NGS Family History Conference 31 May-3 June 2023

I look forward to presenting two sessions — Four Essential Indexes for Virginia Researchers and Institutional Bondage: Researching Enslavers and the Enslaved in Churches, Schools, and Industry — at NGS’s 2023 Family History Conference, 31 May – 3 June 2023, in Richmond, VA. You can learn more at https://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/

“A Barber’s Shop at Richmond, Virginia”

“This image by English artist Eyre Crowe was published on the cover of the March 9, 1861 edition of the Illustrated London News. Click here or on the image to read the complete entry at the Encyclopedia Virginia website.

“Before the Civil War, most black barbers explicitly groomed wealthy white men, like businessmen and politicians. Black customers were not allowed to get haircuts in these black-owned barbershops, mainly because white customers didn’t want black customers getting shaved next to them. That smacked too much of social equality, so barbers capitulated to the wishes of their white customers both in the North and the South.”
Hunter Oatman-Stanford. “Straight Razors and Social Justice: The Empowering Evolution of Black Barbershops,” Collector’s Weekly, May 30, 2014

“Even when Black-owned shops did eventually arise as slavery fell, these shops were still mostly catering to a white customer base. As such, it was difficult for a Black man to approach a Black barber to reap the benefits of their skills.”
“The History of Black Barbershops: The Must-Know Info About Black Barbershops’ Impact on the Industry,” National Association of Barbers, February 27, 2022

Douglas Walter Bristol, Jr. Knights of the Razor: Black Barbers in Slavery and Freedom. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015

Quincy T. Mills. Cutting Along the Color Line: Black Barbers and Barber Shops in America. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013

____________. Left of Black: The Black Barbershop. (35:46) John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University, 2014

____________. Left of Black: The Black Barbershop (4:42) John Hope Franklin Center at Duke University, 2018

Loyal Friman alias William Shean, Company L

The couple married in Springfield, Massachusetts where the former soldier worked as a barber. The veteran was born in Oswego, New York and was previously married. His second wife was born in Richmond, Virginia and she lived until 1936.

Invalid — 806,624 / 806,999
Widow — 1,179,395 / 916,047

RESUME @152417

Marriage License, Loyal F. Friman and Fanny Smith, 13 October 1879
The couple was married in Springfield, Massachusetts on 13 October 1879. The groom was a 32 years old and mulatto born to David and Mary Friman in Oswego, New York. The bride was 26 years old and mulatto born to Walter and Lucy Smith in Richmond, Virginia. The couple resided in Springfield where he worked as a barber. It was his second marriage; it was her first. The officiant was John H. Docker of Springfield.
[Note: This information was taken from a transcript from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, date stamped by Pension Bureau, 30 December 1921 — Leslie]

Questionnaire (Form 3-389), Fannie Friman, 18 March 1915
[place and date of birth] Jan 13, 1845, Oswego, NY
[post-office at enlistment] Oswego, NY
[wife’s full name] Fannie Friman, Fannie Smith
[where, when, by whom] Springfield, Mass by Rev. Docker, October 13, 1879
[official or church record] city clerk’s office, Springfield, Massachusetts
[previously married] “My first wife name Alice Wright died in Springfield, Mass 1877. Cannot give you date of burial”
[present wife previously married] “She was not married”
[living wife] “I am now living with my wife … no separation”
[names and birthdates of children] Lillian Friman born May 9, 1880; Estella Friman born July 16, 1884; Ada Friman born Dec 1, 1890; Loyal Friman, Jr born Feb 1, 1882 died Sep 7, 1882

Declaration for Widow’s Pension, Fannie Friman, 24 September 1921
64 years old; residence, 34 Central St, Springfield, Mass
“born October 15, 1857 at Richmond, Virginia … widow of Loyal Friman alias William Shean who enlisted March 8, 1865 at Oswego, State of New York, under the name of William Shean, as a Private … honorably discharged February 4, 1866 … that he served Sargent … That she was married to said soldier … October 13, 1879 under the name of Fannie Smith at Springfield, Mass. by Rev. John H. Docker; tht she had not been previously married; that she had been previously married to Alice Wright, deceased — said Alice Wright, died in Springfield, September 1878 … That said soldier … died August 24, 1921, at Springfield, Mass, that she was not divorced from him and has not remarried since his death … All surviving children are above 16 years of age”

Notarized Statement of Ernest S. Bisbee, MD, Boston, Massachusetts, 24 December 1921
“This is to certify that Loyal Friman was attended by me at 32 Batavia St., Boston, Mass., on August 24, 1921, and that he died on that date of Cerebral Hemorrhage.”
[Note: This statement was written on Bisbee’s letterhead — Leslie]

Death Certificate, Fannie Friman, 23 January 1936
[Place of death] Springfield, Hamden Co., Massachusetts
[Name, residence, length of residence] Fannie Friman; 34 Central Street, Ward 3; 50 years
[sex / race / status] female / black / widowed
[spouse] Loyal Friman
[age] 80 years, 3 months, 2 days
[profession, industry, date last worked, time in this occupation] caterer, own self, October 1935, 30 years
[birthplace] Richmond, Va
[father’s name / birthplace] “cannot be learned” / “cannot be learned”
[mother’s maiden name / birthplace] “cannot be learned Smith” / “cannot be learned”
[Informant] Mrs. Stella Franklin (daughter), 34 Central St., Springfield, Mass
[Date of death] January 23, 1936
[physician] Laurence D. Chapin, MD, 20 Maple, Springfield, Mass
[place and date of burial] Springfield Cemetery, Springfield, Mass, January 26, 1936
[undertaker] Ernest A. Byron, 684 State St., Springfield, Mass

Distribution of Wealth in the United States in 1870

This map was one of several published in Statistical atlas of the United States based on the results of the ninth census 1870 with contributions from many eminent men of science and several departments of the government (1874). The other maps are listed on the Library of Congress catalog record. Click on the image above to get to the Library of Congress where you’ll find that it’s image 80 of 107.

David Anderson, Company F & Company G

This veteran from the Eastern Shore was beset by difficulty. He suffered a head wound from a shell explosion and his condition worsened as he aged. His wife abandoned him shortly after the war ended and moved to New York with another man. But his son survived into adulthood and the injured soldier married a second time.

Invalid — 169,775 / 121,789

Claimant’s Affidavit, David Anderson, 16 December 1889
47 years old; residence, Eastern Shore, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Bayview
“That there is not in his community or within his knowledge any commissioned office of Company G 1st Regt USC Cav nor first sergeant, nor does he know where either, if any now, be living can be found”

Claimant’s Affidavit, David Anderson, 8 August 1891
47 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles, Northampton Co., Va.
“I was struck by the explosion of a shell from Fort Clifton about June or July … taken to the regiment hospital near Point of Rocks and was treated by the doctors there but I did not know their names”

General Affidavit, David Anderson and Thomas Floyd, 22 August 1892
[Anderson] 47 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Northampton, Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles City, Va.
[Floyd] 51 years old; residence, Cape Charles City, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles City, Va.
“both discharged at City Point, Va. and came home together … both working at Cape Charles City, Va, sees each other every day”

General Affidavit, John Henry, 1 October 1892
46 years old; residence, Cheapside, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cheapside, Va.
“I have been aquainted with the said claimant David Anderson on about 25 years or more”

Claimant’s Affidavit, David Anderson, 27 May 1893
49 years old; residence, Bayview, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles, Va.
“Says that he recd shell wound over left eye Jan 10/64 at engagement at Butler Breastwork front of Petersburg was sent to hospital Point of Rocks near Petersburg & transfer to Camp Hamilton … and remained there”

General Affidavit, Thomas Floyd and Harrison Tucker, 18 May 1893
[Floyd] 52 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles City, Va.
[Tucker] 59 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles City, Va.
“[Floyd] been knowing [claimant] for 25 years, since the war, and since he has been out of the war … I am now living in Cape Charles and see him every day. He now drives the mail from Cape Charles to Brighton once a day and sometimes”
“[Tucker] “a mail carrier myself from the train to the post office at Cape Charles every day and he have to meet the train every day”

Claimant’s Affidavit, David Anderson, 12 August 1894
47 years old; residence, Bayview, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Bayview, Va.
“I have not been treated by any Doctor since I was discharged because I was not so bad off at first”

Questionnaire (Form 3-173), David Anderson, 13 September 1899
[wife’s name/maiden name] “I am not. I has ben [sic] married but she lef [sic] in 67 for another man and went to New York and have not heard from her since”
[where, when, by whom] 1866 December; Andrew Tucker of Norfolk but he is dead
[marriage record] “Norfolk, Va. I was not married but once and that was in 1866; 25 years ago so I do not consider that I am a married man”
[previoiusly married] “I don’t know whether she is dead or living but she will never be my wife enemore [sic] in this world and the world to come”
[living children] “I had one name David Anderson Jr but he was not her son but it was another mother. Born December 1870 as near as I can say. The date of month has slip [sic] my memories.”

General Affidavit, Jeffrey Taylor, 8 January 1906
65 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Va.
“I lived in the claimant’s home with him during the years of 1901 and 1902 … His disability was not due in any way to vicious habits.”

General Affidavit, Edward F. Jordan, 8 Januaary 1906
48 years old; residence, Cape Charles, Va.
“I have personally known the claimant David Anderson for the past four or five years”

Declaration for Pension, David Anderson, 19 February 1907
70 years old; residence, Bayview, Northampton Co., Va.; post-office address, Cape Charles, Northampton Co,, Va
“born January 1st 1837 at St Mray’s County, Md. (my discharge certificate is in Pension Office) … several places of residence since living leaving the service have been as follows: lived in Norfolk, Va. about three months, since then to date in Northampton County, Va.”
“Also personally appeared S.B. Travis, residing in Cape Charles, Va. and Arthur Hurt, residing in Dolby, Va. … their acquaintance with him of 10 years and 10 years, respectively”

Questionnaire (Form 3-389), David Anderson, 20 April 1915
[date and place of birth] 1837 — St Mary’s Co,, Maryland
[organization] Co G, 1st USCC
[post-office at enlistment] Norfolk, Virginia
[wife’s full name / maiden name] Jane Parsons
[when, where, by whom] Dec 1866, Norfolk, Va. Rev. Wm. Tucker
[official or church record, where] yes, Norfolk, Va
[previous marriage] no
[present wife’s previous marriage] “was not married before she met me”
[with wife] “she is dead”
[names and birth dates of all children] David Anderson, living,1869