Mr Mingo Speaker Of Wharton Texas

When I went to the Daviss Family Reunion in Atlanta Ga my sis Joan relayed to me that I may have to look in Wharton Texas for more family clues. Of course to date I have not been able to find anything but I ran across some interesting articles while I was researching.

Wharton is located in Wharton County Texas and was named after two brothers John and William Wharton.

I found out that Bird B.B. Davis who was one of the African American Delegates to the Constitutional Convention after Reconstruction in 1875 was one of its residents. Brave man back in the day for all he and others had to go through to see that the African American was treated fairly.


Early settlers came from Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, and Mississippi which brings me to a name that I ran across. A gentleman by the name of Mr Mingo Speaker.

Curious I wanted to see if his Death Certificate would bear out who his parents were or perhaps his age if there was a death certificate. Luckily I found it.

I was fascinated by this Mr Mingo so I decided to see if I could find him in any other records such as the census.
Mingo and family are the second family on this 1870 census. He is 60 years old then and listed as a farm laborer from Va. Wife Emily is from Alabama.

Then we have the 1880 census where he is still married to wife Emily but has several grand kids in the home. A few of his children may be the ones living just above him.

I found him again at 98 years young in the 1910 census living with one of his daughters.


It sure makes you wonder why folks in those days lived so long as hard as they worked and not having the tools that we use today. Mr Mingo Speaker was blessed with living a long fruitful life. His children and grandchildren I am sure were so proud of him and his wife Emily.
**** for better read click on images to enlarge****
Mr Mingo Speakers obituary states he was sold by his sisters to pay the rent to a man named Wharton. I wonder if this Wharton was one of the settlers of the town.


The town of Wharton was blessed to have had Mr Speaker walk those grounds,no matter how he got there. Rest In Peace Mr Speaker!