# The Afro-American Press and Its Editors/Appendix

APPENDIX.
Rev. T. J. Smith, John M. Clark, and A. C. Delphy, A. B. of the "Broad Axe," Pittsburg, Pa.
Rev. T. J. Smith, better known as Broad-Axe Smith, was born at Sandy Lake, Mercer County, Pa., on the 29th, of December, 1838. He entered the ministry at the age of seventeen, and was connected with the Underground Rail Road. He embarked on the sea of Journalism with twenty-five cents in cash, borrowed money, in 1881. He first published the "Colored Citizen" and as it seemed the Colored Citizen had no rights which its subscribers were pecuniarly bound to respect, it went to the bottom of the sea. Shortly afterward he started the daily Wasp but got stung so badly that he had to hew it to death with a Broad-Axe. The Broad-Axe still lives, hewing to the line, letting the chips fall where they may.
John M. Clark, one of the proprietors and publishers of the Broad-Axe, was born at Drummonsville, Ontario, May, 1850. He started life as a butcher, and afterward went into the horseshoeing business. He is now a contractor and one of the editors of the Broad-Axe.
J. C. Delphy, A. B. was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., on July 14, 1857. Shortly after graduating from Howard University, Washington, D. C. in 1881, he became correspondent for the ​Cleveland Gazette. In 1882, associated with E. A. Knox, J. A. Strickland and R. Day Jr., he edited the Pittsburgh Commoner. Since 1884 he has been associate editor of the Broad-Axe.
Rev. C. H. Payne, D. D. of the "Pioneer," Huntington, Va.
Christopher H. Payne was born near the Red Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, Virginia, since West Virginia, September 7, 1848.
His father was free born and mother was set free by her owner. The subject of this sketch was their only child. He was left fatherless when about three years old.
His mother, having received the rudiments of an English education from her master, became the anxious teacher of her little son. He learned rapidly and had read through the New Testament when he was but ten years old.
While quite young, he married Miss Ann Hargo, a lady who has clung to him in adversity as well as honored him in prosperity.
They have born to them two girls and four boys, all of whom they are striving to educate.
They own a comfortable home in Hinton, W. V.
Mr. Payne's first lessons in school were learned in a night school in Charleston, W. V.
From this place, he returned to his home where he engaged in farming. He often plowed with his arithmetic between the plow handles and would commit a rule to memory while his horse was resting. He would sometimes walk two or three miles at night, to get some one to solve a problem for him.
In a short time; he began to teach in the public schools of Mercer, Monroe and Summers counties. ​He became a Christian in 1875, was licensed to preach in 1876, and fully ordained to the gospel ministry in 1877.
In September of the same year, he entered the Richmond Institute, now the Richmond Theological Seminary.
Here by dilligent study and Christian deportment, he won the implicit confidence and universal respect of students and teachers. He graduated from this school in 1883.
He belongs to the Baptist denomination and has, more than once, been appointed to address the national assemblies of white Baptists in their annual meetings.
The church at Coal Valley of which he has been pastor six years is one of the most nourishing in the State of W. Va,
In 1885, he established the West Virginia Enterprise, at that time the only weekly negro journal in the state.
While editor of this paper, he did much toward creating a sentiment in favor of negro equality before the law and in arousing in many an ambition to buy land, build homes and educate themselves.
He had been correspondent to the Virginia Star, the Richmond Planet and to several other negro as well as to white journals.
In 1884, he was alternate to the national republical convention that met at Chicago, and in 1888, he represented the Third Congressional District of West Va. in the convention that nominated Hon, Benjamin Harrison for President of the United States,
He has been tendered the nomination for the state legislature and has been a member of the congressional committee for six years.
He exerted such an influence in the politics of W. Va. in 1888, that Gen. Goff and other leading men in the state, credit him largely with success of the republican party in that year.
​The Republican executive committee the entire state ticket and many other prominent men, in the state and out, endorsed him for minister to Liberia in 1889.
In 1890, the State University of Ky. conferred upon him the degree of D. D.
In the same year he was appointed deputy collector of internal revenue, with his office in the custom house, Charleston.
It was solely thought the efforts of Dr. Payne and Prof. Byrd Prillerman that, in 1891, the legislature of W. Va. established the Mechanical and Agricultural College in Kanawha County for the benefit of the negro youth of the state.
It was in this year that he became one of the proprietors of the Pioneer, a weekly journal printed in Huntington with Rev. I. V. Bryant editor in chief.
As a preacher and an orator he is dignified and eloquent.
As a writer, he is polemic, his diction pure, and his style graceful.
He is unquestionably, the most representative negro in the state of W. Va., both in religion and politics.
Rev. Jeremiah R. B. Smith, Time Honored Afro-American Contributor.
The subject of our sketch, the Rev. Jeremiah R. B. Smith, was born in Brooklyn, N. Y., on the 19th day of April, 1846. His father, whose name was Francis Smith, was a native of Virginia, and, though born a slave, became a portrait painter and after attaining his freedom practiced his art with credit in New York City. His mother was a native of New Jersey, likewise born a slave: her maiden name was Sarah Jane Van Dorn.
​J. R. B. Smith commenced his schooling in his native city, and was a pupil of Professor Wilson who taught what was known as the "Willoughby Street School." At the death of his father he removed to Buffalo, where he attended the Vine Street School. Among his teachers were Professor Pierce and Theodore Hawley, the latter now Bishop of Hayti. He afterward removed to Toronto, and while there studied at the Model Grammar School and the Upper Canada College. At the age of 13 he became noted as a writer on The Toronto Globe, then edited by the Hon. George Brown. Later on he became a contributor to The Anglo-African, a paper devoted to the interests of the negro race. While in Canada he was actively indentified with all matters pertaining to the amelioration of the condition of fugitives who sought refuge under the British flag.
Though young, he took part in the meetings of, and met with John Brown, the hero of Harper's Ferry.
At the age of 16 he returned to the United States, and settled at Rochester, N. Y. In the same year he entered the army and served for three months in the 54th Massachusetts regiment. Being discharged therefrom in consequence of his being under age, he afterward enlisted in the 27th regiment of the United States colored troops, which was organized at Delaware, Ohio. He became a non-commissioned officer of the same, and was wounded in an engagement in front of Petersburg on July 30, 1864; he was also engaged in the battles of Chain's Farm, Strawberry Plains, and Cold Harbor, and took part in the battle of Fort Fisher, and in the capture of Wilmington. He was then, with others, detailed by General Terry to organize the first Sunday School among the freedmen of that city.
Mr. Smith subsequently spent some time in the South, and in 1872 became permanently connected with affairs political in the State of New York. He was delegate to the Colored Men's State convention at Troy, N. Y., and was chosen by that party delegate to the Republican State convention which was held at Elmira. He was largely instrumental in having the Rev. William F. Butler sent as a delegate-at-large to the Philadelphia convention which renominated President Grant. Under the direction of the National and State committee he took an active part in the political canvass of that year. In 1873, together with William H. Johnson, a prominent citizen of Albany, he was active in securing the passage of the Civil Rights Bill in New York State. In 1876 he served as first vice-president of the Colored Men's State committee, of which the Rev. Henry Highland Garnett, D. D., was chairman, and spoke largely in New York and other States.
In 1877 he became the editor of The Western Echo in Bath, N. Y., which paper was the organ of the colored men of the State. While at Bath he rendered efficient aid in the establishment of the Soldiers' Home in that place. The office of The Echo was afterward removed to Utica, N. Y., and in 1881 the paper was located in Brooklyn, with an office in New York City, and did good work in assisting the election of Hon. Seth Low as Mayor of Brooklyn.
In 1882 Mr. Smith joined the conference of the African M. E. Zion's church and is now a prominent member of the same. ​In 1887 he was elected, and in 1888 re-elected, chaplain-in-chief of the G. A. R. department of New York, being the first of his race to hold an elective position in that organization. He attained the distinguished honor of being the first of the colored race to offer prayer in the Senate of the State of New York. His re-election to the above chaplaincy in 1888 was by an almost unanimous vote in the face of many competitors.
In the same year at Columbus, O., he was elected president of the association composed of officers and men who served as colored troops, which position he still holds.
He continues to be a writer for the press, being a contributor to The National Tribune of Washington, D. C., The G. A. Journal of New York State, The Star of Zion—the organ of Zion's connection—and other papers and periodicals devoted to the advancement of the race.
Mr. Smith is yet a comparatively young man, enjoying the companionship of a charming family. He married in 1867, at Rochester, Miss Rachel Murphy, a sister to the wife of Charles R. Douglass, son of the race orator, Fred Douglass. He is a talented man, a fluent speaker, and believes in the future of his race with strong faith.
C. E. Yarboro, Esq., Editor The Southern Appeal.
The Southern Appeal is a bright newsy weekly and reflects credit upon its sprightly management. Its Democratic advocacy has made it one of the most popular negro journals in the South and Editor Yarboro has made it a paying institution. Though only 28 years of age, he is a power in the cause which he has espoused. Our journalism would be without a prominent personage if he should sever his connection.