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Obituary of Albert Holt, Benjamin Reynolds, Uncle Mose and
Mrs. Matilda Johnson, "Uncle" Tom McCaffney
Submitted by:
Sharon M. Kouns

A SUDDEN
DEATH
Ironton Register, October 11, 1888
Last Sunday afternoon, Albert Holt, a well known colored man,
was found dead in his bed, at his home, on Washington street.
He was up and about on Sunday morning, and was last seen about
11 o'clock, and at about 2 o'clock, a member of the family
with whom he boarded, went to his room to call him and found
him dead. From all indications his death was without a
struggle. The immediate cause was heart trouble. He had
several times come near suffocation with this malady. A few
months ago, Dr. Henry, the Coroner, was called in when Albert
was in one of those distempers, and then told him he would
"die of one of these attacks if he didn't take care." Albert
had been drinking a good deal lately and that may have helped
on the trouble. No colored man was as widely known as he, and
many were the kind words spoken to him and of him, except when
his own greatest enemy got control of him.
His age
was 42. He arrived in Ironton in 1856. He came from Kentucky
with quite a company of slaves that had been liberated by
their owner, Judge Holt. Judge Holt came to Ironton with his
old slaves, and while living, exercised toward them a most
fatherly care. He bought a little farm above Ice Creek for one
of them. He, also, purchased the cottage where Mrs. Moreland
lives for another, and it has remained in the family of the
owner ever since. Judge Holt died in this town a few years
after his arrival, mourned by his former slaves and the entire
community.
The way he
happened to come to Ironton was, Rev. J. F. Givens, a nephew
of his, preached at Spencer Chapel. Mr. Given was probably the
finest scholar Spencer ever had. He was a man of wonderfully
fine social and scholarly instincts; and he won Judge Holt to
him and his liberal ideas. Thus Judge Holt came here and
gathered his old slaves about him, and helped them to enjoy
their freedom. Mr. Given afterward changed his ideas somewhat,
and became an apologist for secession, and thus lost caste in
the Methodist church. He died many years ago, but his wife
still lives at Columbus, and his son, who is a commercial
traveler for some wholesale house was in Ironton, last week,
and shook hands with Albert Holt, his granduncle's former
slave. What singular things old Time gathers in his swathes as
he goes sweeping about the world!
Albert
Holt was ten years old when the little colony of freedmen came
to town in 1856. He soon got to be popular with the boys, and
at once joined in their plays. He went hunting and swimming
with them, and did his best to make them happy. The
recollections of those days inspire the writer to drop a
kindly word that will brighten the memory of the impulsive,
erring, warm-hearted, good-natured, noisy, Albert Holt. May
the Good Father, who behold the longest lives of men as but
moments, see wherein his virtues out-balance his faults, and
may he rest in peace.
BENJAMIN REYNOLDS DEAD
IRONTON REGISTER, JANUARY 6, 1908
Benjamin Reynolds, a well known colored resident of this city,
died at his home at Eighth and Adams street an early hour
Sunday morning of pneumonia, from which he had been sick but a
brief period.
At the time of his
death, Mr. Reynolds was 75 years old. He was born in
Greenbriar county, W. Va. May 22, 1833 and his parents were
slaves in the family of Dr. Livesay of this city. During the
Civil war, he was the attendant of the elder Livesay, who was
an officer in the Union Army. At other times he was in full
charge of their farm, and was always a trustworthy slave and
employee. He came to Ironton in 1864, and was employed by John
Peters, Sr. in whose employ he remained until the death of Mr.
Peters.
In 1867, he married
Miss Anna Garrison, and she with four children survive him.
The children are Charles of Ironton, Morris of Chicago, Mrs.
Elva Murphy of Ironton and Miss Andris Reynolds of Washington,
D. C. Morris and Andris were not at home when Mr. Reynolds
died, but both arrived here today to attend the funeral.
The deceased was a
member of the A. M. E. Church of this city and had been on its
official board for many years. He was very highly respected by
all who knew him. For several years...(need copy of ending)
"UNCLE MOSE"
Ironton Register, December 6, 1888
Charleston, W. Va., Dec. 3.
Correspondence of the Register.
Yesterday was Sunday. The bell in the steeple of the Colored
Baptist Church, with slow and measured time struck four score
and ten, for these were the number of "Uncle Mose's" years.
Uncle Mose was black. He had been a slave in the Eastwood
family for more than half a century, and for a quarter of a
century since "Old Marse Abe" sat him free, he has steadfastly
refused to be separated from them, for the Eastwoods were kind
to Mose and he loved them.
Saturday last he
died. There was no "dark river" for Uncle Mose to cross. He
had kept "In de middle of de road" all his life. Neither
looking "to de right nor to de left," but straight on until
his feet got tired, and he laid down to rest.
The steady stroke of
the bell had more than usual solemnity in its tones to the
hundreds that new Uncle Mose. They told of infancy, of
childhood, then of young manhood, of middle age, then of old
age, then of more old age. For years he had lived in a
comfortable little house provided for him by the writer's
brother-in-law, Mr. Henry Eastwood.
During the war I knew
him - then an old man. He drove the Quartermaster's post team
- four slick, fat mules, and nearly every old soldier who was
camped at Charleston during the war will remember "Uncle Mose,"
and drop a tear to his memory. HOLLIDAY
Death of
Mrs. Matilda Johnson
Ironton Journal, July 19, 1871
Died at Portsmouth,
Ohio, June 26th, Mrs. Matilda Johnson, mother of Gabriel of
this city, age 85 years. She was born a slave in Virginia and
was manumitted by the administrator of the estate of John
Ward, in 1825. She has been a resident of Lawrence County,
Ohio for 46 years. (abstracted).
FORMER SLAVE DIES AT
GREENUP
"Uncle" Tom McCaffney, a former slave, died Tuesday at 5
o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Jennie Proxler of
Greenup, on his ninetieth birthday. Funeral arrangements have
not been completed but the services will be held at the Stapf
funeral home at Greenup with burial in the Riverview cemetery
there.
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