Noteworthy Contributions of Black Citizens

By John Harvey

Last week we wrote of the contributions of the black community to our city and county.  No history of a community would be complete without giving credit to those of both races who have made our community what it is today.

Both white and black have toiled together planting and plowing, building first with wood, then improving with stone and brick, harvesting she crops, helping with the birthing of children and the burying, the nursing the sick and helping the poor.  Today we do these things as we have always done because it's a part of living.

We don't know all those who contributed to the character of our community but we would like to remember some of those black citizens of the past who cared about this community.  We know that there are many still living who have, as the saying goes, "paid their dues" but in this article we would like to mention some of those who are now gone.  If you know of others, let us know about them!

Asbury Catchings - leader of the black community, operated a freight line, a restaurant and meat market across from the present site of Asbury Chevrolet Co.  (The name similarity is coincidental).  His wagons brought merchandise, supplies, horses and mules to the merchants of Monticello and Jasper County in the 1870's and 80's.  His wife, a practical nurse, had worked with Dr. Thomas C. Brodus.

Madison Epps - his blacksmith shop was marked on many naps in the 70's and 80's.  It was said that the Epps brothers cou9ld fix anything made out of iron or wood.

James Cargile - born a slave, a carpenter and brick mason by trade, had come to Monticello when there were no schools for black children.  He went to New York where he successfully applied for funds from the Rosewald Fund to build Cargile Institute.  The building is still standing on South Warren Street.  More of his work can still be seen in some of our older buildings.

Anna Barren - practical nurse, worked with the doctors of the county and from the 1890's to the 1940's hardly a child was born that "Anna" didn't care for during his first week.

Rosa Van Buren - left a widow in the 1930's with small children, was principal of Washington Park Elementary School during the 30's and 40's and 50's.  You hardly thought of the school without thinking of her.

Lexington (Lex) Sanders - merchant and land owner, never married but still cared about the youth.  He founded the Sander Recreation Center which has done much commendable work with the youth in our county.

Lt. Richard Funderburg - U.S. Air Force, won the Medal of Honor (Posthumously) after he was killed over Germany in 1944.  He was the son of Dr. and Mrs. R. D. Fungerburg.

We know that there are many others worthy of mention and we hope you will let us know about them.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005,  from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr. 
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.