ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

CHAPTER SUMMARIES

CHAPTER 1 – Family Origins: The Grandparents (prior to 1884)

• James Riley
• Migration From Nova Scotia: A Rude Awakening
• Born Into Slavery
• The Escape From Slavery
• The Military Years
  • General Lee's Surrender at Appomattox As Told By Grandpa Riley
  • The Buffalo Soldier Period
  • Ambushed
  • The Stolen Boundary
  • The Massacre of Women and Children – Change of Heart
  • The Military’s Lasting Influence
  • The 75th Reunion of the Battle of Gettysburg
  • James Riley, the First Black Oklahoman to Ride in a Pullman Sleeping Car
• The Final Road to Chandler
• Ann Neal
  • The Too-long Sermon
  • Grandma and the “Happy" Lady
  • “Walk in My Footsteps”
  • “Inside and Outside Niggers”

CHAPTER 2 – Family Origins: The Parents (prior to 1900)

• Whit Ellis
  • The Death of Two White Men and Escape From the United States
• Maggie Riley

CHAPTER 3 – Chandler, Oklahoma: The Location (1900-1940)

• The Survey of Oklahoma and the Beginning of Chandler
• Main Street and Beyond
• The Important Role of Cotton
• Transportation
• Major Events in Chandler
• The Black Community
• Segregation and Race Relations
• The “Bottom”
• Black Baseball Teams

CHAPTER 4 – The Ellis Family Core Values (1900-1948)

• Background
• Ellis Family "Core Values"
• Enforcement of Core Values
• The Nationwide Depression: The Ultimate Challenge To Family Core Values
  • The Family Poultry Business
  • Canning Food
  • The Ellis Position at A. D. Wright’s Drugstore
  • Whit Ellis Jr. and the Fatal California Adventure
  • Francis’s Job at the Smith Dairy
  • The Death of Grandpa Ellis and the End of the Restaurant

CHAPTER 5 – Whit Ellis’ Restaurants (1894-1932)

• The Monrovia Restaurant in Guthrie, Oklahoma
• The New Restaurant Ventures
  • Distribution of The Black Dispatch Newspaper
  • Whit Ellis' Famous Six-shooter
  • Whit Ellis' "Knock-out Punch"
  • The Incident With Mrs. Lovely
• The Secret Attempt to Remove Whit Ellis' Business from Main Street

CHAPTER 6 – The House at 206 East 12th Street (1916-1948)

• Background
• The House
• A Full House
• Reserved Space on the Front Porch
• A Blessed Table
• Tight Sleeping Quarters
• More Than a Piece of Furniture

CHAPTER 7 – Relatives: The Rileys and The Neals

• Background
• The Rileys
• The Neals
• The Rileys Up Close
  • Earning a Living
  • The Civil War Veteran’s Pension
  • The New Car
  • The Trip to Texas
  • The Death of James Riley

CHAPTER 8 – Douglass School and the Sawners (1860-1955)

• Foundations
• Mr. and Mrs. George W. F. Sawner: A New Breed of Pioneers
• Mrs. L. Lena Sawner: One of Oklahoma’s Unsung Heroes
• Mrs. Sawner’s Principles and Approaches
• Mrs. Sawner: Oklahoma Educational Pioneer
• The Most Influential Members of the Community
• The Deaths of George and Lena Sawner

CHAPTER 9 – Langston University (1898-1948) 

• Background
• The Long, Long Road to Langston – a 34-mile Walk!
• “Settling In”
• The Work/Study Program
• The Food!
• The Ellis Children at Langston
• “Dirty George”
• The Construction and Destruction of Marquess Hall

CHAPTER 10 – Ann Arbor & The University Michigan (1939-1948)

• Background
• The Move to Michigan – Wade Ellis, the “Pioneer”
• The Town of Ann Arbor
• Black Housing
• The “B” House
• Ann Street
• John “Papa John” Easly
• The Dunbar Center
• The House at 105 E. Summit Street
• Post WWII Experiences

POSTSCRIPT

APPENDICES

“A” – Map of Chandler (1920s and 1930s): Homes of Family, Friends and Important Locations
“B” – Descendents of Ann Neal
“C” – Descendents of Augustus Neal
“D” – Ellis Family Accomplishments
“E” – Contributors