NASHVILLE, TENN.
Under this heading I shall call attention to the advance made by
the colored people of this great city. Nashville certainly has all
the essentials of a great city; it has a rich tributary country, a
healthful climate, river and rail transportation, proximity of abundant
raw material, and a sturdy, healthy industrious population.
Having all of these then, Nashville, the capital of Tennessee, situated
in the centre of a realm unequalled in variety and amount of production
on the American continent, with 100,000 people largely native to the
soil through long generations, is assuredly a great city.
It has been just thirty-one years since the war closed. Nashville then
contained a scant 25,000 people. Ten years later her population was
40,000. In 1885 it was 60,000, and to-day within her borders there are
more than 100,000 souls. No better evidence of the advance and the
prosperity of the city than that could be given.
And through this entire history, the colored people have figured
conspicuously during every step of her progress.
During the many years I have spent in the South among the colored
people, I have made a special study of the development of many of
the towns and cities. I have done this to ascertain what part the
colored man is playing in this development. In view of the fact that
Nashville has three large colleges for advanced studies and a number of
well-equipped day-schools, I devoted special attention to this city.
It is a well-known fact that a very small percentage of all the
educated people, white or colored, put their education to any practical
use. I claim that there are as many, if not more, of the colored
people who make good use of their education as any other class in
this country. I found in this city (Nashville) men of culture and
refinement, who possessed all the energy, enterprise and push that
characterize any thoroughly civilized people.
I think I can safely say that Nashville, for its size, can boast of a
larger number of colored business and professional men than any other
Southern city. Among those I met in person was Dr. D. L. Martin, who
has the honor of being the first colored druggist in the State. He has
succeeded in building up a fine drug trade, and has purchased some
very good property. Speaking of colored Doctors, I am told that there
are not less than six in the city. And they each have a good practice.
One of this number is Dr. L. W. Crostwait, who is of the School of
Homœopathy; but few colored men have gone into that branch of medicine.
DR. R. F. BOYD.
[Illustration: DR. R. F. BOYD.]
Those who have attended my illustrated lectures will doubtless remember
Dr. Boyd, one of the most progressive colored physicians in the South.
I have never met a man with whom I became more favorably impressed than
I was with Dr. Boyd. He is a man of deep thought, lofty aspirations and
untiring zeal. His work at Meharry Medical and Pharmaceutical College
marks him as one of the most useful men of the race. He is a graduate
from this institution; and I feel that if it had never turned out
but one such man, it would have accomplished wonders. He came out of
this school after a hard struggle for an education, and cast his lot
among the people he had come in contact with from day to day in that
community. You have only to go into his office any day and see the
number of patients waiting for him; then see the splendid horses and
carriages used in his practice, to form an idea of his success. Still,
one of the best evidences of his prosperity to me was the fact that all
over the city he owns houses which are rented.
[Illustration: BOYD BUILDING.]
The new Boyd Building has twenty-eight rooms which are rented to
Colored business and professional men.
J. C. NAPIER.
Another interesting character in Nashville is Mr. J. C. Napier,
attorney-at-law, who has a large practice, and has also accumulated
quite a bit of valuable property. Mr. Napier owns one building that was
of special interest to me. He calls it "Napier Court." The building is
divided into offices. Every room is occupied by a colored professional
man. I think there are nine offices in the upper part of the building.
I have never found in any other city buildings owned by colored men
where each room was rented to colored men. I am pleased to note that
Mr. Napier has been selected as the head of the colored people's
exhibit for the Centennial to be held in Nashville in 1897, but has
since resigned.
After Mr. Napier came out of school he was for several years active
in politics, and has held several government positions. His home is
without doubt one of the most attractive it has ever been my pleasure
to visit. Mrs. Napier, who is a daughter of the Hon. John Mercer
Langston, is indeed a most charming lady.
While I am referring to lawyers, I must not forget to mention the firm
of Crostwait & Young, who also have a good practice.
In 1884 I met, for the first time, Mr. S. A. McElwee, who was then
keeping a small grocery store at Brownsville, Tenn. Since that time I
have watched his progress with much pleasure. He has served two terms
in the Legislature and finished his course in law at Fisk University.
He, like Dr. Boyd, began his practice where he received his education.
His success has been almost phenomenal.
I have visited his office a great many times and each time I found
quite a number of white and colored people waiting to consult him in
regard to legal matters.
He owns a very neat little home that is furnished in a most exquisite
manner, and is just opposite Central Tennessee College.
Among the business men of the city, I wish to mention the firm of
Harris & Barbour, furniture dealers. These men make a specialty of
dealing in antique furniture. Many an old piece of household furniture
has been bought by these enterprising men, fixed up, advertised, and
often sold in New York and Boston at high prices.
REV. PRESTON TAYLOR.
Mr. Taylor is a man who will impress you when you meet him as
thoroughly in earnest. He is never idle, always with new plans,
warm-hearted, generous, sympathetic and a true brother to all men who
deserve the recognition of earnest, faithful workers for Christ.
In the spring of 1888, he embarked in the undertaker's business,
and has met with unbounded success. He stands at the head of his
profession, not only as a funeral director, but as a safe and wise
business man. It is said by men competent to know, that he does the
largest business of any man of his race engaged in the same business
in the country. He owns and occupies the large two-story brick at
449 North Cherry street; the building is 42 × 180 feet and it is
divided and furnished in the most convenient style, with reception
hall, office, chapel, show rooms, supply rooms, trimming rooms, dry
rooms, carpenter shop, paint shop and a morgue. In the rear stands a
large stable occupied by eighteen horses, seven carriages, hearses and
all kinds of vehicles used in the undertaker's business. The entire
building is lighted by electricity and fitted up with electric bells.
He is the only man in the city who manufactures his own goods. He
works sixteen men in his establishment and often is compelled to call
in extra help. He has the honor of managing the largest funeral that
ever passed through the streets of Nashville. It was the three colored
firemen who were killed on January 2, 1892, in a great conflagration.
He built a large catafalque with his own men, which held all three of
the caskets, which were drawn by six beautiful black horses, followed
by sixty carriages two abreast, accompanied by all the officials of
the city, the police and fire departments, the schools, the lodges and
citizens by the thousands. In all his business enterprises he ascribes
his marvelous success to his Heavenly Father, and he never neglects
his chosen calling, the preaching of the word of God. In the last few
years he has bought and built one of the handsomest and most convenient
churches in the city, the Lee Avenue Christian Church, of which he is
now the pastor.
Mr. W. T. Hightower started in business as a dealer in old rags and
iron with a capital of 25 cents. He now owns a large brick building and
a beautiful home.
Mr. Joseph Brown, who lives just outside of the city limits, operates a
large nursery and hot-house. He does a very successful business among
the best people of Nashville.
Mr. H. C. Gibson, a blacksmith, who started in business on a capital of
$2.00, has made wonderful progress and employs quite a number of men
in his shop. His bills for stock used in his shop amount to upwards of
$150 per month.
Mr. Geo. W. Frazher holds a position that, for the South, is indeed
unique. He is the cutter and fitter for E. Fuller & Co.'s shoeshop,
where he is the only colored man employed.
Dr. Hadley has been a cripple the greater part of his life, but
notwithstanding that fact, he has had great success. He owns valuable
property in Nashville, and is at the head of the Immaculate Society, a
society organized for the purpose of caring for the sick and burying
the dead. His daughter Willa has the honor of being the first graduate
in music from Fisk University.
Mr. J. C. Crawley, a successful teacher of Nashville, is another
gentleman worthy of special mention. He, like many others, has, by hard
work and strict economy, accumulated property and is living well.
I have left until the last to be mentioned, a man who ought to be known
throughout this entire country. I refer to Lewis Winters, who is the
largest egg and poultry dealer south of the Ohio River. Mr. Winters was
born a slave, and has never had any educational advantages whatever.
But while that is true, he has a knowledge of all the essential
qualities of a successful business man. Mr. Winters has shipped goods
to New York by the train load. I found him a very active worker in the
A. M. E. Church.
While I have mentioned quite a number I have not called your attention
to all, and among those not named are Lowery & McGavock, shoe dealers
and makers. There are also two colored men in Nashville who manufacture
brooms, and have quite a large trade.
Mention at least should be made of Dr. F. A. Stewart, A. M., who is one
of the leading colored physicians of Nashville. He, like Dr. Boyd, has
a very large practice. In addition to his very extensive practice he is
engaged as teacher of Pathology at Meharry Medical College. Dr. Stewart
is a graduate of Howard University, Washington, D. C., and stands very
high in his profession. He also owns very valuable property.