Gray historical marker highlights significant local African American and civil rights history

GRAY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A new marker detailing a piece of our region’s African American history was unveiled outside the Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church off Bob Jobe Road. This historical marker shows a battle for civil rights and fills in gaps of an existing marker nearby.

People gathered to unveil an untold part of the story on the land that was at the center of the story. The research team, a part of the Neighborhood Story Project, pulled the cover off the new historical marker. The marker is titled, “Freed African Americans win First Inheritance Suit.”

“This is one time that we see the legal process worked,” Jonesborough Alderman and Vice Mayor Adam Dickson told the crowd. “This is one time that we see justice prevailed. This is one time that we see the system got it right.”

The marker tells the story of five enslaved children — John, Peg, Edward, Larkin, and Rhoda of Lloyd Ford, Sr. — who were given land and their freedom after Ford, Sr.’s death. Legal battles ensued after his death in 1843, between his enslaved children and white son, Lloyd Ford, Jr. A Tennessee judge sided with the enslaved Ford children in 1850.

“This was unprecedented,” said Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church reverend and member of the research team Tiffany Anderson. “This was 20 years before the Emancipation Proclamation.”

Pheobe Stuart served as a “Next Friend” for John Floyd and his siblings since they weren’t allowed in the courtroom.

“They found allies that would go to court for them because they were not allowed to speak in court, who would testify for them,” Anderson said. “And then these white jurors and this white judge were like, yes this is legitimate. It’s kind of huge. It doesn’t fit any of our assumptions that we make about our history.”

Just north of the church is another marker about the court case, Ford v. Ford . Anderson said when she became reverend of the church a few years ago, she noticed the marker and it made her interested in learning more.

Through years of research, Anderson and the team members filled in the pieces of the story that were not detailed in the Ford v. Ford historical marker. Anderson said they knew they wanted people to know the siblings’ names.

“We have created this marker to celebrate the people who are really the stars of this story,” Anderson said.

She said she hopes people who see this story are inspired, that if a person sees someone being oppressed, they try to help. Likewise, if someone is being oppressed, that person can work to break free.

“You can invest in your blood, sweat, and tears and make the world better,” Anderson said. “What are we here for, if not for that?”

Team members like Stefanie Murphy said this story shows their battle for their civil rights.

“It set a precedent on a national level that enslaved people were able to fight for their right to the land that their biological father left to them,” said Murphy.

A descendant of the Ford family was at the unveiling. They told News Channel 11 there were more appeals on the case, but it was never overturned. The land stayed in the family for a few years but soon was sold to various community members. Today, it’s the home of the church. Anderson said this is a fitting use for the land since the church’s focus is on self-determination and justice.

A play about the historical event has also been written by Jules Corriere.

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