Hidden History Treasures in Grandma's House

From Slave Shackles to Becoming the First African American Mayor of the City of Ponchatoula in 1873

Rev. Arthur Tasker

Rev. Arthur Tasker was elected and served two terms as Mayor of the City of Ponchatoula, Louisiana.  He married a woman named Sarah. He was elected to serve his first term as mayor in September of 1873. Rev. Arthur Tasker was a very prominent man during the Reconstruction period in Ponchatoula. He was born circa 1829-1835 in Virginia or Maryland. During slavery, he was a slave of Widow McCarroll. As a slave, McCarroll hired   Tasker out to work for different people. 

He began to teach the Gospel to the freedmen in and around Ponchatoula. On October 12, 1867, he established a church. 1867 proved to be the year that the African Methodist Episcopal Church was established through out the parish of  Tangipahoa, several miles away,  Greater St. James church was established by a former slave named Charles Daggs in the same year. Charles Daggs was imported on a ship called the Tribune in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1835.  He stated on his pension application that he was owned by the Governor of Louisiana Henry Johnson. Charles Daggs served in the Navy during the Civil War.

The church was also used as the school. The church was the first school for many African Americans in rural town across the states. The African Methodist Episcopal churches believed in the power of education. They wanted their children and grandchildren to get an education and not go through what they went through as slaves. 

Rev. Tasker's son Clinton Tasker decided to walk in his father footstep. He was elected to the Town Council in the City of Ponchatoula, Louisiana. Clinton married a woman named Martha, they moved to New Orleans, Louisiana and started their own family. Clinton and his wife named their son in namesake after his grandfather.  On July 14, 1874, in Hammond, Louisiana a large number of Republicans of Tangipahoa Parish assembled at the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The meeting was called to order by Rev. Charles Daggs and prayer were offered by Rev. Arthur Tasker. On a motion, Rev. Arthur Tasker was called to the chair, and Charles H. Jackson. The meeting was addressed by Mr. Jackson, Mr. Burton, Rev. Arthur Tasker and Rev. Charles Daggs. They all explained the object of the meeting. The meeting addressed that a J.B. Wands was violating their rights and trying to take entire control of their political affairs. The Republican groups had not granted him the permission to do so. 

I'm learning so much about the history of prominent African-American men in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. Recalling the stories I heard about my grandfather Jasper Harrell, Sr., oral history told to me by my family members. During election time, my grandfather would take it old pick up truck and take African Americans in Amite to the voting polls.

Robert "Free Bob" Vernon, a former slave donated land for Mt.Cannan School and church in Arcola, LA., He purchased large tracts of land. He gave each one of his children a hundred acres of land when they got married.

Oliver W. Dillon a principal of Tangipahoa Parish Color Training School, the oldest training school in the nation for African American students. There are so many African-American men and women who had contributed so much to our parish that hasn't been documented. 

The meeting then proceeded to organize a Parish Executive Committee, when the following

President-Rev. Arthur Tasker

Vice Presidents-Parker Loving,  Albert Potter, Charles Daggs, Louis Baham

Members:
Charles Foster
Wesley Erabbam
Anthony Broomfield
Robert Veron
Solomon Wheat
Aaron Penn
James B. Cason
Levi Lloyd
Fred Butler
Charles H. Jackson
R.M. Lanier
M.H. Singleton


Sources: 136th Church Anniversary of the Tasker African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
               Arthur Tasker: Ponchatoula's First African American Mayor by Jim Perrin
               Mrs. Ella Mae Badon
               Melody Ricketts
               Hammond Newspaper
               Amite Genealogy Library