Category: Black People of Alexandria

Grandfather and Us: Wilmer Benjamin Henry

Backstory of the article that was in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper on September 2, 2020, gives insight into Wilmer Benjamin Henry and his grandchildren.

Wilmer Benjamin Henry at Virginia Episcopal High School

Wilmer Benjamin Henry was born on February 22, 1898 in Accotink, which is located in Fairfax, Virginia near Fort Belvoir. His father was from Bedford, Virginia and his mother was from Fairfax, Virginia.

Wilmer had several careers including janitor, barber, waiter, and a mail carrier for his community. He loved his family and especially his grandchildren. Two of his grandchildren shared their memories of their grandfather with me.

Rita Murphy Harris was one of his grandchildren. She is the

Left to right: Rita Harris and Toniette Duncan

daughter of Elrich Murphy and Marie Elizabeth Henry Murphy. She grew up in her grandfather’s house. Toniette Henry Duncan is the daughter or Corrine Idella Henry and John Sydney Holland, Jr. She also grew up in her grandfather’s house. Both women talked about the adventures they experienced in their grandfather’s house

Also in their grandfather’s house on Johnson Lane prior to urban renewal, they experienced life in the rural area of Seminary. The women enjoyed the closeness of family members and friends in their community.

“Our friends were like family,” stated Toniette. “We all were very close like family.”

Life in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s in the Seminary area include extended families and friends who looked out for each other and enjoyed the simply life.

Rita is the only child of Elrich Murphy. Her mother Marie Elizabeth Murphy-Spinner remarried and had two sons, Blair Spinner and Albert Spinner, Jr. Toniette is her mother’s youngest child, but she has an older sister, Sylvia Delores Henry. In addition, Toniette and Sylvia have other siblings through their father and they are Ceyonne, Deborah, Leslie, Lisa and Lynne.

Grandparents are special human beings. For Rita and Toniette, their grandfather found his youth again through his grandchildren raising them and providing for them.

Wilmer Benjamin Henry died at the age of 83 on December 16, 1981. Up until he died, he was employed at the Virginia Episcopal High School as a janitor and he was the neighborhood barber.

You can read more about “Grandfather and Us: Wilmer Benjamin Henry,” in the Alexandria Gazette newspaper dated, September 2, 2020 on page 6 at
http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2020/090220/Alexandria.pdf.

From Firefighter to Poet: Kendall Thompson

Behind the scene of the article “From Firefighter to Poet: Kendall Thompson.”

Kendall Thompson

Kendall Thompson is one of our successful Alexandrians who became a firefighter in 1986. He climbed up through the ranks at the Fairfax Fire Department to Fire Captain. He also had a strong childhood passion in writing poetry. During his pre-retirement years, he wrote his poems on his IPAD’s note application. He kept writing one poem after another. Now as a retiree, he is free to be a full-time poet.

Kendall comes from a large family. His parents Clayton Thompson, Sr and Irene Drayton had eleven children. Kendall’s siblings are:

Brenda Thompson Laster is a beautician who still practice in Alexandria, Virginia.

Clayton Thompson, Jr is a retired firefighter, currently employed by Homeland Security/Assistance Firefighters’ Grants

Jeffrey Thompson is deceased but he was a U.S. Army and laborer

Iris Thompson is retired from Alexandria City Public School as a Teacher’s Assistant

Marsha Thompson Smith is retired from Alexandria City Schools (Headquarters/School Board)

Lisa Thompson Mountain is a beautician in New Orleans, Louisiana

Norma Cheryl Thompson Blackmon deceased was retired from the U.S. Courts

Christopher Thompson is a retired firefighter and is now the Civilian Assistant to the Fire Chief of Alexandria City

Victor Thompson is a Sous Chef at a country club in Chantilly, Virginia

Michele Thompson is a paralegal in Fairfax, Virginia and she performs network marketing

Kendall is now making up for lost time he has published several books of poems. His books are:

“Why We Walk in the Street” – This book is about poems that give thoughts about these times that we are living in from the writer’s perspective. (Released June 21, 2020)

“Angry Black Man,” is a book of verse of the author’s thoughts. The book is to make you think. It is a black man’s thoughts. (Released July 7, 2020)

“Hearing Whispers,” describes the feelings that the author gets as his thoughts turn towards the loss of a loved one. Will we hear the whispers of our ancestors? Will we hear the whispers of those who have taken the journey, before us? Hearing Whispers is a part of our journey. (Released July 17, 2020)

“Revered,” is a book of verse about the author’s thoughts while this nation is trying to make sense of tumultuous year of 2020. This book will make you think. (Released August 6, 2020)

You can read more about Kendall Thompson in the Alexandria Gazette’s newspaper dated August 12, 2020 on page 8 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2020/081220/Alexandria.pdf.

Betty Garrett Scott: Memories of My Grandfather

Backstory of the article that was published in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper on July 15, 2020, gives insight into Betty Garrett Scott’s Roy family history.

Betty Garrett Scott

Betty Garrett Scott is the oldest child of Lucille T. Roy Garrett and Isaac Garrett. Betty’s parents met in Manhattan, New York. They were married on September 14, 1935. Shortly after Lucille and Isaac’s marriage, Lucille received word from her father, Norman that her mother, Elnora Lewis Roy had died. Elnora died in 1936. Lucille immediately left New York and went home to Seminary to help her father raise her siblings. Lucille’s daughter, Betty grew up with her extended family. The family consisted of her mother, siblings, grandfather and her aunts and uncles. Lucille’s siblings were Earnest, Estelle, Sylvester, Stanley, Beatrice, Norman Jr., Mary Ella, Harold, Carol (Carroll), Elnora, Phyllis and Ann Delores.

After the divorce of Betty’s parents, her mother Lucille married Wilbert Ocie Morgan on

Lucille T. Roy-Garrett Morgan

August 25, 1948. Lucille and Wilbert had two daughters, Carolyn and Linda.

Betty was extremely close to her grandfather, Norman Roy. Norman was the son of James P. Roy and Harriett Wanzer. Norman’s father, James was born in Rappahannock County, Virginia. Norman’s mother, Harriett was a Wanzer. Harriett’s father, Wallace Wanzer had been in the Seminary area since the Civil War.
Betty’s grandfather, Norman died seven days after his birthday at the age of 95 in Arlington, Virginia.

Betty’s grandmother, Elnora Lewis Roy died before Betty was born. What Betty knew about her grandmother, she learnt from her mother and her grandfather but thanks to research, additional information was added to her grandmother’s family history.

Elnora Lewis Roy’s parents were Mack Lewis and Maria Foley. Mack and Maria married on December 29, 1869. Mack’s parents were William and Lucinda Lewis. Maria only listed her mother, Lucinda Foley on her marriage certificate. Mack owned land in Prince Williams, Virginia. Maria died after 1900. Mack remarried in 1909 to Mary Anderson. On August 7, 1925, Mack died at the age of 81.

The Roy, Lewis and Foley’s families have a rich history in Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fauquier, Prince Williams, Virginia.

You can read more about Betty Garrett Scott in the Alexandria Gazette newspaper dated, July 15, 2020 on page 10 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2020/071520/Alexandria.pdf.

Behind the Scene of the article “Standing on Historical Land: James E. Henson, Esq.”

From left to right: James E. Henson Jr., Deardria Henson, Sharon Henson and James E. Henson Sr.

Mr. James E. Henson, Sr., has been a very lucky man. His aunt Eleanor McGuire Massie left him her house at 607 South Pitt Street. James and his wife, Ardene moved in the house in 2007. This house stands on the original spot of the first colored public school, Snowden School for Boys (1870 – 1916).

James was born into a family that has made many historical achievements. His mother’s uncle was the famous Matthew Alexander Henson who was an explorer with Robert Peary to the Arctic and the North Pole. In addition, James’s great-great uncle was Josiah Henson, whose life was depicted in the famous book “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”

James’ paternal aunt, Alice McGuire married the famous John A. Seaton who was the first African American Alderman in Alexandria. The famous 19th Century preacher, Reverend Samuel W. Madden, married all the McGuire women, Alice, Blanche, Louisa, and Nannie. He was the pastor at Alfred Street Baptist Church.

James E. Henson, Esq., has made his own achievements. He is a retired attorney. He was the first African American lawyer to serve as assistant county solicitor of Howard County and deputy director for the Maryland Commission on Human Relations. He has taught business law at Morgan State University and at Howard Community College in Maryland. Prior to his law career, Mr. Henson served twenty years in the United States Air Force, retiring as a master sergeant.

Mr. Henson was born in Alexandria in 1936. He graduated from Parker-Gray High School in 1954. He is the former president of Alexandria’s Departmental Progressive Club. In addition, he is one of the founders and a former president of the Alumni Association of Parker-Gray School. He was a chairman of the Charles Houston Ad Hoc Naming/Narrative Committee and the Change Agents for Historic Alexandria book project. He coauthor, “African Americans of Alexandria, Virginia: Beacons of Light in the Twentieth Century.” To add on to his family’s achievements James E. Henson, Sr., became the 2019 Living Legend in Alexandria, Virginia.

You can read more about “Standing on Historical Land: James E. Henson, Esq.” in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper date July 1, 2020 on pages 6 and 12 at
http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2020/070120/Alexandria.pdf.