Breaking The Brick Wall - Sarah (Hewlett) Atlas
The AtlasFamily.Org Genealogy Research Team has again been able to break through the brick wall regarding the earliest traceable ancestors of our family and their slave pasts.
Discovered today was the name of the former slave owner of Robert J. Hewlett. Robert was the father of Sarah (Hewlett) Atlas. Sarah was the wife of William Steven Atlas, Sr. and the daughter in law of King Atlas, Sr. In addition to naming the last slave owner, details regarding Robert's life and civic activities were also uncovered. The ability to obtain this information was made possible by new publications being added to Google Books.
Robert J. Hewlett was born between 1809 and 1810 in Virginia, as per the 1870 US Census and his testimony before a Congressional Committee. He had the following children with an unknown woman: Sarah (born between 1840-1849 in Louisiana, died May 25, 1926 in East Carroll Parish, LA), Mary (born about 1840), Henry (born about 1843), Rosaline (born about 1850). Living in his household during the 1870 US Census was his mother, named Suckey (?) Hewlett, who was born about 1792. Robert was a drayman or delivery man by occupation.
As per his testimony, Robert J. Hewlett was a slave of Mrs. James New and was willed his freedom about 1858. Another Congressional Committee document notes that he served in several positions within West Feliciana Parish, LA such as a police juror, mayor of Saint Francisville, parish treasurer, and as the Commissioner for the Insane Asylum in Jackson, LA.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2532
Digging deep into his testimony, one reads about how Robert was appointed to his position on the police jury by the Governor of Louisiana and about the intimidation that he and other police jury members faced to resign their positions. Robert also accounts how a group of white citizens were terrorizing the black registered voters in the parish and threatening them not to vote the Republican ticket. Boldly, he even named the names of the citizens who were in the group of terrorists, which is amazing considering the the culture at the time.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2533
Robert later reveals that he got the first portion of his land at the consent of his former owner using his earnings. Although there was an understanding that the land would be given to him over his lifetime, he ultimately had to buy the second portion of the land through public sale after it had been mistakenly given to the descendants of the administrators of his former owner's estate . Robert paid between $2,500 and $2,600 total for his land and owned a couple of horses. Robert also states that he has been reading, in part, for more than 30 years and that he cannot write much. He acquired both skills as a slave.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2538
Despite later being assaulted as a result of his political involvement, it's clear that Robert showed resilience while living as a free African American before the Civil War and afterward. Additional information, once unearthed, will be added to this blog and AtlasFamily.Org
Discovered today was the name of the former slave owner of Robert J. Hewlett. Robert was the father of Sarah (Hewlett) Atlas. Sarah was the wife of William Steven Atlas, Sr. and the daughter in law of King Atlas, Sr. In addition to naming the last slave owner, details regarding Robert's life and civic activities were also uncovered. The ability to obtain this information was made possible by new publications being added to Google Books.
Robert J. Hewlett was born between 1809 and 1810 in Virginia, as per the 1870 US Census and his testimony before a Congressional Committee. He had the following children with an unknown woman: Sarah (born between 1840-1849 in Louisiana, died May 25, 1926 in East Carroll Parish, LA), Mary (born about 1840), Henry (born about 1843), Rosaline (born about 1850). Living in his household during the 1870 US Census was his mother, named Suckey (?) Hewlett, who was born about 1792. Robert was a drayman or delivery man by occupation.
As per his testimony, Robert J. Hewlett was a slave of Mrs. James New and was willed his freedom about 1858. Another Congressional Committee document notes that he served in several positions within West Feliciana Parish, LA such as a police juror, mayor of Saint Francisville, parish treasurer, and as the Commissioner for the Insane Asylum in Jackson, LA.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2532
Digging deep into his testimony, one reads about how Robert was appointed to his position on the police jury by the Governor of Louisiana and about the intimidation that he and other police jury members faced to resign their positions. Robert also accounts how a group of white citizens were terrorizing the black registered voters in the parish and threatening them not to vote the Republican ticket. Boldly, he even named the names of the citizens who were in the group of terrorists, which is amazing considering the the culture at the time.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2533
Robert later reveals that he got the first portion of his land at the consent of his former owner using his earnings. Although there was an understanding that the land would be given to him over his lifetime, he ultimately had to buy the second portion of the land through public sale after it had been mistakenly given to the descendants of the administrators of his former owner's estate . Robert paid between $2,500 and $2,600 total for his land and owned a couple of horses. Robert also states that he has been reading, in part, for more than 30 years and that he cannot write much. He acquired both skills as a slave.
Testimony of Robert J. Hewlett, Reports of Committees of the Senate of the United States, for the Second Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress, 1876-1877, Page 2538
Despite later being assaulted as a result of his political involvement, it's clear that Robert showed resilience while living as a free African American before the Civil War and afterward. Additional information, once unearthed, will be added to this blog and AtlasFamily.Org
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