I am now doing work for a lovely family by the name of Mrs. Coddington,
as her husband has died not long since, and he was a nice man and they
have two lovely girls that teach school. I also work for Mrs. White, who
is a lovely lady, and all of her family.
At the Pells and the Powells. Mrs. Pell is a lovely woman, with two
children, one a lovely young lady and full of the sweetest music the ear
ever heard, for I do not think that there ever was any one that could
play sweeter music than her. The other is a boy, a nice youngster of
promise.
Mrs. Powell is the sister of the first Mrs. Pell and she has one
daughter, who is a Mrs. Pell, whom I have to call Mrs. E. Pell to let
each one know which one I mean. There are other ladies in the mansion
that are very nice to me. Mrs. Pell No. 1 is the head of the house and
is a fine lady, and in telling you of those that I have worked for and I
am doing work for I mean to tell that it is by the day that I work for
some of them; as you will see as you read this that I have had very few
places where I lived out by the month, and staying a good while in a
place.
I did work for Mrs. Johnson, but as her business is not so good at times
she has me whenever she can feel as if she can spare the money. So this
little life of mine has been almost locked up in a nutshell, and Jesus
has come to me in the spirit's power that I should tell the world of His
wonderful love to me a poor sinner of the dust. And what can not the
Lord do for those who put their trust in Him? We feel like saying to the
blessed One, how amiable are all of Thy works, oh Lord, and our eyes are
seeing Thy salvation in many parts of the earth.
I can remember the first time that it was my pleasure to hear dear Dr.
J. D. Fulton. It was on Thanksgiving Day when he first came to this city
to preach at the Hanson Place Church, as their pastor. The Rev. David
Moore had him to preach the Thanksgiving sermon at the Washington Avenue
Baptist Church, and we were all delighted at hearing him on that day. I
loved him on hearing that sermon, for I felt the spirit power on that
day, through his preaching. I shall always think of the Doctor and his
loving family, for we, as the negro race, have not such a friend on
earth as Dr. Fulton. I am not afraid to say it to his dear honor as he
is not dead, and I wish every negro knew him as I do for then they would
all feel toward him as I feel. I hope that he will long live to tell the
truth as he has in days gone by; and if he was in this city where the
evil is so strong, we should hear him sounding the watchword, and that
is the reason that those that loved the ways of sin did not like him,
for they felt that he had cause to trouble them while they were yet in
their sins.
But I hope that the day will come when I shall hear him again in this
city, and I hope that God will give him long life and that he may see
the travel of his soul and be satisfied, for I know that he tries to do
God's will in this love that he has for humanity and that is why the
Lord will bless him in all the work that his hands find to do.
I was not at home when he left this city and I felt sad when I found
that he was gone, for we shall ever miss him. My prayer is to God that
he may live to a good old age and that when he shall be called to come
up higher that he may be caught up in the air to meet his Lord and
Master and all of those that have gone on before, and be ready to Crown
Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Progress of Church Work
A speech to a crowded church, in the year of our Lord 1888, in Talcott,
Summers Co., W. V. I was asked to have this published out there, but I
wanted to have it brought to my home in Brooklyn. I was into so much
work out there, and my people were not there to see what the Lord did
help me to do:
Dear friends, we are here to-night to commemorate this grand occasion,
and our watchword is Onward and Upward to the Prize!
This is a time that we should all shout the Jubilee and to send the glad
tidings to all the world and to let all the nations know that we are on
our march to that happy land of song.
Dear friends, let us look for a few moments and think of the time when
you had not a church where you could worship God. I told you that God
would give you this lovely place, where no one could drive you out, and
to see what great things He has done for you in a little time, and how
great things can He not do if we will only trust Him? We have those of
our race that have held places of greatest trust and God bless them in
those places. Why should we give up the fight and lay our armor by when
there is so much for us to do? No, no, we can not and we will not lay
the grand old armor down, for the Lord is on our side and we shall
surely conquer if we look to Him whose arm is so large and strong. Then
let us take fresh courage and march on until we reach the goal, and then
we shall be glad and rejoice for the Lord has spoken good to His people,
the Ethiopians.
Oh, ye colored people, why not take this as yours and begin now to
rejoice ye in your own race and feel proud of the race, but not ones
that can dance the best on the ball-room floor, for there is very little
in that when it is all summed up in a whole. Let us thank all the good
people who have shown any love to us while we have been in this work of
building and may they all find favor in the sight of God. You have a
dear good pastor who is willing to give his life to the Lord and the
church. Let us take fresh courage and march into His service, for we
shall gain if we only trust in God and do the right He will help us to
persevere.
Time would fail me and my pen would fail to move if I should try to
enumerate all of the blessings that have come to us as a race. I hope
that we, as the hated negro race, will make a fresh start from this
night and do all that we can to forward the work in this church, and God
will send us a blessing.
Etiquette of Young Men
I was wondering a few days since if the men of the present day had lost
the respect that men used to have for the women. I was carried back to
the year of 1884 while in school with so many of the young men of my own
race, when I saw so much of the respect that they showed to us girls and
that was what caused me to write this to their honor. I think that true
etiquette is one of the greatest blessings that young men can have for
the women, for it is to them that we look to for the protection and
love, and if we fail to find it in them where shall we look? This is one
of the greatest fortunes that one can have, and it is that which makes a
young man what he ought to be. We, as the women, need so many of such
ones and the world needs them fully as much, and the God who made them
looks for more and when he does not find it in the dear creatures that
He has made it makes Him feel sad.
I found a number of young men that used to attend the Wayland Seminary
that had the greatest regard for the girls, and I could not but notice
them in this respect and their kind acts while there, although I was not
in the same classes with them, but I never saw them make any difference
while I was in school. I always found good friends among them and I
never saw a young man meet one of the young ladies but they lifted their
hats, and that made the people of Washington, D. C., always speak of it
in the kindest terms. One never loses anything in this way, and their
virtues are greater than gold.
When the weather was very bad one day and I was coming from school and a
young man saw me fall down, he came to help me home and I felt very
grateful and I feel that wherever that young man shall go he will have
favor in the eyes of all, and God will be his leader for he has made a
good beginning.
School Life
While at the Harper's Ferry school I found the loveliest teachers that
ever were in a school. Professor Brackett, the head of the school, is a
fine gentleman, and his wife, Mrs. W. Brackett, is a lovely lady and she
is one of the finest teachers that ever lived. She has three nice
children, two of them are girls and one boy, who is a young man by this
time, for I have not seen him since he went to Maine to attend school,
which is the Bates'. It is a fine school of Latin, and a number of the
students went to that same school.
Mr. W. P. Curtis was one of the professors. He was my Sunday-school
teacher and he was fine.
Mr. D. M. Wilson was a dear professor, whom we loved. Miss Caroline
Franklin was a lovely teacher and we all loved her. Miss C. Brackett was
one of the lovely teachers, and one whom every one of the other teachers
loved, for she was one of the finest readers that ever lived, let it be
man or woman. They used to have her read nearly every afternoon when the
school was out, and sometimes they would call to Professor Curtis to
read to the school. He was a very good reader, but Miss C. L. Franklin
was the grand trainer of the whole school. They had a grand reading
circle there at nights for the rich of the Ferry, and she was the one to
do the fine reading. All of the noble people of the place loved her and
she will ever be loved and remembered by all who knew her. She is now in
Washington, D. C., teaching, and the people have learned to love her as
we did. I do not think that any one could help loving her for her love
and fidelity to the race which she represents.
Miss C. L. Franklin's mother, who is a lovely woman whom we all love as
a mother, for she had many of the students at her house to board, like
Mrs. William Lovett, and she was so very kind to all of them that she
will be remembered by us all, for we love those in our school life that
would say a kind word to us. It was to help us along in our daily toil.
Mrs. Julia Robinson was one of the lovely ladies at the Ferry, also, and
all of the teachers boarded there. She has a number of the students that
board with her and she is much beloved.
Mrs. Bell was one of the ladies that kept boarders and she is much
beloved. Mr. W. M. Bell is one of the teachers and all love him as a
teacher.
Mr. J. Trinkle, who keeps one of the halls in the Summer time has a
number of boarders, and does well all of the Summer months and in the
Winter he teaches in or near the Ferry. With it all they are all doing
what they can to help to forward the interest or an education in all of
that section, and I really think that part of the country will show a
larger percentage of those that have been educated through the churches
than could have been taught in the public schools, for the terms are so
very short that it is hard for the people to get a start.
But God has wonderfully blessed the teachers that have been sent on
there from the North to look after the interests of the negroes. They
love the work of the school-room, and it is their meat and their drink
daily to give away what they have received. The Word says that it is
more blessed to give than to receive, and we are always ready to
receive from the hands of our earthly friends, and it is much greater to
receive from God.
Mr. Thomas Lovett has two lovely little girls, named, respectively,
Florence, the eldest, and the other Shoelett, and they are very smart.
Mr. Lovett has built a hill-top house in a lovely place. It is filled in
the Summer time, while he has music for the boarders. That makes it
pleasant during the warm weather of the Summer months, and it is one of
the loveliest places that can be found on the B. & O. Railroad, and the
white people go their from all parts.
I had the pleasure of stopping there on my way home in 1895, and it did
my soul good to find such a fine house built by one of the colored
gentlemen and one that I had known, for I was at his mother's boarding
house for the whole time that I was at the Ferry. He was teaching school
then in the Winter time and looking after his mother's business in the
Summer time. So I am glad that some of my people are trying to make an
honest living. He is one among the many at the Ferry that are keeping
boarding houses; and I am thankful for all that comes to us as a race. I
hope, as I have often heard dear Dr. Fulton say that he wanted to see
the race go forward, and I pray that the time is not far distant when
all of the friends of the negroes shall see them making men and women of
themselves, and then the grand problem will be solved. Then we shall be
glad, for I am grieved night and day for my own people, and I feel so
grateful to God for letting me see and to know that I have such a good
friend as Dr. Fulton is. He shall be loved by me as long as I live, and
I hope that he will ever be loved by all that shall read this life of
mine, for he has been a father to me and I am one that always remembers
a kindness as long as any one will do one for me. God will bless those
that will think of me in love.
As this day has been one of quiet to me I have wondered what it would be
to me if I could look into those bright mansions above and see my two
mothers' faces. What a joy there would be at the sight of them seeing me
and of me seeing them, and we all singing,
Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.
Early in the morning our songs shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
And what a glory it will be for all that have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb; and I know that two darling
mothers have washed their robes and made them white, and to God be all
the praise for the great love that He has shown to poor me, who feels so
lonely on this lovely Lord's day. How much have I found in His service,
too, and if I could be able to go there to-night I feel that I should be
blessed, but I have to stay at home to-night as I have not been well for
a month or more. I feel grateful as can be that I could be out this
morning, and I will pay vows unto my God as long as I shall live, for He
is my rock and my hiding place in the time of trouble. I have had a
storm of them and it is to Him I fly to shield my soul from the evil
one, and knowing as do how many hard spells I have had, it is right for
me to be as careful as I can, taking the Lord for my healer. How He has
blessed me so many times when there were no other hopes for me to build
on, I have found that I could trust in His almighty power.
I shall not forget the kind care of Dr. Matthews, of this lovely city,
whom God gave to me when I was very low and the three times a day that
he paid his visits to see how I was getting along. He was so kind in his
words to comfort me and to give my mother cheer I shall always think of
him kindly, for the snow was so deep that a horse could not travel very
well and he had to walk it three times a day. I had not my white mother
then to care for me, but my own mother did what she could for me and I
know that she has her reward in heaven for all that she has ever done
for me in the times when I needed the most care.
There is good Dr. Reeves, a good Quaker doctor, and I had to have him to
attend me. He was very kind and gentle in his treatment of me and I am
very glad that I found such a friend in him, for he was like a father to
me? I shall not overlook dear Dr. Warmsley, who was a good doctor to me
and he was kind as he could be, and I shall not forget him, although I
have not seen him for a long time.
What shall I say of the last doctor that I was under out West, and that
is Dr. J. W. Ford, who was so kind to me as a stranger. He would come
when he was sent for. It made no difference what time of day or night.
It might be you would find him on his way where he was sent for and
sometimes he would be on the road all night long, for he is the best
doctor in the county, and I was going to say the best in the State of
West Virginia. They all send for him; far and near, where they have any
fever, and he is so good in fevers, through the Lord, he is sure to
bring them out of if they do as he tells them. May the Lord give him a
good long life to do the will of Him who is the greatest doctor after
all. And if we only put our trust in Him we shall find that He will make
our sick bed easy for us and He will carry us all the way while we are
sick, for He has borne our sorrows and sickness.
To my story as a school girl: It was full of sweet love and regard, for
I gained favor with all of the teachers and professors and all of the
pupils. The Lord be praised for all of this love and joy that came to me
in my school days. Then the love that came from the Washington Avenue
Baptist Church of sending me the sum of twenty or thirty dollars to help
me in paying my expenses was of the greatest love for one in a school,
as I wanted to pay as I went, and then the Sunday-school would send me
their money, one of the dear, loving favors of God's love, and naming
each time from which the money came and sending it through the Board at
Chicago. Then Mrs. Conley or Mrs. Connell sent it to me and the Board
sent the same way when my own beloved church sent me money. It was in
the time of Mrs. Sarah Fulton and she did not forget me when I was in
school. The Mission Band of our church sent me some money every year
after the first year that I went to school. Sometimes it was to the
answer of my prayers that the money came at the time I needed it to pay
my board and God be praised for those who from the bottom of their
hearts contributed in the grand and good work of education. For all that
I shall do in this life to help some one that needs help, I shall think
of the Lord's love to me and try and do what I can to bring them to the
Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, and to God I owe my
life and my all, and if I should fail to love and honor Him I know that
He will not remember me before His dear Father in heaven.
Mr. William Lovett, the father of a large family, is one of the finest
gentlemen anywhere around the whole country, and is much beloved by all
who know him. The white people who board with him in the Summer time all
liked him, for he was so nice and quiet. He has a large family of girls
and boys and all are smart. He sent two of them to the Hillsdale College
when they had finished at the Ferry, and one was John Lovett, who
studied law, and the other one, Miss Etta Lovett, was a fine school
teacher and a music teacher.
I have just learned that the last one of the girls has married, and that
is the youngest of the family. They all have good partners for life,
which does not come to all large families. God bless such a father and
mother, who have taken such good care of the training of their children.
Mr. John Lovett was one of the teachers of whom I shall speak of, as I
boarded in their house for four years. A more lovely woman never lived
than his mother. She is known far and wide as one of the best ladies to
keep boarders and she has a lovely family of girls and boys. Mr. Thomas
Lovett is a doctress, who is one of the finest ladies that lives. She is
from the North and she has some of the best people of the Northern
cities that she waited on, and they love her to-day for the kind care
that she had for them.
Miss Emma Carter is one of the teachers, and Miss Lizzie Sims, Miss
Frances Sims, Mr. Burrell and Mr. C. H. Plummer; and of later years Miss
Mary Brackett has gone there as one of its teachers and there are others
that have gone there as teachers. The dear good work is going on in the
strength of the Lord and I hope that He will still bless his work. The
same that I said of Miss C. L. Franklin I will say of Miss Lulia
Brackett, who is married now and is still one of its beloved teachers.
She loves the work of teaching the negroes better than her own life and
all that she has in Maine. God bless those dear teachers, as they labor
there for my own dear people whom God has blessed in getting an
education.
Miss Lulia Brackett married a Mr. Loughtner, who is a school master for
the whites at the Ferry, and who is a fine school teacher and whom the
people like very much. It is a joy to meet him on his way to his
school-house.
Mr. William Bell is one of the the teachers whom we all love dearly, and
he taught school outside for a while before he came to teach at the
college. He had the greatest success as a teacher. May God bless those
faithful ones as they are far from their homes, family, friends and
loving ones.
I had the pleasure of working for a fine family in Brooklyn by the name
of Davis, and I found them all a lovely family. I had the pleasure of
going away in the country one Summer to a place called Flemington, N. J.,
and we had a fine time as it was his father and mother's home, and they
had a dairy farm and all of the nice things that one finds in the
country. I was not well while there as it was low land, and one of their
daughters was not well, so I feeling that I would be better to come home
they got ready and come on home, and I left them and went to my home
where I could rest. In the Fall I was so much better that I was able to
go back out West and take up my work again. When I had finished my
public school I taught a pay school for the Summer and had a large
number of scholars, and they progressed well. Some of them would go
without their food all day to study extra lessons.
It would be all of a joy to the whole world to have seen how well all of
the girls, boys, young men and young ladies did in all of the schools
where I have had the pleasure of teaching.
I have never taught in any school with any other teacher or teachers,
and I was so much more blessed, for all teachers have a way of their
own. The new teacher always makes so much change in a school and in the
pupils, I found that to do good work in school I should stay long in one
place, that I might bring the scholar near to me. Sometimes I have had
it rough, but in it all I can see the hand of God leading me to do all
that I could to help forward the great cause of education in those parts
where there was so much need.
I have just learned that the Rev. J. D. Fulton has had a stroke and I
cannot tell how he is at this time, but I can not do any work until I
hear from him, as I have had my mind on him for some time, as he was
somewhere in Massachusetts and I had not heard from him for some time.
The last time that I heard from him he was not well, and I knew that he
was so great for working that I feared he would break down.
So I wrote to Mrs. Wamsley, his daughter, and shall wait to hear how he
is, for I know she will let me know at once as she is there with her
father.
I have heard from her and he is better, thank God, and not dead, as so
many thought, for he does so much work that no one thought that he could
get over it.
And here on this 20th day of January I fell sick myself and have not
been able to take up my work until the 4th day of March, and once more
in the strength of the Lord I have taken up this work and hope to push
it as fast I can, and I hope to finish it in the near future if the Lord
wills. I hope that all who will may have the pleasure of knowing of
something of the joys and of the sorrows that have crowned this little
life of mine, but in and through it all I have seen the blessed hand of
Him who is wise.
March 4th, 1897.
* * * * *
Transcriber's Note: The following errors in the text have been left
uncorrected from the original.
Page 8: "the House's took off"
Page 16: "formed like her's"
Page 49: "all of whom are are very fine"
Page 58: "like a father to me?"
Page 60: "Mr. Thomas Lovett is a doctress, who is one of the finest
ladies that lives."
Page 61: "one of the the teachers"