Notable Burials
Charleton Hunt Tandy, 1836-1919
Civil Rights Advocate, Lawyer and US Marshall. Born a free man, he served as captain of the 13th Missouri Colored Volunteer Militia, Co B during the Civil War. He later fought for equal access to public transportation. In 1879, he raised money to help former enslaved families (Exodusters) move to the West. Tandy was president of the St Louis Colored Relief Board and was appointed by President Grant to the St Louis Custom House. He served as vice-pres. of the Missouri State Republican League.
Harriet Scott, 1820-1876
Freedom Suit Plaintiff. Harriet was born enslaved in 1820 in Virginia. She was the servant of Lawrence Taliaferro, a federal Indian agent, at Fort Snelling in the Wisconsin Territory. It was in Ft Snelling where she met and married Dred Scott. Scott, was enslaved to Dr John Emerson. After Dr Emerson’s death, his wife, Irene Sanford moved back to her family’s plantation in the St Louis area. It was in 1846 fearing the separation of their family, the Scotts sought their freedom, only to lose their case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 1857.
Lucy Delaney, 1829-1910
Author, Activist and Masonic member. Born into enslavement in 1830, her mother petitioned for her freedom and won in 1844. Mrs. Delaney’s memoirs gave the only first-person account of a ‘freedom suit’ and one of the few post-emancipations published slave narratives, ‘From the Darkness Cometh the Light, or, Struggles for Freedom’. Lucy was a member of the Colonel Shaw Women’s Relief Corps, No 34, a women’s auxiliary, Grand Army of the Republic.
Harry Fiddler 1871-1942
Actor, Singer and Minstrel Entertainer. Considered one of the best minstrel and vaudeville performers. He specialized in imitations of Italian, Chinese and Hebrew characters.
The Walker Children
Ranging in age from 9 months to 5 years of age, tragically lost their lives a few days after Christmas in 1945 in a house fire. Their deaths were attributed to a system of discrimination and Jim-crowism, giving way to a lack of descent and adequate housing. This system forced people to live in severely overcrowded and unsafe conditions.
Grant Green, 1835-1979
Jazz guitarist. One of the most underestimated jazz guitarist, Green’s rightful place in jazz history should be established. His style of music contributed to the genres of jazz, bebop, soul, Latin and funk music. Green had a unique tone, a distinctive voice in improvisation and complete mastery of the bebop language. Starting out in the ’50s in St Louis’ local clubs like the Holy Barbarian and the Blue Note, his career took him to places like New York, and Oil Can Harry’s in Vancouver, B.C.
Arsania Williams, 1886-1954
Was an educator for more than fifty years. She was the first chair-woman of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA and served as dean of the Women’s Home Missionary Society of Missions. During the 1904 World Fair, Ms Williams helped organize ‘Negro Day”.
LaVelle ‘Daddy Buggs’ Roberts, 1915-1950
Music Producer. Illustration by Kevin Belford, www.kevinbelford.com
John G Buford, 1879-1948
Buffalo Soldier. 10th U.S. Cavalry Troop G, Spanish American War.
Read more about Greenwood’s history in our Record Archives.