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I haven't found anything about Jourdon in Ohio yet.. i found this out about PH Anderson in TN.
I think his name was Patrick..
I found a PH Anderson in Wilson County, TN 1860 census. born 1823. The Post office from the census is listed as Tuckers Crossroads.
Looking at current MAP quest, The Tuckers Crossroads area in Wilson County is at a road junction of Trousdale Ferry Pike and Big Springs Rd! This is just off of I40 East of Lebanon, TN which is about 15/20 miles east of Nashville.
Also from the Census I found PH was married to Mary.. had a daughter named Martha as well as other kids but no Allen, Esther, Green or Lee.. those could be names of friends of slaves that didn't leave the Andersons place.
The 1860 Slaves schedule from Wilson County Tn showed P Anderson owning 17 slaves ages ranging from 70 to 1.
I think I found Joudon.
Found a Jordon Anderson (black Male), 50 years old in the 1880 Census from Dayton, Montgomery County. Ohio. His occupation was coachman.
Married to Amanda.
5 kids starting at the age of 16, all born in Ohio.. would have come after emancipation and probably the letter. I suspect that Milly, Jane and Grundy are grown up and moved away.. or dead.
I agree with the others that this is a wonderful document, something to be brought out whenever the argument is being advanced that the slaves were well treated and happy in their subservient condition. I especially enjoyed this passage and would have loved to have been around when the old Massa was reading it.
Quote:
Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future.
It put me to mind of growing up in the South and for my first ten years or so, simply taking it for granted that the blacks I saw as waiters, yardmen, maids, bellhops and day laborers, were supposed to be waiters and yardmen etc..and that they were content with their place in society. It wasn't until reaching the age of reason that I began to contemplate the idea of looking at matters through their eyes. Some people never reach that point, this Colonel Anderson being an example. I am certain it would never have occurred to him that he owed his former slave anything for the work extracted from him under the compulsory conditions. That is why I would have loved to have seen his face when reading the above.
I wonder how many people are going to overlook the fact that this was apparently a much more literate country 150 years ago than it seems to be now. Most people don't take the time to sit down and write real letters any more.
I wonder how many people are going to overlook the fact that this was apparently a much more literate country 150 years ago than it seems to be now. Most people don't take the time to sit down and write real letters any more.
Well, they don't have to. I can't remember the last time I hand wrote a letter and put it in the mail box. Writing letters was just a form of communication like email/text and cell phones are today.
What I thought of was since the letter was printed in the Dayton newspaper, was it ever really MAILED to PH Anderson? Did PH actually read the letter because I am confident he was not getting the Dayton, Ohio newspaper delivered to his home in Big Spring, TN.
Fascinating. I have read a ton of ex-Slave letters, diaries and accounts. This one is near the top of those for sarcasm. I didn't recognize it until Jourdon asked for back wages. I would love to find out more of the back story. He noted he got his free papers in Nashville in 1864... I wll research to see if I can find out more about our friend, Jourdon Anderson...
They got free "room and board' and healthcare. They were property and not entitled to any "back wages".
Interesting read, but it's probably far from factual. Much tinkering has been done to most of these so called "actual" stories with the passage of time to make them more interesting.
That was very interesting, thanks for posting. It seems like Jourdon has moved on in spite of everything he's been through, and is looking at this possible business venture from all logical angles. I don't think that what he asked for was too much at all and I'd be curious to see what his former master's response was. It seems like he has neutral feelings toward his former master, but I just wonder if the letter really told much of the story; Jourdon "felt lucky" working for him rather than someone else but I wonder how bad things could still be for slaves to find themselves "lucky".
That was very interesting, thanks for posting. It seems like Jourdon has moved on in spite of everything he's been through, and is looking at this possible business venture from all logical angles. I don't think that what he asked for was too much at all and I'd be curious to see what his former master's response was. It seems like he has neutral feelings toward his former master, but I just wonder if the letter really told much of the story; Jourdon "felt lucky" working for him rather than someone else but I wonder how bad things could still be for slaves to find themselves "lucky".
It just works that way with people. Some can endure lots of bad stuff, and when the opportunity knocks to get away from it they blossom and prosper. They take advantage of all they can. Some just sink into the self pity and *can't* move on. Since these do seem to be real people I'd bet the unknowns in the letter were of the latter. People can do amazing stuff if its in them to do it, or not.
The V Winters mentioned in the letter was Valentine Winters, a prominent local banker, perhaps the son or the founder of Winters Bank, which remained in business till the bank mergers of the 1970s. The Winters Tower (now renamed) was the tallest skyscraper in Dayton. A descendent of V Winters was the comedian Jonathan Winters.
So at least that much of the letter is factual. I could probably find Jordon (sp) Anderson in the city directories.
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This is just off of I40 East of Lebanon, TN which is about 15/20 miles east of Nashville.
