Cousin Charlotte

Charlotte is one of the “servants” that Isham Howze mentions in his diaries. I have learned a lot about her because clues in the diaries provided enough information for me to track her down and see her family grow in censuses and other records for several generations.

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The first time we hear of Charlotte in Isham Howze's journals is in October of 1853 when they are still at Nashoba in Germantown, TN. I believe that Charlotte was born around 1831 which would make her about 22 years old at that time. I don’t know when Charlotte began living with and working as a slave for Isham, but it is interesting that the first time she appears is after Dilcy—who would have been in her mid 60s—allegedly wandered off and got lost.

 

On Saturday, October 8, 1853, Isham recorded this in his journal:

 

Saturday morning, after breakfast. I had an unpleasant night—this last. Dilcy wandered off last evening—arrived to go to Mr. Duke’s, but as she did not return, I sent over there to inquire for her: she had not been there. I sent again, and to Germantown (all after night) but could hear nothing of her. Again, this morning, all hands were out ____ in search of her. She lost her way and went to Wm. Morgan’s below here on the railroad and this morning she came to Wm Dukes since then she has returned home (W. D informed us). I have been very uneasy about her. Went out myself by light almost up to the R Road. And in the round James and Henry found my mule and brought her home. So, I have been quite fortunate after my great anxiety. All has worked fortunately, I am thankful.

 

A few days later we learn that “Adrian, Nathan and Charlotte have been picking cotton at the doctor’s house since the first of last week and will remain all this week if the weather should be fine.” The doctor mentioned here is Dr. Todd—Frances Wright’s neighbor and Isham’s brother-in-law. This is the first time Charlotte is mentioned at all in the journals.

 

The family soon moves down to Wall Hill, and we know that when Nathan takes a load in the wagon down there on November 29, that Charlotte also went. She and Nathan along with Isham’s sons Adrian and William are sent to sow rye and wheat at the new property and then return, but that “Charlotte will remain in Dr. Wilson’s service till we shall need her again”. Dr. Wilson is Elizabeth Howze’s brother who they purchased this land from and who will be their neighbor once they move. This is the second time Charlotte is mentioned in the journals.

 

In January 1854 when they are all settled in Wall Hill, we learn that Nancy has been there for a visit for an unknown length of time and that Charlotte and Dilcy were both sick with chills. Charlotte, Isham and his son William, we learn, work together to take down and remove the old kitchen room from their house. Later we learn that Charlotte is sick again with a headache and pain in her side, and Isham suspects it is pneumonia.

 

The most exciting revelation about Charlotte comes in May 27, 1854. Isham writes

 

"I just now received a note from A. M. Lucas by his (or Mrs. Hendley’s) man Joe. This 27th. Joe wishes to marry our girl, Charlotte. Lucas is willing to give him a good character. I gave my consent. I trust in the Lord that if they do marry, they may be made happier by it. I told Joe I never could sell Charlotte -if he married her, and was taken away, they would have to part, or words to that amount. One of the evils of slavery is, the insecurity of the marriage relation. Would to God that it could be otherwise. I would if I could buy Joe, but he is not for sale, nor am I able to buy him. Providence, I hope will overrule all things for the best."

 

A. M. Lucas is a neighbor in Wall Hill and Joe is a man he enslaved. I do not know who the “Mrs. Hendley” might be as I have never seen that name elsewhere. This brief report in the diary tells us that Joe Lucas, an enslaved man who lived nearby, wished to marry Charlotte and he had to have permission from Mr. Lucas and from Isham—which he did get.

 

On Thursday morning, June 15, 1854 Isham wrote the following in his diary:

 

I have just written a letter to Sister Clary F. Baker, Tyro, at the request of my wife, asking her, Clara to let Nutly (Nutty) come up on Saturday next to see her sick old mother. Also, to be at Charlotte’s wedding.

 

This tiny bit of information was extremely helpful in figuring out the family relationships between Charlotte, Nuttly (aka Nancy), and Dilcy. Nancy’s “sick old mother” is Dilcy, and I believe Nancy is being invited to Charlotte’s wedding specifically by name because she is Charlotte’s mother.

 

Clary F. Baker is Elizabeth Howze’s sister Clara Fisher Wilson who married William Baker. They lived in Tyro, MS at that time, but they would move to Wall Hill sometime before 1860. I don’t have any idea how or why Nancy came to be enslaved by them. It’s possible that Isham had hired her out to his sister-in-law. However it happened, we know that Nancy is invited to Charlotte’s wedding.

I wish we could know more about Charlotte and Joe Lucas’ wedding, where it was held, who was there, what was said and done. Unfortunately, there is no further mention of the wedding in the diaries. On October 29, 1856 at 8:30pm, we learn that Charlotte has had a baby.

 

"Another soul has come into the world. Charlotte has just had a girl child. Poor woman, the first transgressor of the divine law, and the one to suffer for it in child bearing."

 

Then we learn the devastating news that this child died just two months later. Isham writes about her death and tells us where the baby will be buried on their property. I would very much like to figure out where this child was buried. Isham writes;

 

"Death has visited us. One of our family died last night, or this morning—a child—black—

Charlotte’s youngest. A daughter, healthy and promising was found dead in her mother’s

arms at night. Was probably smothered by her mother or was strangled. No one can tell. Charlotte is in great distress. But god’s will be done. I hope it may be a warning for her to prepare to meet her child in heaven. I can but lament this occurrence for several reasons. But I again say, the will of the lord be done. He gave and he has taken away;blessed be his name. It is very cold to dig the ground. I shall have the child buried at the N. W. corner of my yard, and when I fix up my fences, it will be inside the house yard as now contemplated."

 

This is a tragedy that sadly, was likely very common for women, and for Black women in particular during this period. He refers to this girl child as “Charlotte’s youngest” which tells me that she had other children. This matches with what we will see later in the 1870 which is that she and Joe have three sons that were born before this terrible loss happened in 1854. Their names were James, Frank, and Tom.

 

Charlotte and Joe had a family together long before they got permission to marry in May of 1854, and before they were formally married sometime after June 1854. I wish I knew where Charlotte’s sons James, Frank, and Tom had been all this time. We don’t hear about them at all in the diaries, so I don’t know if they were with Charlotte, with Joe, or sold to someone else as young children. It’s all incredibly heartbreaking.

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Just a few days after Charlotte’s youngest daughter dies, on Christmas Eve 1854, Isham reflects on the tragic loss of this young child and shares some of what he believes about the institution of slavery.

 

Tomorrow is Christmas. If I live to see it. I will have seen 60 Christmas days. For I was 60

years old the 12 of September 1856 last. Sixty years old while the youngest of my family–

the child named above died at some two months old.

 

Why is this so? Why have I lived so long and others of my family – a sister older than I   

am—and two very old negro women past usefulness—superannuated—and this child

died so soon? God only can answer this question. His ways are beyond our

comprehension. But this much is true. I do know it—that all his ways are just and true. It

would seem that it would be more in accordance with right, for we old, almost helpless

ones, to die, and for the young to live.

 

But our ignorance is great and we must yield to him who knows and rules all things. The

death of this infant, I hope will be a vital good to its mother, and perhaps others—

causing them to reflect upon this latter end. May we who are left, free and bond, old and  

young, when our times come, be found prepared to go and qualified to enjoy the bliss of

heaven.

 

I am the head of this family—the master so called. In this life we are not all equal, but as

God’s creatures we are equal and it is my prayer to god that we may all meet as equals

in the world to come when there is but one head or master. I love my black friends—all

that bear the image of our common Lord and Savior. Slavery exists here in this world,

everywhere, not in the same form every where. But there is an inequality in all the

creatures of god with whom I am acquainted and as it is so, and as god rules over all, it is

right though we may not see why.

 

Oh if it could be so and would be good for the slave to be free, how glad I would be to

see him free. But as I believe, slavery exists by divine appointment, and it will continue to

exist till god sees fit to cause it to cease. And it is in vain for fanatic men to fight against

God’s decree. I would give up my little interest in the slave if it could be made to his

advantage, but the time is not yet fully come—I believe however that the time

for his freedom is not far distant.

 

The time of the end, approaches. If learned commutations on the word of God his

prophesies are not mistaken in the calculations, the present state of things will not last

more than ten years. The end of this world surely is near at hand."

 

Isham was right about one thing; in less than 10 years, the vile institution of American chattel slavery would be abolished. Charlotte and Joe, and their children will be free.

 

In 1870, Joe and Charlotte Lucas are living in district 10 of Fayette County in West Tennessee. In their household we find Fannie Lucas (born 1800 and likely Joe’s mother), and the following children: James, Frank, Tom, Mary, Martha, and Sallie.

 

In 1880, they are still living in Fayette County TN, this time in district 11. Fannie is still with them as well as the following children: Thomas, Marthy, Sarah, and Less who is a girl, and I think she will go the by the name “America” later in her life.

 

In 1880, Joe and Charlotte’s oldest son James is living in Tipton County with his wife Rosa.

 

In 1880, Joe and Charlotte’s oldest living daughter, Mary who goes by the name Mariah is married to a man named Edward Moore. Edward’s occupation is listed as “farmer” and Mariah is a “housekeeper”. They live in district 10 of Shelby County, Tennessee which is the district that includes Collierville! Mariah and Edward have two daughters in 1880 named Ora and Brooksie. 

 

In 1900, Ed is still a farmer, but Mariah is working as a “washerwoman”. They still live in Collierville and now they have the following children living with them: Ora, Marcullus, Floyd, Moses, Alex, Florence, and Clemmon. Right next door to them we find Joseph and Charlotte!

 

Joseph and Charlotte have the last name “Hancock” now and I have no idea why or exactly when they made that switch. My best guess is that they decided to get rid of the surnames forced upon them by their enslavers and chose something other than “Howze” or “Lucas”. I simply do not know. But we do know that Joe and Charlotte have been together all this time, they are still together in 1900, and they are living in Collierville, TN.

 

Sadly, Charlotte dies sometime before 1910 when the next census is taken. I have not found any records of her death or where she was buried. But in 1910 we find that Joseph is living in Collierville, he is about 75 years old, and he owns his own farm. He is living on the same street as—just one page over in the Census records from—Rev. James Alexander Alcorn.

 

Joseph dies later that same year in Collierville. His land in Collierville was passed down to his living descendants: his oldest son James “Jim” Lucas, his daughter Sallie Lucas Mosby, his daughter America Lucas Meeks, and his granddaughter Ora Boswell—daughter of Mariah Lucas Moore and Ed Moore.

 

In February of 1914, Joe and Charlotte’s descendants listed above, sell 5 acres of land they inherited from Joe to Rev. James Alexander Alcorn. The image below is a photocopy of the top part of the deed in which Joe and Charlotte’s heirs sell their land him. Those five acres are where the first “Colored Subdivision” in Collierville will be built, and it will be named “Alcorn Village”. For more information about Alcorn Village click here.

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