Jackson Purchase Historical Society

Colonel Bob Smith of Martin, Tennessee

Bob Smith was born in Martin on March 18, 1925, left home to serve in the U.S. Navy Construction Battalions “Seabees” in 1943, and returned home.  In the 1990s he received the honorary title, Tennessee Colonel, for his community and church work.

Beginning in 1886 the African-Americans in Martin celebrated on the 8th of August to commemorate the date history said slaves learned of their freedom at the end of the Civil War.  Eventually the celebration was moved to the 3rd Sunday in August and the name changed to Homecoming.   The celebration begins with a ballgame, goes on to Bar-B-Cue “eating” and ends with a dance that might last until the cock crowed in the morning.  Mr. Smith has been involved in ensuring the  continuation of this celebration tradition.

Mr. Smith is a member of “Martin Beautiful” and has been instrumental in getting created “Adopt-a-Site” flower beds for Miles Chapel CME Church (where he worships),  Miss Pearlie Hays (long-time African-American public school teacher), Willis Brown (African-American Weakley County educator), Charlie Moore (African-American elementary school cafeteria cook renown for his delicious rolls), and Mr. McCabe for whom McCabe Methodist Church is named.

Mr. Smith also contributes articles to the Weakley County Press about black history in and around Martin of which his most recent concerned a community west of Martin called Mt. Pelia.

Martin Tigers, 1941

Regarding this picture, Mr. Smith said he was in the stands with iced cokes in a box/tray with a strap around his neck.  he sold cokes into/through the 4th inning and did not have to pay to see the game.  At that point someonelse assumed responsibility for the soft drinks!

Chinese Kites by Ellis Wilson

ELLIS WILSON, an African-American, was born April 30, 1899 in Mayfield, Kentucky to Frank and Minnie Wilson.  His father was a barber but also an amateur painter who encouraged Ellis’ painting.  Ellis Wilson died January 1, 1977 in New York, New York.

After high school in Mayfield, Ellis attended the all Black Kentucky Normal and Industrial Institute in Frankfort, Kentucky (which is now Kentucky State University) and the Chicago School of the Art Institute.  He lived in Chicago for five (5) years working as a commercial artist and moved to New York City in 1928.  There he became involved in the New Negro Art Movement of the 1920-30s.  Wilson was always a painter of Negro life wherever he found it.

Ellis was employed from 1935 to 1940 by the WPA.  In 1944 he won a Guggenheim Fellowship, and in 1952 won the Terry Art Exhibition in Miami which allowed him to travel to Haiti.

He is best known for his picture, Funeral Procession, purchased by Bill Cosby and displayed in the living room set of the Bill Cosby Show in 1985.  An episode of the show dealt with Mrs. Huxtable’s purchase of the painting and this revived interest in Ellis Wilson and his work.

Wilson’s had an art exhibit at the Mayfield/Graves County Library in Mayfield, Kentucky in 1947 and in the J. B. Speed Art Museum in Louisville in 1948.  In 1950 Murray State College (now University) purchased his End of the Day painting and in 1952 held an exhibit of his work, before the University even accepted African-Americans as students.

Picture of Miss Helen’s sister’s house, circa 1942

HELEN LA FRANCE ORR, an African-American, was born November 4, 1919 in Hickory Groves (Graves County), Kentucky.  She was the second eldest daughter of John Franklin Orr and Lillie Mae (Ligons) Orr.  At an early age, she had a love for reading and painting.  She is a self-taught painter, and she paints from precious memories of things in her early life.  Her mother inspired her as a child to paint.  She showed her how to mix laundry bluing with dandelions and berries to make paint for her paintings.  She received no formal art instruction nor did she attend high school.  Her mother instructed her to paint what she saw.  The first thing she remembered painting was a gray rabbit on an old building of felt fabric.  Most of her pictures featured church picnics based on the church in north Graves County, Shelton Chapel A.M. E. Church, where she attended school during the week and church services on Sundays.

Miss Helen not only paints but she, in her younger days, carved and built doll houses.  She tells of the story about one of her carvings she did of geese in flight.  She mentioned how when one goose is sick or dying that two other geese would hold the sick goose up while in flight until they are sure it is dead before letting it fall to the ground.  Miss Helen stills paints almost daily.

Her works are seen in the book titled “Art of the South” by Kathy Moses.  When Miss Helen worked at the Kennedy Tobacco Barn, a buyer from Holland Amsterdam purchased a painting of a worker working in the barn.  It was published in a book in Holland titled, “Tabak in DeKunst”.    Her works are offered in galleries in Kentucky and Indiana and can be located using the Internet.

Helen LaFrance at her 89th Birthday Tea, 2008

A birthday party was given in her honor on her 89^th birthday (in 2008) by the Matters of the Heart Youth Group of the Smith Temple Presbyterian Church and the Ellis Wilson Society, both of Mayfield, Kentucky.

Miss Helen has been acknowledged by the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights as a Great Black Kentuckian and she is featured on their website which can be visited by going to www.kchr.ky.gov.

THE ELLIS WILSON SOCIETY was created in 2008 in Mayfield, Kentucky to promote the art of Ellis Wilson, to promote the art of other Graves County artists such as Helen LaFrance Orr, and to encourage Graves County citizens to research the county’s African-American history and genealogy.  Prints (8-1/2 x 11) of the paintings of Ellis Wilson and Miss Helen pictured above are available from the Society for $10 each (includes postage and handling) by contacting the treasurer, Wanda, at www.wanda@wk.net

GEORGE W. FOREE, an African-American female, was born in 1904 in Ballard County, KY.  She was a member of the Paducah Art Guild.  Her artwork, which came from remembered images, has been included in several exhibits.  Ms. Foree died in 1989 in Paducah.

Warren Thomas Museum, Hickman (Fulton Co.) Ky.

The first black church, in Hickman, Fulton County, KY, was organized in 1867, by a group of newly freed slaves.   These men were Warren Thomas, the leader and organizer, Cato Thomas, Valentine Matson, Samuel Tyler, Henry Clark . The group signed a promissory note for $242.99 to purchase the church site from the East Hickman Operation, a local land development company owned by whites.   Blacks were now receiving pay for their labor.  However, in 1867 the Freedmen’s Bureau, under the auspices of the federal government, paid the balance due making Thomas Chapel the rightful owner of the church site.  The church officially opened in 1869.  The very first educational classes for blacks were held in the basement in 1870.   The building was destroyed by fire in 1874.  A temporary building was erected in 1880 but it would be 21 years (1898) before a permanent structure was erected.  This 1898 building, pictured above, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.   It now houses the Warren Thomas Black History Museum, operated by the Warren Thomas Historical Society.

A yellow fever epidemic began in August and ended in November 1878.  There were 462 cases of which 150 people died.  Much of Hickman’s population fled the town leaving it practically deserted.  Blacks in the community, organized by Warren and Sallie Thomas, volunteered to aid in policing the town and looked after the property of all Hickman’s citizens during their absence.   Blacks also nursed the sick and dug graves.   Of the persons who contracted the disease, 50% of the whites and 9% of the blacks died. (Exhibit write-up by Eric W. Brockwell, June 12, 1993, Warren Thomas Museum).   Capt. H. A. Tyler specifically thanked the “colored” citizens for their efforts. (Hickman Courier, Friday, November 15, 1878, as stated in the Fulton County 74-76 Bicentennial Souvenir Book)

Rufus Atwood, President of Kentucky State University for 38 years, attended church and school here. His homeplace can be seen to the right of the church building in the picture above.

The Museum is open on demand.  For more information, please contact Jeannette Dean, Chairperson, Warren Thomas Historic Society, 603 Moulton Street,  Hickman, Kentucky 42050

The Warren Thomas Historic Society is recognized as a tax-exempt organization by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.  All donations are tax-deductible.

Mickey Stubblefield giving autographs October 19, 2009 after speaking to the October meeting of the Ellis Wilson Society.

A native of Mayfield, Mr. Stubblefield played baseball for the Omaha Rockets (1947), the Kansas City Monarchs (1948-49), the Nebraska State League (1950), and the Pittsburg Pirates farm team called the Mayfield Clothiers (1952).  A pitcher, he made history when he took the mound on June 26, 1952, in Mayfield’s War Memorial Stadium, to become the first African-American baseball player in the KY-IL-TN Class D Minor (Pro) League (commonly referred to as the Kitty League).

Mr. Stubblefield was born February 26, 1926 with the given name of Wilker Harrison Thelbert Stubblefield but somehow acquired the nickname of Mickey early in life.  He tells that at about age 5 he could throw a ball over his home and run around and catch it before it hit the ground.    His neighbors prophesied that he was going to be a ball player.  In later years, it was said he could throw a baseball a city block!

Mickey started playing baseball after serving in the Navy and the statistics show that he was 5’9″, weighed 150 pounds and batted and threw right-handed.  His career began with the Omaha Rockets in 1947, he went on to the Kansas City Monarchs where he earned $350 per month, plus $2 per day for food.  He and his teammates traveled to and from ballparks on old buses sometimes sleeping and eating in them too.  In these times before desegregation, many restaurants and hotels would not serve people of color.  Mickey says it was different, though, in Nebraska and Canada.  In Nebraska,  “I didn’t know I was black until I looked in the mirror” says Mickey.  Some fans, when they pulled into the ballpark would shout “We want Mickey”.  Other towns were less friendly shouting abusive language at him and others he couldn’t go to at all.

Mickey lives currently in Mayfield, Kentucky and although his memory needs a “jump start” every once in awhile, he can still entertain folks with the story of his life as a baseball player.

If interested in finding out more about the Negro Leagues and the Kitty League, may we suggest the following:  books:  The Negro Leagues revisited:  Conversations with 66 more heroes by Brent P. Kelley and The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960, by Leslie A. Heaphy; website www.kittyleague.com