Festus Mix Walker and Corean Briggs Walker Family History

Photo Credit
Find A Grave

Dr, 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 Corinne Briggs  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 WW II and the Korean War as 1st Lieutenant. After his service years, he was a substitute teacher, social worker, and a 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.

Harrison was born in 1859 in the Mississippi. He and his wife Philis were the parents of; Handy, Florence, Albert, Charley, Fancy, Elizabeth, Geneva, Jessie, and Mary Walker.  Their son Festus Mix Walker and his wife Coreen were the parents of; Louis,  Curtis, Willie Mae, Deletta,  and Percy Walker.

"Thomas Freeman" A Free Man of Color Owned A Plantation in Livington Parish, Louisiana

Thomas  P. Freeman was born about 1811 according to the 1870 United States Census.  He was born in Louisiana, He was married to a woman named Isabella. The household members were; Levi, Tom, Indiana, Jane, his wife Isabella, Hammond, and Dicy Freeman.  

The 1830's United States Census recorded him as a freeman. There were a total of 5 Free People of Color living in the house. One male between the age of 36-54; One female under the age 10; 2 females between the ages 10-23; 1 female between the age of 24-35.

In the 1880 United States Federal Census. Thomas father's birthplace is recorded as Africa. His mother birthplace was Virginia.  It's recorded that Thomas knew how to read and write. He worked as a farmer in the 5th Ward, St. Helena, Parish,  Louisiana.

Further, into my research, I found that Thomas served in the Civil War. His wife Isabella filed for her widow pension on August 1, 1890. He served in E. 32. USC. Infantry. The 32nd Regiment United States Colored Regiment was organized by Camp William Penn in Pennsylvania in March 1864. He was a private in Company E.  The date he Mustered into Service was February 26, 1864. He mustered out with Company, August 22, 1865.

Isabella Freeman
Widow Pension File

The son of Thomas and Isabella was also named Thomas. He was born around 1855 in Louisiana.  Thomas Freeman, Jr., was married to Alice Stilley. They gave birth to the following children; Monore, Mattie, John H, Allice A, Author, Alfetter, Rosa, Clara,, Viola, and Leroy.

Further, into my research, I found that Thomas served in the Civil War. His wife Isabella filed for her widow pension on August 1, 1890. He served in E. 32. USC. Infantry.

Thomas purchased the what is now called Carter Plantation, a historic plantation house located in Livingston Parish. He purchased the property he called "Sycamore" between 1817 and 1820, from James Rheem. The property was around 2,000 acres.  He was the first African American to own property in St. Helena Parish. Throughout the years the ownership changes. The Cypress swamp was a major timber source for the area. The Blood River was used to transport the rich cypress timber south. 

The Hammond Vindicator published an article as part of their Bicentennial series on "Bloody Tangipahoa," Freeman was the first man to record a legal transaction in the Greensburg District of  Louisiana. Freeman was the first black man to own property in what is now Livingston Parish. Freeman with some means and he owned large tracts of property. In 1838, he sold the land and house to W.L. Breed a local political figure. Breed had been sheriff of St. Helena when Livingston was created

It is noted that there were two schools on the site. One for the slaveholder's children and family. The second school was hidden in the woods for the slave children to secretly be educated.  

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

"Bicentennial Notes," Hammond Vindicator, June 26, 1975

1830 United States Census

1870 United States Census

Carter Plantation website, http:www.carterplantation.com/index.htm

1869-2019 Marks the 150th Anniversary of Tangipahoa Parish

Picture Unknown
Courtesy of Monteral Latrice Harrell

I became acquainted with the undocumented history of African American people in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes through images collected for my new book entitled Images "Images of America" African Americans in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes. The parish of Tangipahoa was formed in 1869 during Reconstruction. It was created by taking territory from St. Helena, St. Tammany, Livingston, and Washington Parishes. The name derives from the Tangipahoa Native American who lived in the area.  The name Tangipahoa comes from an Acolaspissa word meaning "ear of corn' or "those who gather corn. Tangipahoa is the youngest of the Florida Parishes.

At the end of the Civil War, many former enslaved Africans remained in the parishes with their families.  Virtually left without land and other resources that would help to sustain them, they were determined to start a new life.  After four hundred years of slavery and hard work, they had to search for that new freedom with only the rags on their backs. They knew that road would be a very challenging road with many triumphs ahead.  But they were determined to meet the many challenges in front of them. The only thing they owned where their skills. The very skilled they used to work for the former slavemasters, they used them to work for themselves.

The parish was created only six years after slavery was abolished in the United States. For the most part, many African American people who have lived in Tangipahoa Parish now were already living in  the Florida Parishes. It's important to know when the parishes were created when you are historically researching or conducting genealogy research. Livington Parish was created in 1832, St. Helena Parish was created in 1810, and Washington Parish was created in 1819.  

The history of many African American people living in Tangipahoa can be traced back to St. Helena Parish because it is the oldest parish of the four Louisiana Florida Parishes. Although some African Americans may trace their family origins back to East Feliciana Parish.

Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

They made their owners very wealthy through their hard labor. In 1862, Representative Thaddeus Stevens introduced a bill in Congress to confiscated slave owners' land and distributed it to the former enslaved Africans. The news quickly spread that each family would soon be given  "40 acres and a mule, to start their farms.  During the Civil War, Union General William T. Sherman did in seize plantations in South Carolina and Georiga. He distributed 40-acre plots of land to about 40,000 former slaves in the two states. Later President Andrew Johnson removed the newly freed slaves from the land that were issued to them. 

I've traveled many back roads throughout St. Helena Parish in search for plantations. The Carter Plantation also known at the Carter House is a historic plantation in Livingston Parish. I haven't seen any plantations and cabins to tour in St. Helena. St. Helena plantation life is somewhat non-existent. My ancestors on my maternal side of my family history traced back to St. Helena Parish. Benjamin and Celica Bankston Richardson owned Carrie, my 4th great grandmother, and child Thomas. Although many of the plantation homes and cabins aren't there. You may be able to find your ancestors in the wills, successions, and probate records in the courthouse.

Nellie Berry and  her sister Philicity
Courtesy: Lillian Bates 

African Americans in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes worked hard to purchase their own land and some started their own business. They built their own school to educate their children. Other became sharecroppers or tenant farmers on land they worked. They signed Freedmen Bureau Contracts with landowners, agreeing to give them a portion of the crops in return for seeds, clothes, shelter, tools, mules, and some staples.

Robert "Free Bob" Vernon purchased thousands of acres of land for his family. He donated land for the church, school, and cemetery.  Jim Temple also owned large tracts of land for him and his family. My great grandfather Robert Harrell and his son Alexander Harrell purchased land in 1888. A lot of African American families still live on the land that their ancestors purchased. The more I research about the undocumented people who made great contributions to these two Florida Parishes, the more I want to share.

In 2019, we are embarking upon Tangipahoa Parish sesquicentennial celebration. My ancestors had lived in Tangipahoa Parish for 150 years like so many families. We are proud of the contributions and should celebrate through a series of events that can help us commemorate our past and present. 150 years later, where are we?  Can we empower the future by sharing our history?