couple orders and in addition she made her granddaughter's dresses.

Grandma Alice was also musically talented. She used to play the organ at Big Zion Church and directed the choir. She had a natural ear for music and taught her oldest granddaughters how to harmonize. She was a great cook, she made delicious blackberry cobblers, rice pudding and there was always a cake on the dining table. Anyone visiting her home would not leave without a meal, she made certain of that whether you were hungry or not.

Grandma Alice suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes in her later years. She was a lovable  person who always greeted everyone with a friendly smile. Two week prior to her death, she gave me a long talk about life in general. I left her feeling that conversation with her would be my last, and on January 3, 1963, I received a while attending college that my grandmother had passed away. She died at the age of 73 years old.

Written and Submitted by
Jacqueline James Pendleton-Dukes
1st Granddaugther.

Cora Wheeler Temple

TEMPLE, CORA WHEELER 
New Orleans -- Cora "Mama Cora" Wheeler Temple, 87, died Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003, at her home. A native of Amite, she was a child nutritionist for the 
Orleans Parish School System. She was a member of Second Zion Baptist Church No. 1, former member of a prayer band, midweek choir, deaconess 
board, chairperson for the church anniversary committee and the Young Women's League. Survivors include one daughter, Betty Temple Steptoe; two sons, Bobbie Temple and Alvin Temple; two brothers, Oliver Wheeler and 
Joseph Wheeler; 22 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Leathe Wheeler; her husband, Stanley Temple Sr.; her children, Shirley Temple Toney, Stanley Temple Jr., Bertrand, Bernard, Burnell, and Stine Temple; her four sisters, Rosie Thomas, Ruby McGee, Doretha Riley and 
Lucille Holiday; four brothers, Johnny, Fred, Henry and Theodore Wheeler; and one grandchild. Visitation will be Friday from 5 until the a wake service at 7:30 p.m. at Second Zion Baptist Church, 2929 Second St., New 
Orleans. Dismissal will be Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The Rev. Matthew McCray will conduct the funeral service Saturday at New Spiritual COGIC, Amite, at noon. Burial will be at Temple Cemetery, Amite. D.W. Rhodes Funeral Home, New Orleans, is in charge. 

Shirley Lee Cross Temple of Kentwood, LA Served George Washington Carver

Shirley Lee Cross Temple was born September 12, 1912 in Coushatta, Louisiana. She passed away  on January 28, 2005. Her parents Nathaniel James Cross and Josephine Yarborough Cross preceded her in death. She married Collis Benton Temple, Sr., and to their union Shirley Collen, Bernita Elaine, Sandra Janice, Valeria Antoinette, Brenda Joyce and Collis Benton, Jr., were born.

Her early schooling was in Merryville, Louisiana were here dad was the principal. During those years, the last of schooling for African-American students in Louisiana was eleventh grade. Upon completing eleventh grade, she entered Tuskegee Institute, completed the twelfth year of schooling and subsequently completed her B.A.Degree.  She was a member of the Tuskegee 100 Choir, serving as secretary for four years.

Shirley often talked about her choir director, William L. Dawson and the fact that one of the choir's most exciting tours was the performance for President Franklin D. Roosevelt White House and the opening of Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Music was part of Shirley's life every day.

Among other experiences, Shirley also described to family and friends the opportunities to serve George Washington Carver she worked in the college dining hall. She also recounted the memorable occasion when she and other Tuskegee students attended programs to hear inspiring lectures from such notable as Mary McLeod Bethune. She was the family griot.

George Washington Carver

She moved with her husband Collis, and two babies, Collen and Elaine to Kentwood in 1942. Kentwood was home for her until 1996. She embraced the residents of Kentwood and the surrounding communities.  She became a member of Oak Grove A.M.E. Church where she continued to sing, play and participate in local, conference and national church activities.

Shirley was a phenomenal woman! Her life was filled with doing for others and sharing with other. Even with having to raise five daughters and a son., she took on many tasks. She could do anything! She would do any job from repairing electrical appliances, to sewing her daughters' clothing from feed sack to canning fruit and vegetables to herding cattle. She was always her husband's help mate-writing papers, typing papers, running a store, teaching school, directing school's choir, serving a guidance counselor and earning a Masters Degree from Atlanta University.

Mary McLeod Bethune

Source: The Funeral Program of Shirley Lee 

Cross Temple. 

As the only African-American and female among a filed of nine candidates for state representative, Shirley was one of the first primary winners. Her opponent was a former educational supervisor. She also represented Louisiana as a delegate to the International Women's Year Conference.

We have many outstanding women and men in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes, Louisiana who had made great contributions to our Parish, State and Nation. If we do not educate our youth about women and men who fought for the civil rights, education and other human and civil rights in our parishes the, question is who will? What an honor to write blog about an outstanding woman who served our parish and state.

The History of Rocky Hill A.M.E. Church

Rocky Hill A.M.E. Church in St. Helena, Louisiana

On December 29, 1874 at the St. Helena Parish Clerk of Court's office in Greensburg, Louisiana (15) fifteen acres of land was donated to erect a church and a colored school by (1) Rebecca K. Richardson (2) S.D. Richardson (3) K. Richardson (4) J.J. Kemp (5) G.C. Kemp (6) W.B. Kemp (7) John Tate (8) Martha Tate who were represented by W.H. McClendon and Rev. James Reese.

It was accepted by William Woolridge, Richmond Terrill and Madison Prescott. Rev E.D. Singleton started the church with a small group of members which was built by Willie Ginn who was a carpenter. The church was finished by Rev. Thomas Tucker.

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black Sr.
Rocky Hill A.M.E. Church Cornerstone

The following are ministers that also pastored here at Rocky Hill A.M.E Church:

Rev, S. J. Fisher, Rev L. Luchen, Rev. L.R. Fisher, Rev J.K. Washington, Rev. W.W. Hunt, Rev. Coleman, Rev H.A. Belin, Sr., Rev. J. K. Holiday, Sr., Rev Cecelia M. Brown, Rev. H.B. Davis, Rev. Ray Jackson, Rev. Nelson Dan Taylor, Rev. Robert Huntley, Rev. Ranches Hall, and Rev. S. G.R. Tickles, who did extensive remodeling on the church such as painting, installing windows, doors, and gave the first lights for the church. He also built on parsonage.

Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.
Thomas Richardson Headstone
Rocky Hill Cemetery

My maternal great-great grandparents Thomas and Amanda Breland Richardson and other family members are buried in Rocky Hill Church Cemetery in St. Helena Parish.  My great-great grandfather Thomas Richardson was born in slavery in 1853 in St. Helena Parish. His wife Amanda Breland Richardson was born one year in slavery in 1862 in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. There are other Richardson's buried around the graves of Thomas and Amanda. At this time I have no idea who they are.

Mass School Reunion of St. Helena Parish Training School 1946-1952

Class of 1947

James Rynold Cook, Lula Louise Dunn, Roberstine Martin, Laura Dean Woolridge, John Albert Corbett, Bernice Johnson, Ermy Trude Amita Overton, Ada Mae Williams

Class of 1948

Lela Mae Bell, Elmera Butler, Berth Hazel Green, Helen Lee, Bessie Lewis, James Matthews, 

Yvonne Delores Sutton, Ruth Burton, Rosa Lee Dixon, Johnnie Jackson, Alice Iona Johnson,

Ora Lee McClendon, Levell Steptoe, Elevelyn Wright

Class of 1949

NO CLASS

Class of 1950

Marjorie Carter, Hynethia Jones, Lenrod Jones, James Douglas, Katy C. Bryant, Clara Bell Lee, 

Ruth Melton, Charle Overton, Emmitt Muse, Bessie Womack, Martha Dunn, Evelyn Sheridan,

Helen Wright, Leola Wright, Rena Mae Gordon, Conella Jones, Leroy Gordon, Edward E. Lee,

Lucille Lee, Alice Mae Mason, Catherine Miller, Lucille Overton, Wilie Redden, Jr., Thelma Watson,

Dorothy Stewart, Evirda Womack, Beatric Wright, Mildred Sutton

Class of 1951

Lawrence Woolridge, Dorothy Higgibbothham, Phyllis Bell, Ida Lubertha Matthews, Priscilla Pope, Bertha Overton, Iola Hitchens, Yvonne Chaney, Bessie Rae May, Ora Lee Spears, Shirley Stewart,

Dillion Yancy, Gladis Odeal Steptoe, Flora Cook Matthews, Jahazel Johnson, J.S. Hitchens, James Higginbotham, Mildred Glaspy, Lylie Bell Johnson, Joseph Coleman, Ella Mae Jackson, Creola Turner, Lena Mae Vining, Jessie Mae Johnson, Joseph Wicker, Claudia Williams, Ella Mae Myles, 

Margaret Woolridge, Peggy Torrence, Roosevelt Steptoe, Isiah Powell, Corlean Bennett

Class of 1952

Hazel Dunn, Mandy Crosby, Walter Johnson, Thelma Coleman, Ester Cook, Emmitt Tillery, Joseph Coleman, Eural Clark, Viola Porter, Ruthe Torrence, Earline Lee, Helen Powell, Gustavia Millery, Catherine Bell, Velma Hurst, Georgia Wright, Clarence Branch, Johnnie Higginsbotham, Rebecca Johnson, Wilmeta Butler, Joseph Overton, William Baker, Audrey Bell Lee, Ivy Tillery, 

Beatrice Knighten, Bettie Torrence, Ethel Self, Mary Turner

Class of 1953
Eugene Baker, Kattie Mae Banks, Elnora Banks, Ella Rose Banks, Same E. Bank,  Velma Banks, David Beans, Deysie Beans, Primrose Bennett, Velma Ceola Brown, Thelma Lee Campbell,
Sidney Cook, Jr., Mildred Crier, Ernest Dixion, Leon Donald, Fred Douglas, Jr., Samuel East,
Ollie Bell Freeman, Clarence George, Mary Leise Gordon, Ralph Higginbotham, Alcee Hurst,
Fred Hurst, Jr., Lillie Mae Irvin, Charles Jackson, Leola Jackson, Irene Johnson, Helen Kendrick,
Elgine Lewis, Helen Pikes, Levora Pope, Joseph Howard Pope, John Redden, Jr., Susianna Robertson,
Naomi A Seals, Vern Lea Sims, Ebbie Stewart, Jr., Shirley Stewart, Dan Thompson,
Thelma Lee Vining,  Dora Lee Wicker, Leroy Huey Wicker, Warren Wicker, Clara Mae Woolridge,
Bernice Edna Womack, Green Womack, Jr.