Our Pre-20th Century African American Photograph archive features family photographs, African American communities, and African Businesses up to and including 1899.
Full-length portrait of Bacchus Roane, colorized.
Bacchus Roane (18 August 1869-6 June 1921) the son of Patrick Henry Roane, Sr. and Susan Price, was born on 18 August 1869 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States.
He married Josephine Harris on 4 September 1895 in Newport News, Virginia, United States. They were the parents of William Edward Roane, Edith Irene Roane, and Collis Roane.
Bacchus Roane was a Special Policeman and a Justice of the Peace in Newport News, Virginia. He died on 6 June 1921 in Newport News, Virginia.
He was the 4x great-grandson of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia and Revolutionary War Patriot.
Full-length portrait of Edmonia Carlotta Roane.
Edmonia Carlotta Roane (31 December 1871-25 October 1904), the daughter of Patrick Henry Roane, Sr. and Susan Price, was born on 31 December 1871 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States.
She married John James, Jr. on 26 December 1889 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States. They were the parents of Ann V. James, Florence Arlene James, William E. James, Beatrice Carlotta James, Roscoe Arlington James, and Wyatt A. James.
She died on 25 October 1904 in Richmond, Virginia.
She was the 4x great-granddaughter of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia and Revolutionary War Patriot.
Portrait of Julia Ella Bates Roane.
Julia Ella Bates (6 May 1876-16 December 1901), the daughter of David "Davy" Bates (1853-1920) and Ella Young (1844-1914) of Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States, was born on 6 May 1876 in Varina, Virginia.
She married Leonard Wilson Roane on 1 April 1896 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia. They were the parents of two daughters Susan "Susie" Julia Roane and Ella Bates Roane.
Julia (Bates) Roane died on 16 December 1901.
Copy of portrait of Leonard Wilson Roane.
Leonard Wilson Roane (8 September 1874-21 December 1912), the son of Patrick Henry Roane, Sr. and Susan Price, was born on 18 September 1874 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States. He married Julia Ella Bates on 1 April 1896 in Varina. They were the parents of two daughters Susan "Susie" Julia Roane and Ella Bates Roane. He later married Abigail "Abbie" Smith.
Leonard worked as a shipbuilding engineer in Newport News, Virginia, where he died on 21 December 1912.
He was the 4x great-grandson of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia and Revolutionary War Patriot.
Copy of portrait of Lewis Matthews.
Lewis Matthews (1824-<1910), the son of his enslaver Drury Cook Matthews and the enslaved Darkiss (Dorcas), was born in 1824 in Edgefield County, South Carolina, United States. He married Martha Bottom who was born a free woman of color in 1843 in Edgefield County, South Carolina. Martha died in Pickens, Edgefield County, South Carolina between 1881 and 1890. Lewis and Martha Matthews were the parents of a large family.
Photograph of Patrick Henry Roane, Sr. standing outside wooden building. Photographer unknown.
Patrick Henry Roane, Sr. (1833-13 February 1907) was the son of George Henry Roane (1805 Williamsburg, Virginia -1876 Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States) and Elizabeth Henley, was born enslaved in 1833 in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States.
He cohabitated in slavery with Susan Price in Varina, Henrico County, Virginia, United States. They were the parents of George A. Roane, Patrick Henry Roane, Jr. (a Newport News, Virginia Councilman), William E. Roane, Wyatt Roane (a judge of Elections in Newport News, Virginia), Bacchus Roane (a policeman and Justice of the Peace in Newport News, Virginia), Edmonia Carlotta Roane, and Leonard Wilson Roane (a shipbuilding engineer in Newport News, Virginia).
Patrick Henry Roane was the 3x great-grandson of Patrick Henry, Governor of Virginia and Revolutionary War Patriot.
Selena Newton and John Q. Mears, colorized, by a copy of Free Black and Mulattos in South Carolina, 1850 Census, compiled by Margaret Motes.
Salina (Newton) Mears (3 May 1831-3 January 1905) was born in the Beaufort District, South Carolina, United States. Her mother was Kitty Newton, who was the daughter of Kitty Newton, Sr. The Newton family were Free People of Color with ancestry dating back to 1790.
The photograph also showcases Margaret Motes' compilation of the Free Blacks and Mulattos in South Carolina, 1850 Census, in which the Newton family is listed.
Portrait of Vilmont and Julianna Schexnayder from Patterson, Saint Mary's Parish, Lousiana, United States. Photograph taken by unknown photographer in the 1800s.
Julianne and her parents, Paul and Harriet, were enslaved by the brothers Octave and Numa Cornay of the Calumet Plantation. The plantation was in Patterson, St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana and was a large sugar mill. During the Civil War, Julianne went with the Cornays to Lafayette, Louisiana, where she had one son by a man she was not married to but had a "shacking" relationship to breed children. After the Civil war, Julianne returned to Patterson, St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana and was a laundress. She met and married Vilmont Schexnayder on 4 January 1883 in St. Mary's Parish, Louisiana, United States. Julianne had at least 15 children, 14 of them with Vilmont Schexnayder.
