Hidden Histories
The creation of the Hidden Histories initiative was a part of the Museum’s 90th anniversary commemoration in 2020. The project is designed to give names, agency, and interpretation of unidentified African Americans in our Collections through research and community engagement. Through better identification, we can tell a fuller history of our shared maritime heritage through the personal stories of the people depicted in images within our Collection, who helped build and establish our institution.
Shown below is a previously unknown picture of 21 African American laborers who built The Mariner’s Museum and Park. With the help of our researchers and the community, we can now share the stories of these men.
The men were members of the local community, with many coming from the Morrison and Warwick County areas of what is now the city of Newport News. Morrison was home to many African American families who lived on Shoe Lane, Prince Drew Road, and Roy’s Lane. Several of them were related to each other. They were brothers, they were cousins, and they were brothers-in-law. They were employees of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. Many were also members of fraternal organizations, like the Prince Hall Masons and The Knights of Pythias. They were leaders and community organizers, involved with groups such as the Warwick County Voters League and their respective churches.
The Museum is indebted to these men. We consider them among the founders of our institution, and their relatives have a special legacy they can now add to their own stories.
Earnest Spratley, Sr
Earnest (Ernest) Spratley Sr. (1893-1974) was born in Warwick County (now Newport News), Virginia to Edward Spratley and Ida Crocker. He was married to Blanche Elizabeth Fox and was the father of four children. In the community, Mr. Spratley was a member of the Warwick County Voters League, which was responsible for helping to establish the George Washington Carver High School in Warwick County (now Newport News). He was a Prince Hall Mason as a member of the Zedekiah Lodge 167. Mr. Spratley worked for the Museum from August 1933 to April 1934 and later retired from Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. He was also a member of First Baptist Church Morrison in Newport News.
Haywood Roy
Haywood Roy (1898-1973) was born in Warwick County (now Newport News), Virginia to Simon Roy (Royal) and Lena Chamberlain. He was married to Pearline Pressey. Records indicate he used the last name “Royal” and the last name “Roy.” Roy started working for the Museum in 1934, becoming head janitor and retiring after 35 years of service. Roy’s father, Simon, also worked for the Mariners’ Museum as a groundskeeper.
Thomas Cary
Thomas Cary (1907-1970) was born in Toano, James City County, Virginia to Ned Cary and Eva Davis. He was married to Maggie Mason, and they had three children. Mr. Cary worked for the Museum from October 1934 to March 1936. He later worked for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company until his death.
Albert Cary
Albert Cary (1909-1995) was born in Warwick County (now Newport News), Virginia, to Paul Cary and Jennie Talton. He was married to Daisy Ophelia Fox and they had one daughter. Mr. Cary was employed by the Museum from July 1935 to March 1936. Mr. Cary was a Prince Hall Mason and a member of the Zedekiah Lodge No 167. He later worked and retired from the City of Newport News Department of Public Works. Mr. Cary was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church, Denbigh, in Newport News.
McKinley Banks
McKinley Banks (1898-1959) was born in Garysburg, North Carolina to John Henry Banks and Fannie Smith. Mr. Banks was married to Mable Jenkins and had three children from a previous marriage. McKinley and his brother Dennis were both employed by the Museum. While McKinley’s exact employment dates are unknown, he is seen in a Museum image from 1934, he is listed on an employee list from 1937, and his World War II draft card indicates he was working for the Museum in 1942. At the time of his death in 1959, McKinley was a masonry contractor. He is allegedly a Prince Hall Mason as a member in the Blooming Olive Lodge 94.
Dennis Banks
Dennis Banks (1893-1969) in Garysburg, North Carolina to John Henry Banks and Fannie Smith. He was married to Ocie Morgan Hollman Banks and had three children from a previous marriage. Mr. Banks was a World War veteran and served in Company D 535 Engineer Service Battalion. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Dennis and his brother McKinley were both employed by the Museum. Dennis worked for the Museum from October 1931 to April 1936. He later retired from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company.
Mansfield Johnson
Mansfield Johnson (1898-1935) was born in Charles City County, Virginia to Langston Johnson and Sarah Brown. He was married to Nannie Spratley, the sister of Museum employee Earnest Spratley. The couple had one daughter, Helen Bessie Johnson. Mr. Johnson worked for the Museum from May 1933 until his death in December 1935.
John Wooten
John Wooten (1894-1980) was born to Eldridge Wooten and Eugenia. He was married to Mary L. Cook Wooten. Wooten worked for the Museum from September 1933 to July 1937 and he later worked for and retired from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company.
Alvin Redcross
Alvin Redcross (1906-1980) was born in Gloucester County, Virginia to Daniel Redcross and Delphy Foster. He was married to Ethel Johnson and they had two children. Mr. Redcross worked for the Museum from July 1931 to March 1936 and later retired from the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Newport News, where he served as the church’s financial secretary and on the deacon and senior usher board. He was also a member of the Community Men’s Club of North Newport News.
Hanson Tyler
In 1907, Hanson Tyler was born to Willie Tyler in James City County, Virginia. At the age of 23 years old, Hanson came to the Museum on March 14, 1931, and was employed as a laborer. At some point, he was also employed at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company and later retired from there. In his personal life, Hanson married his wife, Cumberlee, and was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church of Newport News. He died in 1977.
Arthur Lee Chandler
Arthur Lee Chandler was born on November 14, 1903, in Buckingham, North Carolina to parents John and Julia Wade Chandler. He began work as a laborer for The Mariners’ Museum on September 9, 1933, and was later also employed by Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. After he retired from Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, he found work as a chauffeur. In his personal life, he was married to Pinkie Lucille Chandler, with whom, he had one daughter. He was a member of the Knights of Pythias and St. Matthew’s Reformed African Methodist Episcopal Church in Newport News, Virginia. He passed away in 1973.
Joseph Holland
Joseph Holland was born in Maryland to Alexander and Susan Ann Cole Holland in 1898. He was an employee of the Museum from March 1930 to August 1937. He was married to Malinda Hudgins, with whom he had four children. Later, he married Pearl Heath, with whom he also had three stepchildren. He passed in 1979 at the age of 81.
George Shakespeare Brown
George Shakespeare Brown was born in 1893 to Ezekiel and Mary Jane Cowser Brown in South Carolina. At 38 years old, George was employed by the Museum from April 1931 to February 1937. He was married to Pearl Heath and they had three children. He passed away in 1940 at the age of 47.
William Wilson
In 1879, William Thomas Wilson was born to Jefferson and Lucy Wilson in Gloucester County, Virginia. The Museum employed him as a laborer in April 1931.
James David Scott
James David Scott was born in 1897 to Dennis and Moriah Corbin Scott of Warwick County (now Newport News). His World War II draft card listed him as a laborer at the Museum. James David Scott married Irene Robinson, and they had six children. He was 73 years old when he passed in 1970.
Robert R. East
Robert Russell East was born in Charlotte County, Virginia to James and Clara East in 1890. He was listed in census records and the city directories working as a farrier/blacksmith for a private company and later for the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company. By the early 1930s, he was in the same position for the Museum. He was married to Sarah Francis East. Robert was a member of Grafton Baptist Church. He was 89 when he passed in 1979.
Thomas Hudgins
Thomas Henry Hudgins, Jr was born in Warwick County (now Newport News) to Thomas Hudgins, Sr and Charlotte Crocker Hudgins in 1888. He began working as a laborer for the Museum at 44 years old. Thomas was married to Jennie Lee Ballard Hudgins, and they had two children. He was also a member of First Baptist Church, in the Denbigh section of Newport News. According to his death certificate in 1956, he may have also been an oysterman. He was 68 years old when he passed.
Pink Moore
Pink Moore was born in Halifax, Virginia, located in the southern Piedmont region of Virginia, in 1893. He worked as a laborer for the Museum from May 1931 to November 1937. He was married to Lottie Williams Moore. He later moved to Baltimore to live with his son. Unfortunately, his death date is unknown.
Willie Griffin
On April 23, 1906, Willie Griffin was born in York County, Virginia, and later moved to Newport News. He was married to Virginia Chapman Griffin. On March 17, 1933, he began working as a laborer for the Museum. Willie later worked for Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Big Bethel Waterworks, and the US Government Roadworks. He passed away in 1996 at the age of 90.
Elmore Jordan
Also known as Elmo or Lawrence, Elmore Jordan was born in 1889 in Warwick County, Virginia, now Newport News. He was married to Addie Pressey Jordan, with whom he had four children. In the early 1930s, he was employed in The Mariners’ Museum model shop, creating some of the large ship models that are currently on display today. Elmore was a member of the First Baptist Church Morrison of Newport News, and later worked in the seafood industry. He passed in 1956 at the age of 67.
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Video: More Hidden Histories Revealed
After asking the community to help us gather full names and personal stories to bring recognition to these men, our understanding of the richness of our local, national, and global communities expanded greatly.
Do you think you might be related to one of these men?
If so, we would be honored to work with you to continue sharing their story. Please contact Wisteria Perry at (757) 591-7744, or email [email protected] and Winston Favor at (757) 591-7747 or email [email protected].