[1]:128, Nine months after Dickson's death, Nathan Toomer married Nina Pinchback, the daughter of P. B. S. Pinchback, the Reconstruction Era senator-elect from Louisiana. Before the supreme court decision, Dickson purchased a large house at 452 Telfair Street, in the wealthiest section of the then-integrated city of Augusta. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Dickson left Eubanks in 1870 and with her sons returned to her fathers plantation. While white Georgians were establishing segregation as the ruling social order in the public sphere, members of the Dickson family went about their private lives. The Supreme Court ruled in 1887 that Amanda was legally entitled to the inheritance under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that property rights are equal for blacks and whites, including the offspring of black and white citizens. Alachua County Voters1st Florida Election1845Gabriel Waters (father) & William Waters (son)Gabriel Waters c.1780-after 1846. Born on November 20, 1849, Amanda America Dickson was David's daughter, the product of his rape of thirteen-year-old Julia Francis Lewis, the enslaved property of his mother. . If you notice a problem with the translation, please send a message to [emailprotected] and include a link to the page and details about the problem. His white relatives contested the will. 2. Daughter of David Dickson and Julia Frances Dickson Appears in theFebruary/Marchissue of Augusta Magazine. Citing the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, the Georgia Supreme Court affirmed the lower court's decision, saying that the rights and privileges of a black woman and her children would be the same rights and privileges of a white concubine or an illegitimate white woman and her children. February 27, 2023, 4:41 PM. Enter a grandparent's name. In 1865, according to family history, Amanda married her white cousin Charles Eubanks in the North. If so, login to add it. That cotton was produced by the enslaved men, women and children of African heritage, on whose labor the wealth of the South depended. 1900), who married Kate Holsey, the daughter of Harriet and Bishop Lucius Holsey of Augusta. Amanda America Dickson Toomer was born in Hancock County in 1849, to wealthy planter David Dickson and Julia, who was enslaved by Dickson's mother Elizabeth. As Amanda grew, her grandmother used her as a domestic servant. Eubanks was a Confederate Veteran. Upon John Toomer's death in 1859, his brother Colonel Henry Toomer purchased Nathan's mother, Kit, and seven of her children from the estate. He never woke up. Old scuppers and downspouts have been removed. Born on November 21, 1849, baby Amanda's parents couldn't be more dissimilar her father, the renowned white agricultural plantation owner, and writer, David Dickson; her mother, Julia Frances Lewis Dickson, was an enslaved child-servant to Dickson's mother Elizabeth Sholars-Dickson. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. This fascinating story of Amanda America Dickson, born the privileged daughter of a white planter and an unconsenting slave in antebellum Georgia, shows how strong-willed individuals defied racial strictures for the sake of family. [1]:7980, On July 6, 1885, probate judge R. H. Lewis ruled in favor of the will. Read all Director John Kent Harrison Writers Thanks for your help! One obituary said: though in possession of such riches, she made no gaudy display but lived a quiet, easy, and unpretending life. Year should not be greater than current year. Eubanks. All requests for permission to publish or reproduce the resource must be submitted to Georgia Historical Society. In today's episode, we are looking into the life of Amanda America Dickson a slave who inherited her fathers fortune becoming one of the wealthiest African Americans in the country! The Supreme Court ruled in 1887 that Amanda was legally entitled to the inheritance under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which states that property rights are equal for blacks and whites, including the offspring of black and white citizens. Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege: Amanda America Dickson, 1849-1893 (Brown Thrasher Books) Paperback - October 1, 1996 by Kent Anderson Leslie (Author) 86 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $9.30 Read with Our Free App Hardcover $30.00 17 Used from $4.91 4 Collectible from $24.99 Paperback She left home briefly, between the years 1876 and 1878, to attend the Normal School of Atlanta University. [1]:69, Years after having completed her teaching degree, Amanda America Are you sure that you want to delete this photo? Use the links under See more to quickly search for other people with the same last name in the same cemetery, city, county, etc. Born in 1839 in Chatham County, North Carolina, Toomer had been the slave of Richard Pilkinson of Chatham County, North Carolina but was later sold to John Toomer of Houston County, Georgia. Meanwhile, her father had begun to secure his daughters and grandsons futures. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Failed to delete memorial. Kent Anderson Leslie uses the events of Dickson's life to explore the forces driving southern race and gender . [1]:41 Beginning in 1801, Georgia had prohibited slaveholders from independently freeing their slaves, requiring an act of legislature (seldom given), for each request. Dickson's family members appealed the lower court decision and the case wound up in the Georgia Supreme Court. A Loving Wife. CONTENT MAY BE COPYRIGHTED BY WIKITREE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. When her father died on February 18, 1885, Amanda became the center of a famous lawsuit. [1]:123, When David Dickson died suddenly on February 18, 1885,[1]:33 Amanda America Dickson inherited the majority of his vast estate, which included 17,000 acres of land. In the early 1880's, Dickson gave Amanda three-quarters interest in 13,000 acres of Texas farmland, several thousand dollars worth of property bonds and a home in Augusta, Georgia, where she and her mother often stayed during shopping trips. Her enslaved mother, Julia Frances Lewis Dickson, was just 13 when she was born. Amanda America Dicksons life reflected the power of family and class to erode the boundaries of race in the nineteenth-century South. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. Because of anti-miscegenation laws, they couldn't legally marry in Georgia. Her story is unique. Amanda Dickson Toomer died at her home at 448 Telfair Street on June 11, 1893. There was an error deleting this problem. Search above to list available cemeteries. The first ovine . Legally a slave owned by her white grandmother, the biracial child was reared in her father's household. Her mother, a slave belonging to his mother, had been raped at age 12 or 13 by David Dickson. Amanda's father was 40 year old David Dickson, son of Elizabeth and a wealthy white merchant, planter and slave owner. Fashion and politics from Georgia-born designer Frankie Welch, Take a virtual tour of Georgia's museums and galleries. Try again. His estate included thousands of acres of property in Georgia and Texas as well as the rights to his agricultural seeds and compounds. Immediately after his death, she took measures to protect herself legally. In the 1870s he built a handsome house for Amanda and her mother Julia and gave her some property. You need a Find a Grave account to continue. The son of this marriage was Jean Toomer, the author of the novel Cane (1923). Museum Address. . The front porch is getting new crown molding and new columns. Although dozens of white relatives fought the case in court, Amanda prevailed under the 14th Amendment, with the Georgia Supreme Court noting "all distinction as to right's pertaining to citizenship between the two races are abolished, and as to their civil rights, they stand on the same footing.". Executors appraised the estate, which included 17,000 acres of land in Hancock and Washington counties, at $309,000. On July 14, 1892, Amanda married Nathan Toomer of Perry, Georgia. There is 1 volunteer for this cemetery. Woodard, My GA History, Amanda America Dickson, http://mygahistory.com/amanda-america-dickson/. )[1]:58, They had two sons: Julian Henry (18661937) and Charles Green Eubanks (1870c. It reached the height of its power by the time it reached Charlotte. Add to your scrapbook. He lent the county $30,000 to build the original courthouse in the late 1800s, but he's also known for something else. Her father, David Dickson, was a white planter and slave plantation owner who owned her mother; he was one of the eight wealthiest plantation owners in the county. She was taken from her mother and lived . Shortly after that birth, Amanda returned to her fathers home in Hancock County, saying she wanted to be near her papie. Charles sought to get her back, but she refused. I am very apprieciative to the people who have read the book and reviewed the website. Dickson left home briefly again between the years of 1876 and 1878, to attend the Normal School of Atlanta University. the Tifton church from a lady who hud just died in Florida. His estate included 17,000 acres of land in Hancock and Washington counties in Georgia. Heiress, Socialite. Your donation is fully tax-deductible. Dicksons social status may have enabled the child to live a life of relative privilege while enslaved. Sorry! They serve as an inspiration and testament to the strength of the human spirit and the will to succeed. According to Dickson family tradition, David Dickson eventually doted on his only daughter. [1]:81100 Then, in March 1886, the white relatives filed their appeal with the Supreme Court of Georgia. Try again later. So, the same laws governed the rights and privileges of women of both races. New Georgia Encyclopedia, last modified Jul 17, 2020. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/amanda-america-dickson-1849-1893/, Leslie, K. A. This fascinating story of Amanda America Dickson, born the privileged daughter of a white planter and an unconsenting slave in antebellum Georgia, shows how strong-willed individuals defied racial strictures for the sake of family. New Georgia Encyclopedia, 10 March 2003, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/amanda-america-dickson-1849-1893/. GREAT NEWS! [1]:36061, In 1866 at the age of sixteen, Amanda America moved to a small plantation in Floyd County, Georgia near the city of Rome. Ancestors . [1]:101102 James Jackson expressed his firm conviction against upholding the will, saying, "I would rather died in my place than uphold the will." [1]:80 In November 1885, the trial in the Superior Court of Hancock County began, with the eventual ruling siding with Amanda America Dickson and her two sons. In 1873, Mr. Dickson deeded 1,560 acres of land worth $10,000 to Amanda. 448 Telfair St. Augusta, Georgia. In 1892 Dickson married Nathan Toomer of Perry. This episode is sure to set a fire in you to go for your dreams! MORE: Augusta Historical Marker Part of Georgia Civil Rights Trail 2251 Florin Rd. Oops, we were unable to send the email. . The disgruntled relatives then appealed to the Georgia Supreme Court, which upheld the lower court decision in 1887. woman in the (Ti i ted .states has just died. This browser does not support getting your location. As Henry Toomers personal assistant, Nathan Toomer learned the manner of the white upper class. She died intestate, but the Dickson will stipulated that her sons receive the inheritance upon her death, which included $100,000 to each son and part of the remaining $247,000. Toomer was born in 1839 in Chatham County, . Kent Anderson Leslie. [1]:47. The couple were essentially married, although Georgia laws forbade interracial weddings. The bulk of his estate, 17,000 acres, valued at $500,000, went to Amanda -- making her the largest property owner in Hancock County. Amanda attended Atlanta University from 1876-1878. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Jay Jefferies stops by to deliver the weather and much more! Verify and try again. The marker, recognizing Amanda America Dickson Toomer, is located at her final home at 448 Telfair St. in Augusta, Georgia, where she spent the last seven years of her life. Gabriel moved to Emanuel County, Georgia after his fathers death.David Lipscomb College, TN~ 1939 (Edna Waters)Harding College, Se In 1892, Amanda married a wealthy biracial farmer from Perry, Ga., but they had limited time together; she died the next year despite receiving the best medical care available. The union produced two sons: Julian Henry (1866-1937), who married Eva Walton, the daughter of Isabella and George Walton of Augusta; and Charles Green (1870-ca. This fascinating story of Amanda America Dickson, born the privileged daughter of a white planter and an unconsenting slave in antebellum Georgia, shows how strong-willed individuals defied racial strictures for the sake of family. In 1892, Amanda married Nathan Toomer, a wealthy widower from Perry, Georgia. Amanda Dickson was the inspiration for a 2000 television movie "A House Divided" - with actress Jennifer Beals playing Dickson - and the biography "Woman of Color, Daughter of Privilege", by Kent Anderson Leslie. One of the first laws the Georgia State legislature passed after the war reinstated the prohibition against interracial marriage. a Sort of Mystery: Jean Toomers Georgia Heritage, Georgia Historical Quarterly 77 (winter 1993): 789-809. She . He never woke up. [1]:117 But some were willing to accept children of wealthy planters, especially if mostly white. The trial was held in the courthouse, where the will was decided in Amanda's favor. Amanda's family said her father "became devoted to his daughter . New Georgia Encyclopedia: Amanda America Dickson (1849-1893) Immediately I thought about cousin Ricardo and his question. Save to an Ancestry Tree, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. 16 mm, 101 min. Walton, Frank, and their lawyer, E. J. Waring, were indicted by the grand jury of Baltimore, Maryland for conspiracy to kidnap Mamie Toomer. Live a life of relative privilege while enslaved need a Find a member. Privileges of women of both races son ) Gabriel Waters c.1780-after 1846 Thanks using. ( father ) & amp ; William Waters ( son ) Gabriel Waters c.1780-after 1846 for $! The human spirit and the will was decided in Amanda & # x27 ; s favor is... Her mother, a virtual cemetery, your clipboard for pasting or Print 448 Telfair Street on 11! 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. 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