Tag: Alexandria VA

Esther Chapter #23: Over 100 Years of Service

Front Row: Lillian Williams, Josephine Ford, Laverne Lewis they are the oldest ladies in our chapter (Seated)
2nd Row: Deborah Ford, Linda Payton, Tom Robinson, Annette Fletcher, Rosie Ford
3rd Row: Aquila Biddle, Michelle Baldwin, Omeara Banks,
4th Row: Lisa Logan, Lenora Biddle, Pamela Moore, Lorrie Smith, Shirley Ross, Joseph Parker (Not Picture).

Behind the scene, the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on “Esther Chapter #23: Over 100 Years of Service dated January 17, 2019.

The Esther Chapter #23 started one-hundred and eleven years ago in Alexandria, Virginia. The Chapter has eight-two past Worthy Matrons since 2017. There were twenty-five past Worthy Matrons from 1909 – 1949. These Matrons were:

Clara Lucas (1909-1923)
Katie Jackson (1923-1924)
Bessie Moore (1924-1925)
Katie Franklin (1925-1926)
Laura Dorsey (1926-1927)
Mary Redd (1927-1928)
Carrie Burrell (1928-1929)
Mary Dorsey (1929-1930)
Elnora Littlejohn (1930-1932)
Benje 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. Kemis (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)

You can read the rest of the story on page 13, at of the Alexandria Gazette Packet Newspaper at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/011619/Alexandria.pdf.

“Remembering 1022 Pendleton Street’s History”

Corrine Jackson-Lee Dixon at a NACCP meeting. She is on the first roll at the end on the left.

Behind the scene of the Alexandria Gazette’s story on, “Remembering 1022 Pendleton Street’s History,” dated December 12, 2018.

When I was researching John Wesley Jackson, I found some discrepancies in Mr. Jackson’s birth place. On the 1910 census, he was listed as being born in Tennessee. On his first marriage to Ella (Elnora) Dick, he stated that he was born in Mitchell County, NC. Also his 1949 death certificate, state that Mr. Jackson was born in Mitchell, NC.

The research has revealed that Mr. Jackson parents were Delbert Jackson and Savannah Bailey. On John’s World War I registration card, he stated his next of kin was Savannah Oliver who lived in Jackson City, Tennessee.

John Wesley “Baker” Jackson’s daughter, Corrine Jackson was a successful business woman. Her first career was in her father’s bakery as a young child. After graduating from school, she pursued a clerical job in the Federal government. She married her first husband, Emmett Cornelius Lee in Danville, Virginia on January 26, 1946. After having a short career in the Federal Government, she pursue a career in real estate. Just like her father, John W. Jackson, Corrine became very successful business woman in real estate.

After the death of Corrine’s first husband, she married again on April 8, 1972 to Urquhart Oliver Dixon.

Corrine had a lot of tragedy in her family. She outlived her parents, siblings, two husbands and a child. She was very active in her community and was a member of many organizations including the Alexandria Chapter of the NAACP. She enjoyed traveling. Corrine Jackson-Lee Dixon died in 2015, leaving her daughter and grandchildren behind.

You can read more about the house Corinne grew up in titled, “Remembering 1022 Pendleton Street’s History,” in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper dated December 12, 2018 on page 12 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/121218/Alexandria.pdf.

Working at the U.S. Navy Torpedo Plant

African American man working in the packing and shelving area in 1950 at the Plant

Behind the scene of the Alexandria Gazette’s story on, “Working at the U.S. Navy Torpedo Plant,” dated November 28, 2018.

The U. S. Navy Torpedo Plant was an integrated work environment during the world wars. In 1920, many African Americans worked at the plant which included the following people:

Spencer Brent born 1900 in Virginia, he lived at 421 Princess Street. Spencer worked at the Torpedo Plant as a helper.

Lewis Williams born 1892 in Virginia, he lived at 936 North Columbus Street. Lewis worked at the Torpedo Plant as a laborer.

Henry Anderson born in Virginia, he lived at 609 North Henry Street. Henry worked at the Torpedo Plant as a laborer.

William H. Bell born 1887 in Virginia, he lived at 414 North Patrick Street. William worked at the Torpedo Plant as a janitor.

Omar Robertson born 1898 in Alabama, he lived at 1109 Queen Street. Omar worked at the Torpedo Plant as a laborer.

Joseph Randolph born 1899 in Richmond, Virginia, he lived at 1216 Princess Street. Joseph worked at the Torpedo Plant as a laborer. He moved to 212 North Payne Street where he died in 1935.

William E. Toliver born 1878 in Virginia, he lived at 1006 Wythe Street. William worked at the Torpedo Plant as a laborer.

Also African American women held important jobs at the Torpedo Plant, they worked in the file room and they held positions as clerk-typist. Many of the records they handled were records that were taken during World War II from Germany.

The United States Navy Torpedo Plant employed many African Americans at their plant. These man and women were the back bone of the Plant. Many African American men supplied the heavy laborer work that was necessary to transport torpedoes to the enemy countries during the war.

You can read the rest of the article in the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper dated November 28, 2018 on page 14 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2018/112818/Alexandria.pdf.

Alexandria’s Freedmen’s Cemetery: A Legacy of Freedom’s Newsletter

Alexandria’s Freedmen’s Cemetery: A Legacy of Freedom (Book Coming Soon)

Alexandria’s Freedmen’s Cemetery: A Legacy of Freedom’s Newsletter

I am glad to announce that my new book will be out between late December and January of 2019. My book “Alexandria’s Freedmen’s Cemetery: A Legacy of Freedom” has been in the making since 2015. I will be posting future book signings and behind the scene journey of finding descendants of the Freedmen Cemetery that is the backbone to writing this book. So look out for the next newsletter in December 2018.