Contributed by Teresa Douglass, Genealogy Specialist
As we celebrate African American History Month, we leave you with a few additional images of past Harrison County citizens and highlight some of the many African American history resources available at the Frederick Porter Griffin Center. These include individual family files and several history files that contain a variety of articles, research, and writing on African American history. Obituaries, cemetery records, and school resources can provide helpful information, as can maps and newspaper articles. Our collection also includes several sources on the Underground Railroad in Indiana, as well as various works on significant periods of African American history.
Resources that focus specifically on Harrison County include:
- Earl Saulman’s “Blacks in Harrison County, Indiana, A History”
- “From Poplar Street to the Leora Brown School: A Look at African American Education in Corydon, Indiana,” by Marti Suddarth
- “Walk Along with Us: From Africa to Harrison County, Indiana” by Barbara Shannon
- “The Role of Free Blacks in Indiana’s Underground Railroad,” by Maxine Brown
The Griffin Center also has a collection of newspaper clippings on local African American individuals and communities from 1870-2004, as well as an early register of African Americans dating to the 1850s.
Annie Belle Lewis (ca. 1873-1941).
Annie was the daughter of Philip and Malinda Wordling Lewis of Corydon. She worked many years as a servant and nanny for the Griffin family.
Anna Mitchem White (ca. 1850-1928).
Anna was the daughter of Andrew Mitchem. She married William White with whom she had several children. Anna was no stranger to hard work and loss. By 1900, Anna was a widow and had also lost five children. She had three children left at home, ages 11 to 16, and worked as a servant. Her eldest son, William, also lived with her, along with his wife and two children. In 1905, William also died. Anna continued to work as a laundress and housekeeper until her death in 1928.
William Brown Jr. (1889-1929).
“Willie” Brown was the son of William and Margaret Ann Brown of Corydon. Willie served overseas in World War I, then returned to Corydon where he worked as a laborer.
