Georgianna Mabel DeBaptiste (1867 - 1951)

Born 24 Nov 1867 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Ancestors

Died 20 Apr 1951 at age 83 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jamie Ball [send private message] and US Black Heritage Project WikiTree [send private message]

Georgia DeBaptiste is a part of US Black history. Join: US Black Heritage Project Discuss: black_heritage

Biography

Georgia DeBaptiste is Notable.

Georgia Mabel DeBaptiste was an African-American journalist, teacher and social worker from Chicago. After completing her education, she taught at various notable black schools before becoming the first woman of African descent to be employed at the Chicago Post Office.^[1]

Georgia DeBaptiste was born on 24 November 1867 to Richard H. DeBaptiste, born in Virginia, and Georgianna Brischo.^[2] She was the youngest of three siblings.

In 1870, Georgia's parents and siblings lived in Chicago, Illinois. Her father ws a clergyman. Her mother, Georgianna, born in Ohio, keeps house.^[3]

1. William I. age13 born in Michigan
2. Richard P. age 6 born in Illinois.
3. Georgia M. age 4 born in Illinois

In 1880, Georgia was 14 years old and living with her father and two brothers. Her mother died when she was six.^[1] Her father was a minister of the Gospel. Mary Williams age 30 is a servant in the family.^[4] The children are:

1. William I. age 23 born in Michigan
2. Richard P. age 17 born in Illinois.
3. Georgia M. age 14 born in Illinois

Marriages and Family

Georgia married Henry Clay Faulkner on 20 June 1899 in Cook Co. Illinois. ^[5] He died in Liberia in December 1906. They had a son, Fred Faulkner born 1905.^[1]

Georgia married her second husband, Walter Raleigh Ashburn, age 45 of Norfolk County, Virginia in Manhattan on 16 June 1915. The couple separated by 1917. Walter's parents are Jacob Ashburn and Penelope Copeland. On her marriage record she indicated her mother is Georgia Brischo and confirmed her father as Richard H. DeBaptiste. She also indicated the last name of her previous husband was Faulkner.^[2][1]

Baha'i Faith

Georgia M. DeBaptiste Faulkner enrolled as a Baha'i in the spring of 1918. Her comment,"in 1918 had weekly meetings, lessons, traveling speakers"^[6]

Georgia was the first Black person to become a Baha'i in Chicago, Illinois: Just six years after '.Abdu 'l-Baha visited their city, the Chicago Baha'i community, foremost among Baha'i localities of the time, welcomed its first black believer, Georgia M. DeBaptiste Faulkner, who in 1918 had weekly meetings" in her home in Chicago "and very impressive lessons and talks from Baha'i members and also noted visiting Baha'i friends."^[7]

Georgia's son born 1905,died 27 December 1995. ^[8]

Death and Burial

Georgia died on 20 April, 1951after a full and fruitful life. She is buried in Lincoln Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois, USA. ^[9]

This biography does not do justice to the contributions Georgia DeBaptiste made to the betterment of the world throughout her life.

Research

Family Search ID: LD64-3B4 Her mother's name Brische is also found spelled as Brischo.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Mabel_DeBaptiste
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", database, FamilySearch ([1] : 20 June 2023), Walter Raleigh Ashburn and Georgia Mable De Baptiste Faulkner, 1915.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M642-V34 : 29 May 2021), Georgianna Debaptiste in entry for Richard Debaptiste, 1870.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch ([2]: Thu Aug 03 02:36:27 UTC 2023), Entry for Richard De Baptiste and William I. De Baptiste, 1880.
5. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1968", database, FamilySearch ([3] : 25 January 2023), Henry Clay Faulkner and Georgia Mabel Debaptiste, 1899.
6. ↑ 1934-1936 Baha'i Historical Record Survey ([4])
7. ↑ World Order, Vol.20, issue 2, p.g. 46([5])
8. ↑ "Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998", database, FamilySearch ([6] : 23 March 2021), Georgia De-Baptiste in entry for Fred Faulkner, 1995.
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/234837244/georgia-mabel-debaptiste: accessed 01 September 2023), memorial page for Georgia Mabel DeBaptiste (24 Nov 1867–20 Apr 1951), Find A Grave: Memorial #234837244, citing Lincoln Cemetery, Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Naomi Snider (Yocom) McFadden (contributor 47310768).

• "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M642-V33 : 2 January 2021), Richard Debaptiste, 1870.
• "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXNN-KFW : 19 February 2021), Richard De Baptiste, Chicago, Cook, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district ED 23, sheet 73D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,186.