Neither Black Nor White: the Saga of an American Family

JOSEPH E. HOLLOWAY'S ANCESTRY ON HIS PATERNAL SIDE OF THE Family unit

This is the paternal family tree of Joseph E. Holloway starting with my begetter James Thomas Holloway, who was actually Jimmie T Holloway, his father James Holloway, his male parent Joseph Holloway and his father Deter Holloway, who are straight  paternal descendants of J T Holloway Joseph E. Holloway, Theresa Holloway and Linda Marie Holloway. The origins of the Black Holloways tin be traced back to Charleston, South Carolina to a blackness slave possessor by the proper noun of Richard Holloway.  In my search for family unit history I volition put forth why I think and believe that the origins of the Black Holloways might go back to the Black slave owner Richard Holloway and to the costless Black Holloway family unit of North Carolina.  The further yous get back in time the fewer the Holloways become.  We know that the epicenter for the Black Holloways was Due north and South Carolina, where in that location existed two wings of the Holloway family either related directly or members of the same extended family, who probably mixed in with their slaves as Richard Holloway did and possibility his son Richard Holloway Jr.  All the same before venturing into this possible connection I will first start with my mother's own story and what she told me regarding my male parent James Thomas Holloway. I touched on this subject field in my first historical novel regarding my mother maternal side of the family unit in Neither Black Nor White: The Saga of An American Family unit. I never really knew my father and merely remember shadows of a human being passing into the sunset driving a 1952 Dark-green De Soto, merely I will nowadays what I accept discovered through the U.s. Census records.

My search for family unit history began with me asking my mother why she left Colfax, Louisiana. She had left Colfax, Louisiana in 1944 and arrived in Los Angeles, California with her first cousin Luke Hadnot.  She related an incident on 3^rd street in Alexandria, Louisiana.  She was on a coach and a black soldier with his compatible on decided to sit in the section reserved for whites only.  The jitney driver told the soldier to go his black donkey to the back of the charabanc with the other Niggers.  The soldier refused.  I black lady from the "Negro"  section of the bus came up to the soldier and said "sir this is Louisiana and these white folks down hither are meaner than other white folks, and I am begging y'all to come to the back with remainder of the states."  The soldier replied: "I just left Frg fighting for his freedom against that Nazi mother fucker Hitler, and I am not going to allow this crimson neck cracker make me move to the dorsum of the motorbus."  The bus driver said to the soldier, "Nigger this is the last time I am going to ask you lot to take your Nigger black ass to the dorsum of the bus."

The soldier refused to motion and the bus commuter stopped the bus got his bat from backside his seat and with one powerful accident shattered the soldier head with particle of his brain and blood materials on my female parent's Sunday best white dress.  She told me she ran off the bus with others screaming that the bus driver killed the soldier and she said "from that moment on I knew I could no longer stay in Louisiana.  My cousins Ellis, Rock, Willie Lee, and Rueben Hadnot were already in Los Angeles, so this was the logical place for me to go."

Not beingness satisfied with her answer, I asked my mother over again  why did she actually get out her dwelling in Colfax, Louisiana and she said that she could not fit in because she was considered  neither black nor white. So, I asked her what she meant and she replied: "I was too white for black folks and not white enough for white folks.  My mother Clara known every bit Sis passed her white first cousin daily on the Colfax dirt road and they would not speak, every bit was the southern tradition, simply would lower their heads in acknowledgement of each other, fifty-fifty though, they looked like sisters.  I moved to Los Angeles to have a new life not determined past race, grade, color or condition.  When I married your father I looked for the blackest man I could find on the planet, and that was your father the preacher man, but he was no good.  I only have 1 wish." "Okay mother what is that wish?" "That you don't abound upwardly to be similar your good for nothing daddy."

She met the Reverend James Thomas Holloway subsequently attending his church building with her cousins, Ellis Hadnot, Rock Hadnot, Luke Hadnot and Willie Hadnot.  I discovered this when my cousin Ellis Hadnot was on his death bed, and I came to visit him at the hospital and he said: "Exercise I accept to be on my expiry bed to go a visit from you?  I am going to tell you a little about your history.  My wife Dorothy, your mother and myself where members of your father'southward church.  We use to sing in his choir.  She met your father and they married and out of this human relationship your sister Theresa, yourself and your sister Linda were born.  Your female parent and father owned a four-plex on Bunker Colina.  Her business firm disregarded Prc Town on Broadway.  I lived there while I was working on building the Los Angeles Metropolis Hall. I of my blood brother lived in one unit, me and your aunty Dorothy in another, and her sister Leola and your Uncle Gus lived in some other unit.  Your male parent liked immature beautiful women and your mother was a real beauty like all the Hadnot women—directly hair, white peel, blue or green eyes.  Your mother eyes were olive like Elizabeth Taylor.  She looked almost white and your father liked that because he was not yellow like the residuum of us.  I don't call back that you knew this about him.  There is much more, but I won't hash out that with you because I am tired and need to rest and besides it is personal and private."

Later my mother told me the reason she left my father was because he never came dwelling and she discovered he had families upward and down California.  She told me that he was once arrested for getting the Deacon's thirteen year former girl of his Church on Key Avenue pregnant.   She left her Bunker Colina house and moved to the Aliso Village Federal Projection when I was three years sometime.  I have no memory of my father other than a shadow of a human being driving off into the fade of night in green 1951 De Soto.  He would come to my Aunty Leola business firm and they would try and get me to come over without my mother discovering that he was in town.  Just every try to reach me failed because my female parent e'er discover what they were trying to exercise.

Now regarding my brother J. T. Holloway my father's first son with Minnie Finley.  I recall my mother mentioned that my father had one son when she met him.  She said he would always bring him with him and that she remembered that he was a trivial fat boy.  Unknowing to me and my sisters my aunty Dorothy called united states of america over and said that we accept a brother name J. T. Holloway and here is his address and phone number. He had been a world champion rustler until he broke his neck in a match.  One twenty-four hours J. T. arrived at our duplex weighing almost 700 pounds maxim I am your long lost blood brother J. T. We had a great human relationship with J. T. and his mother Minnie Finley for a number of years.  J. T died of a massive heart attacked on the day he was being released from the hospital while nevertheless at the hospital, in that, he was brain decease from that moment.  Minnie worked equally a firm keeper for some rich white folks in Beverly Hills, who retired her and when she passed they paid for her funeral and had this poor washer women cached in an expensive tomb.

I was one time in Fresno, California interviewing for a job at the university and the chair of the Department of History commented there are Holloways out hither and they all looked like you except they are all white.  One time I returned to Los Angeles I related this incident to my mother and she confirmed.  Yes, your begetter was with a white woman in Fresno and yep I knew most it.  He also had a family in San Diego with a Hawai'ian women and they are known equally the blackness Hawai'ians.  But we know them as the Hawaiian Holloways.  How come you never told me about this and she answered "because it is none of your business concern what adults exercise."

In 1971, I was at a family unit reunion in Pineville, Louisiana and became interested in family history.  I noticed that some at the family reunion were white and related. I asked my female parent nigh all the white folks at the reunion and she commented.  "All-time to permit sleeping dog lie." Then, not knowing anything almost the Hadnot side of the family I started researching my mother maternal side of the Hadnot family

The young girl in the picture is Cora "Lady" Hadnot with her female parent Helen Newman Hadnot, who was the 2d wife of William Hadnot my great-great-great grandfather.  While in Alexandria, Louisiana I met a distant cousin from the Newman-Hadnot side of the family. His proper name was William Snyder and he started telling me family unit stories that went back to slavery.  At the time cousin Snyder was 71 years young. He approached me: "Hey practise you want to see one of the slave plantation of one of you Hadnot relative?"

I answered "are you lot serious?"  Not knowing anything about family unit history at the time. He said: "come on I am going to requite y'all a tour of family unit history.  You will non find any of these things I am going to tell you in whatsoever history books."  He took me to a very large plantation in the centre of Alexander.  Nosotros walked out to the door to be greeted past a adult female who I though was white.  She saw the surprise on my face and said: "By the fashion, I am a Black women."  She could easily passed for white without whatever effort.  "My proper noun is Cora Hadnot, simply everyone simply call me "Lady."  She was indeed a Lady with bluest of eyes and very aristocratic Lady, who was proud of her rich southern civilisation and heritage.  At 96 year old, she was born in 1875 and nonetheless a diva cultured in the best of southern manners and heritage.  She was an extremely attractive woman and total of grace.  She was living on a sprawling plantation just outside of Alexandria urban center.  Lady proceeded to tell me about her family and her father William Hadnot Jr. The estate she was living on had been one of the original plantation of her grandfather William Hadnot Sr.  She remembered her great-grandfather somewhat, but she had a better retentiveness of her father'due south starting time wife Celia Hughes Hadnot.  She described Lucille (Celia) Hughes Hadnot.  Celia had long ruby pilus and could laissez passer for white; her brothers and sisters were white.  Her father, Captain Hughes, owned ane of the largest plantations in Jasper, Texas and was a member one of the most prominent families in the area believed to exist direct descendants of the Billionaire Howard Hughes.

Celia was born in 1835, reputedly a distant relative to Howard Hughes, "the aviator." In New Orleans she had children with five white men—Hadnot, Daniels, Torry, Davis and Briggs.  With Celia William Hadnot Jr. birthed Reuben and Catherine Hadnot.  Later, she had a son with John Torry, who was named Robert Lee Torry.    She as well had a son with Benjamin Davis, Lonnie Briggs and Ernest Daniels.  Daniels had Jewish heritage.  William Hadnot later on married Helen Newman, the women in the picture holding her daughter Cora "Lady" Hadnot.  Helen Hadnot bore most of his children---William, Corina, Charles Henry, Loleta, Helen, Dorothy, Loubertha and Hazel.

I traced my mother Hadnot roots to Gloucester, England in 1585 to a Hadnot Plantation in Onslow, N Carolina in the 1700s to New Orleans with the birth of Lucille Catherine (Celia) Hughes-Hadnot, the matriarch of six families—Briggs, Davis, Daniels, Douglas, Hadnot and Torry.  These descendants were Blacks, who were never enslaved simply owners of slaves.  They were people who regarded themselves as "Neither Blackness Nor White." From my 30 years of research, I told my mother what I had discovered regarding family history and she made me promise never to write virtually it until she passed.  Half-dozen months later on her death I wrote my historical novel Neither Black Nor White: The Saga of An American Family.

THE HOLLOWAY SIDE OF THE FAMILY TREE

Now my investigation into the history of my father side of the family—the Holloways.  I always had assumed that his descendants were enslaved until I found axiomatic which suggested the opposite as a will discuss much afterwards. My mother refused to talk over anything regarding family other than "you can be anything yous want to be except y'all cannot exist a preacher similar your no for expert daddy." Aunt Dorothy who was married to my female parent's kickoff cousin Ellis Hadnot once told me that she saw my father in Hollywood practicing medicine.  He had several akas including Dr. Holloway, Rev. James Thomas Holloway and was also known as the Rev. Joshua Holloway. I remembered every fourth dimension white worker came to our house they e'er addressed my female parent equally Chief.  I asked her "how come these white men always chosen you chief?" And, she would applied: "because they retrieve I am an Indian because of my high cheek bones."  She would always end her replied with "that'south the reason I left Colfax because I did not fit in. "As well white for black folks and not white plenty for white folks."

My father name on my nascence document is James Thomas Holloway.  I searched the U.S. demography information and institute numerous James Thomas Holloway, only they were all white.  Something was wrong, but I could not put my finger on it.  Finally, Cousin Laverne said you will have to detect out about your begetter through other people he had been associated with, and at that moment I remembered his first wife Minnie Lou Finley.  I plant her marriage document and her married man was listed as Jimmie T Holloway.  Eureka! To my discovery James Thomas Holloway was Jimmie T Holloway. Minnie Finley told me that my father and her never divorced and she had ane son J. T. Holloway.  Minnie and my father married in 1935 and they lived in Leary, Texas before moving Texarkana in Bowie, Texas on Apr the outset in 1940.  Minnie Lou Finley was built-in in 1913 in Bowie Canton, Texas, and Jimmie T Holloway was born in Texarkana in 1917.  They moved to Los Angeles around 1940.  J. T. Holloway passed a number of years ago and recently my sister Linda Mae Holloway passed in 2018 at age threescore-viii.  Of my father's children, only 2 remain Joseph Due east. Holloway and Theresa Holloway-Howell.

On the 1930 U.Due south. Census the father of Jimmie T Holloway, James Holloway was 41 years old, which might non be his correct age because on that demography his birth is approximate that he was born in 1866.  If you lot subtract 41 from 1930 it gives you lot 1889. In that location was a Joseph Holloway who vote in George in 1867. More likely there were two Joseph Holloway in the family unit. On the Fifteen census of the United States population schedule. James Holloway children are listed as Jimmie T Holloway, who was 13 years sometime.  Jimmie T had a blood brother named F T Holloway, who was born in 1913 and he had a sister Lucie Ann Holloway born in 1914.  James Holloway had a brother proper name John Holloway and George Holloway. Both James Holloway parents are listed as being born in Georgia and not Bowie Texas. And then, we know that after the family left N Carolina there get-go stop was the Country of Georgia.

My cracking-great- gramps Joseph Holloway was built-in in Georgia in 1838.  After the Civil War, he qualified as a voter during Reconstruction in 1867 in Jasper, Georgia.  He must of accept been free black considering many laws such as the grandfather clause were used to continue blacks from voting unless your grandfather voted in the last election, and for well-nigh newly freed blacks their grandfathers had been enslaved and thus without the right of citizenship and the right to vote.  This provides some possible glues that the origin of the black Holloway family unit might be related to Richard Holloway of Charleston, S.C., who is listed as a voter in 1790 because he endemic real property and enslaved Africans.  We know that in that location was a thin line between principal and their enslaved Africans.  Simply as the white Hadnot had father mixed slaves, black slave owners did the same.

James Holloway, Jimmie T Holloway father was built-in in 1866 in Jasper, Georgia.  His residence was 1870 Grubbs and Niblett Commune 373.  According to the United States demography of 1910 James Holloway was 44 years quondam which means that he was born in 1866 later on the Civil War.  Joseph Holloway begetter was Deter Holloway and on the United States Census of 1880 he was 55 years old, which ways he was born in 1825 during slavery.  Both of his parents are listed equally existence born in Kinston, Lenoir, Due north Carolina. He is listed on the regular census which means that he was a free person.  His place of birth is listed every bit Kinston Lenoir, Due north Carolina his race is listed equally Black and his occupation was a Laborer and according to the census record he could not read or write.  Deter Holloway wife was Jane Holloway age 42 and his sons Avis Holloway was 19, Ishmael Holloway 10, and Joseph Holloway 14.  His girl Lizzie Holloway 17. Flora Holloway eight, and Cinda Holloway age one.  All were born in North Carolina. And so nosotros know Due north Carolina is a starting point from 1825 on, which means that the family migrated showtime from North Carolina to Georgia then Bowie, Texas.

RICHARD HOLLOWAY SR. AND THE HOLLOWAYS IN CHARLESTON

In the search for the possible origins of the Black Holloway takes us to Charleston Metropolis, Southward Carolina, which seems to be the epicenter starting with Blackness slave owner Richard Holloway Sr., who endemic more than than 17 enslaved Africans and his sisters both Elizabeth Holloway and Catherine Holloway owned 4 enslaved Africans apiece. It is my conclusion that James Holloway descendants were either related to this Black slave owners or individuals who were enslaved on their plantations and freed afterwards slavery in 1865.

The origins of the Holloway family are traced to South Carolina the epicenter of the Holloways.  The Holloway family unit were amidst the 900 gratis families of color in Charleston during the 1790s.  Richard Holloway who was a carpenter and slave owner.  He was 1 the riches black slave owners in Charleston at the fourth dimension.  All the black slave holders in Southward Carolina including William Ellison, William Due south. Bonneau, Henry and Reuben Ellison, the Westons, the Dereefs, Sasportases, Kinlochs, and William McKinlay were members of the mulatto aristocracy and the Brown Fellowship like to the Blue Vein Social club in New Orleans.  Where membership was based on brown or yellowish skin.

While the black mulatto grade wanted to keep the color in the family unit, many fathered children with their enslaved Africans and some started out life equally enslaved African such as April Ellison, who later inverse his name to William Ellison subsequently his slave owning father.  William Ellison would become the wealthiest of the black slave owners.  The Charleston, Mulatto elite usually married among themselves.  For example, Richard Holloway Sr. and William Ellison, the two largest black slave owners in South Carolina.  Ellison'due south daughter, Frances Pinckney (Bonneau) Holloway married Richard Holloway Jr.

The U.S. government did non start taking census until 1790 and only free blacks appeared on the census.  Enslaved Africans where only listed on the slave rolls, which only mentioned the number enslaved Africans endemic by the slave owner. Richard Holloway Sr. appeared to buy enslaved Africans to guarantee them de facto liberty.  For example, Richard Holloway permitted several of his enslaved Africans to have their freedom.  He owned Charles Benford so that he could enjoy freedom.  Benford was Holloway's nominal slave, who worked actively in the Methodist Church building of Charleston City proselytizing enslaved and gratis lacks throughout the area.  Although Benford was a slave, his status did not end his quest for freedom.

In 1833, Richard Holloway purchased Maria Tunno and her ii children named Joseph and Benjamin from Robert Bentham for $350.  He allowed her to piece of work for herself and reimburse him for the money he spent to purchase her freedom.  One time she fulfilled her obligations, she was released from all claims to her by Richard Holloway.  In 1845 the Holloway family declared that Maria Tunno and her children were freed from bondage and nether no obligation to the Holloway family.  On one mitt Richard Holloway appears to be a caring master, but on the other manus, he showed that he was in the business to brand a profit.

In 1834, Richard Holloway Sr. purchased a woman named Sarah and her ii children, Annett and Edward from Susan B. Robertson for $575.  He became unhappy with them three years afterward and sold the slave family for $945, he made a profit of $370. While he purchased some enslaved Africans and allowed them to live a nominal free lives, he sold others for profit.  Richard Holloway interaction with his slaves he showed benevolence and at the same time solve to brand a profit from his enslaved Africans.

Richard Holloway was born in 1776 in Charleston, South Carolina and died on June 22, 1845 and is buried at the Brown Fellowship Lodge Cemetery. His household members included the following. Richard Holloway married Elizabeth Mitchell.  He was a carpenter past merchandise   He established Holloway's Harness and Carpenter's business concern in the late 18^thursday.  The concern prospered and Richard Holloway somewhen own 22 houses, many of which were rented to white people.  The houses were located on 39 Beaufan Street betwixt Comings and St. Philip streets in Charleston.

His married woman was Elizabeth Mitchell Holloway, children were: James Williams Holloway (1804-1840), Sarah Dianah Holloway Clark 1805-1839), Thomas C. Holloway (1809-1810), Joseph Holloway (1811-1823), Benjamin Holloway (1813-1815), Isaac C. Holloway (1816-1874), Samuel D. Holloway (1818-1890); Mary Jane [twins]; Missing child 1820-?; Edward Holloway (1820?); Daniel F. Holloway (1822-1824). His son Richard Holloway Jr in the 1880 census was 77 years old, which means that he was built-in in 1803.  His race is listed as Mulatto and his married woman was Eliza Holloway.  Eliza is a slave name.

Other Holloways like all regarded as members of the Holloway clan. Harrison Holloway was elected member of the Marion Town Council and was likewise the Vice President of the Brown Fellowship.  James Harrison was also the Postmaster in Marion, SC for 15 years earlier moving on to Washington.  There also was William Holloway (19^th century) that was a publisher for the Charleston New Era 1880-1885.  Richard Holloway Clark left Charleston and went to Toronto, Canada because it was said that Blacks there were treated like human beings.  He was a trader there before declaring bankruptcy a yr later and some Holloways migrated to Liberia.  Elizabeth Collins Holloway was married to Robert Collins Jr. they had ii children Sarah and Martha.  Richard Holloway Jr. married Frances Pinckney Bonneau and they had one daughter Jane Holloway. James H. Holloway, a member of the Brown Fellowship Club recalled that it was members of the Gild, as individuals saved Charleston from the fired ignited past Union battery.  While not able to serve in the Amalgamated army they did their share equally free citizens to protect their involvement in slaves and property.

MY CONCLUSIONS:

I could not find information regarding who were Deter Holloway parents.  Only the 1790 and 1800 censuses should reveal who they were. One puzzling situation.  Both Deter Holloway and Richard Holloway families lived in close proximity to each other—North Carolina and Due south Carolina.  Both families were costless and non enslaved.  Well-nigh free blackness families with the same last name were by and large related or role of same extended clan. In the late early 1800s and 1700s there were fewer Black and Mulatto Holloways, who were not related.  In my search I am limited because I did non know my father or any of his relatives and because of the various names he used throughout his life time made it hard for to discover who he really was.  It took over thirty years of search to discovery my male parent's true identity.  Fifty-fifty my mother the late Elsie Mae Holloway did not know his true identity.  She thought his name was Joshua. I had searched all the imitation glues until I realized that the existent James Thomas Holloway did non exist, and then it was but then that I discovered that his existent identity was Jimmie T Holloway. Again his male parent was James Holloway [James T[homas] Holloway] and his father was Joseph Holloway my proper noun sake built-in in 1855, and his begetter Deter Holloway built-in in 1825.  More research is necessary to determent who were Deter Holloway parents considering they are the key to understanding what their relationship was to Richard Holloway.  We know that he was born free in 1825 and was a contemporary of Richard Holloway Senior and Inferior  What I have given is my testament to what I know almost the Blackness Holloway family and my direct line to it in North Carolina.

Boosted resource concerning the Holloway family:

This scrapbook, compiled by James H. Holloway (1849-1913), contains legal documents, personal and business organisation correspondence, receipts, ephemera, clippings and photographs pertaining to the Holloway family unit, a prominent free family of color in Charleston, SC. Legal documents include deeds (1806, 1821, 1871), a conveyance (1811), slave bills of sale including ane for the slave "Betty" (1829), an understanding (1829) to apprentice the slave male child Carlos in the carpenters and house joiner'due south trade, exhorter licenses to preach and a photograph of a 1797 document declaring patriarch Richard Holliday (Holloway) a free mulatto. Personal and business correspondence include letters concerning the hiring out of slaves, an offer (1837) to buy the "Holloway Negroes", a alphabetic character (1831) from Samuel Bridegroom about emigrating to Liberia, agreements for carpentry piece of work, and information about the Brown Fellowship Society, the Century Fellowship Society, the Minors Moralist Gild and the Bonneau Literary Society. Too included are invitations, Confederate and corporate tax receipts, receipts for full general merchandise, and Amalgamated scrip. Other letters and newspaper clippings, including letters to the editor written by James H. Holloway, concern Negro taxes, Negro slaveholders, the Liberia motility, the Methodist Episcopal Church, ceremonious rights and related topics. James H. Holloway'southward niece, Mae Holloway Purcell, preserved the scrapbook after his death and added to its contents. The bound scrapbook was microfilmed past the South Carolinian Library in 1977 but was later disbound and reorganized. Using the microfilm every bit a guide, archivists at the Avery Inquiry Center attempted to recreate the original gild and this digital presentation of the scrapbook reflects those efforts.

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Source: http://slaverebellion.info/index.php?page=joseph-holloways-ancestry

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