THE SLAVE-TO-FREE TRANSITION
AND
SOME EARLY BLACK CITIZENS BORN OF SLAVE PARENTS
By Alvin Jarrett, several families mentioned, 1870 census, and The Committee

The 1860-70 decade in Versailles and the Tenth District ranged from one of violence during the war years to one of survival by transition and hard work dis-enhanced by an economic depression and drought.

Former censuses enumerated blacks by the number belonging to an owner rather than by surname. By the 1870 census these newly freed families had surnames, usually that of former owners. Some took names of persons who had befriended the families. A few already were using surnames.

A few blacks supported the Confederacy at first. Soon nearly all of these tried to return to the land of their owners. This refers specifically to the Versailles and Tenth District. For example, Alex Comer, 23 at the time, accompanied (B.F.) Frank Nance to the army, became dissatisfied early and returned to Richard Nance in Versailles just prior to the battles of Murfreesboro and Stones River. Contents of a letter (Elain C Martin has this letter) from Frank Nance to his father, Richard Nance, bears this out.

"Alex has run away, so try to keep him at home when he arrives."

These black Tenth District families are listed by name in the 1870 census, along with the whites, for the first time. Most assumed or were assigned surnames of well-known families recognizable today in the District.

In 1870 the Tenth District had 219 swellings spanning wide range in quality, 220 families, 442 white females, 196 black males, and 207 black females. 308 of the total could not read and 432 could not write. Whites owned most of the 304,825 acres of land. Thus a wide range of opportunity for black education existed, but was impossible to grasp until about 100 years later. Numerous whites were at the same educational level and failed to advantage themselves of the opportunity to become literate.

Black families with surnames enumerated in the 1870 census were: Comer, Kimbro, Alexander, Stovall, Holden, Pucket, Napier, Eubank, Ransom, Slaughter, Hayne, Gordon, Jarrett, Neely, Halley (probably Haley), Smotherman, Jones, Dowing, Jordon, Woodson, Childress, May, Jackson, Bellenfant, Taylor, McMurray, Farris, Robinson, Murry, Currin (Kern), Haley, Williams, Snell, Copeland, Harry, Seay, Gray, Garrett, Smith, West, North, Neily, Ewing, Leathers, Harris, Carlton, Revel, Cole, Little, Holt, Brown, Covington, Sharber, Bracy, Johnson, Hendrix, Arnold, Hale, Nicholas, totaling 94 families in all averaging almost 4.3 persons per family. The size of families ranged from one to ten and occupations were recorded as farm hands, mill hands, keeping house and servants.

The 1860 census enumerated 731 whites and the blacks were not counted. War clouds were raising.

Many prominent, successful, black and mixed persons have ancestors among those listed by name in the 1870 census. Members of both races accept the statement without doubt that genetic mixing did and still does take place.

Only the black James Nance family, that lived in a cabin on the Nance land, is pursued here: Some of the blacks evidently were "brought along" with the migrators from Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina,Virginia, etc as some gave non-Tennessee birth places. For instance this James Nance, born in North Carolina about the same time as the white James Woodson Nance also born in Granville Co., NC, probably arrived with the Frederick Woodson Nance family in the Rover area in 1830. No doubt there were others. The 1870 census lists this black James, with Nance as a surname for the first time, as 40 years old, a farm hand and born in North Carolina; his wife, Louisa, as 36; Amar (probably Maria) as 15, James as 14, and Harriet and Dewrt (probably twins) as 10 years old. This Mariah Nance married Alex Comer in 1865, with a discrepancy in her census recorded birth date, corrected to 1849 in a later census. Amanda Nance (27 March 1882-6 June 1954), is the daughter of the second James Nance, Mariah's brother. She was raised by Abe Currin and is the mother of Abe Nance (1902-1967). Abe Nance's wife was Kitty Brooks, the daughter of Sally Comer and Taz Brooks. Alex Comer and Mariah Nance raised Fannie Mount Gamble and her brother Will Anderson. Fannie Gamble's father was a Mount and her mother a Leyhew.

The census records help develop a belief that George Jarrett, born 1813, was the father of Minerva Jarrett (Aunt Nervie), a familiar figure in Versailles in the early 1830's. A long dress, a sunbonnet and reticule (large handbag) were always parts of her apparel. It is possible that George and Minerva were man and wife, but she was much younger than he. Minerva Jarrett was the "Black Mammy" (Aunt Nervie) for the Nance and Ransom children of that era, and this Jarrett family also lived in the house behind Versailles store. She was believed to have been given by Richard Nance in the late 1850's to his daughter, Elizabeth Nance Fain, as records reveal he had given his other daughters a slave girl; and that she was a sister of Joshua Nance (listed in the Mt Pleasant Baptist Church membership.

James (Jim) Jarrett and Phoebe McCullough and other Jarretts moved into the house on the hill behind the Versailles store whet it was vacated by John W Nance in 1873, upon the death of his wife. Phoebe, best known even today as "Aunt Phoebe", was born a slave in the McCullough family in 1854. Phoebe become the "Black Mammy" for all of John Woods Nance's children, step-children and the Richard Ransom children living or born in Versailles between 1873 and her death in 1923. The James Jarrett Family had seven children of their own. All born in the house behind the Versailles store. These sever were:

1 Annie Jarrett became the mother of Henry Jackson.

2 Lula Jarrett died young.

3 Ella Jarrett, born 1876, became the mother of three children: Oscar, Ola, and Annie. Ella lived in Rockvale, where Alvin Jarrett now lives, until her death in 1970. Following Jim Jarrett's death, Phoebe also lived in this house with Abe Jarrett, Jim's brother, until her death in 1923. Will and Ellis Ransom saw that Ella's life was made easy for many years even though she continued to do custom washing and ironing by hand.

4 Garfield Jarrett, whose son is Alvin Jarrett, the main source of information about the Jarretts, had two wives. Ella Seay os Alvin Jarrett's mother and Amanda Nance is Abe Nance's mother. Alvin is quite adept at wood carving, is now 77 years old (1982), uses a walker and is the step-father of Modena Glen, 53, whose mother was a Hendrix. Amanda was the only black Nance living in the Tenth District in 1900. She was living in Abe Currin's household and single in the 1900 census.

5 Alice Jarrett had a son, Howard Knight.

6 Eunice Jarrett died young.

7 Otho (Boy) Jarrett has a daughter named Eunice that now lives in Johnson City. "Boy" named for Otho Nance, was a minister, a good mechanic on Model T Fords, died in Gallatin in the 1960's.

The source of this information is te knowledge and memory of Alvin Jarrett and the records, which greatly confirm memory of now living persons.

As recorded in the Family Bible of Francis Jackson, II, and Elizabeth Hale Jackson, "Aunt" Dicey was born on the Jackson plantation during June 1839. She was only one on many born on this plantation, beginning with Mary, who was born Dec 28 1828 to Amy, a daughter of Silvy, born 17 Feb 1849. Dicey, however, became a favorite and was taken into the household as a maid. She married Dock Comer. This couple lived in a log house built in a clearing down near the Forks of the Road (many years later called "Rockvale") about where the home of Lottie Sharber stands today (1982).At that point in time, approximately 1850-1900, that area, on both sides of the road, was covered with a thick stand of tall, majestic cedar trees to such an extent that the road was in dense shade at all hours. Diagonally across the road from the home of Dicey and Dock Comer nearer the Forks of the Road another clearing had been made and a log school building had been erected for black children. In Deed Book 18, page 99, is the record of this gift from Francis Jackson.

Dicey and Dock Comer continued to help on the plantation. Often Dicey would bring her small granddaughter when she came to clear "The House", as she called it. To prevent the child from wandering and meddling, Dicey say, "Kitty, you better not go upstairs; there's boogers up there." Kitty grew up to marry Abe Nance, who lived on his own farm at Milltown, but to this day (1981) no amount of persuasion could induce Kitty to go upstairs.

"Aunt" Maria Jackson and ger granddaughter, Annie, who grew up to marry Otho Jarrett, lived in the house on the lot where Pauline Sewell lives at present. Maria was noted for delicious cakes at a time when written recipes and cookbooks were practically unknown. This natural ability to cook is called "soul cooking: and cannot be improved upon.

Taz Brooks was born of slave parents. He never knew his mother or father. He and his sister, Lizzie Brooks Jordan, were slaves in the Joe Brooks family somewhere near Eagleville. Taz lived at Rockvale after he was set free and married Sallie Comer, daughter of Dicey and Dock Comer. They became the parents of Kitty, who married Abe Nance.

Taz Brooks was a blacksmith. He and his family lived in a log house which stood near Phoebe Jarrett's last home place where Alvin Marrett lives at present. The blacksmith ship was between the home and Jarrett Place. About 1919, Taz Brooks helped build the Original Church of God in which he and his wife worshiped as long as they lived. This church still stands and is active today. It is located on Versailles Road, in front of the one-time school house.

Directly across the road from Taz and Sallie Brooks, lived William (Bill) Winsett and his wife, Deallie Peek Winsett. They built their own home and blacksmith shop. There were three sons in this family:

1 Joseph Winsett moved to Chattanooga.

2 Willie Winsett died quite young while a student at Fisk University in Nashville.

3 Minos Winsett, who remained in Rockvale and married Mattie Jackson, son of David Jackson. Minos and Mattie became the parents of one daughter and four sons:

a Willie Winsett married D.L. Coffee and moved to Bedford County.
b Clinton Winsett, now deceased.
c Joe Frank Winsett, now deceased.
d Minos Winsett, Jr, now deceased.
e Jackson Winsett, who was employed by the Bell Brothers Lumber Company in Murfreesboro for 28 years. In 1959, he went into business for himself at Jack's Glass Shop, in Murfreesboro. Jackson Winsett married Bertha Jordan. They are the parents of one son, Jackson Alexander Winsett. Bertha Jordan Winsett is a teacher, as was the mother of Jackson. Mattie Winsett taught in the Rutherford County schools for years.

During the lifetime of Bill Winsett, he fenced a burial plot on his own farm, know as Winsett Cemetery. There he and Minos are buried (1919) and his wife, Mattie (1948).

Adjacent to the Winsett home place, on the west, stood another house in which "Aunt" Ann Webb lived with her daughter, Maggie, and her son, Jim. Jim Webb was small in stature, and usually was seen wearing a derby hat and carrying a cane. For a number of years, he was sexton at the Rockvale Cumberland Presbyterian Church. His chief delight seemed to be ringing the bell in the church tower to signal the time for worship. Also, he was busy with broom and large feather duster to keep the sanctuary clean. When the Rockvale High School was built in 1910, Jim Webb became janitor.

Jim Arnold was shipped to Tennessee around 1862 from Mississippi. Along with him came "Aunt" Alice Williams and "Uncle" Frank Thomas. At first they were kept in a stockade in Nashville. After the war, Jim Arnold and his wife, Nancy, bought a farm back of the Whitus place. They became the parents of thirteen children. Alice located in the Patterson Community. Frank lived near Windrow. Both owned their homes.

Carl Amos Barnes lived about four miles south of Versailles on the Longview Pike. Carl Amos was the son of Fannie Luster and Ed Barnes. His step-father was Ive Luster, well remembered for his love of entertainments; annual Fourth of July picnics, ice cream suppers and ball games. Carl Amos, born 8 Oct 1908, married Esther Love, born near Jasper, Marion Co., TN. Soon after their marriage, they moved to Versailles and over a period of 28 years lived on the farms of J.R. Jackson, Graham Gordon and Otho Nance. On 15 April, 1959, they moved into their own home, which they had built on Longview Pike. They became the parents of six children, four of whom still survive: Evelyn, Mary and twin boys, Leon and Leroy. Carl died 3 Feb 1979 and Esther continues to live on at the home place. Lawrence Love, brother of Esther Love Barnes, came to Versailles in 1938. He was employed by Jim Adcock until 1944 at which time he took a job with the L & N Railroad. He lives with his widowed sister.

Sid and Alice Garrett lived in Versailles for a number of years. As age came on "Uncle"Sid amused himself by catching turtles. He would stroll along the creek banks and, on catching sight of a turtle, he would draw it from the water and carry it home for a tasty meal. Alice was very fond of fancy dress, especially many strings of beads to be worn all at once. She enjoyed visiting her neighbors, hoping for a new string of beads to be added to her collection. Sid and Alice had a daughter, Henrietta. She married Dale Murray, nicknamed "Shine". He and Henrietta made an excellent team and found constant employment. They became the parents of six children: Shellie, Alberta, Violet Mae, Richard and Ben (both deceased) and Sanford.

Thomas F Seay, born in 1859, better known as Tom Seay, whose father was also Tom Seay, born in 1842, married Ellanora E Cooper in 1907. They became the parents of twin daughters: Ether, who died in infancy, and Ethel. At this time, they lived south of Versailles on the Longview Pike near the Last Chance Mill. Soon after their marriage, Tom Seay bought an 80-acre farm from Paul Johnson the Thompson Road. During 1914, Tom Seay removed the original log house and built a modern five-room frame house. This was the house later owned and occupied by the Virgil Sharber family. The farm was productive and well managed. Apples from a large orchard were made into cider for vinegar. A large flock of sheep furnished wool to be spun, knit and woven into warm winter clothing. The children of this home walked to the Rockvale School, which stood back of the present Original Church of God on the Versailles Road.

Ethel Seay married John Henry Batts on August 15, 1926, and became the parents of sixteen children, nine of whom are still living. In 1972 Ethel and Henry moved to a house on the Versailles Road near Whitus Road.

Cana Frazier, his wife, Nicey, and their three children, Fred "Buck" Wilson, Florence and Jo Anna moved from Salem to the Versailles Community, where they lived for a number of years.

"Aunt" Al Jordan and her eight children lived at Versailles, also. The Jordan children were: Will Ellis, Earnest (deceased), Fred, Joe, Harry, Anna Lou, Focie Lee, Josephine and Maggie Ann. Harry Jordan and Florence Frazier lived in the house with Cana and Nicey. They lived for many years on the farm of Grover and Fowler Jackson; later on the farm of Willie Floyd Williams. On both farms they operated a dairy and share-cropped tobacco. Cana died on 13 Dec 1966. Fred Wilson "Buck" Frazier married Maggie Ann Jordan. They became the parents of two daughters and four sons: Mary Ann, Donna, Charles, Fred, Frank and James Ernest. The last three own and operate the dairy farm formerly owned by Jesse Smotherman.


The Moses Jackson Family

Moses Jackson, (12 April 1882-1966), one of four children of Dave Jackson and Lydia Hendricks, married Helen Coffee. Their eight children are:

1 Etha Jackson married Sam Henderson
2 Lydia Jackson married Simon H Glanton
3 Willie Jackson married Louis Alexander
4 Ruby Jackson married Joe Rogers
5 John Frank Jackson married Frances House
6 Annie May Jackson married John Cosby
7 Margaret Jackson married Josh Griffin
8 Odahlia Jackson married Lorenza New

Moses Jackson's grandmother, Letty, was 41 years old in 1858, and brought to Tennessee from North Carolina by the Hendricks family. Letty and Lydia, mother and child, were sold by the Hendricks to Richard Jackson about 1858 (see letter in possession of Lydia Jackson Glanton).

The Moses Jackson family owned and lived on a farm on the Thompson Road, All the children, except Ruby, completed high school in Murfreesboro as there was no school that blacks could attend. When the 1870 census required surnames, the Jackson name was assumed. Six of these children attended Tennessee A & I (Tennessee State University).