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| Elvis Presley's First Photo 1938, Mississippi St. Penitentiary At Parchman Farm |
When Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, he was born a stranger. A stranger in what most Americans, even in "The Great Depression," called "no man's land." He lived across the tracks and the levee, in East Tupelo, a separate town, then. Only for the poor whites, but perhaps not the absolute poorest whites of all. That status was to come a little later for Elvis, his father and mother.
As most people know, he wasn't born an only child, but he became one instantly. His brother, born first, could not get his breath, and he died at birth. Whether he was "stillborn" or actually gasped is something no one can really know. What is known is that his father Vernon Elvis Presley, buried Jesse Garon Presley, in what had been an unmarked grave in the Priceville Cemetery. A reliable child-friend insists that Elvis knew where the grave was, though it can never be entirely clear, as the baby was buried in a shoe-box, initially without a grave marker.
Tupelo historian Roy Turner interviewed a former child-friend of Elvis, James Ausborn, about the grave, and Ausborn says he and Elvis knew where it was.
A photo was taken of a small, uninscribed stone, next to Elvis's Uncle Noah's grave, in the cemetery. This is the photo: ©Anthony Stuchbury. All Rights Reserved.
The doctor who came, in an emergency, filled out info on both baby boys. He and his sick mother stayed in the hospital for two weeks, paid for "by the welfare." His mother worked while pregnant, her legs swelling, and becoming increasingly ill. She had to.
Tupelo historian Roy Turner interviewed a former child-friend of Elvis, James Ausborn, about the grave, and Ausborn says he and Elvis knew where it was.
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| Jesse Garon ©Anthony Stuchbury. All Rights Reserved. |
The doctor who came, in an emergency, filled out info on both baby boys. He and his sick mother stayed in the hospital for two weeks, paid for "by the welfare." His mother worked while pregnant, her legs swelling, and becoming increasingly ill. She had to.
While it's hard to imagine deeper poverty, there was deeper poverty to come. We'll learn how the state of Mississippi was essentially run by its agricultural landlords: they called the shots, and the politicians answered. Vernon would deal with that state of affairs shortly. He ended up in Parchman Farm, a chain gang, in a dispute over the price of a hog. With the landlord. The man who owned the land upon which he lived, and who also employed him. Orville Bean owned almost all the land "'cross the tracks" for both blacks and whites who were the poorest, and employed most of the poor people.
In 1936, a fearful storm thrashed Tupelo to shreds, killing over 200 people, most of them blacks who lived in what was called "Tin Town" then.
And then it got worse.
In 1936, a fearful storm thrashed Tupelo to shreds, killing over 200 people, most of them blacks who lived in what was called "Tin Town" then.
And then it got worse.
You just don't cross your landlord.
©Robin Markowitz, 2013. All Rights Reserved.
I look forward to reading and seeing more
ReplyDeleteHi Ken! I think sometimes, it'll be every other day, and then I'll go longer intervals. Next, I'm going to explain the different agricultural labor systems at the time, to set up what Vernon and Gladys did, so that everyone understands. It's actually quite complex.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Robin :D
Hi, my name is Patti-Jo (Bean) Tristan. I am the great-nice of Orville Bean. I don't think there is much mystery about him. This is just speculation, in part, based on family conversations, but the Bean men were/are somewhat temperamental. The particulars regarding Vernon's arrest and imprisonment were never discuss in my presence. However, it is my strong belief that Orville participated in testimony unfavorable to Vernon Presley because he changed/forged a check. He was simply angry about it - as most people would be. But, it is also a well-known fact that he later had a change-of-heart and helped facilitate Vernon's release. I have never verified the particulars about this, but I can, but did you know that after Uncle Orville's death, Aunt Agnes donated land to the city of Tupelo for the purpose of establishing Elvis Presley Park? I am reasonably certain that land was donated - not purchased from her, but donated. My grandmother told me she did. And, I remember be scolded (about standing too close to the ledge) as a young child as they were moving dirt for the lake. I am not sure there is much more I could tell you, but my email address is pattijtristan@yahoo.com, if you care to write me.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJust to let yall know that Jesse is alive and well .he was given up for adoption. Because of poverty things were rough back then .
ReplyDeleteHi! I know it's been a very long time because I have been through a series of personal travails and a tragedy. I will soon be returning to the project. I want you to know that there is nothing personal towards your uncle. This was just how things worked at the time. Agricultural landlords had power over actual politicians: the politicians were only there to basically work for those who owned and farmed land. It was important to keep the laborers in check, and Parchman was only a tool in doing so. But at the time, African American laborers were migrating north in increasing numbers. For Parchman, this was a disaster, financially. So the focus shifted to poor young white men. I think Vernon and Orville Bean were both angry: Vernon thought the hog was worth much more than he got. Not knowing how a bank worked, and that a check recipient would IMMEDIATELY know of an invalid check, Vernon did something out of ignorance and foolishness. He couldn't argue about the price; he was also Bean's employee. So he did this sad thing. He just took what he felt he was owed. And, yes, Bean was angry. But he also knew that agricultural laborers must know where they stand in terms of social status. And he did what was normal in those times: go to law enforcement and see to it that the young laborer was made aware of his place in society. This was not a personal decision, but a social decision by all the authorities involved. Parchman was a modern day slave plantion. I will remove the phrase "chain gang" after a look back at my research. It's just semantics: prisoners were whipped on bare skin for days in a row for infractions or perceived infractions. They picked cotton and were were not paid. This type of slavery is permitted under the 13th amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was legal. The IMPORTANCE of all this is that it changed Vernon and Gladys forever. The economic system in Mississippi taught them to teach their only child submission to all perceived authority and as you will see, fully explains a future business arrangement of monumental importance in the future life of Elvis Presley. For Vernon, Bean was but a memory: he now saw others as he learned to see Bean. And made sure that his son understood this very well. There were people you "don't cross." The legacy of the plantation economy and culture lived on, even at the cusp of the new millenium. So, it's not about your at all; this is about systemic poverty and the cultural mindset of poverty and that persists even in those no longer poor. This is about history, not just some bit players in it. This is bigger than just the Presleys or your uncle. In fact, it's not about them at all. This is a case study of something much, much larger. And it has absolutely nothing to do with his descendants. He was related to many wonderful and generous people. I am doing sociology, not biography.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am finally able to return to my work after 7 terrible years ending in the death of my only immediate family from injurues incurred in a California wildfire. I wanted to make sure you understood. Thank you for every courtesy.
All the best,
Robin
Thank you Tamara for your kind words, your family's history, and your support for for the project.I have had quite a wild ride these past 3 years. "Life is what happens to you when you're busy making other plans."
ReplyDeleteI will be back to the project as soon as my personal affairs are in order. Thank you once again. 😊