Family Records of the African American Pioneers of Tampa and Hillsborough County

374 Pages·2003·15.059 MB·English

by  Canter Brown Jr., Barbara Gray Brown

Tr
oO LL, =
African American Pioneers
Canter Brown, Jr. & Barbara Gray Brown
rue pioneers, the first generations of
African American families in Tampa
and Hillsborough County grappled
with imposing challenges of place and
time. Dating their presence to the Recon-
struction, Civil War, and even antebellum
eras, these families contributed a cast of
farmers, merchants, educators, doctors,
politicians, artisans, and other memorable
personages who helped to build one of
Florida’s great cities and counties.
This pathfinding book recounts the
stories of one hundred and seven pioneer
African American families. While genea-
logical research always challenges histo-
rians, this work presented special prob-
lems which the authors have surmounted
to reveal a past often thought to be be-
yond the historical record.
Not the dry, repetitive reading dea
of genealogy, this text pulses with the
drama of human experience: success and
tragedy, heroes and scoundrels, builders
and wreckers, and the many people who
simply gave their best for their families.
These compelling histories tear away the
gloss of historical oversimplification, re-
vealing remarkable complexity and diver-
sity. Divorces, desertions, and abandon-
ments testify to the truth of human frailty.
Still, the common and widespread desire
to build a better life for loved ones prevails
and resounds clearly across the years.
Illustrated with rare photographs, ac-
companied by a rich list of sources, and
conveniently indexed for quick reference,
this book invites you to explore. Come and
acquaint yourself with some unsung pio-
neers who first made ‘Tampa home.
ABOUT THEAUTHORS
anter Brown, Jr., is a historian
and attorney who presently serves
as visiting professor of history at
Florida A&M University, Tallahassee.
He is the author or coauthor of
numerous critically acclaimed works,
including Florida’s Black Public Offi-
cials, and (with Larry E. Rivers)
Workers in the Vineyard of the Lord:
sa s
The Beginnings of the AME Church in
Florida, 1865-1895. Brown served
from 1996 to 1999 as historian in resi-
dence at the Tampa Bay History Cen-
ter, during which time he authored
Tampa Before the Civil War and Tampa
in Civil War and Reconstruction.
Lee ms Gray Brown, a native of
Raleigh, North Carolina, gradu-
ated from the University of South
Florida. She is coauthor of More Genea-
logical Records of the African American Pio-
neers of Tampa and Hillsborough County
and Supplementary Genealogical Records
oft he African American Pioneers ofT ampa
and Hillsborough County.
tealaeii e l
The Tampa Bay
History Center is
dedicated to cel-
ebrating and pre-
serving the unique
history and heritage
of Tampa Bay. The
Center serves the
community through the preservation of
historic artifacts and support for re-
search, publication, and exhibitions.

FAMILY RECORDS
OF THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN PIONEERS
OF TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

THE TAMPA BAY HISTORY CENTER'S
Family Records
OF THE
African American Pioneers
OF TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
a
LSRQ. LES
LA FN
Canter Brown, Jr.
&
Barbara Gray Brown
Tampa Bay History Center
Reference Library Series No. 13
University of Tampa Press
‘Tampa, Florida
2003
“The Legacy” Copyright © 2002 by James E. Tokley, Sr.
Published here by permission of the author. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2003 by The Tampa Bay History Center
All Rights Reserved
No part of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written
permission unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. Address inquiries
to The Tampa Bay History Center, 225 South Franklin Street, Tampa, Florida 33602
Telephone: [phone] » www.tampabayhistorycenter.org
The Tampa Bay History Center gratefully acknowledges the City of Tampa for its support
of this book. This publication has been financed in part with Historical Museums Grants-
in-Aid Program assistance provided by the Bureau of Historical Museums, Division of
Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, Secretary of State
Manufactured in the United States of America
Printed on acid-free paper
First Edition
ISBN 1-879852-84-5
The University of Tampa Press
401 West Kennedy Boulevard
Tampa, Florida 33606
Browse our catalog at http://utpress.ut.edu
Jacket design by Ana Montalvo; book design by Richard Mathews
Jacket photo from a portrait of the Andrew Williams family
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Brown, Canter.
Family records of the African American pioneers of Tampa and
Hillsborough County / Canter Brown, Jr. & Barbara Gray Brown.
p. cm. — (Tampa Bay History Center reference library series ; no. 13)
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 1-879852-84-5 (acid-free paper)
1. African Americans—Florida—Tampa—Genealogy. 2. African
Americans—Florida—Hillsborough County—Genealogy. 3. African American
pioneers—F lorida—Tampa—Genealogy. 4. African American
pioneers—Florida—Hillsborough County—Genealogy. 5. Registers of
births, etc.—Florida—Tampa. 6. Registers of births,
etc.—Florida—Hillsborough County. 7. Tampa (Fla.)—Genealogy. 8.
Hillsborough County (Fla.)—Genealogy. I. Brown, Barbara Gray, 1952-
II. Title. III. Series.
F319.T2 B757 2003
929'.2’08996073—de2 1
2002154243
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This book is dedicated to the memory of
JFanett Martin
in recognition of
her unselfish devotion to the City of Tampa
and her support for the Tampa Bay History Center