"J.F. Taylor House," a photograph taken by Rufus W. Holsinger on September 26, 1914. 

The house, located in Albemarle County, shows a sign that reads, "Office, Southern Aid Society. Pays Sick, Accident and Death Benefits." The Southern Aid and Insurance Company was an organization founded by African Americans in Richmond, Virginia to provide insurance and jobs for youth: "Chartered on February 25, 1893, Southern Aid and Insurance was the United States' first black owned and operated insurance company" (LVA).

Other businesses/owners photographed by Holsinger include Acme Shaving Parlor, William F. and Charles H. Brown (Brown Barber Shop), A. T. Buckner (and son George F. Buckner, grocers), George Carr's Second Hand Clothing, Dr. George F. Ferguson, Dr. George R. Johnson, Mr. J. P. Hawkins, W. G. Layne (Layne and Whitlock, Wheelright/Blacksmith), J.F. Taylor, and D. J. Ward. See "Freedman's Tally" for more information about African Americans operating businesses in the Jim Crow Era.

Although not a studio portrait, this Holsinger photograph is important in showing one of several businesses run by African Americans in this time period. These images, along with the City Directories, tell us the location of the businesses, where the proprietors lived, their potential customers, the neighborhoods or business districts, and so on, helping us to better understand the actual lived environment of African Americans in Charlottesville and surrounding counties in the Jim-Crow era. 

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

- "J.F. Taylor House," 1916-09-05 photograph in UVA Library Catalogue (X04405A)

- "Guide to the Records of the Southern Aid Society of Virignia 1893-1977," Library of Virginia

SEE ALSO:

Holsinger Image Gallery of African Americans

J. F. Bell Funeral Home Records

Charlottesville City Directory, 1914-15 [Hathi Trust] 

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

Cite This Entry

First published: March 10, 2022    

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