occurred the next year, and in 1912, the last of these lands were
added to the Oak Hill farm. His children are now enjoying the privileges
of the institution.

He belonged to a generation that could neither read nor write, and that
which he accomplished for Oak Hill and his needy children during the
short period of his co-operation with the superintendent, is but another
beautiful illustration of what may be done for a needy and worthy cause,
by one, however unlearned, whose sincere and burning interest leads him
to lend a helping hand and to use the power of his voice in its behalf.

He had come to appreciate and, before the Presbytery, emphasized the
importance of these three vital facts:

1. The need of a good christian education for all the members of his own
rapidly growing family.

2. The great value of the educational and religious privileges, and the
facilities for industrial training, afforded the young people of the
colored race at Oak Hill Academy, located in the very midst of them.

3. The great meaning of the changes, that were taking place in the
country around them since the building of the railroad, the transition
to statehood, the allotment of the lands to them individually, and the
incoming of large numbers of white folks from Arkansas, Texas and other
sections; who were founding and building towns, leasing and occupying
the farm lands, gaining control of the business interests of the
community; and thus making it ten fold more necessary for the young
people of the colored race to have sufficient intelligence to enable
them to do their own thinking and manage successfully their own business
interests, in order to avoid the impending doom, of being soon crowded
out of their present homes and possessions.

His burning desire as he often expressed it, was to bring it to pass,
that their children and the generations to come might rise up and be
able to say, "Our Fathers, in grateful acknowledgement of the
inestimable value of the educational, moral and religious privileges,
that the Presbyterian Board of Missions had established and so long
maintained, for the benefit of the colored people of that section, had
contributed the funds, paid for and donated the lands occupied by the
buildings of Oak Hill Industrial Academy."

The members of his family, in whose names the allotments for Oak Hill
were secured, were Catherine, his wife; Roland (died Nov. 24, 1911),
John, Margie and Ellen.

LAND FUNDS