Read all about an African American Funeral Director, CW Gray in the article titled CW Gray: Alexandria’s Early 20th Century Funeral Director. The article is in the Alexandria Gazette Packet Newspaper dated July 19 -25, 2018 on page 12. You can get the paper online at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/071818/Alexandria.pdf.
Behind the scene of the Alexandria Gazette story on Mr. Herbert Pike Tancil dated February 22, 2018.
About two years ago, I came across an old article in the Alexandria Gazette newspaper
dated 22 December 1908 about the death of Herbert Pike Tancil I. On this winter heavy snowy day, Herbert closed up his barber shop and walked home. Due to the overexertion from walking in the snow, Herbert suffered a heart attack in his home that night and died at the age of 54. After reading that story, I wanted to know more about Herbert and his family.
I was able to locate Herbert’s great-grandson Herbert (Herb) P. Tancil IV. In interviewing Herb, he was
able to tell me about his great-grandfather being the barber to a white clientele. Herb did not know that his great-grandfather’s clients were made up of wealthy businessmen and the City Mayor. In his great-grandfather’s life time, he was the barber to ten Mayors. Through Herbert’s barber shop business, he was able to purchase a home at 1012 Oronoco Street. He supported a wife and eight children and several of his children went to college. Two of Herbert’s children became medical doctors.
The barber business stayed in the family for two generations. Herbert P. Tancil and Herbert P. Tancil II were barbers in Alexandria. Herbert III broke away
from the family business and started working for the Federal government and the District of Columbia government. Also Herbert III like his father, Herbert II were devout Episcopalians. The first Herbert was a member of Alfred Street Baptist Church.
Herb fondly remembers his father’s strong devotion to his religion. Herbert III was called on to participate in the ceremonies of the Archbishop of Canterbury when the Archbishop visited the Washington, D.C. area. Herbert III also enjoyed his second career as a counselor for an orphanage in Washington, D.C. Herb IV said, “that if his father was walking down the street and saw five people, he would know three of the five people, and the other two would be his friends before they departed.” Herbert III was a people person. He loved to be around people and people loved to be around him.
His son, Herb IV has made his own mark on life by being the first Hartford Life Insurance Company’s African American Group Sales Manager in Detroit, Michigan. Herb was born in Alexandria, Virginia. While he was in high school, he excelled in track. He graduated from Groveton High School in 1966. Herb attended York Academy of Arts in York, Pennsylvania and National Academy of Arts in Washington, D.C. He earned a certificate as a commercial artist in 1968. He further his education at Howard University in Washington, D.C., graduating in 1972 with a degree in Fine Arts.
Today, Herb lives in Arizona with his wife, Marcia and his sons, Herbert P. Tancil V and Chad L. Tancil; and, their families including his grandson, Herbert P. Tancil VI.
The very first Herbert P. Tancil would have been very pleased that his name meant so much to his family, that his name has been carried down six-generations.
In ending, my elders used to say, you have nothing to stand on but your name. So do not disgrace yourself because you will be disgracing the family’s name. The Tancil family has a strong name to stand on.
The picture in the blog banner is a picture of three men who owned their
cabs and drove for “Star Cab Company” during the 1940s and 1950s. These men were Mr. Ike Marshall, Mr. Clarence McKenney, Sr., and Mr. Norman Reynolds, Sr; this picture was taken in the 400 block of South Columbus Street. Some other drivers who drove under the Star Cab Company were Mr. John Galloway, Mr. Samuel Taylor, Jr., and Mr. William Charity.
Mr. William Charity’s cab number was 22. Mr. Charity started driving for Star Cab in the early
1940s part-time. He had a full-time job in the Federal Government. He soon realized that he made more money driving the cab than he did on his full-time job. He quit his government job and started driving full-time for Star Cab. Mr. Charity has fond memories of driving; “the drivers back then dressed in uniforms and we were well respected by the people who knew us”, Mr. Charity stated in a home visit that I made with Mrs. Wilson’s great-great niece, Ms. Shenise Foster to his home. Mr. Charity was able to buy his home on the salary he made from the cab business as well as provide a good living for his wife and children. Today, Mr. Charity is the last man standing who once drove for “Star Cab.” Mr. Charity is 101-years-old and he has been a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church for over 90-years.
Who was this extra-ordinary African American business minded woman who started the “Star Cab Company?”
Star Cab was owned by an African American female named, Madeline Morton Wilson who had a remarkable sense for business. She was born in Orange, Virginia around 1903. She and her brother, Clarence Morton migrated to Alexandria, Virginia and Washington, D.C., when they were young. Mrs. Wilson appeared to have stayed in Alexandria, Virginia with an aunt, Elmira Morton Matthews who migrated earlier to Alexandria. In 1926 at the age of 23, Madeline Morton married Wadsworth Wilson who was 44-years-old. Prior to her marriage, she was living at 408 Oronoco Street, in Alexandria, VA; but, she reported on her marriage license that she was born in Orange, Virginia. Prior to Mr. Wadsworth Wilson’s marriage, he was living at 617 St. Asaph Street; he reported on his marriage license that he was born in Washington, DC. They were married by Father Joseph J. Kelly at Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Alexandria, Virginia.
In Mrs. Wilson’s short life, she was a woman that was on the move making independent business deals. She had her own business as a hairdresser. She purchased her family home at 700 North Patrick Street. Mrs. Wilson, her husband, son, and several years her young niece lived in the two story home were her hair dressing and barber shop were operated in the front portion of the home. She independently purchased several other properties in Alexandria. Many of her business transactions were recorded only in her name. One of her biggest business’ deals took place in 1940, when she started the “Star Cab Company.”
Although her son, John “Buddy” Wilson ran the day to day operations, Mrs. Wilson was the owner. In 1945, she obtained business partners and incorporated the Cab Company into “Star Cab Association.” Her partners were:
Mrs. Pearl M. Willis – 909 Princess Street, Alexandria, Virginia
Mr. John Galloway, Jr – 233 North West Street, Alexandria, Virginia
Mr. Samuel Taylor, Jr – 318 North Alfred Street, Alexandria, Virginia
In 1950, Mrs. Wilson had passed away. In the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper, her obituary stated that she had a long illness. She died at Freedman Hospital in Washington, DC. Mrs. Wilson was survived by her husband, Wadsworth Wilson, her son, John (Buddy) Wilson, her brother, Clarence Morton of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and her aunt, Elmira Mayetta Morton Matthews of Massachusetts.
Mrs. Madeline Morton Wilson was the business genius in her family. After her death, three-years later in 1953 her husband, Wadsworth Wilson died. He was survived by his son, John (Buddy) Wilson, brother, John Wilson, and many nieces, and nephews. Shortly after the death of Madeline and Wadsworth, their son lost everything. He could not maintain all the property that his mother acquired. John “Buddy” Wilson died as a lonely man without his relatives near him.
The niece of Mrs. Madeline Morton Wilson lives in Cape May, New Jersey. She and her granddaughter, Shenise are currently researching their family history.
I want to thank Mrs. Carolyn Phillips McCrae and her nephew, Norman Reynolds, Jr., for providing the pictures of “Star Cab”. Norman, Jr., is the son of Norman Reynolds, Sr., who drove for Star Cab. Also, Ms. Shenise Foster, great-great niece of Mrs. Madeline Morton Wilson, provided three pictures including the one of Mr. Charity.
Mr. Lewis Smith deceived many people in Alexandria concerning his status in society. A newspaper article dated August 27, 1955, after the death of Mr. Smith, described him as an elderly man who drove his horse wagon up and down the streets of Alexandria. Lewis was much of a landmark as the Masonic Temple that overlooked the Potomac River.
Up until six years prior to his death, he was seen wearing worn out old clothes with patches on them and a battered hat. He hauled articles about town in his old wagon. Since the beginning of the 20th Century (1900), Mr. Smith owned a hauling business until 1949 when his old horse died.
Mr. Smith was 87-years old when he died in 1955. After his death, people found out that he was one of the wealthiest African American men in Alexandria, VA. His bank account totaled nearly $100,000. He had a large amount of real estate; he owned properties at 211, 213, 215, 217, 223 and 225 North West Street. He also owned 205½ and 214 North Payne Street, and 1311 Cameron Street. Mr. Smith received 211, 213 and 215 North West Street from his family. He purchased the rest of the properties.
Lewis Smith was born in 1870 in Alexandria, Virginia. His parents were Henry and Henrietta Hall Smith. Lewis’ father came to Alexandria in 1863 from Caroline County, Virginia, and his mother was from Augusta County, Virginia.
Lewis was married to Laura A. Webster. Webster’s people were freed people of color prior to 1865. Laura preceded Lewis in death by 50 plus years.
Lewis and his wife’s family made an impact on the African American history in Alexandria. Lewis’ father had a carriage business and he was a wagon driver. His father purchased several pieces of real estate in his lifetime. In addition, Lewis’ parents lost a child in 1866 named Alfred Smith. That child was buried at the Historical site of the Freedmen Cemetery.
Lewis assumed his father’s role, by having a business as a wagon hauler. He did better than his father in real estate and personal wealth.
Lewis’ wife was from free people of color prior to 1865. His wife, Laura’s parents were Oliver E. and Laura A Dundas Webster. Her father was a carpenter. Also Laura A Dundas was the cousin of Sarah A. Gray, principal of Hallowell School for girls from 1871 – 1890s.
Lewis and his wife Laura have many descendants; some of them are Mr. Harry Burke of (Alexandria, VA), Mr. Roland Burke of (Michigan), Mrs. Dorothy Hughes (Alexandria, VA), Ms. Mary Morris (Centreville, VA) and many others.
At the time of Mr. Lewis Smith’s death in 1955, one of the oldest black lawyers in Alexandria, Virginia, Mr. A.H. Collins said,
“Lewis Smith was an unusual man. When I came to Alexandria in 1920 from Norfolk, he moved my things from the boat dock to my first office. And, every time I moved, he moved me. He sent me plenty of business over the years, but I never handled any of his personal affairs. He used a big law firm in the downtown area to take care of his legal affairs. Some folks say that he lived for himself. ‘That isn’t true.’ He lived to save. He seemed to get a kick out of saving money.”
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