Showing posts with label Vernon Town. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vernon Town. Show all posts

Friday, January 22, 2021

Free Bob's Daughter Georgiana Vernon Sanders

Georgiana was born around 1869 in Mississippi to Robert "Free Bob" Vernon and Catherine Tuckson Vernon. Her siblings were; Rily, Willis, Luella, Isaac, James, John, Florence, Samuel, and Stamps. She was married to Cass Sanders. 

According to the 1910 United States Federal Census she was a mulatto. She and Cass had nine children and during the time the census was taken, eight was living.  Their children were; Bango, Mammie, Jesse, Frank, Toby, Busby, Shadrak,  Earl, and Sarah.

Mrs. Grace Belvins Walker is the granddaughter of Georgiana. She recalled the days she lived with her grandmother. The days of delicious home cooked meals, her walks to church and school with her sister. "We had family living all around us," said Mrs.Walker. 

I enjoyed listening to her tell stories about her childhood growing up in Vernon Town. She is the 3rd great granddaughter of Robert "Free Bob" Vernon. I asked her how  do she feel about the legacy Free Bob left?  She said the older she gets, she have a better appreciation for her Vernon history.  Free Bob left each one of his seventeen children one hundred acres each. He donated land for a school, church and the cemetery. Mrs.Walker just want to see the history past down from generation to generation. I must say that she is certainly doing her part. 

The pictures she's holding is her maternal grandmother Georgiana. I have so many questions I want to asks her about growing up in Vernon Town. She is passing the history down to her son and daughter. Her daughter is working on a project to archive Mrs. Walker rich collection of photographs, church programs, family obituaries and other family material. 

Georgiana Vernon Sanders
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell






Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Mt. Canaan Elementary School Was the First School for African American Students in Arcola, Louisiana

Robert"Free Bob" Vernon donated the land for the first school for African American children in Arcola, Louisiana.,  The school closed it doors in the mid 60s according to Tony Stone. Free Bob didn't know how to read or write but he made sure that the African American children in the community had a school to attend.  He was born a slave and he purchased his own freedom. He also purchased 2300 acres of land. Giving each one of his children who married one hundred acres to help them get started. There is a community called "Vernon Town" in Arcola, Louisiana.

Photo Credit
Luther Tolliver