The Absent Ones and the Providers: A Biography of the Vashons
Author(s): Paul N. D. Thornell
Source: The Journal of Negro History, Vol. 83, No. 4 (Autumn, 1998), pp. 284-301
Published by: Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc.
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2649028
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THE ABSENT ONES AND THE
PROVIDERS: A BIOGRAPHY OF THE
VASHONS
By Paul N. D. Thornell*
George Boyer Vashon, a black man in nineteenth century America, was devoted to
the struggle for black freedom and equality. ThroughoutAmerican history, blacks effected change in this country in a variety of ways. Because they were, for the most
part, denied access to political channels, such as voting and holding elected office, the
means by which blacks carried out their struggle were often subtle and unassuming.
Nevertheless, the many forms of black activism yielded concrete results in a similar
way. George B. Vashon's participation in the movement for black equality and advancement took shape through abolitionist work, education, and the use of the written
and spoken word. With these tools he was able to make carefully calculated attempts
to elevate African-Americans,the cause to which he dedicated his life.
George's father, John Bathan Vashon, was the son of a white man-also named
George Vashon-and a woman of mixed heritage who went by the name of Fanny
Vashon. John B. Vashon also endeavored to advance his race throughhis efforts as an
abolitionist, leader of Pittsburgh'sblack community, and chief black financier of the
city's anti-slavery crusade. John B. Vashon greatly influenced the course of his son's
life in two majorways. He made sure that George received the highest level of education and also brought him into the abolitionist crusade. From an early age, the
younger Vashon had a chance to associate with Frederick Douglass, William Lloyd
Garrison, Martin Delany, and other prominent figures whom John B. Vashon knew
very well. The elder Vashon enjoyed a solid rapportand friendship with these leading
abolitionistsand the younger George had the chance to frequentlybe in their company
at meetings and social gatherings.George B. Vashon's education and other pursuits in
his early life illustratethe extraordinarynatureof this man in a time when those of his
skin color lived under the most oppressive conditions. However, it is his work as an
educator,abolitionist, and writer that vividly reveals George B. Vashon's tireless commitment to uplifting his people.
Just as John Vashon had an importantimpact on George, it is clear that John's predecessors helped to shape his life. The Vashons came to America in the middle of the
eighteenth century.' Simon Vashon, a Caucasian and George B. Vashon's great-grandfather, emigratedto America from England and prosperedas a merchantand farmerin
* Paul N.D. Thornell is Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for Vice President Al Gore, Washington,
D.C.
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THE ABSENT ONES
285
Baltimore County, Maryland.2As a member of the Maryland Militia, Simon Vashon
fought in the RevolutionaryWar with a regiment called the Baltimore IndependentCadets.3 In December 1777, George was born out of wedlock to Simon and Mary
Coughton. Since they were not married, George spent the first years of his life with
his mother, being raised in a lower-middle class community of Baltimore.4Due to his
service in the war, Simon Vashon received a sizable amount of land in Norfolk, Virginia, and moved there in 1785.5 His son later joined him in the late 1780s and grew
up in Norfolk.
Simon Vashon owned a small group of slaves, one of whom was a light skinned
woman of African heritage named Fanny. Fanny was freed aroundthe year 1792 and,
as was common practice, she took the last name of her owner.6It was with this Fanny
Vashon that young George Vashon had a relationshipand fathereda son in 1792 who
was named John Bathan Vashon.7Since the mother's status determinedthe children's
status, John was born free. Apparently, Fanny Vashon was free at the time of the
child's birth, but there is no record of the date of her manumission.While it was commonplace for women of color to be raped by their white owners and left with child, it
is evident that there was a special bond between John and his father. Later, in honor
of his father, John named his first son George. It is unlikely that this would have happened had there been ill feelings in that relationship. Second, there are indepth specific facts about the history of the Vashon family, going back to France, that John
passed down to his descendants.These facts were recorded and have since been confirmed throughother sources.8In order for this family lore to have been passed down,
there must have been a significant, loving relationship between George Vashon and
John Bathan Vashon, or at the least between George and Fanny so that John came to
know that informationand appreciateit enough to incorporateit into the history of his
own family and its future generations.
At age 15, Simon's son, George, having been educated in a counting house, began
work as a merchant in Norfolk.9 Upon Simon Vashon's death in the early 1800s,
George inheriteda sizable amount of land and finances that he put to use in his career
ventures.10As the threatof anotherwar against England increased, George Vashon enlisted in the Virginia Militia of Princess Anne County in 1807. He became a lieutenant
in the 20th regiment of the Virginia Militia and later held a Captain'sCommission in
that same unit." George then became a prominentfigure in his community.In 1810, at
the age of 33, he representedPrincess Anne County in the Virginia General Assembly's House of Delegates. Vashon was elected to a second term the following year.12
After the British attack on the Chesapeake,George, on March 12, 1812, enlisted in the
United States Army as a First Lieutenantof the 10th U.S. Infantry.During the War of
1812, he received many commendationsfor his service, and in the years prior to the
end of the war, in 1815, George was promoted to the position of Captain.'3Ironically,
one of the leaders of the British Naval Forces was Admiral James Vashon, a second
cousin of George Vashon. Admiral Vashon was an accomplished member of England's
Navy, and Vashon Island in Washingtonstate is named after him.'4
CaptainGeorge Vashon's distinguishedmilitary career continued as he served under
the command of General Andrew Jackson for four years in the campaign against the
Seminole Indians in the South.'5 On March 29, 1819, he married Eliza H. Fleming,
the daughterof George Fleming, a prominentVirginia land owner, and after failing to
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JOURNAL OF NEGRO HISTORY
secure a transferin order to be closer to his home in Virginia, he resigned from the
U.S. Army in November 1819.16 Settling in Goochland County, Virginia, Vashon purchased land and made farming his livelihood, while also continuing his work as a
merchant.However, his land soon deteriorateddue to poor weather conditions, resulting in a significant depreciation.By 1825, he was forced to find other work to support
his growing family.'7 Over the next few years, he solicited the Departments of the
Army and Navy for positions. It was not until the spring of 1829, when his former
commanding officer and friend Andrew Jackson took office as President, that George
Vashon obtained an appointment.George served as a liaison between the federal government and the Cherokee Indian Nation.'8 He carried out his duties as Indian Agent
to the Cherokees west of the Mississippi River at Fort Gibson in Arkansas. In the fall
of 1835, he became seriously ill. Failing to recover from this unknown ailment, on
December 31, 1835, George died in the Seneca Indian Nation's land in Arkansas.19
Simultaneously as George Vashon was on his way to becoming a respected U.S.
military officer, John Bathan Vashon also had set his sights on devoting himself to the
cause of his country's defense. John grew up in proximity to his father, as they both
lived in Norfolk; however, the extent to which George played a role in his rearing is
not known. It is possible that in recognition of his parentalobligations, George Vashon
arrangedfor Fanny and John to be cared for in his absence as an active family member. George may have, indeed, provided for Fanny Vashon, as she was the head of her
household in the early years of the nineteenth century and owned a slave.20Whether
or not the young Vashon was directly influenced by his father; John, at the age of
twenty, embarked as a common seaman on board the old war ship, U.S.S. Revenge,
that was to cruise through the West Indies and along the coast of South America.2'
In 1812, with the security of the newly formed nation in jeopardy, John's participation in the war was a chance to prove himself and his race to his country as an American patriot. John B. Vashon was one of many black men who fought in the War of
1812. However, he was captured in an engagement with the British off the coast of
Brazil. He was held aboardthe Jersey Prison Ship for two years, then later released in
exchange for a white British soldier. For John, this symbolic act of equality, the exchange of a white man for a black man, was a source of great satisfaction throughout
his life.22
After his release, Vashon returnedto Fredericksburg,Virginia,where he later settled
in nearby Leesburg. While in Leesburg, he volunteered in the land service, at a time
when the area's black residents were asked to lend their help in preventing any further
attack of the British from the Potomac River. While residing in Leesburg, John met
and marriedAnne Smith and, by 1822, they had welcomed the birth of their first child
named Mary Frances.23Given the many restrictions placed on free blacks, John B.
Vashon moved his family to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1822.
The Vashons soon became a very well respected family in the black community.
John was the proprietorof a local public saloon which included a large livery stable.24
It was in Carlisle that Anne Vashon had their second child and only son on July 25,
1824. As previously stated, they named the boy George Boyer Vashon. In 1829, the
Vashons relocated to Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, where they became the "first family"
of the city's black population.
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Upon settling in his new home, John B. Vashon opened a barbershop. At that time
barbering,relegated to blacks and deemed socially unfit for whites, was one of the
few trades in which a black man could prosper.The Vashons had a home next door to
the shop and often shelteredblacks who were traveling through the city with no place
to stay. It was said that for blacks away from home, the red-and-white-stripedpole, a
barber'sinsignia, served as the welcoming sign of safe haven.25One of the newcomers
to the town who was taken in by the Vashons was MartinDelany, the future black nationalist leader. Young Martin shared a room with George and the two later attended
school together. Delany became a lifelong friend of the Vashons, and he considered
John to be his mentor.26
John's business became very successful in a short time, and the profits that he
amassed allowed him to add to his operation. In 1834, he opened City Baths, Pittsburgh's first public bath house, on Third Street between Market and Ferry Streets.
Blacks who owned bath houses were respected businessmen. Similar to barbering,
owning a bath house was also one of the few occupational niches that black entrepreneurs could carve for themselves. Being the owner of two well respected establishments that were frequentedby both blacks and whites contributed to John Vashon's
significant power and prestige. The City Baths became a business and political club
for whites who made up the leadershipof the city, and Vashon assumed the role of intermediarybetween the black residents and Pittsburgh'swhite men of influence.27
Vashon's financial security afforded him the opportunity to contribute funds to a
number of antislavery efforts in the community. There were many incidents where
money had to be raised to buy back slaves from slave catchers. In these cases, John
B. Vashon's name was always first on the list of contributors. In one instance, he
raised $200 to purchasethe freedom of a young slave named George White, employed
him in his bath house, and took him into his household.28John B. Vashon also allowed his home to be a station along the UndergroundRailroad between the 1830s
and 1850s. At night, when his white customers were not bathing, fugitive slaves passing through Pittsburghused the well-furnishedquartersfor food, rest, and the chance
to bathe in a comfortablesetting.29
Vashon's activism, however, went far beyond providing money and shelter. He was
a major participantin many of the national conventions of the time. As a leader of
Pittsburgh'sblack community,there was seldom a meeting held or declarationcreated
without his chairmanshipor signature.In 1833, he organized the PittsburghAnti-Slavery Society, the first such organizationin the region, whose meetings convened in the
front parlor of his home.30When the American Anti-Slavery Society was formed in
December of that same year, John B. Vashon was elected to the Board of Managersas
the delegate from Pittsburgh.3'
In early 1832, the noted white abolitionist, William Lloyd Garrison, traveled to
Western Pennsylvaniato establish ties with the anti-slavery forces there. He dined at
the Vashons' house and quickly became close friends with John.32One of the reasons
for their fondness for each other was that they shared common beliefs about the
means by which slavery should be dissolved. They felt that only the immediate and
unconditional emancipation of slaves was the way to eradicate the injustice that
plagued America. Unlike many abolitionists, Vashon and Garrisonwere adamantlyopposed to proposals that freed blacks leave the country and colonize other parts of the
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JOURNAL OF NEGRO HISTORY
world. Some felt that this idea was the only way to settle the problem of racial conflict. For John B. Vashon and others, however, the notion of being forced to leave
America to make a home elsewhere was completely contraryto the idea of liberty that
they were seeking for blacks. As a veteran and former prisoner of war, Vashon saw
his identity as being-without qualification-that of an American.
Once the two met, they began to coordinatetheir efforts, and John became the Pittsburgh agent for subscriptionsto Garrison'snewspaper, The Liberator. He wrote a series of resolutions that appeared in it called "Thoughts on Colonization." In 1833,
Vashon contributed $110 to his new associate's anti-slavery journal.33On a visit to
Boston to see Garrisonin October 1835, John had dinner at his house on the evening
that a riot took place in the city. Garrisonwas on his way to an anti-slavery meeting
when he was attackedby an infuriatedmob. They dragged him throughthe streets until he was put in a jail overnight for his own protection-it was claimed. John B.
Vashon was a witness to all of this activity, and his deep affection for William Lloyd
Garrison brought him to tears. The next morning, John visited his close friend in
prison, bringing him a new hat and words of consolation after the terrible incident.34
One of John B. Vashon's most vital contributionsto the black community was his
leadershipin the effort to provide education for Pittsburgh'sblack youth. As his children grew older, he recognized the need for them to receive the best available schooling. He sent his daughter,Mary Frances, to the Female Academy of Miss Sarah M.
Douglass in Philadelphia.35As George was too young to be sent away to school, John
made it possible for him and others to be educated in the area. In January 1832, John
organized the black residents to discuss their children's education. They formed the
Pittsburgh African Education Society, with Vashon as president and the Reverend
Lewis Woodson as secretary.They produced a constitution for a permanentorganization, set annual dues at $2, and elected a Board of Managers to purchase books and
supplies and pursue plans for a schoolhouse.36The school was established in the basement of Little Bethel Church,an African Methodist Episcopal church on Wylie Street,
and offered accommodationsbarely adequate for the students. There was not enough
money to provide better arrangementsfor the black children who were barred from
white schools.
George B. Vashon was one of the first students to attend the school. Taughtby the
Reverend Woodson, his lessons were supplementedby his father's teaching at home.
John Vashon, himself, had not received any significant schooling while growing up in
Virginia,but he realized the importanceof acquiringknowledge throughtraditionaleducation. Like many other black activists, he believed that ignorance was one of the
greatest threatsto freedom for blacks. It provided the foundationfor oppression of African-Americansbecause it kept them in a state of "perpetualdarkness." The constitution of the Pittsburgh African Education Society stated that ". . . (I)t must be admit-
ted, that ignorance is the sole cause of the present degradationand bondage of the
people of color in these United States; that the intellectual capacity of the black man
is equal to that of the white.
. . ."
37
George went to the school until 1837 when he could attend public school. His aptitude for understandingthe concepts put before him and consistently learning new informationwas characteristicof that of a child prodigy. He had an extraordinarymastery of languages in particular.Not only had he learned the English alphabet at an
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early age, he had begun to study Greek and Latin by age eight. He later went on to
learn Sanskrit, Hebrew, and Persian.38On one occasion, when George was approximately ten years old, an observer took note of his talents:
. . .(He) had been studying Greek about four or five months, yet he construedpart of one of Aesop's Fables, and answered the questions I put to him, with regardto tenses and numbers,much better than many boys of longer standing in years and study. He was a very sharp little fellow, and
went throughhis task without conceit or hesitation.39
George Vashon's linguistic skills were certainly exceptional. However, his pursuitof
such knowledge was not unique; other able blacks of that time also tried to educate
themselves in foreign languages. The interest in this particularfield of study can be
partially attributedto the words of the Southern proslavery statesman, John C. Calhoun. He allegedly said that, if he could find a black person capable of conjugatinga
Greek verb, he would then believe that the black was a human being and had a soul.40
Many blacks took this statement seriously and undertook the study of Greek and
Latin. It was by such people that the young Vashon was taught. He, in turn, passed
that instructionon to others. By the age of thirteen, he had learned all that his public
school instructorcould teach him, and it was then that George began to assist in the
teaching of his fellow students.4'
In 1838, George and some of his schoolmates found a way to create a role for
themselves in the abolition movement in Pittsburgh.Black abolitionism was a community endeavor that involved men and women of all ages and classes. The youth of
many areas were enrolled in juvenile anti-slaveryorganizationsto foster a sense of activism among the future leaders. On July 7, 1838, Vashon and David Peck founded
one of the first such groups and named it the PittsburghJuvenile Anti-Slavery Society.
There were approximately50 members a year after its birth, and George Vashon was
the secretary.The society collected dues so that it could contributesmall amounts of
money to various causes.42
By the time he was 16 years old, George had exhausted all of the opportunitiesfor
schooling available to him in Pittsburgh.Therefore, in 1840, John enrolled George in
Oberlin College. Oberlin was one of the few colleges in the country that admitted
black students on an equal basis with whites. George B. Vashon's years at Oberlin
were a time of intellectual, scholarly, and ideological growth. Most of Oberlin's early
student records were destroyed in a fire, so few specifics are known of his career
there, but there is evidence that he spoke on many occasions at Oberlin. One instance
was the August 1842 celebration of the West Indies Emancipation. George was a
member of the Union Society, Oberlin's prestigious men's literary society. His classroom efforts were recognized as being exceptional by faculty and students alike. One
professor said that ". . . (W)hile in mathematics and English studies he was an average scholar, in the languages he was very superior . . . His classmates gave him the
credit of being the first linguist in the class, if not the best in the whole college. As
an essayist, also, he was above the average."43
Some of Vashon's most outstanding work at Oberlin was his teaching at a local
school in Chillicothe, Ohio. He volunteered his services as a teacher beginning in the
1843 winter term."4He and a fellow student tutored the black youngsters of the area
and impartedto them the knowledge they had, which often times was more than the
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full time instructorshad to offer. As importantas their tutelage was, their presence as
black symbols of rare academic talent and achievement helped to influence the students just as much. His and the other black Oberlin students' efforts in Chillicothe
were summarizedand praised.
The influence exerted by these teachers upon their pupils and the community at large, was widespread and salutary. ... Forerunners,as they were, for a whole race, in the ways of the highest
scholarship . . . they were well calculated to exert a large and commanding influence upon such
youths as were brought within their reach.45
Vashon's influence in this capacity was evident in his work with a young John Mercer Langston, one of the black students at the school. Vashon worked closely with
Langston and a strong bond developed between the two. Vashon often brought the
teenager to Oberlin to visit the campus, introducing Langston to his professors and
students and instilling in his pupil the sense that he too could enjoy such scholarly exploits. George's academic success clearly inspired Langston to follow in his mentor's
footsteps. In Vashon's final year at Oberlin, he saw to it that Langston was enrolled at
the college.46John Mercer Langston became the first black person to hold elective office in America and also served in the United States House of Representativesfrom
Virginia.
On August 28, 1844, George B. Vashon became the first black to graduate from
Oberlin College, receiving the school's Bachelor of Arts degree. He graduated with
valedictory honors and delivered the commencement address. In his oration, "Liberty
of Mind," he spoke of how ". . . (G)enius, talent, and learning are not withheld by
our common Father . . ." from persons of color. Later, in 1849, he received the
honor of having the Master of Arts degree conferred on him by Oberlin, in recognition of his scholarly pursuitsand accomplishments.47Having spent four productive and
active years at Oberlin, George looked forward to returninghome to Pittsburghwith
the hope that he could begin a prosperous life grounded in the values of his experiences in his early life and in college.
Pittsburgh'sblack community knew he was an accomplished individual, and fully
expected him to join in the struggle for equality. From all of George Vashon's personal initiatives and pursuits at such a young age, it would appear that he genuinely
wanted to have a central role in the cause of advancing the black race. The career
path that he chose to this end was that of a lawyer, and he began a clerkship in January 1845. He studied law under Judge Walter Forward, a prominent figure in Pennsylvania politics who later became U.S. Secretaryof the Treasury.Judge Forwardwas
one of many sympatheticwhites in Pennsylvania who made efforts to help blacks secure professional opportunities.While he was cognizant of the barriersfacing a prospective black lawyer, he saw in young George enough potential to want to help him
to achieve this objective. After two years of instruction,Vashon completed his studies
and applied for admission to the Allegheny County bar so as to be able to practice
law in his native state. Despite the backing of Forward,he was rejected because of his
"negro descent,"" based on an 1838 revision to Pennsylvania'sconstitution that limited the franchise to white men. It also declared that blacks had no political existence
and could not be admittedto law practice in the state. This was a devastating setback,
for Vashon was forced to take his legal aspirations elsewhere. This glaring injustice
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was reportedin many newspapersand received significant attentionin both black and
white communities. A Clevelandjournalistcriticized Pennsylvaniain an article saying,
"If God had painted him white, he would have been admitted. The colored people
have rights; why not have learned men of their own kindred to vindicate them?"49
This rejection was a crushing blow to Vashon and his hopes of being able to advance the rights of black Americans through the law. His rejection made him consider
closely his future plans. He decided to leave the United States for Haiti, which he had
always admiredbecause of the efforts of Toussaint L'Ouvertureand other blacks who
took part in the Haitian Revolution. He saw it as a place where blacks had a chance
to develop their potential. Vashon, however, was still determinedto become a lawyer
in his own country. Before he left for Haiti, he traveled to New York to take the bar
examination of that state, and on January 10, 1848, he became the first black to become a lawyer in New York. In his oral test, Vashon displayed ". . . [Al perfect
knowledge of the rudiments of law. . . ." Nevertheless, still committed to his belief
that better opportunityexisted in the first black republic, he sailed from New York
City to Haiti on February2, 1848.50
Vashon's experience in Haiti was not as fulfilling as he had hoped primarily because he was neither able to practice law in that country nor obtain citizenship. In a
letter he wrote, ". . .(T)he unsettled state of that country deterred me from carrying
out my intention of becoming a citizen thereof, and I was, in consequence, debarred
from the exercise of practicing my profession there." He instead accepted a teaching
position in the capital, Port-au-Prince,serving as a professor of Latin, Greek, and English languages at various academies and at College Faustin, the primary national
school.5'
Vashon spent his time in Haiti becoming familiar with the history and culture of the
island and becoming acquaintedwith many high-standingindividuals. During his two
and a half year stay, he also served as a correspondentfor FrederickDouglass's periodical, The North Star. (Douglass had become a close associate and friend of John
and George Vashon in Pittsburgh,and he was a frequent guest in their home.) It was
in this capacity that George was able to communicate to black Americans the experiences and struggles of their Haitian brethren.Despite his obvious fascination with this
nation, Vashon concluded that he should return to America and try to secure a place
for himself in his native land.52
He returnedto Pittsburghin October 1850. Perceiving that the political climate had
not changed enough, he chose not to reapply to the Allegheny County bar. Sadly, his
desperation reached the point where he began to think seriously about studying
medicine, but felt that too much time and money would be involved in such an endeavor. George Vashon, therefore,decided to pursue his career in the state which had
admitted him to the bar. Hence, in December 1850, he moved to Syracuse, New
York.53
Vashon's move to upstate New York signified the beginning of the more notable efforts of activism in his adult years. His backgroundprovided a strong foundation for
the various roles he would play in the fight for black equality: his early academic success, antislaveryagitation, speaking, and writing all translatedinto components of his
professional career as an adult. By the same token, his disappointmentsrelated to being discriminatedagainst racially also had parallels in his later years.
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Vashon began his legal practicein January1851, in Syracuse, New York. There was
a small black community in that city, but it was mobilized in its efforts to secure freedom for slaves escaping to the North. The passage of the Fugitive Slave Law, in
1850, was the stimulus for the organizationof a vigilante committee in the town. This
type of group was formed to provide financial and legal assistance to blacks who fled
from bondage. George Vashon became a prominentmember of the committee. He also
assisted in freeing blacks as a conductor on the UndergroundRailroad. When he was
younger and living in Pittsburgh,he worked with his father in this capacity.54Vashon's
light skin and small build enabled him, on many occasions, to pass as a white woman
and disguise his secret maneuvers.55
The wealthy white philanthropistGerrit Smith of Peterboro, New York, joined the
committee and developed an importantrapport with Vashon.56Throughout the years
after the meeting, the two correspondedwith each other quite frequently.They shared
ideas on everything from the chances for emancipation to their respective family
plans. Smith headed the Liberty Party, a small third party made up of reformers who
tried to bring about moral change through the political system. In 1855, George
Vashon was this party's candidatefor attorney general of New York, the first black to
run for public office in the state.57He often served as a secretaryof the many conventions, meetings, and other operationsof the Syracuse vigilance committee and the Liberty Party.
Although George Vashon became well known in the community for his involvement
in the attemptsto aid fugitive slaves, his law practice did not bring him a prosperous
livelihood. In 1852, he wrote that, "I have confidently expected that, . . . I would be
enabled to support myself by means of my profession. Those expectations have not
been realized. The consequence is that I find myself now in my embarrassedcircumstances."58Later in that year, his father related his feelings on his son's struggle in a
similar letter, stating that he made a ". . . (W)oful [sic] mistake in educating (his) son
a lawyer. . . ." His disappointment was not directed at his son's failure, but instead at
the sense that their relentless battle for equality had not brought about a significant
improvementin the condition of free blacks, especially in the city of Syracuse, where
opportunitieswere plentiful.59
George Vashon's time in the early 1850s was partially spent becoming involved, as
John B. Vashon was already, in the many national and state conventions that brought
blacks together to discuss and develop strategies for action. In 1853, Frederick
Douglass organized the Colored National Convention in Rochester, New York. John
and George Vashon were among the 42 people who officially signed the document
calling for the convention. The primary goal of the meeting was to mobilize and
maintain the support of blacks in free states. To this end, a National Council of
Colored People was established. At this most importantof all black conventions, John
B. Vashon was vice-president,and George served with Douglass on the Committee on
Declaration of Sentiments. The address of this committee, which George wrote, eloquently demandedjustice and equality under the law for black Americans.60
This gathering provided John and George Vashon with the chance, which they had
not had for some years, to work closely together. When George was growing up, he
shared many experiences with his father, helping him run the bath house, traveling
throughoutPennsylvania, and assisting in a variety of other endeavors. It was during
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these common tasks that George learned from his father, and John had the pleasure of
his son's company and unwavering admiration.At this 1853 convention, John had the
opportunity to watch his son display his talents. A veteran columnist for Frederick
Douglass' paper reportedon the event: "George B. Vashon is making a speech-powerful, beautiful, eloquent-while
approval.' 61
his father . . . sits a monument of admiration and
This meeting was one of the last times that John and George Vashon were able to
be together. On January 8, 1854, a National Convention of Veterans of the War of
1812 was held in Philadelphia.John B. Vashon had never applied to receive a pension
or governmentlands for his services, but he relished every opportunityhe had to reminisce about his exploits defending his country's freedom. He had set out to take his
place as a soldier delegate to this military gathering when he collapsed and died of
heart failure in the Pittsburgh train station on December 29, 1853.62 Frederick
Douglass wrote a column in his newspaper eulogizing the American patriot, and the
Vashons' close friend, MartinDelany, was chosen to coordinateand lead two meetings
celebratingthis great man. Delany also formally conveyed to Anne, George, and Mary
Frances Vashon the condolences of the entire city of Pittsburgh. One of John B.
Vashon's friends wrote in an editorial piece, ". . . (H)e fell with his harness on, and
died in the last act of service to his brethren,and in obedience to the summons of his
country, in the person of one of her delegated warriors."63
In the August before his father's death, George Vashon demonstratedhis literary
abilities in his 359-line poem entitled "Vincent Oge." This epic work is regardedas
one of his most outstandingachievements. It tells the story of mulattos in Haiti rising
up against white authority and of Vincent Oge's role in the insurrection.The poem
reveals the writer's admirationfor those involved in the 1790-1791 Haitian Revolution
and indeed showcases the deep personal connection that George B. Vashon felt toward
Haiti and its people. Vashon's middle name, Boyer, was the last name of Jean Pierre
Boyer, the Haitian President in office at the time of his birth. His being given that
name must have instilled in him a significant amount of appreciationfor that country
from a young age.
The subject matterof the poem is very compelling in its ability to reflect the similarities in the fights for freedom by blacks in Haiti and in America:
To shrieks of wild despairingWe willingly suppress a sighNay, gaze with rapturein our eye,
Whilst "Freedom!" is the rally-cry
That calls to deeds of daring.
Vincent Oge was a man of prominence in Haiti in the revolutionary era. He was a
mulatto, born in Haiti, but schooled in France. He was executed in his native country
for allegedly inciting an insurrectionagainst the French government. "Vincent Oge,"
was circulated in several newspapers in the North at the time of its release. Critics
commented that Vashon put forth, ". . . (S)urely the most imaginative poem by a
black man of his century." They added the piece is effective because it is, "(B)ased
on the life of a Negro hero and inspired by the abolitionist spirit which in the fifties
was pushing the Negro forward."65
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In December of 1853, George Vashon decided to abandonhis legal practice in Syracuse and accept a professorship at New York Central College, in McGrawville, New
York. The school was founded by the American Baptist Free Mission Society, an antislavery organization.This group wanted to make an education available to all regardless of race or sex, and blacks accounted for about one-thirdof the student body. This
college was the first collegiate-level institution to have black professors on its
faculty.66Vashon, the third black instructor,was professor of Belles Lettres at the college. He was characterizedas an outstandingteacher whose pupils would try to stump
him with ". . . (p)hrases and historical incidents . . ." from Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
Vashon always knew the answers though, and his students concluded that he was the
most knowledgeable man at the school.67
In September of 1854, George Vashon became a regular contributorto Frederick
Douglass' paper. His first major contributionwas an essay that appearedin November
on the National EmigrationConvention of Colored People, called by Martin Delany.
Despite his sojourn to Haiti and his longtime friendship with Delany, Vashon's "The
Late Convention," voiced his emphatic opposition to the idea of black emigration. It
attacked the meeting's plans for a separate black nation.68George felt, as John B.
Vashon had, that blacks had a right and a duty to carve out a place for themselves in
American society because their presence in the United States should be honored and
respected just as much as that of whites. Years later, in September of 1862, he addressed the related issue of federally sponsored colonization proposals that were being
seriously considered by the Lincoln administration.In an open letter to President Lincoln that was also carriedin Douglass' paper, Vashon argued that compulsory emigration was neither just, expedient, nor a feasible solution to the racial turmoil. He also
refuted Lincoln's assertion that blacks were the cause of the Civil War, writing instead
that white racial oppression had corruptedthe nation and brought about the conflict.
President of the United States, let me say in conclusion that the negro may be the 'bone of contention' in our present civil war. He may have been the occasion of it; but he has not been its cause.
That cause must be sought in the wrongs inflicted upon him by the white man.69
This letter was significant because it showcased the division in the black community over a solution offered to remedy the plight of African-Americans.The language
of the letter was characteristicof Vashon's writing style. It was highly intellectual,
well-reasoned, and forceful. His brilliant and persuasive writing in this instance stood
as a proud monumentto blacks, while also serving as a representationof activism that
was highly regardedby all people who could read those words.
Shortly after Vashon wrote his essay on the emigration convention, tragedy visited
him again as his mother and sister were victims of a cholera epidemic that swept
through Pittsburgh in the fall of 1854. Mary Frances Vashon had married a man
named Benjamin Colder and they had four children. George took charge of his three
nieces and one nephew, ranging in age from eight to fifteen years, because their father
was an alcoholic. He broughtthem to McGrawville, New York in May, 1855.7?
The financial burden of the four children was quite significant given his modest
teacher's salary. Over the next two years, he struggled to supportthe remnantsof his
"once happy family" but soon found himself in, ". . .(a) worse position than ever."'71
The college could only pay half of his promised earnings of $400 and informed him
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that his services would no longer be needed at the school. George was in dire need of
the funds to provide for his deceased sister's children. The trustees of the institution
all expressed their confidence in his teaching abilities, but could not afford to keep
him on their faculty. Vashon believed that there was racial prejudice behind his dismissal. He claimed that both anotherprofessor and a member of the Board of Trustees
told him that New York Central College wanted to dispense with the black teachers,
(i)n order that it may become an object of popular favor."s72
After the completion of the school's term, Vashon returnedto Pittsburghin December of 1857 and became Principal of the Colored Public Schools of that city. This position was not as prestigious as the professorship he held in New York, but the pay
was better and gave him the hope of being able to live free of debt to anyone.73To
aide him in the administrationof the schools he had an assistant teacher, Susan Paul
Smith. She was born in Boston on September 19, 1838 and was the granddaughterof
the ReverendThomas Paul, one of the most prominentblacks in the city's history. After graduating from Miss O'Mears' Seminary school as the valedictorian and only
black student in the class, she moved to Pittsburghwith her father Elijah W. Smith.74
George Vashon marriedSusan Paul Smith on February17, 1859. In the course of their
marriage the couple had seven children, four of whom survived. John Boyer, Frank
Cheveau, George Boyer, Jr., and Emma Vashon were all born in Pittsburghbetween
the years 1859 and 1866.75
George Vashon's stature in Pittsburgh'scommunity was that of a recognized leader.
On many occasions, he addressedthe black residents about the abolitionist crusade, racial uplift, and related topics.76 In 1863, he became president of Avery College in
nearby Allegheny City. This institution was founded by Charles Avery, a Pittsburgh
civic leader and advocate of the educational and economic advancement of blacks.
Vashon also continued his work as a participantin the UndergroundRailroad.He and
his wife were active in assisting runaway slaves in the years prior to emancipation.It
is not known in what capacity George worked in the Civil War effort of the community. However, Susan Paul Smith Vashon gained notoriety for her operation, in Pittsburgh, of sanitaryrelief bazaars that raised funds for the care of black refugees from
the South. Her efforts collected thousands of dollars to relocate displaced freedmen in
the Ohio Valley.77
As the fighting continued and blacks became afraid that the political powers-that-be
were working against their interests, leaders from aroundthe country met in Syracuse,
in October 1864. George Vashon was sent by the city of Pittsburghto the gathering.
The dual purpose of the event was to unite in support of the proposed Thirteenth
Amendment and of Lincoln's reelection. George was named to the rules and finance
committees, while his former pupil from Oberlin, John Mercer Langston, was in
charge of the business committee. The convention producedthe National Equal Rights
League that lobbied for black equality in state and national legislation. Vashon was
elected the league's first correspondingsecretary and served until the passage of the
Fifteenth Amendmentin 1870.78
Within months after the convention, state and regional groups were formed. The
Pennsylvania State Equal Rights League was organized in February of 1865 and
Vashon chaired the business committee and wrote the address to the people of Pennsylvania. He was also a member of the league's executive board. One of his most sig-
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nificant contributionsto the work of this state organizationwas the preparationof an
address to Congress in January, 1866. Delegates were campaigning for certain provisions to be put in the FourteenthAmendmentthat Congress was crafting. Vashon was
not able to go to Washington,but others used the work he had preparedfor them.79
In anotherattemptto gain permission to practice law in his state, Vashon applied to
the Allegheny County bar on the ground that he had already passed the New York examination.His appeal was rejected after months of proceedings.Upset by this setback,
he decided to look for work in the nation's capital. In October 1867, he moved to
Washington,DC by himself and sent for his family to join him a year later. His disappointmentin Pittsburghwas compensatedfor by his admission to practice as an attorney and counselor to the Supreme Court of the United States. There was no opposition made to that application.80
George Vashon worked as an assistant in the Solicitor's Office of the Bureau of
Refugees, Freedmen, and AbandonedLands. He was appointed to this position in the
Freedmen's Bureau by its head, General 0. 0. Howard. Vashon frequently served as
legal counsel for freedmen in courts of the District of Columbia and the Supreme
Court.8'Howard was so impressed by Vashon's talents that he enlisted his support in
his efforts to found Howard University. General Howard was white, as were the majority of those involved in the founding of the institution. The Board of Trustees appointed Vashon to direct the Evening School. He was the first black professor at Howard University and played an important role in developing the structure of the
education system at the school. Because of small attendanceand insufficient financing
from tuitions-only nine students were registered for 1867-1868-Vashon's service at
the university ended and the Evening School was closed. His role as one of the few
blacks involved with the institutionmade his influence on Howard's origins unique. It
is clear that Vashon did more in behalf of the school than he has formally been
credited with having done.82
George Vashon's work in education was also seen in his duties as an examiner of
teachers' credentialsfor the Washington-Georgetownblack public school system. Beginning in 1868, he administeredthe written and oral examinations of teachers and
students in the system. Vashon developed new modes of testing the prospective educators with the goal of improving the instructionalstandards.83Susan Paul Vashon also
was active in this field. She taught in the same school system and later became principal of the ThaddeusStevens School in the area.
While in Washington,George Vashon continued his tireless struggle to elevate the
condition of black Americansthroughpolicy and legislation. With the end of the Civil
War in 1865, and the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery, the
lifelong efforts of Vashon and countless numbers of abolitionists were realized. In
many ways the oppression and subjugationof blacks in the postwar years, taking the
form of lynching and disenfranchisement,was as crippling as slavery. In light of these
dismal circumstances,the first years of Reconstructionsaw much activity on the part
of black leaders to ensure that equal rights would be codified in federal law.
While the FifteenthAmendmentwas before Congress, delegates to the January 1869
National Convention of Colored Men of America came together in Washington, DC.
This meeting was one of the most significant of its type because its work helped stimulate the passage of this amendment. George Vashon carried out vital tasks in the
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course of the assembly. He was elected chairman of the credentials committee and
served on the rules and business committees. Because of his highly respected writing
and speaking abilities, he also was delegated the responsibility of preparingthe convention's "Address to the People of the United States." His oration clearly and logically justified blacks' right to vote and urged all black men to send petitions to Congress. Vashon was chosen by the other delegates as one of the nine leaders to meet
with President Grant and seek his supportfor the Fifteenth Amendment.84
Like his years in Syracuse, New York, Vashon's time in Washington was actively
spent in the fight for equality, yet his professional exploits were not as fulfilling. He
stayed at the Freedmen's Bureau until February, 1869, when the government suspended its operation.He applied to be the United States minister to Haiti and solicited
the help of his friend Gerrit Smith, who had served in Congress, to recommend him
for the job. Despite his work in Haiti, where he had acquiredextensive knowledge of
its history and culture, and his literary and legal qualifications, Vashon was turned
down for the position.85
After this latest refusal, he began work as a temporaryclerk in the Bureau of Statistics of the TreasuryDepartmentin August 1869 and continued there through January
of the following year. In July 1870, after taking the requiredexamination, he worked
as a clerk in the Census Office, Department of the Interior. He remained in that
agency until January1872. In each of these instances of termination,his services were
no longer needed because of a reduction in force or the completion of the duties that
he was hired to carry out. He received from each of his superior officers
". . . (f)lattering testimonials as to (his) fidelity and efficiency." He then looked to
returnto the TreasuryDepartmentas a first class clerk and applied for the position in
June of 1872. It was necessary for him to produce recommendationsattesting to his
credentials and pass a clerkship examination. One of the men who recommendedhim
for the job was Hiram Rhodes Revels of Mississippi, the first black person to be
elected to the U.S. Senate. The two men had become friends after Vashon's move to
Washington.Even though Vashon successfully passed the test, he was rejected under
the "reservedpower" of the TreasuryDepartment.After anothermember of Congress
intervened and advised the departmentto reevaluate its initial decision, Vashon was
appointed a first class clerk in the Office of the Second Auditor of the Treasury in
May, 1873.86
George Vashon accepted this clerkship on a probationarybasis. If his work was
deemed satisfactory after a term of six months, he would be reappointed.87However,
Vashon had grown tired of the problems he had encountered in order to receive this
latest of clerical positions. His friend, Hiram Revels, had recently been chosen to be
the first president of Alcorn University near Rodney, Mississippi and encouraged
George Vashon to join him at the school as a professor. Desiring a returnto teaching,
Vashon welcomed his request and resigned from the TreasuryDepartmentin September of 1873 to assume a professorshipof mathematicsat Alcom.88
Vashon settled in at Alcorn University in the fall of that same year. He soon became the Professor of Ancient and Modern Languages, in addition to teaching mathematics. He was well respected by the faculty and students. As with his previous teaching experiences, his colleagues and pupils were in admiration of his superior
scholarshipand display of "gentlemanly demeanortoward all." He wished to continue
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his career as a lawyer so he applied for and gained admission to the Mississippi bar in
June of 1875.89George's oldest son, John, was at the time a student at Alcorn. At the
commencement exercises of June 19, 1878, John was valedictorian of his class and
delivered the address to the university as his father watched with great pride. Alcorn's
fall term was a few weeks away when an epidemic of yellow fever swept through
many parts of the South. The disease claimed the life of George B. Vashon on October 5, 1878. He died in Rodney, Mississippi, and was buried on the university's campus in an unmarkedgrave.9"
George Vashon's family members kept his legacy alive throughtheir involvement in
education and activism. His widow and four children moved to St. Louis, Missouri in
1882. Susan Vashon was a central figure in the women's club movement in Missouri,
founding the Missouri Association of Colored Women's Clubs and serving as president
of a branch of the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs.9' John Boyer
Vashon was a highly esteemed educator in St. Louis. He taught in the public school
system of the city and later became principal of two schools. In 1927, the Vashon
High School was built in St. Louis and named in honor of both George B. Vashon and
his son John, for their years of dedicated service as educators. The Vashons' three
other children also became respected members of the city's black community. George
Jr. worked as a clerk in City Hall and a writer; Emma was a school teacher; and
Frank was, for 23 years, a postal clerk in St. Louis.9'
Frank C. Vashon marriedEmma Prestina Story and the two had six children. Their
fifth girl was born in 1912 and was named Frances Celeste. Frances Vashon lived in
St. Louis until she met and marriedDr. Nolan N. Atkinson in 1937. She and her husband moved to Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, where he practiced medicine for over 50
years. In 1940, their first child, Carolyn Olivia, was born. She grew up with her
brother, Nolan Jr., and many of their cousins, the children of her mother's siblings
who had also relocated to the area. After attending college and graduate school,
Carolyn Atkinson taught at Columbia University, where she was introducedto Richard
Paul Thornell, another staff member at the university. In 1970, the two married and
settled in New York City. Carolyn and Richard Thornell had born to them two sons,
Paul Nolan Diallo in 1972 and Douglass Vashon in 1976-the authorof this essay and
his younger brother.
The history of the Vashon family relates the life experiences of individuals who in
various capacities made significant contributions to the course of American history.
From Simon Vashon's fighting for this country's independence to the distinguished
military and governmentservice of CaptainGeorge Vashon, those earlier family members played a role in securing the nation's sovereignty. John B. Vashon's patriotic fervor and his pioneering role in the abolitionist crusade are symbolic of the efforts made
by free blacks to try to incorporatethemselves into society's frameworkas true Americans. George B. Vashon's labors in the anti-slaverycrusade and his trailblazingefforts
as a scholar and educator, illustratethe undying efforts of many to bring freedom and
the opportunityfor equality to the black race.
The life of George Boyer Vashon is without question that of a remarkableperson.
The numerous "firsts" that pervade his 54 years only partially attest to his extraordinary attributes.His exploits would have been notable for any individual. Yet, that a
black man was able to accomplish what he did and develop his many talents in that
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era allows one to betterrecognize Vashon's excellence. His rare linguistic, literary,and
oratoricalgifts set him apart from most blacks and whites of the time. These abilities
demonstratedto the forces of prejudice that skin color had no bearing on talent or intellect. Yet with all of his exceptional feats, Vashon encounteredthe same racial discrimination that plagued the rest of his people. Few would have guessed that a life
full of such achievement could be thwartedat so many turns. However, in attempting
to assess his success or failure, it would be wrong to qualify his life by those setbacks. For George Boyer Vashon's endeavors were not all realized in his years, but in
the futures of the countless numbersof people that he helped free, educate, and uplift.
Beyond the historical significances of the Vashons, this story is indeed that of family. From the first known ancestor, the commitment to and sense of family have been
hallmarks of the Vashons, and have resulted in much of the written and oral history
available today. It is clear from this story that those earlier Vashons, whom future
family members never met, provided each generation of descendants with a legacy in
which they took and continue to take pride. In this sense, the absent ones are also the
providers.
NOTES
Vashon Family History Fact Sheet, written by Frances V. Atkinson, the granddaughterof George B.
Vashon, as told to her by George B. Vashon, Jr., in possession of author.
2 Baltimore County Land Records, October 14, 1772, Book A.L. No. F., 129-133, Maryland State
Archives, Annapolis, Maryland.
3"Muster Roll for the Baltimore IndependentCadets," Maryland Historical Magazine, v. iv., No. 4, Baltimore, Maryland, 1909, 372.
4"The Last Will and Testamentof Simon Vashon," May 10, 1797, Princess Anne County, Virginia Will
Book No. 2, 156-157, Virginia State Archives, Richmond, Virginia.
I Norfolk City, Virginia Deedbook, December 29, 1819, No. 16, 151, Virginia State Archives.
6 1810 United States ManuscriptCensus Records for Princess Anne County, Virginia, National Archives,
Washington,DC.
7William Nell, Colored Patriots of the American Revolution, New York, 1968, 181-182.
8 Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
9 Thomas Newton to Samuel Southard,U.S. Secretary of Navy, October 16, 1827, United States Senate
ConfirmationFile for Captain George Vashon to the Office of Indian Agent, National Archives.
'? Norfolk City, Virginia Deedbook, May 20, 1806, No. 10, Virginia State Archives, 230.
Captain John Reade to the AdjutantGeneral's Office, July 9, 1812, National Archives.
12 General Assembly of Virginia:A Bicentennial Register of Members, compiled by Cynthia Miller Leonard, Richmond, 1978, 262, 267.
'3 George Vashon to the AdjutantGeneral's Office, June 5, 1815, National Archives.
14 Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
'5 General Andrew Jackson to U.S. Departmentof War, February 19, 1825, United States Senate Confirmation File for CaptainGeorge Vashon to the Office of Indian Agent, National Archives.
16 George Vashon to the AdjutantGeneral's Office, November 1, 1819, Ibid.
17 James Vearantsto the President of the United States, John Quincy Adams, February 17, 1825, United
States Senate ConfirmationFile for Captain George Vashon to the Office of Indian Agent, Ibid.
Ix United States Senate ConfirmationFile for CaptainGeorge Vashon to the Office of Indian Agent, February 5, 1830, Ibid.
19
Arbuckle to Office of Indian Affairs, January5, 1836, Ibid.
20 1810 United States ManuscriptCensus Records for Princess Anne County, Virginia, Ibid.
21 Nell, Colored Patriots 182.
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22
23
24
JOURNAL OF NEGRO HISTORY
Victor Ullman, Martin R. Delany: The Beginnings of Black Nationalism, Boston, 1971, 13.
Nell, Colored Patriots 183.
Ibid.
25
Dorothy Sterling, The Making of an Afro-American:Martin Robinson Delany 1812-1885, New York,
1971, 38.
26 Ibid., 39-40.
27 Ullman, Martin R. Delany, 17.
28 1850
United States ManuscriptCensus for Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,National Archives.
29 Ullman, Martin R. Delany, 17.
30 Nell, Colored Patriots, p. 184.
31 Benjamin Quarles, Black Abolitionists, New York, 1969, 24.
32 William Lloyd Garrisonto John B. Vashon, December 8, 1832, The Letters of WilliamLloyd Garrison,
ed. by Walter M. Merril and Louis Ruchames, v. i, Cambridge,Massachusetts,1971, 193-194.
33 William Lloyd Garrisonto John B. Vashon, November 5, 1833, Ibid.
34 William Lloyd Garrisonto John B. Vashon, July 27, 1847, The Letters of WilliamLloyd Garrison, ed.
by Walter M. Merril and Louis Ruchames, v. iii, Cambridge,Massachusetts, 1975, 500.
3S Nell, Colored Patriots, 186.
36 Ullman, Martin R. Delany, 23.
37 Ibid.
38 Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
39 E.S. Abdy, "Journalof a Residence and Tour in the United States of North America," v. iii, Private
Collection of CatharineHanchett, 96.
40 Bella Gross, "Freedom's Journal and the Rights of All", Journal of Negro History v. xvii, n. 109,
1932, 276.
41 CatherineM. Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", WesternPennsylvania Historical Magazine, v. lxviii,
1985, 208.
42 George B. Vashon and David J. Peck to Charles B. Ray and Philip A. Bell, November 14, 1839, Black
Abolitionist Papers, ed. by C. Peter Ripley, v. iii, Document 41, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1992, 320321.
43 Albert A. Wright, "Memorial of George B. Vashon," George Vashon File, Oberlin College Archives,
Oberlin, Ohio.
44 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 207.
4S John Mercer Langston, From the VirginiaPlantation to the National Capitol, New York, 1969, 74.
46 William Cheek and Aimee Lee Cheek, John Mercer Langston and the Fight for Black Freedom, Chicago, 1989, 89.
47 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 207.
48 Joan Sherman,Invisible Poets, Chicago, 1974, 53.
49 Cheek and Cheek, John Mercer Langston 131.
50 Nell, Colored Patriots 328.
5' George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, November 16, 1850, Gerrit Smith Collection, Bird Library, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York.
52 FrederickDouglass Papers, ed. by John W. Blassingame, v. ii, New Haven, Connecticut, 1982, 296, n.
5.
S3 George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, November 16, 1850, Gerrit Smith Collection.
54 William D. Pierson, "Susan Paul Vashon," Notable Black American Women,ed. by Jessie Carney, Detroit, 1992, 1165-1166.
ss Interview with Frances V. Atkinson, March 21, 1983.
56 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 210.
57 Cheek and Cheek, John Mercer Langston 122.
58 George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, January, 19, 1852, Gerrit Smith Collection.
59 John B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, October, 11, 1852, Ibid.
60 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 212.
61
Ibid., 213.
62 Nell, Colored Patriots 187-188.
63 Ibid.
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64 George B. Vashon, "Vincent Oge", in AutographsFor Freedom, ed. by Julia Griffiths, Rochester, New
York, 1854, 44-60.
65 Sherman,Invisible Poets, 56.
56 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 214.
67 Sherman,Invisible Poets 55.
68 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 216.
69
George B. Vashon to President AbrahamLincoln, September 1862, Black Abolitionist Papers, ed. by
C. Peter Ripley, v. iii, Document 30, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 1992, 152-158.
70 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 216.
"1 George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, October 20, 1856, Gerrit Smith Collection.
72 George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, April 25, 1857, Ibid.
73 George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, August 30, 1859, Ibid.
74 Piersen, "Susan Paul Vashon", 1165.
7S Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
76 Quarles, Black Abolitionists, 243.
77 Piersen, "Susan Paul Vashon", 1165.
78 Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 336.
79
Ibid.
80
George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, April 20, 1868, Gerrit Smith Collection.
Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 339.
Rayford Logan, Howard University: The First One Hundred Years, 1867-1967, New York, 1969, 54-
81
82
55.
83
84
Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 343.
Ibid., 340.
85
George B. Vashon to Gerrit Smith, March 15, 1869, Gerrit Smith Collection.
Application File of George B. Vashon, General Records of the Treasury Department, National
Archives.
87 Ibid.
86
88
Hanchett, "George Boyer Vashon", 345-346.
"Obituaryof George B. Vashon", Oberlin Review, November 20, 1878, Oberlin College Archives.
90 Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
91 Piersen, "Susan Paul Vashon", 1166.
92 Vashon Family Fact Sheet.
89
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