Adolphus 1858-1943
I love old pictures, and this one of my three-times-great-grandfather Adolphus is a favorite. The patriarch on my maternal side, Cousin Bo, sent me this copy. I ugly cried when I finally got to put a face to the name I first found in census records almost 20 years ago. I don’t know the year this photo was taken, but I see a proud Black man in his Sunday best. The census records tell his story and confirm that he lived a life worth celebrating.
Adolphus was born in Alabama in December 1858, before the Civil War and emancipation, which increases the likelihood that he was born enslaved. He first appears on the 1870 census alongside his parents, Reid and Adaline, and nine siblings. At the time, he was 14 years old, working as a farm hand, and unable to read or write.
By 1880, the family had moved to Washington County, Mississippi. Adolphus was married to Susan, and they had a three-month-old son named Robert. At 22 years old, he was listed as a planter, though he still couldn’t read or write.
Unfortunately, the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire in 1921, so Mississippi’s records for that period didn’t survive. During this gap, Susan, my three-times-great-grandmother, passed away, and Adolphus remarried.
By 1900, the census shows Adolphus, then 41 years old, still living in Washington County, Mississippi. To my surprise, he was not only a farmer but could also read and write—and he owned his farm! At the time, his recently remarried mother and her husband were living with him, along with his wife and five children.
Adolphus continued this simple yet remarkable life in Mississippi for the next 35 years. Owning land and employing his children was a significant accomplishment during a time when most Black people in the South were sharecroppers.
Between 1936 and 1940, Adolphus and his second wife, Lucy, migrated north to Chicago, where they lived with their widowed daughter. Just a few years later, Adolphus passed away, joining the ancestors.
I can only imagine how proud my three-times-great-grandfather must have felt when he got the deed to his property and maintained it for over 30 years. I haven’t yet discovered what happened to the farm and the land he worked so hard for, but I look forward to visiting Mississippi to see if I can locate it and document its history. My roots run deep in Mississippi, thanks to the seeds Adolphus planted over a century ago.
Adolphus's journey provides a compelling perspective on African American history during a tumultuous period. Born into slavery in 1858 Alabama, he showcased resilience by transitioning from a farmhand to a landowner by the early 1900s. His life highlights the growth of Black communities post-Civil War, as many were able to acquire land and establish businesses in the face of systemic challenges. Furthermore, Adolphus's ability to read and write later in life underpins the importance of education in personal and community advancement. His legacy continues not just in the history books but in the lives of his descendants, who cherish their roots in Mississippi. The quest for historical records continues, allowing families to reconnect with their past and document stories of perseverance and triumph through generations. Knowing where you come from enriches your sense of identity, making the search for heritage deeply significant. Through shared family experiences, like those of Adolphus, we understand the trials faced and victories won, forming a richer narrative of American history.
