Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-06
A ROMANTIC CAREER.
How a Young Colored Boy became
an Orator-Brousht North by an
Augusta Pastor.

MAse., now pastor OF the MetnOuist cnufcn
in this city.
One day last week JOURNAL reporter
called on Rev. Mr.. Ross in regard to the
above article and to obtain if possible,
some additional particulars regarding the
romantic career of this young colored ora
tor. Mr.. Smallwoods lectures are always
largely attended and his writings
on the negro aud temperance ques-
| tons have attracted much attention
| Gan article of his in the Springfield
Union Of Dec. 9th on the Lodge election
bill showing broad view of the question
in all its bearings, q wide knowledge of the
condition of the colored people and deep
insight as to their needs.)
Mr.. Ross, since the night of March 18th,
1885 when Smallwood first came to his
house in Greenfield has taken most &C.
tive interest in him and gladly spoke on
the subject.
~ WISH" he said 'that J mad here the
letter which received from Smallwood
Iibsfore ever saw him. In this letter he
told me that he had bsen recommended to
write me. 1t seems that young man
on his way South met Smallwood
and saw the temperance work
he was doing for the negroes who worked
with him in the lumber camps of the Dis
NAL Swamp. This young man before going
South had heard me speak in relation to the
colored people and so told Smallwood to
write me, and such q letter. 1t deeply
impressed me. Throughout all its crudites
it bore every evidence of having been writ
ten by person imbued with a wonderful
longing for knowledge. This, together
with the fact that the writer was q young
colored man and . workman ia a Dismal
Swamp lumber camp led me to send him
sum of money sufficient to bring him to
Greenfield"
You must have thought that there were
chances the writer was an imposter?
II don't know that I thought so much
about thst. The letter was evidently
written by an honest, earnes. man or SO it
seemed to me. confess WAS a little taken
back, however, when he first made his
appearance at my house in Greenfield. He
was a typical negro laborer with the pitch
of the swamp on his clothes. 1t didn't
require long co lversation with him, how
ever, to convince me that his heart was in
the right place.
81 will give you brief outline Of
Smallwood's history previous to this time.
He was born on Hon. Marcus w. Small
woods plantation, Northampton, N. c.,
Sept. 10, 1863. When baby of five years
and ten months both his parents were sold
to a slave trader By whom they were seps
rated. He never asterward saw his father
but before her death did find
his mother and sisters. After the
war and when he had reached the
age of ten years his master informed
him that he was bound till twenty -one years
of age. Several times he ran away, was
caught and whipped. Finally when nearly
twenty. one he escaped and went to work 10
the Dismal Swamp lumber camps. Here
the employer, to keep the negroes in their
employ raid them out of the company
stores and managed to keep the colored
people always in debt. Among other
articles sold them was liquor and 1t was the
direful effects Of thi. that caused young
Smallwocd to enter upon temperance agi
ta,ien during which he got many people to
sign the pledge.
"When he came to Green field in the
spring of IS l gave him a room at my
house and helped him to work and intro
duced him to DR.. Crowell of Wilbrahsm
A little later he entered the academy and
remsined there for two terms. This was
the first time he ever was in schoolhouse
When but thirteen years old be hxd got hold ,
through chance, of an old Webster's spell
ing book out of which he learned his let
tiers and how to form words. He after
wards during bis leisure hours learned to
write. When be entered Wilbraham Acad-
envy he only had Sl4 in his pocket
During his vacation there seemsd to be
no work he could do there. One of his
classmates got him q contrac. with G New
York merchant to work in one of his luT-
1
Smallwood went on to New York to meet
the man the latte- on fading he was colcred
ordered him out Of his Office with oaihs that
weren't choice. Finally he went back to
| Virginia 10 work.
He could not be idle, however. and or
all available occasions spoke upon temper
snce and the rights of the negros.
| Ills temperance movement resulted in
some 1000 coiored people signing the
pledge. This was displeasing to their
employers who wished TO sell them liquor.
Then came the local option campaign into
which Smallwcod entered With all his accus-
toned esrnestae.s. His influence was 90
great that he was enabled 10 carry for pro-
hibition three counties that before this we're
known - vet
| BE csuse of this SmslIwood was mobbed
on one occasion. and all the negroes who
hsd voted dry we're turned out of employ
ment. Smsliwood vent on to North Caro-
lima and finally found employment for many
Of these and assisted in moving their fam
lilies down there.
| "His success a. temperance orator be
came so noticeable that an attempt was
made in ore place down South to have him
address a mixed audience. He finally con-
sented to speak In the Methodist church
and electrified his audience. I have
somewhere among my papers" said Mr.
Ross, 1.-THE manuscript of that speech and
consider it really wonderful.
st was not long before political honors
were offered him all Of which he declined
though some Of them we're very tempting
He had shown such qualities Of leadership
thst he was nominated TO Congress as 8
temperance convent IN in Virginia bat De
cliped on the ground that he vas . poor,
uneducs'ed negro anc that he was nc.
ready for political hoaors till h.
should lave become sn educate,l
man. The Springfield {Msss.) Uuion
made mention of this esch - r
remarkable one expressing such lofty sent
ents that could not be expected in mar