George and Martha Isaacs

     One of the earliest entries for this blog was related to the grave of George and Martha Isaacs.  It is one of the most outstanding plots in Camptown Cemetery, and over time the story of their lives has grown from the information on his death certificate, census data and various newspaper articles.  Coming across the information on his life in The Negro Blue Book of Brenham expanded an understanding of his life, with its information coming primarily from his daughter.  Coming across the information in the Heirship Affidavit started was especially interesting in light of the contradictory information found in their divorce proceedings.  For me it has been a lesson in making sure to pull information from as many different sources as possible, and that personal biographies may be colored where possibly embarrassing details might come to light.  But these details help flesh out stories and help us to realize that these were living, breathing people, not saints, and as fallible and subject to the failings of the flesh as you and I.  

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George P. and Martha Isaacs

by Charles Swenson

      George P. Isaacs was born Kingston, Jamaica, on June 10, 1848. Slavery had been abolished on the island of Jamaica in 1834, so it can be assumed that he was born free.  While still young he came to Galveston, and was eventually convinced by a friend to move to Washington County to teach. His first position was near the community of Goodwill at Cole's Creek, near what is now Washington-on-the-Brazos and the old Cole Plantation.
     When Isaacs first began as the school's sole teacher, it consisted of a one room log cabin, which had also served as the community's church. As Goodwill continued to grow the school grew in size and the number of teachers, and after his death his daughter became principal, with the eventually growing to a four room Rosenwald school with an auditorium, library and cottage for teachers on 14 acre site by 1936.

     On Christmas Eve of 1879, Isaacs, married 17 year old Martha Flewellen. 

      The couple was to eventually have five children - Annie Belle, Lenora, Ruby V., Edgar A. and Lawrence LaCoure.  In the 1880.  In the 1880 census Martha's age is given as 17, and George's as 25, and their occupation as "farmers."
     They were living next her parents, Anthony and Sam Flewellen, as well as five of her brothers and sisters. Anthony's occupation in the census is also given as farmer, but he was also a blacksmith and was gifted as a local mechanic who made braces for children with deformed limbs. In 1886, George is listed as a witness in the patent paperwork for one of his father-in-law's inventions, a “Combined Cotton Cropper and Cultivator.” 

 

     In 1893 Anthony Flewellen took out an ad to help solicit funds for another of his inventions, ”a buggy that will run over all kinds of roads, and is easily guided, with but little or no exertion, that will run up or down hill.”

(Brenham Daily Banner, December 6, 1893, 

(Brenham Daily Banner, December 6, 1893)

     There was no follow-up article and it is not clear what happened with Anthony Flewellen's invention.  However, local historian Eddie Harrison has mentioned that for many years afterward old bits and pieces of machinery could be seen at the remains of the old Flewellen residence. 

     While working at the Goodwill School, Isaacs also remained active in the educational community. He was a founding member of a Washington county “colored teachers” institute established in 1884,
serving as the treasurer. 

(Brenham Daily Banner, April 20, 1884)

     Issacs did remain active in the Colored Institute and was also on the executive committee for the Summer Normal in 1894.

(Brenham Daily Banner, June 3, 1894, p3)

      He also served as “2^nd vice-president” and on several committees for a group of black citizens meeting to help organize “a colored county fair association.”

(Brenham Daily Banner, August 3, 1898)

       George belonged to several fraternal organizations as well.  In early June of 1884, he was elected an officer (with the title of E.S.) in the Band of Progress, Lodge No.1934 of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows.  Along with the other elected officers, their public installation was to occur during the Emancipation Celebration at the Fair Ground later a week later, on Juneteenth.

(Brenham Weekly Banner, June 12, 1884, p3)

     He also belonged to the Cachet Lodge No. 40 of Colored Masons in Brenham, and was elected as the Worshipful Master of that lodge in 1893. 

(Brenham Daily Banner, February 12, 1893)

     The following year he attended the "Grand Lodge of colored masons" in Waco, reporting back on the election of officers to the Brenham newspaper. 

(Brenham Daily Banner, July 17, 1894, p 3)

     He was also active in the Republican party, and in November of 1893 he was appointed as an alternate delegate for the Colored Men's National Convention called by AME Bishop H.N. Turner, to be held in Cincinnati that year.

(Brenham Daily Banner, November 14, 1893)

      The following year Isaacs was participating in the Republican County Convention when it met at Lou Clark's hall in Camptown on July 26, 1894.  With over two hundred crowding the hall and a number of Democrats in attendance, it became heated and contentious at times, with the Brenham Banner describing it as "a long afternoon of storm and wrangling." As one of the delegates elected to the state convention, Isaacs signed a letter to the Banner denying aspects of its reporting.  The Banner printed it, stating that they had "always endeavored to give a fair report of everything done by any organization" but then went on to say it wouldn't "the signers run such a lie as the above without denouncing it as a lie."

(Brenham Daily Banner, July 28, 1894, p3)

     Isaacs was a landowner in the Camptown area of Brenham, buying lots worth $200 from John Richards as early as 1882, and property worth $200 from Wiley Hubert in 1884; this was to be the family home at 1619 East Alamo Street in Brenham. 

(Brenham Weekly Banner, January 12, 1882)

(Brenham Daily Banner, April 26, 1884)

     However, buying property and holding on to it could be two very different matters; in May of 1887 one of Isaacs' lots in Camptown were seized by the Sheriff for sale to the highest bidder due to back taxes of $4.20.  It is to be hoped that he paid the additional $2.75 to prevent losing this property. 

(Brenham Daily Banner, May 26, 1887)

     In March of 1897, Isaacs was called upon as a witness in the trial of Charles Kugadt, accused of murdering his sister. Although his testimony, as reported by the Galveston Daily News, seems to have been minimal, it indicates he still teaching at Goodwill and commuting to and from Brenham, on the Monday morning in October in question with Richard Mackey, a teacher from a school in Feeder who also worked with him the Colored Institute Summer Normal and while organizing the Colored County Fair.

(Galveston Daily News, March 27, 1897)

     As a prominent citizen of Brenham, Isaacs was also called upon to serve on juries as well. He is listed on a published petit jury list in 1900 as one of at least two black men. (Allen Latson was also black.)

(Brenham Daily Banner, August 5, 1900)

     In 1904 Isaacs was selected from a list of 150 potential juror to weigh a death sentence for one of two white brothers, one of two black jurors at the trial of John Yelderman. Yelderman and his brother Jim had been arrested for the murder of their father, Julius, several months after his divorce from their mother “to stop their father's giving away his property to Addie Laas or Williams, a negro woman.”

(The Houston Post, April 6, 1904)

     By this time trouble had also come into the personal life of George and Martha Isaacs, enough trouble to tear their marriage apart.  On June 22, 1901 a subpoena was issued for Martha Isaacs to appear in the next session of district court for a divorce suit.  In the divorce petition, George alleged that "for a long, long time he and his said said wife lived happily together and doubtless would have ended their days on earth as man and wife had it not been for the seductive influence of a methodist presiding Elder who came into their once happy home and stole away the affections said wife held for him and also robbed him of her virtue."  Martha and "Rev. Carmichael, a very distinguished colored preacher  were caught in illicit intercourse" the previous year, as well as on "diverse other occasions in Washington and Travis counties" when they "had carnal knowledge of each other."  The Isaacs had been "members of and ardent and zealous workers in the Methodist church over which...Carmichael presided.  The suit went on to say that George had "for a long time...had implicit faith and confidence" in the preacher's "integrity and christianity, but that he found out too late in life that he was but a thief in the night and that while he was away  robbed himself and his wife of his happiness and her honor and destroyed the sacredness of his home."  
     Although George had "always endeavored to lead a true and upright life and by the sweat of his brow provided well for the wants of his wife and children" this alleged adultery had "render(ed) their living together insupportable an longer" and sought "a judgement forever dissolving the bonds of matrimony" between them.  He also called for an equal division of their community property "both real and personal" worth $800, consisting of "one horse and buggy and house hold and kitchen furniture" and "two lots in Camptown in the city of Brenham," the residence bought from Wiley Hubert and the "store house" bought from John Richards. 
     In her response to the divorce petition, she agreed that they had lived together as husband and wife for many years "in contentment and happiness, and would have so continued, but for the fact that the plaintiff became smitten with one Mary Jane Jefferson, a female, about January 1899 and from that time on, the plaintiff's affections for defendant began to wane, and he then entirely abandoned her, and moved out into the country, and has since refused to live with" her.  Martha stated that the allegations of adultery were  "cruelly and unjustifiably" made against her not only to obtain a divorce, but  "maliciously made for the purpose of injuring her character and bringing her into disrepute among her neighbors and friends."   She went on to say that George had "for the last two years totally failed and refused to provide any support for her self or children" and "by her own exertions supported and maintained" her family.   She asked that "she have have judgment dissolving the bond of matrimony between them, and that said homestead be set aside to her self and children for their use etc., and that she have her part of said community, and that the household effects be set aside to her and the children for their use, etc." 
as well as "custody of said children, and for an order restraining the plaintiff from in any wise interfering" with her and the children. 
     In October of 1901 he was granted a divorce from Martha, with their property to be divided and a lot sold to Alexander Scott the following week.

(Brenham Daily Banner, October 2, 1901)

(Brenham Daily Banner, October 9, 1901)

     The lot bought from Wiley Hubert in 1884 seems to have been retained, according to an Heirship Affidavit filed in 1954.   This document, obtained from the a Washington County Official Public Records website (http://www.edoctecinc.com/) seems to be concerned with establishing ownership of several properties, including the lot, but is interesting for a number of other reasons on closer examination (besides being signed by Piner Thomas, also buried in Camptown Cemetery.)

     This affidavit, however also states that Martha and Isaacs lived together as man and wife until her death on October 9, 1905, and that Isaacs “some time after the death of his first wife, married a second time.”  Martha Isaacs did die of cancer of the stomach that October, four months after her diagnosis.

     However, at the time of Martha's death George had already been married for over three years to Sarah Jane Jefferson, who was almost certainly the same Sarah Jane Jefferson mentioned in the divorce proceedings of the previous year.

     
     It's hard to say why incorrect information about the George's second marriage is in the affidavit, but it's not unreasonable that it's related to the acrimonious events which led to the divorce.  At the time divorce was far less common, and perhaps by the time of the Heirship document was filed, half a century later, glossing over unpleasant details was meant to clear the memory of two prominent citizens. 
     The affidavit also states that he and his second wife were “living together as husband and wife, until the year 1915, when the said Mrs. S.J. Isaacs died intestate in the state of California.”  This is confirmed by the 1910 census, which lists George P. and Sarah G. Isaacs living together as man and wife at 31 Peach Place in Pasadena Township in California. They are both listed as being 50 years old, and both as having been born in the West Indies. Her occupation is listed as housecleaning, and his as a wage earner and laborer, with the industry listed as “street.” This seems likely have to been them, due to the information found in the 1954 Heirship Affidavit regarding her death in California, although no death certificate can be located; his birth place also adds credence although the age is off. What is not clear is why he is no longer working as a teacher and they have left Brenham, although the onus placed upon divorce at that time may have been a deciding factor.

     A 1916 Pasadena City Directory lists them both as living at 36 Peach Place, and lists her name as Mary J., which is interesting since this corresponds to the name given in the divorce proceedings, as opposed to the Sarah Jane listed in the marriage certificate and S.J. in the affidavit.  The exact date of her death is not clear, since as of this writing I've been unable to locate a death certificate for her. 

     Although the exact details of this portion of Isaacs' life are unclear, he was back in Brenham on October 12, 1918, when he was seen by Dr. J.H. Porter, a mulatto doctor who served the black community in Camptown. The next morning he died, a victim of the Spanish influenza epidemic. His daughter, Annie B. Isaacs-Estelle supplied the information on his death certificate, which listed his occupation as Teacher. 

The following day he was buried in Camptown Cemetery.
     Camptown Cemetery currently has two markers for the Isaacs. One is a plain, poured concrete marker, with the information on both he and Martha etched in hand while the cement was still wet.  

The other two markers for George and Martha lie side by side in one of the largest and most memorable sites in the cemetery, alongside their son, Lawrence, and Esther Flewellen.  (In this photograph, taken during the clearing of Camptown Cemetery the chainsaw in the background is resting on the earlier marker for George and Martha Isaacs.)