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Show Daniel Bankhead Freeman, the first free·born Black of Utah "whose parents were former slaves." Courtesy Special Collections, Marriott Library, University of Utah. were: Rose, or Rosannah (Crosby); Daniel <Bankhead) Freeman; John (Priestly) ; and Violate (Vilate Crosby Litchfield, or Litchford).2Z Rose was Martha Flake's sister. Her children were John and Daniel. Daniel achieved distinction as being "the first freeborn Black" in Utah "whose parents were former slaves."23 Vilate was the mother of Rose and Martha. She was also the mother of Hark Wales, one of the three black pioneers of 1847. "A common \,()Y bond appeared to have existed for these pioneers. In addition to ~.~ ' sharing a common racial backgroun<t:2j' and religion, marriages 'Is' of many of the families was a major bond, summed up one source. u Thus, the marriage of Hark's sister, Martha, to Green Flake made Hark and Green brothers-in-law. Through marriage, Green also became an uncle to Daniel Freeman. Those who knew Green Flake personally described his character. Lucy May Brady Green of Union, knew Green Flake when she was a young girl. She made these comments about Green: He was educated enough so that he was never doing anything wrong. He was very good to the children, and all children liked him. He was also willing to help if needed .... I think most everybody liked him. I don't think he had an enemy .... He used to come to dad's home once in a while. If dad needed help, he helped dad (not as a hired man).25 Lucy Green also remembered Green Flake being "a good Churchgoer in Union."2s Tithing records in the LDS Church Archives show that he made donations to the building of the Union Ward meetinghouse. In addition, he made free will offerings for the building and dedication of the Salt Lake City Mormon Temple. The Union Ward donation records also show contributions by his daughter LUcind~tevenS"-ThenameLouisFiake-was-' entered in the donation records several times.27 It is assumed that Louis was an adopted son of Green Flake. John H. Smart of Union from his younger years remembers Louis. John noted that "a boy named Lou lived with Green Flake and we'd play together. He went by the name of Lou Flake, but he was white.' '28 John Smart was impressed by other experiences of the Flake family that he witnessed: I remember one time a black woman came out of the Green Flake house while a group of us white children were playing outside. We were just kids playing together outside of the Flake house. I was maybe ten years old [1891]. The woman said to a girl (possibly her daughter) playinglhere, "[Vilindy,] you come in the hOuse right this minute. All you children out here -- why, anyone pass here they'd think you children all belong to me. "21 As was previously mentioned, Green Flake was a neighborly person. John Smart illustrated this by the following account: When my brother-in-law "Heil' , (or Hyrum) Brady 51 dI ~ ! e- e |
