JUEL ID/KEY: P48304

"Reverend G. [J.] O. Seay," a photograph by Rufus W. Holsinger taken on December 24, 1913.

A 1914 doctoral dissertation, "The Religious Development of the Negro in Virginia," mentions Rev. J. O. Seay (note the initial J. rather than G. for his first name): 

The Negro has a musical ear. Very few rehearsals find him qualified to 'bear down' on a song. This aptness to learn music has inspired some ingenious composers of songs to go from big meeting to big meeting, singing their compositions and then selling them at so much per copy. [. . .] This type of song is well illustrated by a printed sheet that was purchased from Rev. J. O. Seay, who is a janitor at one of the Chemical laboratories at the University of Virginia, and is also pastor of a little flock near Charlottesville. His song entitled "City of Refuge" exhibits the well-known tendency of Negro preachers to dwell especially on the prominent Old Testament characters (153-4).

Interestingly, he is holding a book in his hand in the portrait below that may be a hymnal or Bible (unfortunately, the letters are blurry so can't be deciphered).

There are several Seays in the Charlottesville Census of 1914-5, however no entry about a G. O. Seay. There is, however, an entry that does match details we have about the gentleman photographed: "Seay John O, janitor U of V a h[ome] 850 Cox's Row" (p. 164).  

Charlottesville's Daily Progress, Thursday May 31, 1906, has an article about Seay (below): "Ordained A Minister. At an Ordaining Council held at the Mount Zion Baptist church (colored) on Wednesday evening, J. O. Seay, better known as Arthur Seay, was ordained a minister in the Baptist church. Seay is a very worthy colored man and is janitor of the Chemical Laboratory, University. He has been called to take charge of a church in this county."

Details about his employment at the University of Virginia, as well as his time as Pastor (and at which church) will be added as it is researched.

NOTE that the name with which the portrait is labelled (or, labelled "untitled") is not necessarily the name of the sitter(s) in the portrait, but rather the name of the person who paid for the portrait when it was taken (the date and name associated with each photograph is from the business ledgers of R. W. Holsinger).
Sources

- "Rev. G. O. Seay," 1913-12-24 photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (X01990A) 

- printed notes, flipbook vol. 2.2  

- "The Religious Development of the Negro in Virginia (Dissertation)," Joseph Brummell Earnest, 1914, pp. 153-4 

- Charlottesville City Directory, 1914-15 [Hathi Trust] 

- "Ordained a Minister," The Daily Progress, Charlottesville Virginia. Vol. 27, no. 63. Thursday, May 31, 1906 (p.1)

SEE ALSO:

Holsinger Image Gallery of African Americans

J. F. Bell Funeral Home Records

1870 & 1910 U. S. Census - Charlottesville & Esmont Communities

First published: February 11, 2019

Return to the Holsinger Main Page or African-American Portraiture List of Names