50 Colored Families Ordered To Leave.
August 17, 1907
Summary
In Onacock, Virginia, black families receive notes on their door that threaten violence if they do not leave town.
Transcription
50 Colored Families Ordered To Leave.
Onancock, VA., August 11.-While to-night finds this town and the Eastern Shore without actual outbreak or recurrence of the rioting of last night the situations here is grave in the extreme.
The day has been one of suppressed excitement and high tension. Not only were the printing office of the colored editor and the store of the colored merchant burned but the Governor has been appealed to rush arms to the citizens here with which they may protect their homes.
It is understood now that he will come in person to advise with the leading citizens as to what is best to be done.
Just a few minutes ago (10:30 P.M.) fifty colored families were ordered by the whites to leave Onancock by or before 9 A.M. Monday or there would be serious trouble. A colored minister finding this notice on his door on returning from church immediately vacated. Pickets are on duty at every corner keeping the town well guarded.
The printing office of the paper which belonged to James Uzzel, the colored editor, who was one of the leaders of the mob, and the storehouse of Samuel Burton, also a leader of the rioting last night, were burned to the ground by the whites early this morning.
Several colored people’s dwellings were riddled with bullets, but no one was seriously injured, excepting one colored man, who was shot in the shoulder. The colored men Burton and Uzzel, were thought to be in hiding places in the store which was burned this morning. This caused the burning of the buildings, which was done in a very quick time, by throwing oil and gasoline in the building and setting the torch. The building was surrounded to make sure that if the two colored men were there they would have no escape. Many of the whites, who toward midnight filled the streets of the town, had come from neighboring towns and country surroundings, lost no time in a search for the men who were especially wanted, being the ones that begun the shooting yesterday evening. But this search was in vain in every respect.
It is now supposed that both colored men made their escape from town, as the colored village was thoroughly searched this morning and no clue could be found of them. The other colored people are very quiet without their leaders, but still threaten.
Call on Governor to Furnish Arms to Citizens.
A mass-meeting was held this afternoon by the Town Council for the purpose of taking the following action:
First, To request the Governor of Virginia to rush arms for the citizens of the town.
Second. To ask an injunction to prevent the colored people from the holding their agricultural fair at Tasley, Va., on the ground that Uzzel and Burton are office-holders in the fair and both outlaws.
They have also appointed five extra policemen, who go on duty tonight. Conditions, although much more quiet tonight, it is feared will grow very exciting at any moment.
Trouble began over a bill which Constable Kellam tried to collect from a man by the cam of Conquest, who was in Burton’s store at the time. Conquest refused with hot words and cursed Kellam, then calling for assistance. At the same time Uzzel appeared on the scene, who fired a shot which missed its man and struck Garland Belote, a citizen of the town, in the hip on not seriously injuring him.
John Toppin, colored, is reported to be dying from a shot last night. Never before was Accomac county in such a state of excitement when the news circulated over the telephone and telegraph lines regarding the conduct of the colored men and the unprepared position of the Onancock citizens.
Burn Every Round of Ammunition in Town.
Practically every round of ammunition hereabouts was burned last night and early today the white people of this community had subdued the violent colored element and sent the colored ringleaders away to parts unknown. No attempt, however was made to injure innocent colored people while the fusilade was under way, and before quiet was restored two thousand shots were fired.
The burning of Burton’s store and Uzzel’s printing establishment between 2 and 3 o’clock this morning brought an end to the excitement for by that time nearly all of the colored people had disappeared.
The real disturbance began last night when colored people hiding in a vacant lot close by a picket fence fired on the stage coach on its way to Tasley. None of the occupants were injured but the mailbags were riddled and there were numerous punctures in the baggage of the frightened passengers. The shooting was done by colored people, then under the impression that one of their race, charged with the row which took place earlier in the evening.
Immediately after the attack on the coach the colored people gathered in Burton’s store, and the white’s feared that they were preparing for another attack. The house was surrounded, and for an hour an armed mob of white citizens waited until the arrival of reinforcements before the actual opening of hostilities.
From the surrounding country men were hurrying here by hand cars, on horse back, in buggies and a foot. When the crowd was regarded as sufficiently strong to deal with the seventy-five colored men hiding in the store, a signal was given and hundreds of bullets were fired into doors and windows of the structure. Then the whites waited again. No sound came from the building. The colored men had escaped, one at a time from a door in the rear.
Night Made Hideous.
Meanwhile the night was hideous with the constant rattle of musketry. From all sides came the roar of shotguns, scream now and then terrified colored people in hovels, here there and yonder.
The whites patrolled the streets expecting the colored men to appear at any moment. Finally the store of Burton, colored, blazed suddenly from the rear, and in a short while it was a moss of ruins, the stock being estimated in value at $3,500.
In a few moments the printing shop of Uzzel was set on fire and was totally consumed.
Around the ruins one hundred white men, fully armed marched, expecting an attack from the colored men, reports having been started that they were preparing to retaliate. In the meantime, a notice had been posted on the door of a colored preacher telling him that he would not live to remember the consequences if he did not leave Onancock by 9 o’clock Monday morning. The preacher brazenly faced the armed guard, and, with the notice in his hands demanded the reason for putting it on his door.
“Can’t you read?” shouted a citizen. “It means exactly what it says.” The colored man trembled. He was disposed at first to stand on his rights, but he feared the consequences, and this afternoon he had left town.
Onancock, Va,. August 12.-Chief developments today in the situation here where race-rioting has occurred intermittently since Saturday, afternoon, were the action of the Town Council to expel bad Negroes and the presence and address of Governor Swanson to the people, urging them to be calm and promising to chase down the guilty, no matter what the cost and effort necessary.
The Onancock Council has been in session very nearly all day to decide what course to take in regard to the Negro rioters. At an early hour this morning an ordinance was passed by the Town Council to drive out of the neighborhood eight colored men who were supposed to be part of the riot leaders. Notices were served on them to vacate the town before 4 o’clock this afternoon, which they did as far as can be learned.
Drastic Ordinances.
The Council also passed an ordinance prohibiting any colored man, woman or child being in the white district after 8 o’clock, in the evening. One colored man by the name of Hall made a remark that he would die in his shoes before he would leave the town. He was seen at 3 o’clock on the Main Street and warned to leave immediately, which it is supposed that he did, as he started toward that he did, as he started toward the steamboat wharf in order to reach there before the boat left.
…
Onancock, VA., August 11.-While to-night finds this town and the Eastern Shore without actual outbreak or recurrence of the rioting of last night the situations here is grave in the extreme.
The day has been one of suppressed excitement and high tension. Not only were the printing office of the colored editor and the store of the colored merchant burned but the Governor has been appealed to rush arms to the citizens here with which they may protect their homes.
It is understood now that he will come in person to advise with the leading citizens as to what is best to be done.
Just a few minutes ago (10:30 P.M.) fifty colored families were ordered by the whites to leave Onancock by or before 9 A.M. Monday or there would be serious trouble. A colored minister finding this notice on his door on returning from church immediately vacated. Pickets are on duty at every corner keeping the town well guarded.
The printing office of the paper which belonged to James Uzzel, the colored editor, who was one of the leaders of the mob, and the storehouse of Samuel Burton, also a leader of the rioting last night, were burned to the ground by the whites early this morning.
Several colored people’s dwellings were riddled with bullets, but no one was seriously injured, excepting one colored man, who was shot in the shoulder. The colored men Burton and Uzzel, were thought to be in hiding places in the store which was burned this morning. This caused the burning of the buildings, which was done in a very quick time, by throwing oil and gasoline in the building and setting the torch. The building was surrounded to make sure that if the two colored men were there they would have no escape. Many of the whites, who toward midnight filled the streets of the town, had come from neighboring towns and country surroundings, lost no time in a search for the men who were especially wanted, being the ones that begun the shooting yesterday evening. But this search was in vain in every respect.
It is now supposed that both colored men made their escape from town, as the colored village was thoroughly searched this morning and no clue could be found of them. The other colored people are very quiet without their leaders, but still threaten.
Call on Governor to Furnish Arms to Citizens.
A mass-meeting was held this afternoon by the Town Council for the purpose of taking the following action:
First, To request the Governor of Virginia to rush arms for the citizens of the town.
Second. To ask an injunction to prevent the colored people from the holding their agricultural fair at Tasley, Va., on the ground that Uzzel and Burton are office-holders in the fair and both outlaws.
They have also appointed five extra policemen, who go on duty tonight. Conditions, although much more quiet tonight, it is feared will grow very exciting at any moment.
Trouble began over a bill which Constable Kellam tried to collect from a man by the cam of Conquest, who was in Burton’s store at the time. Conquest refused with hot words and cursed Kellam, then calling for assistance. At the same time Uzzel appeared on the scene, who fired a shot which missed its man and struck Garland Belote, a citizen of the town, in the hip on not seriously injuring him.
John Toppin, colored, is reported to be dying from a shot last night. Never before was Accomac county in such a state of excitement when the news circulated over the telephone and telegraph lines regarding the conduct of the colored men and the unprepared position of the Onancock citizens.
Burn Every Round of Ammunition in Town.
Practically every round of ammunition hereabouts was burned last night and early today the white people of this community had subdued the violent colored element and sent the colored ringleaders away to parts unknown. No attempt, however was made to injure innocent colored people while the fusilade was under way, and before quiet was restored two thousand shots were fired.
The burning of Burton’s store and Uzzel’s printing establishment between 2 and 3 o’clock this morning brought an end to the excitement for by that time nearly all of the colored people had disappeared.
The real disturbance began last night when colored people hiding in a vacant lot close by a picket fence fired on the stage coach on its way to Tasley. None of the occupants were injured but the mailbags were riddled and there were numerous punctures in the baggage of the frightened passengers. The shooting was done by colored people, then under the impression that one of their race, charged with the row which took place earlier in the evening.
Immediately after the attack on the coach the colored people gathered in Burton’s store, and the white’s feared that they were preparing for another attack. The house was surrounded, and for an hour an armed mob of white citizens waited until the arrival of reinforcements before the actual opening of hostilities.
From the surrounding country men were hurrying here by hand cars, on horse back, in buggies and a foot. When the crowd was regarded as sufficiently strong to deal with the seventy-five colored men hiding in the store, a signal was given and hundreds of bullets were fired into doors and windows of the structure. Then the whites waited again. No sound came from the building. The colored men had escaped, one at a time from a door in the rear.
Night Made Hideous.
Meanwhile the night was hideous with the constant rattle of musketry. From all sides came the roar of shotguns, scream now and then terrified colored people in hovels, here there and yonder.
The whites patrolled the streets expecting the colored men to appear at any moment. Finally the store of Burton, colored, blazed suddenly from the rear, and in a short while it was a moss of ruins, the stock being estimated in value at $3,500.
In a few moments the printing shop of Uzzel was set on fire and was totally consumed.
Around the ruins one hundred white men, fully armed marched, expecting an attack from the colored men, reports having been started that they were preparing to retaliate. In the meantime, a notice had been posted on the door of a colored preacher telling him that he would not live to remember the consequences if he did not leave Onancock by 9 o’clock Monday morning. The preacher brazenly faced the armed guard, and, with the notice in his hands demanded the reason for putting it on his door.
“Can’t you read?” shouted a citizen. “It means exactly what it says.” The colored man trembled. He was disposed at first to stand on his rights, but he feared the consequences, and this afternoon he had left town.
Onancock, Va,. August 12.-Chief developments today in the situation here where race-rioting has occurred intermittently since Saturday, afternoon, were the action of the Town Council to expel bad Negroes and the presence and address of Governor Swanson to the people, urging them to be calm and promising to chase down the guilty, no matter what the cost and effort necessary.
The Onancock Council has been in session very nearly all day to decide what course to take in regard to the Negro rioters. At an early hour this morning an ordinance was passed by the Town Council to drive out of the neighborhood eight colored men who were supposed to be part of the riot leaders. Notices were served on them to vacate the town before 4 o’clock this afternoon, which they did as far as can be learned.
Drastic Ordinances.
The Council also passed an ordinance prohibiting any colored man, woman or child being in the white district after 8 o’clock, in the evening. One colored man by the name of Hall made a remark that he would die in his shoes before he would leave the town. He was seen at 3 o’clock on the Main Street and warned to leave immediately, which it is supposed that he did, as he started toward that he did, as he started toward the steamboat wharf in order to reach there before the boat left.
…
About this article
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Upper Left Quadrant
Topic
Contributed By
Benton Camper
Citation
“50 Colored Families Ordered To Leave.,” Black Virginia: The Richmond Planet, 1894-1909, accessed May 12, 2025, https://blackvirginia.richmond.edu/items/show/873.