Below is a general timeline for Mrs. Pleasant's life and circumstances. It evolves based on research findings. MEP Timeline 9 27 2025Download
research filed under:
early life
9 Barley Street (birthplace)
In 1895 and again in 1901, Mrs. Pleasant, in her last interview with Sam P Davis stated she was born free at 9 Barley Street in Philadelphia, PA. Some have questioned this claim because there is no Barley Street in Philadelphia. The key here is, there is no Barley...
John A Williams (MEP’s father)
In the her 1901 interview, Mrs. Pleasant (MEP) stated that her father was a merchant in Philadelphia. Interestingly the initial printing of the interview in The Pandex article states his name was Louis Alexander Williams but Davis' later edition of the story,...
James W Smith-1st Husband (1 of 5)
In 1901, Mrs. Pleasant stated her first husband was a Cuban man named, James W Smith (elsewhere James Henry). She indicated he worked in construction and was active of the Underground Railroad and Abolitionist movement. While not seemingly present in the 1840 Federal...
James W Smith-1st Husband Search (2 of 5)
When looking for James W Smith, it seems most presume his land was in Virginia (eventually West Virginia). It was said his "plantation" was near Harper's Ferry, land given to him by his father's family. However, the location of Harper's Ferry is at the confluence of...
James W Smith-1st Husband Land Holdings -Harper’s Ferry (An Intriguing Possibility-Frederick County, MD) (4 of 5)
As noted in Part 1, information about James W Smith has been difficult to find. Some have maintained **he** was the son of a southern land and slave holding governor. The possibility that James was Catholic leads one to consider he may have been from east of Harper’s...
James W Smith-1st Husband-Remains Elusive and Hard to Pinpoint (5 of 5)
In the 1840s in Virginia (and future West Virginia) and Maryland are up to 7 different James Smith (see earlier posts). And as noted in the 3rd posting, one individual in Frederick County, Maryland was a promising lead. In the column of "why" are the following...
San Francisco Park Family Link to Philly Barley Street? and James W Smith’s family? Matriarch Jane Park of NC
Two of Mary's associates in the later part of her life were Rebecca J Howard Boone and Mrs. Jessie Park. There were land transfers of specific properties between them starting in 1880s through 1896. The tainted San Francisco press of the 1890s often noted one of these...
Park Family Tree
The Park family listed North Carolina as their common origin point in census records back to 1850 and in the 1847 Quaker Census of Philadelphia African Americans. Using Census records and newspaper clippings this family tree was created. Names of note are highlighted...
Park Family origins in North Carolina-Relocation to Philadelphia
Information provided below is based on exciting but preliminary research and should not be considered definitive. As noted in an earlier post, Jane Park (the presumed mother of James W Smith, Mary's first husband) and her 4 minor children consistently reported in...