THE HIGH
FAMILY NEWSLETTER
Volume 1, Issue 1
January 16, 2003
Inside
this Issue PAGE #
From The Editor’s Desk..……......3
Aunt Edith
Talks about
The (Good-old-days)…………....4
The Chicago Connection….……..5
Birthdays & Anniversary………..6
Emails & Wrapping it Up…….…7
I don’t think there would be anyone more fitting to grace the cover of the premier edition of The High Family Newsletter than Grandpa and Grandma, and there is a special story about them on page 2, thanks to Aunt Edith, Daddy, Denise and Rickey.
On Sunday Dec. 8, 2002, Denise, Charles and myself went to Visit Aunt Edith and recorded about 3 hours with her. Rickey also did a 4-5 hour interview/recording with daddy in 95 while his mind was still “very sharp” and he got some valuable information. I am just so thankful for Denise and Rickey, because had it not been for them, this information may have remained hidden forever, so God Bless them both.
The
Life and Times of Emanuel and Laurel High
Laurel was born in 1866 to a slave-master whose family named was powell, so as was the custom in those days, her last name was Powell. The slave master also sired two other children’s by ma Powell, one whose name was Jack whom I have a very vivid memory of and another girl named Levie. Laurel’s mother was fair skinned and obviously “gained favor” with their father who was white Irish (slave-master), so Ma Powel nor any of her 3 children’s ever worked in the field and they went to school, and they all looked white and were treated very well. The Powell’s lived in East Mississippi or West Alabama.
Laurel Powell was married when she was about 15 to Oliver bell Jr. (her 1st cousin) and to that union was born one child, Eula Bell. There was no marriage license and it was just a simple service with a preacher joining them together. Oliver Bell Jr. died of the “yellow Fever” within 2 years. Laurel Powell was left with a child and a farm, so as the story goes (aunt Edith), One day she was out trying to get her farm animals in for the winter and Emanuel High came by and she told him that if he’ll help her get her stock (horses & cows) into the barns, he could be her next husband, well… he got the stock in and he got in….
Manuel High’s father’s name was John High and he born was in slavery in Livingston Alabama and so was all his Children. John High died in 1908 (aunt chollate said), the same year Julius was born. Emauel High was born around 1860-1863 and he had 1 brothers and 2 sister’s (Clara & Cholett). Although slavery was over in 1865, most Negroes stayed on as “sharecroppers” for 10-20 years or more because they had no place to go. Manuel High said that their slave-master was very mean and they worked very hard and the Boss was a light-skinned Negro who walked around with a stick.
2.
Laurel Bell married Emanuel High soon after he got her “stock in”, and their children’s were, John, Manual, Patrick, Julius, Champ, Emma, Edith, Ellen, Eula Bell (Sam) and Elizabeth. Ellen was grandpas daughter and Eula was Grandmas daughter, so they had eight children’ together. Grandpa always called grandma “Babe” and she called him “Hon”. Elizabeth (Shook) finished High School in June 1926 and she passed on August 12 of that same year of meningitis. In June 1945 grandpa passes, and in March 1946 grandma passed.
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From The Editor’s Desk…
When I envisioned the idea of this Newsletter a few months ago and shared the concept and sample draft with all of the family members I was told by some that this would be a monumental task and that it would be more than any one person should undertake. The “soothsayers” underestimated the sheer joy & satisfaction that would be derived from such an pleasurable task. However, I can not (in good faith) take full credit for this endeavor, and must pay homage to Vance Bonner, who along with his sister, Nicole stood by me unquestionably and un-judgmental during my “darkest hour”. Vance, in his letters, would often ask me why our family was not close and why we never communicated with each other? At that time I could not address his concerns, but this, being his brainchild, which has now come into fruition, should suffice.
I enjoyed every minute of this project, and I considered all of the time, effort, research, letters, Emails, phone calls and money, as a payment toward a debt owed to past generations, that without them, there would be no us.
3.
Aunt Edith Talks about the “Good-Old-Days ”
Edith High was born in Livingston, Alabama on October 27, 1909. Her classmates called her “carrot-top” because she had red hair. She married at a young age to Cecil and they were soon separated and Aunt Emma and Uncle Emanuel lived in Chicago and aunt Emma sent her a train ticket, and she headed north.
Her first job in Chicago was fixing women’s hair at the undertaker, which paid very well but didn’t last long because her friends would no longer eat her cooking.
She soon met and married her second husband John, who drove for Al Capone and he also did other “odd jobs”. John’s mother was Big Al’s cook and aunt Edith
Edith & John at the beach also met Bugsy Moran and other “dubious characters.”
Aunt Edith also was a companion to Josephine Baker and was entrusted with her jewelry, furs and money. Ms. Baker asked aunt Edith to accompany her to Europe and as they were making plans, world war II started and at the last minute aunt Edith thought better of leaving the country because she may have had some problem on her return. Aunt Edith later married Bill Hughes and that marriage lasted until his demise.
Aunt Edith Denise and Tiffany moved to Atlanta and Denise later married and had Charles, and now Denise is a grandmother. Aunt Edith Is doing very well I visit her about every 2-3 weeks. One Monday I was visiting her and the lady came by and said Ms. Hughes are you going to play Bingo and she said “yes” and I asked what time does it start and she said 2:00. I said it 2:00 now and I gave her $10.00 and told her to go break them and she said that every time she wins she gives it to Tiffany’s son for lunch money. Virginia and I visited her on December 23 and they were getting ready to have a party and she was just fine. All of this information about aunt Edith was in her own words and Thanks again to Denise for her help.
4.
The Chicago Connection
I would like to take this time to thank Vance Bonner for “taking care of business” and getting the information to me in a timely fashion, so thanks to him we have up to date information on all the High-Family in Chicago.
5.
Name------------------------------Birthdays-----------------Anniversary
Edith Hughes-----------------------Oct. 27
Denise Hughes---------------------July 8
Tiffanie Hughes--------------------Nov. 20
Charles Hughes-------------------- May 31
Jallen Hughes-----------------------Jan. 10
Anna B. High-----------------------Aug. 21
Julius High Jr.----------------------Aug. 12
Gregory High----------------------Feb. 28
George High Sr………….……March 29----------------------May 18, 1968
Virginia C. High--------------------June 18
Brenda High------------------------May 1
George High Jr.---------------------Dec. 10---------------------------Aug. 26
Beverley High-----------------------March 3
Jayne High-------------------------- Sept. 3
George High III--------------------Oct. 30
Nicole High-------------------------Aug. 30
Eric L. High -------------------------Oct. 7 ---------------------------- Nov. 30
Jenique High------------------------Aug. 10
Maxwell High----------------------April 13
Jonathan High----------------------March 12
Donald High------------------------Feb. 12-------------------------March 15
Gwen High-------------------------Sept. 13
Kenneth Myers---------------------Sept. 14
Kristy Myers-----------------------Sept. 14
Darrien Myers---------------------March 10
Kenton Myers----------------------Jan. 19
Renee Leonard---------------------May 19
Gerald High------------------------April 18------------------------Oct. 9
Dana High
Bianca High------------------------July 3
Nicklous----------------------------Aug. 26
6.
Angelo (Rickey) Hunter-------Mar. 23----------------------Feb. 15
Gloria Hunter-------------------Dec. 12
Sheena Hunter-----------------Sept. 8
Isaiah Hunter-------------------Jan. 5
Connie Burnham---------------Oct. 12
Renee Burnham---------------Sept. 7
De’Angelo Burnham---------Oct. 29
Josauh Burnham--------------Nov. 25
Name------------------------------E-mail------------------------Phone #
George W. High Sr. wayne56@aaahawk.com (770) 323-3909
George Jr. & Beverley highbeverley@bellsouth.net
Eric & Jenique High highericusa@netscape.net
Delores & Henry deharper@mindspring.com (404) 377-1663
Brenda High brhigh@mindspring.com
Nicole Kirk hrdwkingmomnwife@aol.com
Vance Bonner amith7@aol.com
Wrapping It Up
Well, just as I promised, its all here, so lets all get together and give a standing ovation for Denise, Rickey, Vance and Nicole, who are the heroes for this issue. The next issue will be out around mid April, and the “firm” deadline for anything appearing in that issue is March 31, 2003.
The featured article in the April edition will be about Uncle Champ (with the coaching of Vance & Nicole), and each issue thereafter will feature articles about Manuel and Laurel Highs childrens. We need to contact the Louisville family, which is the offspring of Eula Bell, and any other branches on the High Family Tree. God Bless you all and “Keep it Real”
7.
