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Reference: Portland Daily Sun
There are only two former slaves who came to Jay county living at the present time. They are Mrs. Mollie Tate, who lives at 657 West Second Street, Portland, Indiana, and Mrs. Julia Peandrews who lives in Lafayette.
Parker Smith was born in Kentucky, was a resident of Portland for years and was well known as a race horse trainer. Every fair he always took his place as a jockey and the other drivers were thoroughly conscious of the fact
that Parker and his horse were in the race. He is now with his son, Guy, in Baltimore, Md.
John Tolbert of Tennessee came to Portland in the '70s, bought the northeast lot at Western avenue and Secondstreet of Jonas Votaw and built a one-room house.John and Sallie Branner, born in Tennessee, later bought the Tolbert house and added two rooms. For several years
Mr. Branner worked for the Wilt and Spade Lumber company located on South Bridge street.
Mack and Ellen Watkins, born in Tennessee, built the house on the northeast corner of Third street and Westernavenue.Ibbie Manes, mother of Ellen Watkins, lived in the Watkins home.John Wesley and Margaret Steth, born in North Carolina, came to Portland nearly 60 years ago. When the Lake Erie
& Western railroad was built Mr. Steth was one of the workers.Henry Johnson born February 11, 1849; died April 12, 1915. His home was at Liber.
T. B. Johnson and wife, Georgiann Johnson, born in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Mr. Johnson was born July 8, 1824. They lived at Liber.
Elmira Mills Starks was well known to the people of Portland and for years worked for the families of Johnsons, Adairs and Bimels. Died in April, 1921.
Michael and Ellen Lawrence, born in Tennessee, came to Portland in 1882. Mr. Lawrence was watchman at the target at the intersection of the G.R. & I. and the Lake Erie & Western railroads as long as he was able to work. He died in 1924.
Philip and Julia Peandrews, born in North Carolina. Mrs. Peandrews at the present time is at the Home for Soldiers' Widows at Lafayette.
Isaac and Mary Tolbert, born in Tennessee, resided in Portland several years. Mr. Tolbert died in July, 1923. Mrs. Tolbert preceded him in death.
Eliza Robinson Bragg, born in Henry county, Kentucky, January 6, 1851; died May 10, 1930. A resident of Portland for over 50 years.
Frank Mills, husband of Elmira Mills. After residing here for several years, one day disappeared and never returned.
Tolbert Eaton, born near Mossy Creek, Tennessee. Resided in Portland a number of years. Died in October 1926.
Annie Hiatt, born in Henderson, Kentucky. Well knew the hardships of life upon a plantation, toiling from dawn till dusk under the cruel lash of a heartless master. When she had grown to be a young woman, she with several young women, assisted by a northern school teacher, made their escape, finally reaching Gallipolis, Ohio, where each one was taken into a home.
After service as a cook at this home and then on a river boat for some time, she lived in Richmond and Fountain City, later taking up her residence in Portland. This was over 60 years ago. She was in service at the Bimel home for many years.
George Hiatt, her husband, also worked for the Bimels. Mrs. Hiatt was thought to have been more than 115 years of age. She died February 22, 1936, at her home on South Bridge street. Mr. Hiatt died in the spring of 1921.
Henry Tate, born in Tennessee on the Bill Tate plantation, worked for Mr. Linkhaur when he was sheriff and the jail was at the corner of Main and Commerce.
Arthur Tate, born in Tennessee on the Bill Tate plantation.
It was impossible to obtain history of all those whose names appear here and no doubt there are others whose names were not mentioned, but while they lived it is an evident fact their contributions have helped to make the Portland of today.
Smith, Susan Clark County Poor Farm Charleston, Indiana (Beulah VanMeter Clark County)
