Black History Month: Fisk Jubilee Singer Mable Lewis Imes

The New York Age Aug. 10, 1935

In 1873 Mabel joined the rest of the Jubilee Singers headed for a tour of England and Europe. Her passport states she was 19 years old and born in Louisiana New Orleans

Mabel married Martin Imes on April 22,1885, in Cleveland, Ohio. The 1900 census finds her in Ohio with her husband who was born in 1850 in Pennsylvania and adopted daughter Florence age 14. Mabel's mother is listed as being born in Louisiana but her father's birth place is blank. 

It has been challenging to find many records about Mabel but I did find her daughter Florence marrying Charles Thompson in Ohio in 1907.

The 1870 census for Jackson Louisiana shows an "M" Lewis, female, black, age 15 with family consisting of father "H" Lewis, 65, born Alabama and mother "M" Lewis, 55, born Alabama and several siblings. I cannot say with certainty that this is Mabel. 

Finding information on Martin was slightly easier. The 1860 and 1870 census records for Juniata Pennsylvania found on Ancestry.com show him as the son of Samuel Himes [sic] and wife Sarah.

Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1953, FamilySearch.org

Martin Imes died in Cuyahoga Ohio in December 1915. His death certificate says he was born 4 May 1854 in Pennsylvania. His father's name is recorded as Samuel Imes born Maryland and mother Sallie Moore born Pennsylvania. 

Sally or Sallie is a common nickname for Sarah. His occupation is given as janitor and race is colored

Mabel died August 1, 1935 in Cleveland Ohio. Her daughter Florence Thompson was the informant but unfortunately for Mabel's mother's and father's names, the clerk recorded "unknown"
 
Her obituary states she was buried in Nashville Tennessee and that she was the second last surviving original Jubilee Singer. 

Her tombstone in Nashville City Cemetery reads: 

Fisk University
Mable Lewis Imes
1858 – 1936
 
Interment Book: 8-8-1935 Mabel L. Imes
Mabel Imes grave on Fisk University Lot
Jubilee Singer Original

 

Black History Month: Fisk Jubilee Singer Maggie Porter Cole

There is a biography of Maggie Porter online which comes from Andrew Ward's book Dark Midnight When I Rise: The Story of the Jubilee Singers Who Introduced the World to the Music of Black America (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2000)

Rather than duplicate that information I will provide some sources and a bit of new information I found on Maggie during my research.




A newspaper report of 1875 indicates Maggie was touring with the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Collection: African American Newspapers
Publication: THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER

Date: April 15, 1875
Title: THE JUBILEE SINGERS
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

THE JUBILEE SINGERS.

Philadelphia has once again been enraptured with the strains of these famous singers; and never before did they appear in better trim, and consequently to better advantage. At the farewell Matinee of March 10th, they really seemed to outdo themselves. Although we have often heard them; yet never did they sing so sweetly. F.J. Loudin in such songs as Rock me in the Cradle of the Deep , and his celebrated Laughing Solo, proved himself to be a very prince of song. So pleased, especially, was our eminent citizen, George T. Stuart, who occupied a seat on the Platform, with one of Mr. Loudin's performances that unpinning a beautiful rosebud from his own caller, he proceeded amidst the plaudits of the vast company to adorn the successful basso. Having hazarded the individual mention of Mr. Loudin we cannot possibly fail to recur to the singing of Hope Beyond by Misses Jennie Jackson and Maggie Porter. It was absolutely bewitching, as the audience enthusiastically testified. Indeed it may be said, that, without an exception they all are superb singers. That their audiences are of the same opinion, is evidenced by the almost unreasonable demand made for repetitions. One thing is noticeable to him who keeps his eyes open, - the students themselves are fast outgrowing these songs of their grief-stricken parents, and in singing not a few of them they themselves seem to enter into the spirit of the audience, and are constrained to smile at the weirdness of their own music. While this detracts somewhat from the entertainment, it is certainly no more than what ought to be expected. Freedom has its fruits as well as slavery. Let the Jubilees return to Philadelphia, when they will, and if we are to judge of the past, a glad welcome will be sure to greet them.

Source: Accessible Archives

The 1880 census for Davidson Tennessee finds Maggie with her 74 year old mother Ellen Porter born North Carolina and older sister Sarah. In this census Maggie's occupation is given as "Jubilee Singer" and sister Sarah's is "works at Jubilee Hall"

As Maggie L Porter Cole she applied for a passport in 1897 and gave her date of birth as 24 February 1855 in Lebanon Tennessee. Her occupation was a concert singer. 

She also applied for a passport to England in 1895. 

I next found her as a 43 year old in the 1900 census for Detroit Michigan with her husband Daniel Cole 46 and children Imogene 17, Daniel 16 & Singleton 14. 

Maggie says her father was born in Kentucky and her mother in North Carolina. She is also found with husband Daniel in Detroit in 1910. 

The 1930 Detroit Census records her as a widow living as a boarder. 


 

Black History Month: Fisk Jubilee Singer Ella Sheppard Moore

Ella Sheppard was one of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers. in March 1873 she is found applying for a passport as the Jubilee Singers prepare for a tour of Europe. Her description reads as follows:

22 years old, 5' 1/4" tall, high forehead, brown eyes, proportionate nose, regular mouth, round chin, dark hair, oval face and colored (yellow) complexion [Source: U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925 on Ancestry.com]

Ella is found in the 1880 census for Nashville with her widowed mother Sarah Sheppard age 53. Sarah gives her birth place as Tennessee, and her father as Alabama and mother as being born in Tennessee. 

I was able to find 85 year old Sarah Hannah Sheppard's death certificate in August 1912 in Nashville Tennessee. Her parent's names (and thus Ella's grandparents) are given as James and Rebecca Sheppard.

There is an interesting biography of Ella online called "Dark Midnight When I Rise". I was disappointed that I was not able to confirm any of her ancestry as given in this biography. I did find a Sarah Sheppard in Chickasaw County Mississippi in the time period that this bio says she was there.

Ella Sheppard Moore Death Certificate

Ella died of appendicitis in June 1914 in Nashville Tennessee. Her date of birth was given as February 4, 1851 and her parents' names Simon and Sarah Sheppard.

She is buried with her husband in Nashville City Cemetery. Their tombstone reads:


Moore, Ella Sheppard

Moore, Geo. W.

Section 28.9

ID # 280007

 

Fisk Jubilee Singer

Ella Sheppard

Wife of

Geo. W. Moore

Feb. 4, 1851 – June 9, 1914

 

Geo. W. Moore

Nov. 9, 1854 – Mar. 14, 1920

 

Black History Month: Fisk Jubilee Singers from Tennessee

Prints & Photographs Department, MSRC

I've talked about the Canadian Jubilee Singers and now I want to talk about the original Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University in Nashville Tennessee. The Fisk Jubilee Singers' first tour was in small towns across America from October 1871 to March 1872. By 1873 the group consisted of eleven black singers and they were soon headed for Europe.

Image courtesy of J.D. Thomas of Accessible Archives

Image courtesy of J.D. Thomas of Accessible Archives

The website for the current Fisk Jubilee Singers says that "The original Jubilee Singers introduced ‘slave songs’ to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving this unique American musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals."

Prejudice existed and the Batavia published a small note about the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the early 1880s: 

We can also witness the discrimination and difficulties faced by the singers in their travels:

Collection: African American Newspapers
Publication: THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER

Date: March 2, 1882
Title: Certain hotels in Washington, D.C., refused last week to ac
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Certain hotels in Washington, D.C., refused last week to accommodate the Fisk Jubilee Singers. Some no doubt, truthfully basing their refusal on lack of room, and others squarely on the ground of color. It should not be understood, however, that the best hotels in Washington refuse to accommodate people on account of their color. It is not a fact, and such an impression would do harm. &#150 Indianapolis Leader . 

Collection: African American Newspapers
Publication: THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER

Date: January 6, 1881
Title: ----- JUBILEE SINGERS' CIVIL RIGHTS CASE. -----
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

----- JUBILEE SINGERS' CIVIL RIGHTS CASE. -----

MR. EDITOR.- As is perhaps wellknown to most of your readers, the national conference of colored man, held in the city of Nashville, Tenn., May 6th, 1879, resolved to prosecute the conductor of one of the Tennessee railways, for roughly seizing by the arm one of the lady members of the Jubilee Singers, and thrusting her from the platform of the ladies' coach to the smoking car. For the conducting of the case, the conference appointed a prosecuting committee consisting of J.H. Burrus, Rev. G.H. Shaffer, and W.H. Yardly, Esq., the first two of Nashville, and the last of Knoxville, Tenn. 

Even Canada was not immune to showing discrimination

Collection: African American Newspapers 
Publication: THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER
Date: November 10, 1881
Title: REFERRING TO THE recent insult offered the Jubilee Singers
Location: Philadelphia, PA

     REFERRING TO THE recent insult offered the Jubilee Singers by the Toronto hotel-keepers, The Citizen of that city, for a copy of which we are indebted to F.J. Louden, says:
  
      “Their recent visit to Canada has been most successful. The action of certain Toronto hotel-keepers in refusing them admission on account of their color, has caused a reaction in their favor, and the citizens, from the Mayor and ex-Vice Chancellor Blake down to the humblest of them, have vied with each other to do them honor. The Press, too, was aroused by the cowardly distinction. Globe, Mail, Telegram, World and News all championed the cause of the signers, and Canada's Cartoonist, Mr. Grip, employed his powerful pencil to the discomfiture of the hotel-keepers and the honor of the singers.”

In the next few weeks during Black History Month I will be publishing biographies based on research I've done on a few of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. They deserve to be remembered.

Image: The Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1882. They are, from left to right, Patti Malone, George E. Barrett, Mattie L. Lawrence, C.W. Payne, Ella Shepard (seated), F.J. Loudin, Maggie L. Porter (seated), B.W. Thomas, and Mabel R. Lewis (seated).

Source for all newspaper accounts from The Christian Recorder from Accessible Archives

Black History Month: Canadian Jubilee Singer Fannie Stewart

Fannie Stewart was one of the female singers in the original group of Canadian Jubilee Singers.

According to a newspaper article in the Freeman (Indianapolis Indiana) in December 1896 Fannie was born in Windsor Ontario.

She was married to W. T. Cary, another member of the group but I have not been able to find a record of their marriage. Nor have I found Fannie after her marriage. 

I believe she is the Fannie Stewart age 8  found in Windsor Ontario in 1861 with parents David and Eliza Stewart, both born in the USA. In all the census records I found for Fannie she is recorded as born in USA but is in WIndsor from the 1861 to the 1891 census.

Census and death records reveal that the woman I believe is Fannie's grandmother was born in Virginia ca1802. Her name was Sarah Ann and she was the widow of Richard Stewart at her death in WIndsor in 1896. Her son David (Fannie's father) was the informant at her death. 

Her husband Richard died at the age of 77 in 1877, also in Windsor. Eliza Stewart (Fannie's mother) was the informant. From the marriage of David & Eliza's daughter we learn that Eliza's maiden name was Robinson. 

So far my research has turned up 3 children for Richard & Sarah Ann Stewart: David, born ca 1830 USA, Henry born ca 1834 and Sarah Ann born ca 1842 in Virginia. It is very likely that all 3  children were born in Virginia but so far I have not found them on the 1850 census. Perhaps they are on slave schedules. 

David & Eliza (Robinson) Stewart's son George died in WIndsor in 1886 at the age of 28. On his death record he is said to have been born in Virginia. Unfortunately that is where the trail ends for my research.

Black History Month: Jubilee Singer Charlotte Bland-O'Banyon

It wasn't easy to find Charlotte. Her death record has proved elusive. What I did find after a great deal of research was an 1871 census record for Hamilton Ontario showing a Charlotte E. Bland age 33 married to John H. Bland, 49. Charlotte was born in Hudson New York.

She is also found in the 1861 census for Hamilton with husband John Bland, a barber born USA, and their son Charles age 8, born Canada. The 1881 Hamilton Census still finds the family of John 56, Charlotte, 37 and 3 other people, one being the widow Mary Young 70, born USA. 

I had a hunch that Mary Young was possibly Charlotte's mother because in her marriage to Josephus O'Banyon her parents are recorded as Randall and Mary. Although the surname was recorded as Bland I believe this was an assumption that she was a single woman on her marriage. But in reality she was a widow, her husband John Bland having died in Hamilton in December 1884. 

Sure enough a search of New York census records showed in 1850 and 1860 in Athens New York. The family group in 1850 consisted of Randall Young 53, his wife Polly (a common nickname for Mary) 49, and children James, 25, Thomas 23, Charlotte 15 and Jane 10. All were recorded as being born in New York.

In 1860 Randall was 57 born Maryland, a boatman. His wife Mary was 43 born Greene Co. New York and children were Charlotte 17 born Columbia Co., and Jane A. also born Columbia Co. Next door was son Thomas age 25 with a wife and 2 children.

By 1871 Randall and his wife were in Hamilton Ontario for they are found there in the 1871 census. Randall is recorded as 70 and born USA while his wife is listed as Polly age 58 born United States. A widow Jane Ann Hall is also with the family as are two of her children. I suggest this is their daughter born ca 1840.

Charlotte is found with Josephus in the Muncie, Indiana, City Directory for 1897 and it is very possible that she died there.

To date I have not found any further information on the family. It seems a shame to not know more about these Canadian Jubilee Singers! 

Credit:  Canadian Jubilee Singers songbook available at http://www.resourcebooks.net/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=174463

Black History Month: Canadian Jubilee Singer Josephus O'Banyon

Josephus O'Banyon was one of the singers in the Canadian Jubilee Singers. It is interesting to note that we also find the following names:

Mrs. Bland-O’Banyoun – mezzo soprano, married to Josephus

Ernest O’Banyoun  son of leader, Baritone

With 3 singers to research I had a lot of fun with this biography. As I searched census records and vital statistics, I discovered quite a bit of fascinating information about Josephus.

Simon Peter O'Banyon

Census records revealed Josephus as a 14 year old in 1851 in Brantford Ontario with his parents Simon Peter O'Banyon and Sophia. 1881 found him in Hamilton Ontario and by 1891 he was in Chatham Ontario with his widowed mother Sophia. It was quite a surprise to find him in Indiana in 1900 with wife Maud.

It is interesting to note that in the 1891 census, Sophia O'Banyon is recorded as being born in Ontario, with a father born in Ireland and a mother born in Canada. 

Early marriage records show that Simon O'Banyon married Sophia Wright in July 1832 in Brantford, Ontario. I have been unable to discover her parents. The following anecdote about the O'Banyons is found in Samuel Ringgold Ward's 1855 book Autobiography of a Fugitive Negro.  The anecdote concerns Peter O'Banyoun, at a time when the O'Banyons were living in Brant County. 

"A gentleman of my acquaintance (Peter O'Banyoun), driving a good pair of horses, and traveling at leisure, with his ladylike wife, was one night, in the winter of 1851-52, denied admittance at some dozen public taverns. His lady, being of lighter complexion than himself, on one or two occasions was admitted, and was comfortably seated by the fire, and politely treated - until her darker-skinned husband came in, and then, there was no room for either. It was a bitterly cold night; and being treated - maltreated - after this manner until nearly midnight, they were at length obliged to accept of a room in which they could sit up all night." 

So far I have found 5 marriages for Josephus, four of them to very young women. Here is the list of his marriages:

1. Nancy Butler before 1864. They had 2 sons, one being Ernest (baritone in the Canadian Jubilee Singers) who died at the age of 29 in 1893.  Nothing further is known of Nancy.
2. Mary Elizabeth Goosely, age 19 in 1871 in Nova Scotia. She died in 1884 in Essex Co. Ontario. Josephus was 33 years old.
3. Cassimar Elizabeth Johnson, age 21 in 1884 a few months after Mary's death. She died in 1890. He was 46 years old.
4. In 1891 he married Charlotte E. Bland (also a singer in the Canadian Jubilee Singers). I have not found a death record for Charlotte.
5. In 1898 he married Maud Garrison, age 18, in Indiana. Josephus was now 61 years old.

As a minister, Josephus moved around frequently and can be found ministering in various churches in different countries.


A very intriguing man! And I must admit I am curious about the deaths of 4 of his wives. Such bad luck for him.

Black History Month: Canadian Jubilee Singer Nathan Warner

1896 Freeman newspaper Indiana

Nathan Warner was one of the musicians in the Canadian Jubilee Singers. 

Research in American newspapers revealed a few tidbits of information about Nathan. In 1896 it was said that he had been with the Jubilee Singers for 4 seasons. 

He was also listed as being with the group in 1898 along with Daisy Underwood aka Black Melba and James E. Lightfoot.

The 1881 census for Hamilton Ontario shows Nathan as a 15 year old "African" living with his widowed mother Mary Jane Warner. Mary Jane was born in the USA ca 1832 and supported the family by taking in laundry. 

Also with the family was the widowed Margaret Felson, age 68 born USA. I suspected she was Mary Jane's mother and Nathan's grandmother.

The 1871 census of Hamilton shows Nathan (recorded as Nathaniel) as a 4 year old living with none other than Margaret Felson and Jane Warner (his mother)

1861 finds Margaret Felson, 49 married to Alfred, 59. Alfred's occupation is given as porter. With the family are 3 Felson children as well as Frank (age 29 born Upper Canada) & Jane Warner and two of their children. I have no doubt that Alfred and Margaret Felson were Nathan Warner's maternal grandparents. Frank and Jane were Nathan's parents.

Further research turned up Margaret's death record in 1895 stating she was born in Washington but no further genealogical information. However court records for Washington, District of Columbia revealed an 1831 marriage record for Alfred Felson and Margaret Jenkins on the 13th of April that year. 

I have not been able to find more on Nathan. 

Black History Month: Who Were the Jubilee Singers

February is Black History Month so I am going to talk about the Canadian Jubilee Singers and the Fisk Jubilee Singers. I'd never heard of either group until I saw a Murdoch Mysteries episode in January. It featured the Canadian Jubilee Singers as the historical aspect of that episode. I became interested and decided to do some research.

The Canadian Jubilee Singers were a group of black African-American singers and musicians. The group was based on the successful Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University in Tennessee, but the singers in the Canadian group were almost all from the Hamilton area of Ontario Canada. 

The Canadian Jubilee singers made their appearance in 1878 when William and Sadie Carter organized the group.It became very successful and toured Great Britain for 5 years and United States for 3. 

Researching the original members was not an easy task but as near as I can determine from various online resources the original group consisted of the following members:

• Prof. Cockbin of Hamilton – bass
• Maud Young – soprano from Hamilton
• Alice Dowden - Soprano from Hamilton
• Mrs. Bland-O’Banyoun – mezzo soprano married to Josephus O'Banyon
• Ernest O’Banyoun son of Josephus, Baritone
• Minnie Parker from Chatham
• Mrs. Cockbin, Hamilton, accompanist wife of Professor Cockbin
• James Escort (Jimmie) Lightfoot
• Nathan Warner, trombone
• Hattie Butler
• James Thomas
• W. T. Cary and his wife Fannie Stewart 

It took me some time to cobble together the list above from various sources. Many had only initials and no full names. I was able to find more about each member, including their full names and I will share that information in future blog posts.

Over the month of February I will be posting bios with the research I have done on several of the members of the group. Given how difficult it has been to find information on them, I think it even more important to publish on this blog what I have found. My hope is that they will not be forgotten or overlooked as an important part of Canadian history.

Credit: Image ID: 1240264. Famous Canadian Jubilee singers male quartette, plantation lullabies. ca 1890s. http://digitalgallery.nypl.org
Credit: Jubilee Singers Flyer Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. R5500-22