Generations

His paternal grandparents, David and Melvina Michaux, served in slavery in Calloway Co., Kentucky. Oscar's largely autobiographical novel, The Conquest (1913), provided the following information about the family name and his grandfather:

" ... It is a peculiar name that ends with an 'eaux,' however, and is considered an odd name for a colored man to have, unless he is from Louisiana where the French crossed with the Indians and slaves, causing many Louisiana negroes to have the French names and many speak the French language also. My father, however, came from Kentucky and inherited the name from his father who was sold off into Texas during the slavery period and is said to be living there today."

Apparently widowed and having resumed the Michaux name, Melvina and three of her children became part of the "Exoduster" movement into Kansas during the late 1870s. Here, with a number of other black families, they took up homesteads or bought property in southern Barton and northern Stafford Cos. and prospered. In 1880 the federal census of Barton Co. shows Melvina, her son W.P. and a girl name Hulda (identified as W.P.'s niece) in Great Bend. That January, W.P. had purchased a lot on what is now the southeast corner of 17th and Morton in Great Bend. He and his mother took in boarders and Melvina worked as a seamstress.

Upon W.P.'s death in 1900, his mother Melvina inherited the house and lot in Great Bend, as well as other property. She remained in Great Bend until shortly before her death, when declining health forced her to move in with her daughter, Harriette, on a farm in Stafford Co. The following obituary appeared in the Great Bend Tribune, Monday, 6 March 1916:

"The death of Mrs. Melvina Mischeaux, mother of A.J. Mischeaux of this city, and C.S. Mischeaux and Mrs. Harriet Robinson, of the south side, occurred yesterday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Robinson, from cancer. She suffered from the disease for two years and the last two months had been in very poor health.

"Mrs. Mischeaux, was one of the most respected colored women of the vicinity and was a woman admired and respected by those who knew her. Nearly ninety years of age, she was an active woman, religious and a power for good among her people. She came to this county about thirty years ago from Illinois and the family settled on a farm on the south side. Of the family only three children are left. For many years Mrs. Mischeaux lived in this city and not long ago moved to the farm on the south side to be with her daughter.

"The funeral services will be held tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock from the Mt. Pleasant church, south of the river and will be conducted by Rev. Biggers of Pueblo, interment being made in Eden Valley cemetery."

John Gough was born in Kentucky in 1816 and died here in Great Bend, Kansas, 26 October 1906. Identical funeral notices were published in the Barton County Democrat (Friday, 2 November 1906) and the Great Bend Rustler (Monday, 29 October 1906):

"The funeral of John Goff, colored, who lived in the southwest part of town, took place Sunday afternoon at 2:30 from the A.M.E. church. Mr. Goff was about 80 years of age, and death was caused by cancer of the stomach. Interment was had in Woodlawn cemetery. The funeral was largely attended."

Louisa must not have stayed in South Dakota long after "proving up" her homestead. She returned to Great Bend and died at her daughter's home here two years later. On Monday, 3 November 1913, the Great Bend Tribune published notice of her death:

"Mrs. Louise Gough died Sunday night at the home of her daughter, Mrs. C.F. Michaux, of this city. Funeral services will be held at the A.M.E. church Tuesday afternoon, at 2:30."

The Goughs share a tombstone with their daughter Bell Micheaux and granddaughter Veatrice Micheaux on a lot in Great Bend Cemetery (formerly known as Woodlawn Cemetery) purchased by John Gough. Their son-in-law Calvin Swan Micheaux, is buried in a separate plot in Section R next to his brother, Andrew Jackson Micheaux.

1. Calvin Swan Micheaux (1847-1932)
   & Bell (Gough) Micheaux (1856-1918)

According to Oscar's book, The Conquest (1913), C.S. "... was a farmer and owned eighty acres of land and was, therefore, considered fairly 'well-to-do,' that is, for a colored man." C.S. and Bell, after a time, moved from the farm into Metropolis. As Oscar explained, "Not so much to get off the farm, or to be near more colored people (as most of the younger negro farmers did) as to give the children better educational facilities." The family later returned to the countryside, where they all worked at truck gardening, milking cows and keeping a flock of chickens.

When Oscar's uncle, W.P. Michaux, died in Kansas in 1900, C.S. became heir to part of his estate, which, according to The Conquest, "came as a great relief to his ever increasing burden of debt." At about that same time, Oscar himself left Metropolis to earn his own way in the world.

Having inherited the Kansas property, C.S. and Bell soon moved here with their younger children and began farming in Stafford Co. Like many farmers at that time, both white and black, they also purchased property in a larger, nearby town, in this case Great Bend. This was to enable the children to attend Great Bend schools during the fall and winter.

In 1915, the family suffered a double tragedy. On Monday morning, 3 May, the family's two-story, eight-room home at 2523 8th St. was entirely destroyed by a fire which started in the kitchen flue. Just over a week later, 12 May, the family was devastated by news from Pueblo, Colorado, that their young daughter, Veatrice, had been shot by a jealous suitor. She died six days later.

Bell never fully recovered from the loss of her beloved daughter and died 21 December 1918 at the home on North Washington in Great Bend, where the family had moved following the fire. The Great Bend Tribune of Monday, 23 December 1918, paid tribute to her memory:

"The death of Mrs. C.S. Michaux, colored, occurred Saturday night at the family home on North Washington Street, following a second stroke of paralysis. She was stricken first last May and had since been an invalid and only able to be out of bed a part of the time. She was a fine woman and good mother and her death will be regretted by many who knew her sterling qualities. She leaves a husband and five daughters and four sons. The sons are Swan of Hutchinson, Will of Chicago, Finis of Newport News (in the navy), and Oscar of Sioux City, Iowa. The latter is a writer and the Literary Digest recently carried an article about one of his books. The daughters are Mrs. Ida Payne of Pueblo, Mrs. Maude Pritchard of California, and Mrs. Gertrude Cravens, Mrs. Olive Robinson and Mrs. Ethel Wilson of this city. Mrs. J.A. Michaux is a cousin. Mrs. Michaux was born in Kentucky and married there. She and her husband first moved to Illinois and about 17 years ago located in this city.

"Mrs. Belle Williamham Michaux was born in Graves county, Kentucky, June 11, 1856, and was married to C.S. Michaux in Metropolis, Ill., Jan. 7, 1872. To the union eleven children were born, five boys and six girls, of whom nine are still living. They are: Mrs. Ida Payne of Pueblo, Colo., William Owen Michaux, Chicago, Ills., Sergt. F. Michaux, of Newport News, Va., Oscar Michaux, Chicago, Ills., Mrs. Maude Pritchette, Los Angeles, Calif., Mrs. Olive Robinson, Mrs. Ethel Wilson, and Mrs. Gertrude Cravens, of this city, and Swan Michaux, of Hutchinson.

"Mrs. Michaux united with the Methodist church when she was twelve years of age and lived a faithful christian life, and at the time of her death was a member of the Stewardess Board of the local church.

"Funeral services will be held at the A.M.E. church tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock and interment made in the local cemetery."

C.S. survived his wife by several years and died 24 January 1932. At that time, the Great Bend Tribune of Monday, 25 January 1932, stated:

"The death of Swan Michaux, one of the older colored men of Great Bend, occurred Sunday morning at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E. Wilson, on north Washington. He had suffered a paralytic stroke some time ago, and though he had recovered sufficiently to be able to get about town, he had been failing steadily of late months and the last two weeks had been confined to his bed.

"Mr. Michaux was a hardworking, industrious man, and a good citizen. He was the father of a large family, and he had the joy in his late years of knowing that each son and daughter had received a good education, and were successful, prudent and saving.

"His wife died several years ago. He is survived by the children, and by a brother who lives in Great Bend besides other relatives and friends. His oldest daughter, who lives in Denver will be here for the funeral. Two daughters in California will be unable to come, one of them being sick, and the other unable to leave her position.

"A son in New York, who visited here last summer will also be unable to come because of his work.

"Funeral services will be held Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the A.M.E. church and burial will be made in the Great Bend cemetery."

2. William P. Micheaux (1849-1900)

The sudden death of W.P. Michaux was reported in the Barton County Beacon on Friday, 21 September 1900:

"William Micheaux, of north Stafford county died at his home on Tuesday, September 18, 1900, at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. The deceased was a bachelor, aged about 50 years, and had a good home, in which he kept his mother. He was sick only about a week, with pneumonia. His burial was in Eden cemetry Wednesday afternoon. He was a colored gentleman, highly respected by all his neighbors, and all have a kind word for him, and his aged mother."

3. Harriette Micheaux Robinson (1854-1921)

The Robinsons came to Kansas as "Exodusters" in the late 1870s and settled in North Seward Twp., Stafford Co., where they raised a large family. Napoleon died suddenly 8 November 1909 while on a visit to Topeka. The Barton County Democrat (Friday, 12 November 1909) published the following brief account:

"The many friends of Napoleon Robinson, an esteemed colored citizen of Seward county were shocked to hear of his sudden death which had occurred at Topeka on Monday, where he was visiting. He was getting along in years, but had been active right along, and feeling very well. The body was brought to this city Wednesday morning, interment being made in Eden Valley cemetery on Thursday. Mr. Robinson was a man who was well liked by all. He was a hard working man who had amassed quite a bit of property, which he was always turning in the interests of promoting the welfare of his family, educationally, as well as otherwise. He is survived by a widow, eight sons and one daughter."

"Mrs. Napoleon Robinson, one of the early day and well-known colored residents of the south side, died at the family home twelve miles southeast of this city at 3 o'clock this morning, death being due to pneumonia.

"She leaves to mourn her death, two daughters and seven sons, two brothers, C.S. Micheaux of this city, and A.J. Micheaux, of the south side, besides other relatives and friends. No funeral arrangements have been made."

She was buried two days later beside her husband in Eden Valley Cemetery. The surviving children were Mamie (Robinson) Pope, Evalina "Lena" (Robinson) Downey, Edward Winfred Robinson, Arthur Robinson, Frank Robinson, Harley W. Robinson, William Robinson, Earl Robinson and Jessie Robinson.

4. Edward Micheaux (1857-1910)

5. Andrew Jackson Micheaux (1859-1942)

According to his obituaries, A.J. came to Kansas in 1883. He pre-empted a homestead claim in Comanche Twp., Barton Co., which became the nucleus of his extensive agricultural interests in Barton and Stafford Cos. Numerous investments in bonds, banks and local companies, probably contributed to descriptions of him as the "richest Negro in Kansas" and banker to the black community. Records of his estate also prove that he was a backer of his nephew Oscar's film company.

A.J. was the father of two children, mother unknown: Nellie (Michaux) Johnson and Fred D. Michaux. On 29 May 1899, in Barton Co., he married Lillie A. (Smith) Robinson of Illinois, a cousin of his sister-in-law, Bell (Gough) Micheaux. This marriage produced no children, although she had a son, James Menloe Robinson, Jr., from a prior marriage. Lillie was born in 1871 and died here in Great Bend 12 April 1948, surviving her husband by six years.

The Great Bend Tribune (Friday, 16 January 1942) eulogized A.J. as follows:

"Andrew Jackson Michaux (c) was born February 17, 1859 in Calloway county, Kentucky, the son of David and Melvina Michaux. At the close of the Civil War, he moved with his mother to Massac county, Illinois where he grew to young manhood.

"In 1883 he came to Kansas and pre-empted a claim in southeast Barton county, and later he was united in marriage to Lillie Robinson May 29, 1899. No children were born to this union. In 1901, he moved to Great Bend which has since been his home. He departed this life January 10, 1942 at the age of 82 years, 10 months and 24 days. He leaves to mourn his loss, his wife, Mrs. Lillie Michaux and several nieces and nephews.

"Funeral services were held January 14, 1942 at 2 o'clock from the Cook & Weber Mortuary. Elder C.G. Hanna officiated."

Oscar Micheaux and His Siblings
(oldest to youngest)
W.O. Lawrence Finis Oscar Maude Olive Ethel Ida Veatrice Gertrude Swan

Calvin Swan Micheaux married Bell Gough - 11 children

1. William Owen Micheaux (1877-1924)

William's death was reported as follows in the Great Bend Tribune (Tuesday, 16 June 1924):

"The death of W.O. Micheaux, colored, occurred this morning, from heart trouble. He was a son of C.S. Micheaux, of this city. He had been sick since last January, and in a Kansas City hospital, until about two weeks ago, when his sister, Olive Robinson went there from California, and his sister, Ethel Wilson here, brought him to this city. At first it was thought there was some improvement in his condition, but he gradually grew weaker until the end came. He was unmarried and 47 years of age. No arrangements had been made for the funeral at noon."

2. Lawrence Micheaux (died 1898)

"When the Spanish-American War broke out the two brothers above me [n.b.: Lawrence and Finis] enlisted with a company of other patriotic young fellows and were taken to Springfield to go into camp. At Springfield their company was disbanded and those of the company that wished to go on were accepted into other companies, and those that desired to go home were permitted to do so. The younger of the two brothers returned home by freight; the other joined a Chicago company and was sent to Santiago and later to San Luis DeCuba, where he died with typhoid pneumonia."

(read more about Buffalo Soldiers in the Spanish-American War)

3. Finis Micheaux (1882-1948)

As noted above, Finis went with his brother Lawrence to enlist for the Spanish-American War, but came home when their company was disbanded. He later enlisted in the U.S. Army and was in the service when his mother died in 1918. According to the records of the Los Angeles National Cemetery, where he is buried, he served as a Private First Class in Company A, 404th Signal Battalion. Both the cemetery records and California death records show that he was born 22 January 1882 in Illinois and died 26 November 1948 in Los Angeles Co., California.

The sources for this information are Death Records from the California Dept. of Health Services, Office of Health Information and Research Vital Statistics Section, and the records of the cemetery. The cemetery information can be viewed by linking to: http://www.interment.net/data/us/ca/losangeles/lanat/m/lanat_m15.htm

The information that Finis was in the Navy in 1918 was apparently a misunderstanding (I seem to recall it was from an obituary or something). Anyway, from what I've read, the 404th Sig. Bn. was probably in Europe during WWI, and someone may have heard "overseas" or something and misinterpreted the info. One interesting item on the death record for Finis is that it lists his mother's maiden name as Goff, instead of Willingham or Willinham.

4. Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951)

Oscar was born 2 January 1884 at Metropolis, Massac Co., Illinois, and died 25 March 1951 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina. He married Orlean E. McCracken on 21 April 1910 at Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois. Oscar recounted the story of their marriage in The Conquest in 1913. She was killed by a runaway horse in Chicago in 1917. On 20 March 1926, Oscar married Alice Burton Russell at Montclair, Essex Co., New Jersey. She was born 30 June 1892 at Maxton, Robeson Co., North Carolina, and died in December 1984 in New Rochelle, Westchester Co., New York.

5. Maude Micheaux Pritchette (1886-1967)

6. Olive M. (Michaux) Robinson Wise (1889-1957)

7. Ethel Michaux Wilson (1890-1974)

"Mrs. Ethel Michaux Wilson, 83, died Monday at Pasadena, Calif. She was born August 6, 1890, in Metropolis, Ill., and married Elic Wilson in 1918 who preceded her in death in 1930 [n.b.: Elic Wilson died 4 January 1948]. She has lived in Great Bend since 1901, and Pasadena, Calif., since 1956.

"Survivors are one daughter, Mrs. Verna L. Crowe, Pasadena, Calif.; and two grandsons.

"The music funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the Cook and Weber funeral home with Rev. David White officiating. Burial will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home from 9-10 a.m. Friday morning."

8. Ida Micheaux Payne (1892-1957)

9. Veatrice M. Micheaux (1892-1915)

"Beatrice Micheaux, the young colored woman who was short through the abdoment the night of May 11 by Arthur Norman, a jealous suitor, died last night at St. Mary's hospital.

"She was 22 years old and was visiting her sister, Mrs. L.G. Payne, 1623 Berkley avenue. Her home was in Great Bend, Kansas. Norman had been attentive to the young woman but his interest in her was not encouraged by Miss Micheaux. On the night of the shooting Norman had endeavored to make a 'date' to call on Miss Micheaux, but was unsuccessful. He came to the Payne home, however, just in time to see Miss Micheaux and Clyde Baker, a colored steel worker, leaving the house. Norman followed them. When they returned from attending a downtown picture show Norman sprang from bushes near the door of the Payne house and shot her down and then fired four shots at the fleeing Baker without effect, the woman said. Miss Micheaux was taken to the hospital immediately. While it is evident that the bullet had penetrated a vital portion of the body, she showed signs of improvement and her recovery was considered probably. An inquest will be held today by Coroner Taylor."

10. Gertrude (Michaux) Cravens Sims (1893-1973)

Gertrude was born in Massac Co., Illinois, 25 November 1893 and graduated from Great Bend High School in 1914. That same year, 15 June 1914, she was married here in Great Bend to Gus Cravens. She later married J. Britton Sims and died in November 1973 at Inglewood, Los Angeles Co., California.

11. Swan Micheaux (1895-1975)

The extremely brief obituary published in the Great Bend Tribune (Tuesday, 8 July 1975) leaves many questions about Swan unanswered:

"Swan Micheaux, 79, died Sunday at the Central Kansas Medical Center, Great Bend. Born in Ill., he married Inez Johnson. He lived most of his life in Great Bend.

"Surviving him is his daughter, Lucile Micheaux of California.

"Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, at the Cook and Weber Funeral Home with Rev. John Augman officiating. Burial will be in the Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call until service time at the funeral home."