Remarks By Frances Colbert Terrell Before the Friends of Local History Collections

 Remarks By

Frances Colbert Terrell

Before the

Friends of Local History Collections

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Good Evening.  I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the African American descendants of Ft Ward and the Seminary Community.  First of all, let me say up front.  I am not an orator.  Since my retirement from the Federal Government 10 years ago, any remarks I’ve given have been infrequent, short and generally before the members of the Oakland Baptist Church.   I’m really nervous so, please, bear with me.  

I must say though that this is a really proud moment for us.  For roughly two centuries the prevalent information, -- stories, photos, movies, TV shows-- exhibited and talked about have shown African Americans in the most negative and heinous of circumstances, as slaves, house negroes, raped, beaten, chased by dogs, hanged, picking cotton, and eating watermelon.  And now thanks to a commemoration of the Civil War and the Union Military Base of Ft Ward, an opportunity has arisen to show them in a more positive light, with dignity and accomplishment.  Who would have thought it!!  We salute our ancestors, for had it not been for them and the Lord on our side, we would not be where we are today.  Our research has shown that our descendants possibly lived in and around Ft Ward even before the Civil War. Certainly that they served in the War as United States Colored Troops in the Defenses of Washington, worked at the Episcopal High school which had been converted to a  Hospital, were teamsters, ambulance drivers, loaded ships, trains, wagons, and played a major role in preserving the Union and ending slavery.  In fact, it has been documented that there was an extensive presence of African American refugees in the area of the Fort and that African American men, women and children worked in support of the Union. 

 Then in 1865, the war ended.  The Union Soldiers left.  African Americans had gained their freedom.   Now what?  Coming out of a war;  after enduring and suffering through centuries of slavery,  through no fault of their own. We certainly did not ask to come to America.  We certainly did not sneak across any borders to get here.  A people who had never known independence in America, who did not get the promised 40 acres and a mule, were left to their own devices.  What to do?  Where to go? Where to live?   Fort Ward had been abandoned, and to them, this was a refuge. 

Through sheer strength of will, determination, fortitude, guts, and against all odds, they fashioned a life here at Ft Ward, an abandoned union fort; then out of necessity, developed an entire viable self sustaining community that’s still very much in existence today.  It’s undergone many changes, but we’re still here.  

Our ancestors, most of them coming from Fauquier County, first appeared in the U.S. Census as living at Fort Ward in 1870.  They were Burr and his wife Harriett Shorts.  Harriett was a widow and had several children.  However, in June 1865, they had a daughter Clara Shorts (Adams) who lived at Ft Ward until 1952.  Next door was Menokin, the home of Cassius F. Lee and his wife Ann Eliza Lee.  Burney McKnight, Harriett’s daughter, is shown as living as a servant in the Cassius Lee household.  Burr Shorts paid for a survey in 1879 for 10 acres of land at the Fort in 1879, obtaining a deed in 1884.  The property was subsequently divided up between family members.  Families residing at the Fort, which is what we called it, consisted of the Shorts, McKnights, Wanzers, Adams, Cravens, Thomas, Caseys, and Terrells.  Families at the Fort established a school that later was converted to a church.  This first school for African Americans in the area of the Seminary was in all likelihood established by the founders of the Oakland Baptist Mission.   That church was later closed and became the home of the Young Family.  From this core group at Fort Ward, and a few others in the area, the entire African American community of Seminary was developed.   That Community extended from the 1000 block of N. Quaker and Johnson’s Lane, which was about 7 feet north of Bishop Lane, across from the locked gate of the Theological Seminary, back to roughly the Chinquapin area, crossing over to King Street where the Chinquapin Rec Center sits now;  then cross over  King to West Braddock Road where the Everly Wheatley  Funeral Home is located, back to the King, Braddock and Quaker intersection.    You’ll love this one.  My grandfather, Douglas Johnson, originally from Fauquier County, purchased his one-acre of  land at 1001 N. Quaker in 1923 from William Ashby (Ft Ward) for the outlandish  price of Twelve Hundred – Fifty Dollars ($1250.00) and he had a 7 year mortgage. Try that now!!!   In fact, some of my family still live on part of  that property today.  My cousin Carol Daniels lives at 1001, my grandfather’s house; I live at 1005, my uncle’s house; and my brother Fred Colbert lives in my parents house at 1009 N. Quaker.

 The historic Oakland Baptist Church, was founded in 1888 as the Oak Hill Baptist Mission in Fairfax.   After acquiring land in 1891, it moved to its current location at 3408 King St, City of Alexandria, in 1895.  Its founders were Clara Adams, William Terrell, J.W. Casey, William Carpenter, Brook Johnson, Maggie Hall, Harriett Shorts, Nancy Shepherd, Daniel Simms and Smith Wanzer.  These latter two gentlemen being my great grandfather and great uncle.   And of course, the church’s cemetery was and is located at Ft Ward on property originally owned by Burr and Harriett Shorts and conveyed to the Church by Clara Adams in 1944. 

The first AA school in the City of Alexandria, located where TC Williams sits now, includes 2 acres of land conveyed by a former slave, Douglas Wood, Sr. in 1927, for the purpose of building a “colored” school called simply the Seminary School.  Douglas Wood was one of the AA families that settled in Seminary in the 1870s and 1880s.  The families worked primarily at the Theological Seminary and Episcopal High School as gardeners, carpenters, cooks, laundresses, and maids.

In the late 1950’s - early 60’s, the City moved the residents out of Ft Ward to establish the Park & Museum, which disrupted the tranquility of those residents at Ft Ward and again in 1962, the City displaced our community once again to build TC Williams High School.  But, we’re still here.

Enough history, this is what we would like to see at the Fort – inclusion of our history at the Park, signage perhaps indicating where the residents of Ft Ward lived and where the school/church was located.  We’ve discussed a model of the community that resided there strategically located, photos in the museum of an African American presence during the war, USCTs, or even as  laborers, the Oakland Baptist Cemetery properly respected,  and AA actors participating in the Civil War re-enactment each year.

We appreciate the efforts and support provided us by the City’s archeology staff, Office of Historic Alexandria, Parks and Recreation and Museum staff.  Additionally, we appreciate the support of citizens from the local area, Dave Cavanaugh, Glenn Eugster and others for their dedication, support and faithfulness.

Thank you.