Father belonged to Peter Martin near about 3 miles from where he
was born--never did own any land. Went to work planting at
9--Worked 9 to 25--Had six or eight months schooling--Went one
month in a year. School lasted about three months. Used Blue Back
Speller got as high as Baker; Got as far as subtraction--Did not
know anything outside of reading--Did not know what a newspaper
was.
Father taught us to work corn, cotton sweet potatoes--He was a
---- farmer--Had eleven children all worked--about 1880 they
began to grow up and leave the farm--go on some other
plantation--all married.
My older brother and all the younger children got more schooling
Brother next younger--Payne's Institute Ga.--finished preaching
in Americus Georgia. I had a cousin to come here--He wanted to
buy ---- here--He was interested in machine shop--He was down in
Opelika. He met more boys on their way here, inquiring around to
get down this far and get in.
I had saved up $200 in the bank. I was going to buy land. Went
into day school a Preparatory about 800 or 900 students. The
first work was in harness & shoe shop--Lewis Adams was in
charge--I came there walking. I wanted to get away from the farm.
Going around town I saw that everyone looked better than on the
farm--I wanted to be something. Went in twice a year. We had
plenty country churches. Rabbits, squirrels, ducks,
possums--Geography, reading, Wentworth's Arithmetic. Miss Hunt
and Miss Logan were one of my teachers. I read lots about
Hiawatha. There was a number of little boys in the shop--they
used to call me "Pop." They were ahead of me. Went to Blacksmith
Shop. Worked about four months. Then went to work in
Wheelwright. I learn a good deal about blacksmith and wood work.
I find both these trade very handy.
I was here three weeks before I could eat in the dining room--had
to go to restaurant--I was ashamed.
I was here only one term. Came in 1895--left in 96--Never came
back until tonight. My mother sent for me--My mother was awful
sick. My class was so low that I was ashamed to come back. I
weighed 240 pounds. I went back home until 1898--on farm. I got
to read my newspapers. I subscribed for the semi-monthly Atlanta
Journal--I could read that.
I saw advertised and so much money paid out for wages--I thought
I would go into business. I started grocery store and meat
market--I had $2,500 made on farm. Father used to run us off the
farm at 20 so I rented some land.
I was born 1870. I had been working for myself for years. 1898 I
came to Birmingham. I failed in grocery business. "Credit." I
made a lot of friends all over town. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
They had lots of money but they owed a lot. It take lot to feed
them. Took three years and little over to get all of money.
Worked for Tenn. Coal and Iron Co. I leased some land from the
Republic Iron and Steel Co. Leased 64 acres outside of Pratt City
and went to trucking. I bought two mules for $40. It was a sale.
They were old run down mules. They were blind--I worked there
until I grew something. Farm about a mile from Pretts. Paid $1.50
per acre--now I pay $7. The company would not sell. I peddle
vegetables to people here--ran two wagons--now I run three. Got
new feed for horses. By fall had lots of stuff. Married in
1900--year after went to Birmingham. Second year I was able to
buy two good mules--Had two good wagons made. Fall of second year
had another which made three. Running three now. I employ six
people--3 men and 3 women all the time. I drive the wholesale
wagon.
I raise between $3,500 and $4,000 worth of stuff each year. Have
since the second year. I sell about $2,000 a year above expenses.
Production increases every year. I learned all I know about
trucking since then. I have fifteen head of cattle. Eight milking
cows. I raise three crops. That is the highest. Third crop is not
worth so much. 90,000 cabbages this year. Got the plants from
South Carolina. I bought a piece of land in Oklahoma for $3,000
outside of 22 miles from Muskogee. Land rents now for $300. I own
a lot in Red Bird. Have 2 children. 14 & and 17. They go to
school.
Won county prize year before last--196 bushels--this year
received State prize 200 bushels. Plant eight and ten acres of
cotton, 14 acres corn. Raise all my fodder. Three-fourths acres
of new sugar cane, 150 gals. of syrup. I make butter $30 per
hundred. $40 retail. I take two or three little farm journals and
take the bulletin.
These letters addressed to R. E. Park and to Booker T. Washington give
information about the estate of John McKee:
Estate of }
JOHN MCKEE, }
Deceased. }
HON. BOOKER T. WASHINGTON,
Tuskegee Institute,
Alabama,
_Dear sir:_
Your favor has been received and in reply thereto I would state
that the State Appraiser fixed the valuation in Estate of the
late Colonel John McKee as follows:
Gross valuation of Personal estate, $ 71,644.29
Gross valuation of real estate in Pennsylvania, 271,188.33
-----------
Making together, $342,832.62
===========
Net valuation of the above, $212,831.86
Of this $46,500. is in unimproved real estate from which, at this
time, no income is derived.
In addition to the above the Estate owns the following from which
no income (or but a nominal income) is derived:--a lot in
Gloucester County, New Jersey, valued at One hundred Dollars
($100),--a large area of land in Atlantic County, New Jersey,
known as McKee City, assessed for taxation at twenty-thousand six
hundred and fifty Dollars ($20,650) and a tract of coal and
mineral lands in Kentucky, which Colonel McKee always considered
would turn out to be valuable and would eventually realize a
considerable sum. It is assessed for taxation for 1909 at Seventy
thousand Dollars ($70,000)--
In brief the testamentary directions of Colonel McKee are to
accumulate the rents and income of his estate until the decease
of all his children and grand-children, meanwhile improving
(under certain conditions) his unimproved real estate. Upon the
death of all his children and grand-children, the estate is to be
made use of in the establishment and maintenance of a college for
the education of colored and white fatherless boys.
Very truly yours,
JOSEPH P. MCCULLEN
February 23, 1909.
MR. ROBERT E. PARK,
Tuskegee Institute, Ala.,
_Dear Sir:_
Yours of the 13th inst., post marked the 16th inst., has been
received. You state you would be glad to have any information I
can give you about Mr. McKee, particularly in regard to the
amount of the estate he left at the time of his death.
The value of Mr. McKee's estate has been variously estimated from
$1,000,000 to $4,000,000. I am not able to give a more exact
estimate, as I have not seen any inventory made by his executors.
He owned more than 300 houses in this city, all unencumbered. He
also owned oil and coal lands in Kentucky and West Virginia, and
lands in Bath and Steuben Counties, N. Y. As to his personal
characteristics, I would suggest that you see the Philadelphia
Press of April 20, 1902. If you desire a more exact estimate of
the value of his estate, I would suggest that you write Joseph P.
McCullen, Jr., No. 1008 Land Title Building, this city.
Yours truly,
T. J. MINTON.
The following letter from Colonel James Lewis to Booker T. Washington
gives valuable information about Thomy Lafon and incidentally about
other persons in New Orleans:
New Orleans, La., Jany. 25/09.
COLONEL JAMES LEWIS,
_Dear Sir:_
In answer to your letter of 14th instant, will say that the delay
in my answer was caused by my desire to obtain and furnish to
you all informations regarding the late Mr. Thomy Lafon.
The baptismal records in the archive of the Cathedral at that
time written in Spanish attest that the late Mr. Thomy Lafon was
born in this city on December 28th, 1810. He died at his home,
corner Ursulines & Robertson Streets, on December 23rd, 1893, at
the ripe age of 83 years. His body rests in the St. Louis
cemetery on Esplanade Avenue. He was a man of dignified
appearance and affable manners. In early life he taught school;
later he operated a small dry goods store in Orleans Street until
near into 1850. He was never married. Sometime before the war of
Secession he had started his vast fortune by loaning money at
advantageous rates of interest and by the accumulation of his
savings. Toward the close of his career he became attached to the
lamented Archbishop Janssens and began his philanthropies. By the
terms of his will, dated April 3rd, 1890, he provided amply for
his aged sister and some friends, and wisely distributed the bulk
of his estate among public charitable institutions of New
Orleans. His legacy was appraised at $413,000.00 divided in
securities and realty.
In recognition of his charity, the City of New Orleans, named
after him one of its public schools.
Before his death he had established an asylum for orphan boys
called the Lafon Asylum, situated in St. Peter Street between
Claiborne Avenue & N. Derbigny Street. To this Asylum he
bequeathed a sum of $2000, and the revenues, amounting to $275
per month of a large property situated corner Royal & Iberville
Streets.