Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison Recapping His Elementary School Years at Ponchatoula Colored School

Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison

Every time I visit with Dr. Kingsley B.  Garrison to gather more information for the Tangipahoa Parish African American Oral History Collections, each time I learn something new and enjoy looking at his photograph collections. This time he pulled his old school report cards out dating back to 1946 when he was a student at Ponchatoula Colored School and Greenville High School in Hammond, Louisiana. To my surprise, the report cards were the same ones I received when I attended West Side Elementary School as a child.

I wish I had one of my old report cards from school. I must say at that time we didn't understand the importance of holding on to some of the school reports, photos and other documents that would take us down memory lane and share with our very own kids.

Dr. Garrison received excellent grades in math. He said math was his favorite subject and English was his least favorite. I was even more surprised he got a "C" in conduct. I had to ask him how is that he got a "C" in conduct. Oh! I was quite a talker he said.  I took a few pictures of him sitting there looking at all his report cards and going back down memory lane. I took photographs of his report cards. 

Dr. Garrison and I have been talking about preserving his awesome collection. Often, our family members may not know what to do with the collection.  Some family members may think it's junk and dispose of it. Collections like Dr. Garrison can help genealogist and historian gain a better understanding of local history.

If a researcher was researching the genealogical history of Dr. Garrison by analyzing his report cards they will learn that he went to a Public School in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. For the school year of 1956-1957, he was in the 11th grade. His teacher was named Mr. Youngblood. and the Principal was named J.W. Davis.

Analyzing the 1946-1947 school year. We learned that Dr. Garrison was attending Ponchatoula Colored School. The Principal for that year was D.C.Reeves.  He was classified as a primary student.

It good to have young students today look at the historical records and compare their report cards to the ones long before their time. What subjects did the school offer to the students? Did they get the same grade marks that students receive today? Students today get a computer printout report cards, and they couldn't imagine having a handwritten report card. Most of the records from the colored schools have been destroyed. It's people like Dr. Garrison that held onto a piece of the past and history of the colored schools before integration, otherwise, all would be lost. I'm looking forward to helping him preserve his collection and I hope that others will follow his example. I heard other people tell me that their items were thrown the trash with a relative or their children help them to clean out their home.

Also when a loved one died, the very first thing that some children will do is throw away their deceased loved one papers and photographs. In many cases, they have thrown away antiques, handmade quilts, and other family heirlooms. It's important to educate our youths and family members about preserving their family heirlooms.

Utilizing Ancestry DNA to Locate Missing Relatives

Karran Royal Harper and Henry Harrell DNA Testing

My great-grandfather, Alexander Harrell died in 1914, his youngest son Jasper was only two years old when his father Alexander passed away. Alexander was born to the union of Robert and Dinah Harrell. He had several siblings; John, Anow, Marrietta, Millie, and Margaretta. 

My mother Isabell is one of the daughters of Jasper. She said she recalled her father talking about family members in Clinton, Louisiana. Her family didn't visit Clinton, Louisiana because they didn't know their great uncles and aunts. But she and her brothers knew that we had relatives in Clinton. A lot of the family members want to know who are the other family members. Thanks to my Uncle Henry Harrell, who agreed to take the Ancestry DNA and 23 & Me with his newly found cousin Karran Harper Royal a couple of weeks ago. I asked my uncle did his father Jasper ever talk about the family members in Clinton. He told me that he didn't remember his father talking about the Harrell family in Clinton. 

Uncle Henry is first cousins to Karran's grandmother Marion Harrell Harper. Marion,  father Shelton Harrell, Sr and uncle Henry's father Jasper were brothers. Karran and uncle Henry met for the first time at the Jackson, Gordon, Harrell, Richardson and Temple family reunion. 

Jasper Harrell, Sr 

Since I started tracing our family history this had been one of those unsolved mysteries. Who are they?  What is the genetic resemblance,  what did they do as an occupation? Where are they now? Karran and I want to know. 

Stephen Harrell, Sr.  is a police officer in New Orleans, Louisiana and his roots are connected to Clinton. He is the offspring of Beauguard Harrell and we want to know if we are related. I met another young man by the name of Darius Harrell fifteen years ago, who's family lineage connects to Amite and Pike Counties, Mississippi. Because of social media, I meet a woman named Carolyn August-Robinson, who had Harrell family roots tied to Clinton, Louisiana as well.Are related, only the DNA can tell us at this point. After hitting a brick wall, utilizing DNA may help get the answers we are looking for. 

Alexander and his family lived in Amite, Louisiana. After his death,  no one in my immediate family went to Clinton to find out anything about his brothers and sisters. Finding our long lost relatives is what Karran and I want to do.  Hezekiah Harrell, the son of Levi Harrell, migrated down south with his family, livestock and slaves to East Feliciana and Amite, County, Mississippi. The mostly settled in the 7th Ward in East Feliciana.

"We want to know what happened to Alexander's brothers and sisters, did they stay in Clinton, or did they move to Tangipahoa Parish with their mother and father?"  Using DNA to locate them will help us to build family ties, find other photographs, gather new oral history and extend our family trees. 

Alexander Harrell

Karran, Stephen, Elton and I searched the Clinton Courthouse for marriage records and other records that could be helpful to our Harrell research. While in Clinton we stop by an auto mechanic repair shop to talk to a man named James Harrell who was the descendant of Beaguard Harrell.  Stephen's brother Albert kept looking at James." He looks just like one of my uncles," said Alton.  James got on the phone and call some of his cousins and they came over and confirmed that they were the descendants of Beauguard as well. Everyone was overjoyed to meet each other and make a new family connection.

We can't wait to get the results back to see if there are any family trees and connections in Clinton, Louisiana that will help us locate our long lost family member. The Harrell family would like to thank my uncle Henry Harrell for volunteering to help us solve this mystery. 

Life Celebration of the Late Joseph Richardson

Alpha: 1941--Omega 2017

Deacon Joseph Richardson was seventh of nine brothers and one sister born to the late Supt. Thomas Alexander Richardson and the late Missionary Melisa Wheat Richardson on December 12, 1941 in Independence, Louisiana

Deacon Richardson was educated in the Tangipahoa Parish School System at Westside High School. He later attended and graduated from Southern University in 1966, with a bachelor's degree in Social Studies and minor in English. In 1968, he proudly served in the United States Army. During his tour in Pleiku, Vietnam, he taught English to students who were obtaining GED equivalent. In 1974, he obtained a Master of Education degree from Southeastern Louisiana University in Administration and Supervision with a minor in Special Education. His educational career ended in 1977 with a Master of Education plus thirty. 

In 1966, he began his teaching career at Westside High School in Amite as a social studies and reading teacher. He was known as a good disciplinarian and a better than average teacher who greeted everyone with his infectious smile. For the next 15 years, he worked as classroom teacher. He was later transferred to Loranger High School as Assistant Principal. Two years later he was appointed principal at Spring Creek High School He was awarded Educator of the year in 1980. The following year, he became principal at Jewel B Sumner High School. He concluded his administrative career at Roseland Elementary. Throughout his career, he was affiliated with numerous professional organizations. 

Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Deacon Joseph Richardson retired after thirty three years of service in 1999, only to come out of retirement in 2003 to become Principal of Gordon-Richardson Christian Academy. This school was birthed in the heart of the is oldest brother, Supt. Samuel Richardson. It was a place where children were loved and taught biblical principles as well as secular courses. As a lifelong, faithful member of Gordon-Richardson Temple of Deliverance, he served in as administrative capacity in addition to being a Sunday School teacher, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Chairman of the Finance Committee and District Choir President. He also served as a spiritual mentor for many young men in the church.

Deacon Joseph joined the graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, and was awarded "Sigma Man of the Year" for the humanitarian efforts and commitment to the organization. 

He leaves behind his wife, Joyce Jacob-Richardson, his children, Andre Richardson, Amite, Valencia (George) Sander, Baton Rouge, Daphne (Frederick) Hall, Lafayette, April (Gary) Bruns-Brister,  Bogalusa; Earl (Diane) Richardson, Sr., Amite, Darnell (Gayle) Richardson, Hammond; sister-in-laws, Supervisor Dorothy J. Richardson, Amite, Betty Richardson, Amite, Bernice Franklin, Jackson, MS, Marvis Jacobs, Killed, TX, Nettie (Clinton) Frazier, Bogalusa; brother-in-law Larry (Gail) Jacobs, Houma; a God-daughter, Deandria Harrell, numbeous nieces, nephews, cousins, and church family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Supt. Thomas Alexander Richardson and the late Missionary Melisa Wheat Richardson, his sister, Helenstine Richardson Williams and five brothers Thomas Richardson, Sr., Walter Richardson, Sr., Alex Richardson, Jr., Supt. Samuel Richardson and Elder Nathaniel Richardson, Sr., 

Andre Richardson
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell