In my blog reading this evening, I re-read a post describing the New York Public Library’s Digital Images database. Wonderful site! I just did a few random searches and located some cool pictures.This is a picture of Dr. Robert F. Boyd. In a visit to a cemetery in the area a few months ago, I’d taken a picture of his tombstone and recognized the name from some of my Nashville Globe newspaper reading. In finding this photo however, I am just now realizing that he was a professor at Meharry Medical College. This is a very nice picture of him and was published in the book
Gibson, J. W., and W. H. Crogman. Progress of a Race; Or, The Remarkable Advancement of the American Negro; from the Bondage of Slavery, Ignorance, and Poverty, to the Freedom of Citizenship, Intelligence, Affluence, Honor, and Trust. Miami, Fla: Mnemosyne Pub. Inc, 1969.
Even cooler however, is that I found this photo of Mrs. Rev. Nelson G. Merry, the first black preacher in the state of Tennessee. I was ecstatic to find this!! I have been researching the Merry family for a friend who is a descendant of Nelson’s brother, Liverpool Napoleon Merry. And, the above-mentioned visit to the cemetery was because I wanted to search for her husband’s grave! My other blog posts about the Merrys can be found here.
From my own personal research, I know that she was born Mary Ann Jones and she was born abt. 12 Jan 1828 to Edmond Jones in Kentucky. She and her husband likely married around 1850 when they first appear in census records together as a 25 year old and 23 year old couple. Though I have not found her in all census’ that she would have lived through, I do know that she and her husband had at least 7 children. Her 77th birthday notice was published in the Nashville Globe 18 Jan 1907.
Her picture was published in the book — Buck, D. D. The Progression of the Race in the United States and Canada Treating of the Great Advancement of the Colored Race. Chicago: Atwell Printing and Binding Co, 1907.
Amazing. I can’t wait to see what else I uncover!
NYPL Digital Images
I am involved with an historical play at first baptist church in Murfreesboro Tennessee where rev Nelson Grover Merry first served as a pastor–his first church before moving back to Nashville. He was a wonderful figure in the history of Tennessee and the building of the faith community.
thanks for sharing that! I have learned more about him more recently too – quite an figure indeed. Is the play covering his role at the church?