I recently added the book, Slavery’s End in Tennessee, 1861-1865 to the bibliography list. I perused this book once during a visit to the TN State Archives as I was looking for information about the Napier family. The book is a good resource for understanding the broader picture of blacks after slavery in Tennesse. For those interested, Table 7 on pages 111-112 presents a table of black political leaders.
The table presents names, Legal Status and Occupation. From Nashville are listed:
- James Caffreey – Free – Farmer
- Anderson Cheatham – Free – Grocer & liquor dealer
- Ben J. Hadley – Slave – Liquor dealer
- Henry Harding – Slave – Construction contractor, liquor dealer, hotel keeper
- Wade Hickman – Slave – Liquor dealer
- Daniel Lapsly – ? – Barber
- Peter Lowery – Free – Disciples of Christ preacher, livery stable operator, general business agent
- Samuel Lowery – Free – Disciples of Christ missionary
- John McGowen – Free – Barber
- H.J. Maxwell – Free Northener – Sergeant
- Alfred Menifee – Free – Grocer
- Napoleon Merry – Free – Methodist preacher, stone mason
- Nelson Merry – Free – Baptist minister
- William C. Napier – Free – Hack driver
- Frank Parrish – Free – Barber
- Hardy Perry – Free – Hack line operator
- George Scott – Free – Shoemaker or pressman
- William B. Scott – Free – Editor of Nashville Colored Tennessean
- Abraham Smith – Slave – Porter at the state capitol building
- Jerry Stothart – Free – Hack driver
- George Sumner – Free – Hack driver
- James Sumner – Free – Hack driver
- W. Alex Sumner – Free – Livery stable operator, liquor dealer, grocer
- Andrew Tate – Free – Boatman
- Daniel Wadkins – Free – Disciples of Christ preacher, teacher, farm laborer
- Nelson Walker – Free – Barber
