History of the American Negro and his institutions; (Volume 6) online

52 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

His next appointment took him to Boston where he preached
four years and canceled a $41,000.00 debt — the biggest debt
of any church in the Connection. From there he went to
Indianapolis, Ind., for two and a half years and thence to
Walters Station, Chicago, 111., for five and a half years. In
1916 he was appointed to the Wesley Metropolitan Station
at the National Capitol. It will thus be seen that Dr. Callis'
work has taken him to every part of the country. This has
given him an unusual opportunity to study conditions and
he is of the opinion that the progress of the race may best be
promoted "by the development of honest race leaders and
sympathetic cooperation with other races." One gets some
measure of his intellectual capacity from the fact that his
favorite reading is in the realm of history, biography, philo-
sophy, and theology. As he looks back over his boyhood and
youth he recalls with gratitude the happy influence on his
life of the religious training in the home of Deacon G. W.
Halloek of Orient, N. Y. and the environment and teaching
at Hampton.

In politics Dr. Callis is a Republican and in Boston and
Chicago was active in the council of the party. He is a
Mason and an Odd Fellow and is Executive Secretary of the
national Race Coneress. Inc.



JULIUS S. CARROLL

One of the most resourceful and successful young men of
the M. E. Connection is Rev. Julius Sylvester Carroll A.B.,
B.D., of Washington, now (1921) stationed at Asbury M. E.
Church. Dr. Carroll is a native of Maryland, having been
born at Baltimore on Feb. 18, 1877. His father, Rev. Henry
Addison Carroll, was also a Methodist minister, and his
mother, before her marriage, was Miss Sarah Ann Ockermay.
Brought up in the wholesome atmosphere of a Christian home,
it is not strange that the boy's thoughts early turned to re-
ligious matters.

He laid the foundation of his education in private schools
at Alexandria, Va. and Washington, D. C. When ready for
college he matriculated at Morgan College, Baltimore, and




JULIUS SYLVESTER CARROLL



54 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

won his A.B. degree in 1901. He also studied at Howard
University and took his theological course at Drew Theologi-
cal Seminary, Madison, N. J., winning his B.D. degree from
that institution in 1906. This simple narrative of his educa-
tion does not tell the whole story. He was under the necessity
of making his way in school. This stimulated rather than dis-
couraged him. He worked as janitor, as book agent and in
a printing office in order that he might fit himself for the
real work of life.

He had been converted at the early age of twelve and when
twenty years of age felt called to preach the Gospel. He was
licensed in 1898 and joined the Conference at Washington
in 1902 under Bishop J, W. Joyce.

His first charge, La Plata, Md., where he preached one year.
Having begun his ministry before completing his theological
course he pressed forward till he won his degree, sometimes
doing missionary work and sometimes taking a special ap-
pointment as he did at Chase, Md., to fill out pastorate made
vacant by the death of the pastor. He preached at Holly
Run, Md., one year. He also had charge of the work at
Sparrows Point, Md., one year. He was stationed at Wheel-
ing, W. v., three years, and went from there to Charles-
ton, the capital of the State, where, during a successful pas-
torate of six years, a modern new house of worship was erected
at a cost of thirty thousand dollars and the congregation
greatly strengthened. Dr. Carroll went from Charleston to
Clarksburg one year and while there renovated the church.
Here too his work was marked by progress. In 1917 he was
stationed at the Centennial M. E. Church, Baltimore, which
he served for two years. He came to his present work at
Asbury M. E. Church, Washington, in 1919.

The Ashby station is considered the best M. E. oppointment
in Washington and has been occupied by notable men.

Among the secret and benevolent orders, Dr. Carroll is a
]\Iason, having reached the rank of thirty-second degree, and
an Odd Fellow in which he is P. N. F. In politics he is a Re-
publican. Of course, in his reading, he gives first attention
to his theology. After that he has a special liking for philoso-
phy and fiction.

He believes the best interests of the race are to be promoted
"By giving the race a fair opportunity to exercise its God-



WASHINGTON, D. C. EDITION 55

given talents — not favors, but a fair chance to develop as
other races have done."

On Sept. 16, 1905, Dr. Carroll was married to Miss Florence
IMay Dungoe of Baltimore, a daughter of Prof. John H. B.
Dungee, a musician, and Margaret A. Dungee. They have
two children, Julius Sylvester, Jr., and Edward Gonzalez
Carroll. Mrs. Carroll was educated at Howard, graduating
1902 with the A.B. degree. She was before her marriage an
accomplished teacher.

Note — Since the above was prepared Dr. Carroll has been
promoted to the district and assigned ])y Bishop Robt. E.
Jones to the Annapolis District Washington Conference.



ARTHUR LEO CURTIS

The cosmopolitan character of Washington life is one of its
charms. Among- the colored population, as among the white,
are to be found men and women of every State in the Union.
Prominent among the native Illinois men who have made a
place for themselves in the Capitol City must be mentioned
Dr. Arthur Leo Curtis, physician and surgeon. Dr. Curtis is
a native of Chicago, where he was born on July 26, 1889.
His father is Dr. Austin M. Curtis, now (1921) of Washington,
whose biography appears elsew^here in this volume. His
mother before her marriage, was Miss Namayoka Sockume
and is of Delaware Indian extraction.

Young Curtis laid the foundation of his education in
Chicago. The family moving to Washington when he was
in the sixth grade, he completed his public school course there.
He passed from the public schools to Williston Academy, East
Hampton, Mass., for his preparatory training and when ready
for his medical course, matriculated at the school of medicine
of Howard University and won his M.D. degree in 1912. The
following year he was Interne at the Freedman's Hospital,
after which he began private practice. Since 1913 he has
been on the faculty of his Alma Mater, teaching diagnosis
and anesthesia. Dr. Curtis is also visiting surgeon of the
Freedman's Hospital. Having lived in the District since child-



56 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

hood, he has taken no active part in politics. He is a member
of the Congregational Church and belongs to the Odd Fellows.
He is Senior Examining Physician for the latter. He is a
member of the Medico-Chirurgical Society of which he his now
(1921) vice president. He is also identified with the American
Medical Association and is local examiner for the Standard
Life Insurance Co.

Dr. Curtis volunteered during the European war and was
commissioned First Lieut. He Avent across and saw active
service in France. He was one of six colored physicians at
the field hospital at Dijion, France.

During his school days, Dr. Curtis was active in college
athletics especially l)asket ball. His favorite reading after
his professional books is history.

On June 16^ 1916, Dr. Curtis was married to Miss Helen
Gordon of Washington. They have an elegant home on U
St. N. MV. and are prominent in the social life of the city.

Dr. Curtis is of the opinion that the greatest single need of
the race is education. He takes an interest in all matters re-
lating to the progress of the race and is a member of the
N.A.A.C.P.



ELIJAH HENRY ALLEN

Dr. Elijah Henry Allen, who for twenty-five years has been
in the active practice of medicine at the Capital City, is a
native of Alabama, having been l)orn at Camden, Ala., in
Wilcox County on January 12, 1861, only two months before
the beginning of the great struggle which was to bring freedom
to him and to his race in America. His father, the Rev.
Henry Allen, was a pioneer Baptist preacher, and was the
son of Thomas Allen. The mother of our subject was Carolyn
Allen.

Coming of school age just after the war, young Allen at-
tended the local public schools, and his progress as a student
must have been unusual for at the remarkably early age of
thirteen, or a little more, he began teaching himself in the
local school. He was the youngest of a group of colored
students who began teaching in 1874. It is needless to say




ELIJAH HENRY ALLEN



58 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

that he learned much while teaching others. He spent the
school year of 1889-90 at Selma University Selma, Ala. While
at Selma, he came under the influence of Dr. Purse, who
aroused in him a desire to become a physician. So after one
year at the University he stood the Civil Service examination
jind received an appointment to the Bureau of Pensions at
Washington. This put the desired Medical Course within his
reach. He held his clerkship for four and a half years, at the
same time pursuing his studies in the School of Medicine of
Howard University. He completed the course and won his
M.D. degree in 1894.

In the summer of 1895, he began practice in Washington
where he has since resided.

On June 25, 1902, he was married to Miss Emma V. Russell
of Washington. They have six children: Henry, Lucile N.,
Plilda, Geo. F., Emma, and Charles Hughes Allen. Henry
the oldest is now (1921) a student at Dartmouth College and
the rest are being given the best educational advantages.
Dr. Allen is an active member of the Metropolitan Baptist
Church. Among the secret orders he is identified with the
Odd Fellows. He belongs to the National Medical Associa-
tion and the Medico Chirurgical Association of the District
of Columbia of which he was treasurer for a number of years.
He is medical Director for the American Workmen. In
politics he is, of course, a Republican. After his professional
books, his favorite reading consists of history and biography.

He believes the permanent progress of the race depends on
the right sort of education and proper moral leadership and
development. During the World War he volunteered but was
not called into the service.



OLIVER H. WOOD

Rev. Oliver H. Wood, D.D., pastor of the Ebenezer Bap-
tist Church of Alexandria, Va., resides at Washington, D. C.

He is a native of Virginia, having been born in Louisa
County on February 28, 1873, where he still owns a home. His
father was Gabriel Wood and his mother, before her marriage,
was Mary Jane Hunter. As no written records could be kept
by the slaves, he knows nothing of his earlier ancestors.




OLIVER H. WOOD



60 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

Mr. Wood was married in February 23, 1893, to Miss Pearl
J. Coleman, a daughter of Maria G. Coleman. They have one
daughter, Anna Beatrice Wood.

Young Wood attended the Louisa County public schools as
a boy. At that time the schools were taught by white teachers.
He worked on the farm between terms. Later he entered How-
ard University and for five years enjoyed the excellent op-
portunities afforded by that well known institution, graduat-
ing in 1908. While still a mere boy of eleven, young: Wood
gave his heart to God and joined the Zion Traveller Baptist
church, under the pastorate of Rev. Frank Tibbs. Even from
his childhood days he had felt impressed with the fact that
his work in life was to be that of the Gospel ministry. He
did not resist the call but went to work to prepare himself
for the important task. He was licensed by the home church
in 1901 (Lawrence Fry, pastor) and the following year was
ordained to the full work of the Gospel ministry by a coun-
cil called by the same pastor. Since then he has been in the
active pastorate and has made steady progress. His first
pastorate, which he served for more than eisht years and
where he had good growth was the Oakland Baptist church
of Fairfax County, Va. He preached at Mt. Pleasant, Hern-
don, Va., for more than five years and improved the house
of worship. He served the Mt. Calvary church in Orange
County for eight years and five months. He was then called
to the Union Baptist Chuch of Pittsburgh, Penn. He acce])ted
the call, reconsidered the matter, recommended another bro-
ther in the person of Rev. J. E. Fields, of Washington, D. C,
who Avas acceptable to the cliureh, and a little later went to the
pulpit of the Ebenezer Baptist Church at Alexandria, Va.
That was in 1912 and the work there has prospered under his
administration. Dr. Wood has baptized at least fifteen hun-
dred persons since entering the ministry and having done
considerable evangelistic work has witnessed a great many
conversions in his meetings. He is vice-president of the Min-
isters Alliance of Mt. Bethel Baptist Association and is chair-
man of the membership committee of the Washington Bap-
tist Ministers Conference. In politics he is, of course, a Re-
publican. His secret order affiliations are with the Masons.

Reviewing conditions among his people, he believes that
the next forward step is co-operation. He says, "We need to
concentrate, to get together. We need more faith in our-



WASHINGTON, 1). C. EDITION 61

selves and more faith in God. The thing the world needs to
reirard is the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
We are all brothers and sisters, for the good book teaches
that from one flesh and blood God made all mankind and it
is not because a man is white, he is a man, or because he is
black he is an inferior being, but it is the principle in the
man, regardless of the texture of his hair or the color of the
skin and so far as humanity is concerned one has no pre-
eminence above the other. This should be taught by all
parents of all races and all schools throughout this world."



MARY CURTIS

It is gratifying to note that in the onward march of events
colored women are keeping step and entering upon lines of
work which only a few years since were practically closed to
them. One such is Miss Mary Curtis, stenographer and typist
of Washington. She is a native of New York State, having
been born at Ithaca on October 9, 1874. Her father, William
Pernell, was a cigar maker. Her mother was Cordeliai Anna
Curtis, daughter of Rachel and Elzy Curtis.

As a girl Miss Curtis attended the local public high school
in her home town. She made a creditable record and main-
tained the highest respect of her teachers and fellow students
with the exception of some of the poorer whites. A few physi-
cal encounters in which she held her own soon settled that
also.

Her mother was ambitious for the girl and kept constantly
before her the importance of education. She was graduated
from the Ithaca High School with honors in 1893. For some
time she had represented the Colored American at Ithaca as
both agent and correspondent. In 1893 she moved with her
mother and brother to Washington where she has since re-
sided. After coming to Washington she attended the Public
Business Night School. She w^ent to Howard in 1901, gradu-
ating in 1905 and has from that institution the degree of
Bachelor of Pedogogy. While pursuing her course at Howard
she served as secretary to the Dean of the Teachers College
and was the only member of her class (1895) who went on with




MARY CURTIS



WASHINGTON, D. C. EDITION 63

the profession of stenographer and typist. She soon came to
realize the importance of a commission as Notary Public and
in March, 1909, was commissioned b/ Pres, Koosevelt, reap
pointed in 1914 by Pres. Wilson and again in 1919, Miss Cur-
tis has a large clientele amon.s: the most prominent men of the
race in the city and has frequently reported meetings and
speeches of importance. Miss Curtis is a meml)er of the A. M.
E. Church.



CLAUDE P. CARMICHAEL

One of the most notable achievements of the race in the
last quarter of century has been the number and character
of the men entering those professions which require extended
preparation and exact knowledge. One of these is the profes-
sion of medicine. It is gratifying to note that so many of the
young men entering this profession in recent j'ears have met
with a measure of success which would have been considered
unusual twenty-five years ago. One of these is Dr. Claude
Peter Carmichael of Washington City. He is a native of the
Lone Star State, having been born at Edna in Jackson County,
Texas, on Feliruary 20, 1892. His parents, both of whom still
survive (1921) are John W. and Mary Jane Carmichael. Both
parents were fortunate in that they had the advantages of an
education so that the son had the opportunities which natu-
rally come with a home of intelligence and culture. Dr. Car-
michael's paternal grand parents were Dougie and Celia Car-
michael, and the maternal grandparents Jimmy and Diana
Thomas.

Growing up in Texas, young Carmichael attended the local
public and high schools from which he passed to the State
Normal at Prairie View, Texas. When ready for his medical
course, he matriculated at Howard University where he spent
two j'cars. He completed his course at the University of Ver-
mont, graduating with the M.D. degree in 1914. While in
school he was active in college athletics, especially football.

He began the active practice at Washington early in 1916,
and in five years has l)uilt a practice of which a much older
man need not be ashamed. During the war he was in the



64 HTSTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

service for a short while in 1917 and again from July, 1918, to
January, 1919. During the latter period he was stationed
at Camp Alexander, Newport News, Va.

In politics Dr. Carmichael is independent, in religion a
Unitarian. Among the secret orders he is identified with the
Pythians. He is medical examiner for the Pythians and for
the I. B. P. 0. E. of W. He holds membership in the Medico-
Chirurgical Society of the District of Columbia and the Na-
tional Medical association.

On September 29, 1920, Dr. Carmichael was married to Miss
Virginia Edwards, an accomplished young- woman of Wil-
liamsport, Pa. Dr. Carmichael has had opportunity to study
conditions in widely separated parts of the country and is
of the opinion that the thing most needed today by the race
is better training along all lines — better trained leaders, re-
ligious and intellectual.



HOLLAND POWELL



It is a far cry from the farm and the oyster boat of slavery
days in the Old Dominion to an influential pastorate in the
Capitol City of the Nation. Yet Rev. Holland Powell, A.B.,
D.D., pastor of the Liberty Baptist Church at AVashington, has
covered that distance in his life time and has filled the years
with splendid service. He is a native of Middlesex County,
Va., where he was born on March 31, 1854. It will be observed
that he was a boy eleven years of age when the war closed
and brought freedom and opportunity to him and his people.

If the religious experience of Dr. Powell could be told in
detail it would make a fine story. His parents, William and
Martha Pow^ell, were Christians, so he had the advantage of
being brought up in a home of piety and godliness. He was
converted at the early age of thirteen, and joined the First
Baptist Church of Middlesex which his father had built. But
even before his conversion, he had felt called to preach the
Gospel. In fact he hardly recalls the time when he did not
feel that preaching was to be his work in life. As a small
boy, he would take the open oyster shells for Bible and hymn
books and proceed to preach to the other children. Of course




HOLLAND POWELL



66 HISTORY AMERICAN NEGRO

he was denied the opportunity of any education till after the
war. Even then the way was not easy. He was now a youth
and the only school in reach was the three months public
school. He made the best of this, however, and spent the
rest of his time on the farm or oystering. In 1873, he was
licensed by the home church and later in the same year or-
dained to the full work of the ministry.

He made his way to Washington and entered Wayland
Seminary, completing the course there with the A.B. degree
in 1879. In this day of high wages it is not easy to realize
what privations the young man of that day had to undergo,
who had to make his own way at college. His parents Avould
send him produce which he would sell, his mother being es-
pecially ambitious for her preacher boy. He did his own
washing and ironing and was at least always able to ap-
pear neat.

His first regular pastorate was the Grove Baptist Church
in Norfolk county which he served for four years. While on
this work he built a new house of worship and paid for it. At
the end of four years, he Avas called to do some field work for
the Foreign Mission Board. This work held him for only a
short while, when he was recalled tn his former pastorate
for a term of three years. He resigned that work to accept
a call from the Fifth Baptist Church of Richmond where he
preached for six years. He found this Avork burdened with a
debt of sixteen thousand five hundred dollars and reduced it
to less than three thousand at a time when money was scarce
and it was hard to pay debts. He had become recognized,
however, as a man of constructive ability and was called to
the pastorate of the Second Baptist Church of Detroit, Mich.
He served that church for five years and doubled the mem-
bership. From Detroit he went to Toronto, Canada, as pas-
tor of Queen St. Baptist Church. The church had sold their
property and was at that time without a place of Avorship.
Dr. Powell remained to see the new house well under way
when he accepted a call to the Second Baptist Church at
Springfield, Ohio, Avhere he preached thirteen months till
the illness of Mrs. Powell necessitated his return South.

At that time the work of the Virginia Seminary and College
at Lynchburg required the services of a trained man in whom
the people of the State had confidence, so Dr. Powell was re-
called to his native State and served that institution one



WASHINGTON, D. C. EDITION 67

year as Educational Secretary in the field. The pulpit of the
Bethany Baptist Church of New York being vacant he was
called from Virj^rinia to that field where he preached with
great success for six and a half years. An indebtedness of
ten thousand dollars was canceled, a new house built at a cost
of fifteen thousand and the whole work reorganized and put
on a prosperous basis. Bethany Church reached its greatest
period of prosperity under the efficient ministry of Dr. Pow-
ell. In 1914 he resigned that work to accept a call to the
pulpit of the Liberty Baptist Church of Washington. When
it is stated that during the seven years he has been at Liberty
the membership has grown from thirty-five to five hundred,
it will be seen that Dr. Powell still brings to bear on his
work as pastor all the enthusiasm and energy of a man of
forty. He is a Trustee of the Seminary and College at Lynch-
burg and a member of the Executive Board of the New Eng-
land Baptist Convention. He is also identified with the Vir-
ginia, the National, and the Lott Carey Baptist Conventions.

On June 7, 1874, Dr. Powell was married to Miss Emma
C. Chinn of Alexandria, Va.

In politics he is a Republican and is a member of the Order
of Moses and the Ideal Society. Readers will not be sur-
prised to learn that his favorite book is the Bible.



SIMON P. W. DREW



A notable fact in the religious life of North Carolina is
the predominance of the Baptist denomination in both races.
As a result, the Baptist pulpit of many other states, in fact
of the whole country, has been greatly enriched by the con-
tribution of men received from the Old North State.

One of these, who is working both as a pastor at the National
Capitol and as an evangelist of unusual power is Rev. Simon
Peter William Drew, M.A., Ph.D., D.D., pastor of the Cosmo-
politan Baptist Church of Washington.

Dr. Drew is a native of Margaretsville, Northampton County,
N. C, where he was born on August 6, 1870. His father Frank
Drew was the son of Mason Drew. The mother of our subject
was, before her marriage, Miss Isabella Hargroves. She is a




SIMON PETER WILLIAM DREW



WASHINGTON, D. C. EDITION 69

daughter of Rev. Simon Peter Hargroves, who leaving North
Carolina went to Ohio where he became active in the abolition
movement. Mrs. Drew still survives (1921).

Growing up on the farm young Drew divided his time
between manual labor on the farm and the local public school
where he laid the foundation of his education. He did some-
thing else during those days of rather strenous outdoor activity.
He developed a vigorous, robust manhood physically, which
has stood remarkably well the strain of the years. Dr. Drew