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Louis Alexander Southworth (abt. 1830 - 1917)

Louis Alexander Southworth
Born about in Tennessee, United Statesmap
Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 16 Jun 1873 in Salem, Marion, Oregon, United Statesmap
Father of
Died at about age 86 in Corvallis, Benton, Oregon, United Statesmap
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Biography

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Louis Southworth is Notable.

Lewis Southworth was an American pioneer in Oregon.[1]

Louis Alexander Southworth (also spelled Lewis and Louie) was born about 4 July 1830 in Tennessee, the son of Pauline and Louis Hunter who were both born in Virginia. The family was enslaved by James Southworth, so Louis was given that surname instead of his father's.

According to Louis in a 1915 newspaper interview, his enslaver James Southworth relocated the family from Tennessee to Franklin County, Missouri, when Louis was two years old (about 1832). In 1850 his father died there of smallpox. In 1851, James Southworth took Louis and Pauline west to Marysville (now Corvallis) Oregon.[2]

The 1850 census lists slaveholder James B Southworth in Franklin County, Missouri, with a total of three enslaved people: A 59-year-old Black woman, a 23-year-old Black man, and a 3-year-old Black boy.[3]

In the 1870 census Louis is listed as 36 years old and white, living alone in the small town of Buena Vista, Polk County, Oregon, and working as a blacksmith. He owned real estate valued at $300 and personal estate valued at $230. [4]

Louis married Mary E Cooper (known as Maria) on 16 June 1873 in Salem, Marion County, Oregon.[5][6]

In the 1880 census Louis was living in Buena Vista with his wife Maria and their adopted son Alfred (age 10) who was also known as Alvin. Louis worked as a blacksmith. They were the only three Black people in town.[7]

Name Color Sex Age Relationship Occupation Place of Birth Place of Birth of Father Place of Birth of Mother
Louie Southworth Black Male 47 Father Blacksmith Tennessee Virginia Virginia
Mary Southworth Black Female 44 Wife Keep House North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina
Alfred Southworth Black Male 10 Son At home California Tennessee North Carolina

In the 1900 census Louis and Maria had been married for 28 years and were living on their homestead on the Alsea river, Lincoln County, Oregon, with their son. Louis was working as a stock raiser and Alfred (Alvin) was working as a fisherman.

Name Relationship Color or race Sex Date of Birth Place of Birth Place of Birth of Father Place of Birth of Mother
Lewis A Southworth Head Black Male July 1829 Tennessee Virginia Virginia
Maria Southworth Wife Black Female Dec 1829 North Carolina North Carolina North Carolina
Alfred A McCleary Adopted Son Black Male July 1870 California Jamaica Jamaica

In the 1910 census Louis was a widower living alone on his homestead. He was farming.[8]

In April 1913, Louis married Josephine Jackson.[9] In July 1915 Louis gave an interview to the Corvallis Gazette-Times telling the story of his life.[2]

Louis Alexander Southworth died on 23 June 1917 and was buried next to his wife Maria at Crystal Lake Cemetery in Corvallis, Oregon.[10][11]

Sources

  1. ↑ Wikipedia:Lewis Southworth
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 1915 Interview: "Oldest Negro Now Lives Here" - Corvallis Gazette-Times (Oregon) 10 July 1915, page 1 & 4. Part 1: Newspapers.com Sharing Link -- Part 2: Newspapers.com Sharing Link
  3. ↑ 1850 Census - Slave Schedule: "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 " - FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MVZH-Q7W : Wed Oct 04 06:40:16 UTC 2023), Entry for and James B Southworth, 1850 - Franklin County, Missouri.
  4. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF81-1KS : Fri Oct 06 21:54:45 UTC 2023), Entry for Louis Southworth, 1870.
  5. ↑ Oregon Marriage Index: "Oregon Marriage Index, 1849-1884; 1991-2006", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CYPW-HK2M : Thu Oct 05 18:13:12 UTC 2023), Entry for A L Southworth and Mary E Cooper, 16 Jun 1873.
  6. ↑ Oregon Marriage Records: "Oregon, Marion County Records, 1849-1976," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GY35-LP8?cc=2071970&wc=M6YR-4WL%3A355705901 : 22 May 2014), Marriages 1871-1874 no 1384-1720 > image 63 of 117; County Clerk Office, Salem.
  7. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNCP-4C9 : Tue Oct 03 11:55:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Louie Sauthworth and Mary Sauthworth, 1880.
  8. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLYN-QF6 : Tue Oct 03 01:45:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Louis A Southworth, 1910.
  9. ↑ Multonomah County Marriages: Lewis Southworth & Josephine Jackson, Marriage License #25703, Multnomah County Marriage Book 33: 392, Portland, Oregon. Image 3746 of 7376. FamilySearch Link
  10. ↑ Oregon Death Index: "Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZ71-GFG : 11 December 2014), Louis Southworth, 23 Jun 1917; from "Oregon, Death Index, 1898-2008," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2000); citing Benton, Oregon, certificate number 50, Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Salem.
  11. ↑ Find a Grave: database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19545899/louis-alexander-southworth: accessed 27 October 2023), memorial page for Louis Alexander Southworth (4 Jul 1830–23 Jun 1917), Find a Grave Memorial ID 19545899, citing Crystal Lake Cemetery, Corvallis, Benton County, Oregon, USA; Maintained by Indigo Falls (contributor 46887827).




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Categories: USBH Heritage Exchange, Linked | USBH Notables, Needs Photo | USBH Notables, Needs Connection | Oregon, Notables | USBH Heritage Exchange, Needs Slave Owner Profile | Franklin County, Missouri, Slaves | Oregon Pioneers | Polk County, Oregon | Blacksmiths | American Musicians | Lincoln County, Oregon, Homesteaders | Crystal Lake Cemetery, Corvallis, Oregon | US Black Heritage Project Managed Profiles | African-American Notables | Notables