Alexandria, VA Esther Chapter #23 of Prince Hall Mason
Alexandria, Virginia has many African American Civic Organizations. One of the organizations that was established by 20 African American women, was the Esther Chapter of the Prince Hall Mason.
Members of the Grand Chapter of the State of Virginia, Prince Hall, the Alexandria Chapter, became the Order of the Eastern Star on November 26, 1908.
Grand Worthy Patron, Dr. H.L. Harris of Petersburg, Virginia and several others accepted the Alexandria Chapter under the name of Esther Chapter No. 23.
Since 1908, Esther Chapter No. 23 has hosted the Grand Chapter Annual Conference of the State of Virginia six times.
For one hundred and four years, the Esther Chapter No. 23 has served the Alexandria, Virginia community. The present Worthy Matron is Deborah Ford Nelson. From 1909 to 1966, there have been 40 Worthy Matrons.
Clara Lucas – 1909-1923
Katie Jackson – 1923-1924
Bessie Moore – 1924-1924
Katie Franklin – 1925–1926
Laura Dorsey – 1926–1927
Mary Redd – 1927–1928
Carrie Burrell – 1928–1929
Mary Dorsey – 1929–1930
Elnora Littlejohn – 1930-1932
Benjie V. Burke – 1932–1933
Catherine Holland – 1933–1934
Mazie Bouldin – 1934–1935
Emma Simmons – 1935–1936
Etta P. (B. Robinson) – 1936–1937
Lucy Washington – 1937–1938
Cora Henry – 1938 – 1939
Fannie Tucker – 1939-1940
B.M. Kemies – 1940-1941
Evelyn Brooks – 1941-1942
Esther Neal – 1942-1943
Fedora Lucy – 1943-1944
Marie Bowden (Gale) – 1944-1945
Ruth H. Wright – 1945-1946
Irene Terrell – 1946-1947
Bessie Barbour (Reynolds) – 1947-1949
Henrietta Jones (Stone) – 1949-1950
Ethel McCollough – 1950-1951
Virginia Ray – 1951-1952
Margaret Coleman – 1952-1953
Mary E. Burke – 1953-1954
Pearl Gibson – 1954-1955
Bertha Brown – 1955-1956
Emma Holland – 1956-1957
Eva W. Ladrey – 1957-1958
Julia Ratiff – 1958-1959
Mable Price – 1959-1962
Ida Hill – 1962-1963
Florine A. Grayson – 1963-1964
Collia Rivers – 1964-1965
Isabelle F. Poindexter – 1965-1966
Ms. Debbie Ford Nelson provided information on the Esther Chapter No. 23 for this blog. This blog only records the history of African Americans in Alexandria from 1865 – 1965. If you are interested in the Worthy Matrons from 1966 – 2012, please e-mail me and I will forward that e-mail to the present Worthy Matron, Debbie Ford Nelson.
African Americans in Alexandria, Virginia had a long history of entrepreneurial skills. Prior to the passing of the Social Security Act in 1935, people did not have retirement pensions unless they worked for the State or Federal government. The government employed only a few African Americans prior to desegregation. Many African Americans became entrepreneurs to survive. Many of them were skilled artisans and others opened up businesses to support the many demands of the Black communities.
The 1934 Businesses Directory listed African American businesses and occupations. The listing is not complete because some African Americans did not report their business to the City Directory. Listed are the individuals and the names of those African American businesses that were reported.
Ambulance Service
Rhines, John T & Co, 221 N Patrick Street
Automobile Funeral Service
Rhines, John T & Co, 221 N Patrick Street
Automobile Repairing
Cox, Ernest – 1007 Montgomery Street
Baker – Wholesale
Alexandria Home Bakery – 521 N Henry Street
Barbers
Gordon, William – 700 N Patrick Street
Jackson, Frank E – 207 King Street
Rogers, Herbert – 1022 Pendleton Street
The Royal – 210 N Payne Street
Saxon, Foster – 401 Wolfe Street
Tancil, H P & Son – 712 King Street
Wallace, Joseph H – 528 Gibbon Street
Wallace, Thomas M – 1124½ Prince Street
Whiting, Charles W – 334 N Fairfax Street
Beauty Shop
Duke, Laura M – 1005½ Oronoco Street
Blacksmiths
Valentine, Alfred D – 802 Wolfe Street
Boarding House
Cantey, Jennie – 307 Gibbon Street
Buildings – Office and Public
Collins-Blue Building – 303 N Alfred Street
Cemetery
Douglas Cemetery – Wilkes extended near S West
Adventist – Church
Seventh Day – 1020 Pendleton Street
Baptist Churches
Alfred Street – 313 S Alfred Street
Beulah – 320 S Washington Street
Ebenezer – 909 Queen Street
Mt. Jezeerel – 317 N Payne Street
Mt. Olive – 430 N Pitt Street
Oakland – King extended near Braddock Rd
St. John’s – 913 N Alfred Street
Second – 417 N Pitt Street
Shiloh – 1401 Duke Street
Third – 923 Princess Street
Zion – 714 S Lee Street
Catholic Church
St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic – 701 N Columbus Street
Episcopal Church
Meade Memorial Chapel – 324 N Alfred Street
Holinesses Church
Church of God and Saints of Christ – 411 S Columbus Street
Evangelical Christian – 400A N Fairfax Street
Methodist
Roberts’ Chapel M E – 604½ S Washington Street
Presbyterian
Community – 430 N Pitt Street
Presbyterian Chapel – 634 N Patrick Street
Undenominational
The House of Prayer – 517 Gibbon Street
Clergymen
Adkins, Andrew W (Baptist) – 816 Queen Street
Austin, Thomas N (Methodist) – 614 S Washington Street
Ross, Samuel B (Baptist) – 1018 Oronoco Street
Sowers, John S (Baptist) – 120 E Peyton Avenue (Del Ray)
Stanton, N Howard (Baptist) – 1021 Oronoco Street
Strong, Richard B (Presbyterian) – 505 S Columbus Street
Watkins, Benjamin H (Holiness) – 424 S Washington Street
Dressmakers
Barbour, Bessie – 237 N West Street
Darnell, Hattie L – 117 S West Street
Richards, Maggie F – 1001 Oronoco Street
Townes, Maggie – 120 N West Street
Embalmer, Funeral Director and Funeral Home
Rhines, John T & Co – 221 N Patrick Street
Grocers
Arrington, James – 712 N Henry Street
Carter, George H – 901 N Patrick Street
Jackson, Fairfax Jr – 1008 N Royal Street
Minor, James – 432 Pendleton Street
Taylor, Patrick – 438 S Columbus Street
Watson, William F – 1226 Madison Street
Halls
Elks’ Home – 227 N Henry Street
Liberty Hall – King extended near Braddock Rd
Lyric Hall – 518 S Pitt Street
Odd Fellows’ Hall – 411 S Columbus Street
Mutual Life Insurance Company
Richmond Beneficial Insurance Co (life) – 418 N Patrick Street
Southern Aid Society of Virginia Inc (life) – 313 N Patrick Street
Lawyers
Collins, Alfred H – 303 N Alfred Street
Jackson, Fairfax Jr – 1008 Oronoco Street
Murray, William McK – 405 N Alfred Street
Tucker, Samuel W – 901 Princess Street
Williams, Robert M – 405 N Alfred Street
Midwives
Johnson, Lavinia – 510 N Patrick Street
Mortician
Rhines, John T & Co – 221 N Patrick Street
Motion Picture Theatres
Capitol Theatre – 1101 Queen Street
Physicians and Surgeons
Chissell, Herbert G – 521 S Royal Street
Durant, Oswald D – 708 Pendleton Street
Johnson, Albert – 814 Duke Street
Penn, Abram B – 809 Princess Street
Piper, Paul E – 809 Princess Street
West, Charles F – 405 N Alfred Street
Radio Repairer
Leon’s Service Shop (Leon Baltimore) – 600 S Washington Street
Real Estate
Tucker & Watson – 901 Princess Street
Restaurants and Lunch Rooms
Allen, John T – 1000 Pendleton Street
Bell, Robert S – 1028 Queen Street
Hammond, Alberta M – 1227 Queen Street
Johnson, Elmore – 238 N Henry Street
Rector, George – 601 Gibbon Street
Turner, Elmore – 211 N Payne Street
Schools – Public
Parker-Gray School – 901 Wythe Street
Rosenwald School – King extended near Braddock Rd
Schools, Colleges and Academies
St. Joseph’s Parochial School – 711 N Columbus Street
Shoe Repairers
Gray, Charles H – 413 S Columbus Street
Martin, John W – 523 Gibbon Street
Shoe Shiner
Boston Shoe Shine Parlor – 408 King Street
Societies – Benevolent and Fraternal
Grand United Order of Odd Fellows
Harmony Lodge No 818 – 411 S Columbus Street
Lancaster R H Lodge No 1370 – 411 S Columbus Street
Independent, Benevolent, Protective Order Elks of World
Alexandria Lodge No 48 – 227 N Henry Street
Masonic
Acacia Lodge No 32 – 411 S Columbus Street
Ligon Lodge No 2 – 411 S Columbus Street
Parker Lodge No 1341 – 411 S Columbus Street
Universal Lodge No 1 – 411 S Columbus Street
Courtesy of the Valentine Richmond History Center - Barber Shop
African American businesses were in Alexandria, Virginia prior and after the civil war. African Americans were Barbers, Blacksmiths and Wheelwrights. There was a Boarding House, Boot and Shoe Dealerships, Butcher business, Oysters & Fish business, Produce & Provisions business, Saloons, a Variety Store, and Wood and Coal businesses.
Some African American businesses were overlooked because they were not identified by race in the Business section of the City Directory for whatever reason. Listed are the people, their occupations and locations for the year 1876-1877 in the Alexandria City Directory.
Barbers and Hairdressers
William Diggs – 80 N Fairfax Street
Thomas E Dulany – 124 King Street
Benj T Dutton – 21 Union Street
Washington Fisher – 154 King Street
William D Green – Royal near Cameron
George T King – Cameron corner Henry
Madella & Palmer – 202 King Street
Herbert P Tancil – 68½ Prince Street
William Triplett II, 8 South Royal Street
Arthur White, 222 King Street
Blacksmiths & Wheelwrights
George P Douglas – Royal and Canal basin
Robert Jenkins – Union corner Duke
Strother Moten – 11 South Lee Street
Andrew Poindexter – Lee near Queen
George W Simms – Columbus near Gibbon
W H Valentine – West end Duke Street
Boarding House
G A Lumpkins – 179 King Street
Boot & Shoe Dealers
Edmond Fry – 105 South Royal Street
Robert Gaines – 109 South Washington Street
John Hackley – Payne corner Cameron
Fenton Harris – 211 Queen Street
French Jackson – Princess near Royal
Isaac Johnson – St. Asaph near Cameron
G A Lumpkins – 179 King Street
Redman & Webb – 135 Cameron Street
John H Webb – Queen near Alfred
Butcher
William Gray – stall 14 Market house
Oysters, Fish & c
John F Chinn – 268 King Street
Produce & Provisions
Cecelia Rowe – stall 27 vegetable Market
Henry Woodson – stall vegetable Market
Saloons
Henry Anderson – 200 King Street
William H. Morgan II – Union corner Princess
Variety Store
Samuel Keath – 187 Duke Street
Wood & Coal
S K Lee – Gibbon corner Columbus and Gibbon near Fairfax
A S Perpener – Columbus near King and 182 Duke
There were many African Americans businesses in Alexandria, Virginia. African Americans were in occupations as barbers, blacksmiths and Wheelwrights, a Boarding House, Boot and Shoemakers Repairs, Coal and Wood, Confectioners, Dressmakers, Eating Houses, Grocers, Gun and Locksmith, a Junk Dealer, a Livery Stable and a Physician.
Some African American businesses never made it to the Business section of the City Directory for whatever reason. Listed are the people and their occupations and locations for the year 1900 that were in the Alexandria City Directory.
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