Hon.
John McCay Holzendorf, Sr.
An illustration of Hon. John M. Holzendorf, member of the Georgia House of Representatives representing Camden County
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives
In office
November 5, 1890 – October 15, 1891
Preceded byAlexander Lang[1]
Succeeded byAnthony Wilson[2]
ConstituencyCamden County
Collector for the Port of St. Marys
In office
1903–1913
Appointed byTheodore Roosevelt
Preceded byB. Coffee[3]

John McCay Holzendorf, Sr. (born c. 1857–1861) was an American politician from Camden County, Georgia. He represented Camden County in the Georgia House of Representatives in 1890 and 1891, one of only two African American representatives in the state House during those sessions.[4][5] He was also a farmer and a schoolteacher.[6] He was a member of the Republican Party.[6]

Early life and family

Holzendorf was born around 1857–1861, likely on the Berne Plantation or Benceville Plantation in Camden County, both of which were owned by members of the slaveowning Holzendorf family.[7]

In the 1870 census, twelve-year-old Holzendorf was recorded as living in Camden County with farmer James Trueblood, two other Truebloods, and Dora and Morgan Holzendorf (both of whom were younger than him), in a neighboring house to his future wife, Lucilla Way (then eight years old). Holzendorf was attending school at the time. He was listed as a Mulatto, while Lucilla and her family were listed as Black.[8]

Holzendorf married Lucilla Way on October 30, 1879.[9]

The 1880 census recorded that Holzendorf lived in Jeffersonton with his mother-in-law, who was a widow who could not read or write, and his wife Lucilla. Holzendorf, who was listed as being 22 years old (like the 1870 census indicating a birth date in 1857 or 1858), and his wife, who was recorded as being fifteen, both did farm work. While Lucilla's mother was listed as Black, the Holzendorfs were listed as Mulattos.[10]

According to the 1900 census, Holzendorf was born in January 1861, and his wife was born in December 1864.[11]

John and Lucilla Holzendorf had five children, James A., John M., Chester A., Daisy L., and Lenora, born between 1881 and 1893.[11]

Political career

In the October 1890 elections, Holzendorf was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as the representative of Camden County, which at the time had a population that was mostly African American. The Georgia Colored Farmers' Alliance was a voting bloc that was instrumental to Holzendorf's election.[12] He was sworn into office on November 5, 1890.[13]: 3  During his time in the state House of Representatives, he was appointed to the Committee on Education and the Special Agricultural Committee.[14]: 10 [15]

On November 20, 1890, Holzendorf voted for a bill to establish a school for colored persons as a branch of the State University, which passed.[13]: 222–224 

In July 1891, Holzendorf and the other African American representative, Lectured Crawford, initially opposed a bill to require railroad companies to provide separate cars for white and black people, but then changed their minds and supported it; however Holzendorf proposed an amendment to additionally require that white people be prohibited from entering black cars and vice versa.[16]

On September 18, 1891, Holzendorf voted against a bill to increase the cost of a liquor license from $50 to $200, but it passed the House 94 to 48.[17]

Holzendorf "accorded himself with dignity while working tirelessly to improve the welfare of Negroes in Camden County."[14]: 8  One Camden County resident recalled in 1973 that Holzendorf "was a politician, a very fine man who was concerned for the well being of his people. Mr. Holzendorf would keep us informed as what was happening in Camden County and the state."[14]: 9  The Atlanta Constitution said "he is conservative in his utterances, and is an earnest worker for the good of the people of his race." In The Constitution's biographical sketches of the members of the House of Representatives, the white representatives were listed first in alphabetical order, with the two African American representatives, Lectured Crawford and Holzendorf, listed separately at the end as "The Colored Representatives."[6]

Holzendorf, like other politically active African Americans, was denigrated and threatened by white supremacists.[14]: 11  Bills that were intended to improve or protect African Americans' civil rights were typically blocked or killed in committee by white supremacist representatives.[14]: 11 

In 1892, Holzendorf ran for the Georgia State Senate. In September, The Morning News speculated that Democratic vote-splitting might allow Holzendorf to win.[18] In the election in October, he won the most votes in Camden County,[19] but lost the election overall.

In 1893, Holzendorf ran for State Representative against incumbent Anthony Wilson, who was also African American, and Burwell Atkinson, who was white. The African American vote was split, leading to Atkinson's election.[14]: 14–15 

In 1903, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Holzendorf Collector for the Port of St. Marys,[3][20][21] and he served in that position until 1913.[14]: 13 

References

  1. ↑ Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, at the Adjourned Session of the General Assembly, At Atlanta, Wednesday, July 3, 1889 (Report). Atlanta, Ga.: W. J. Campbell, State Printer. 1889. p. 1711. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  2. ↑ Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, at the Session of the General Assembly. Commenced at Atlanta. Wednesday October 26, 1892 (Report). Atlanta, GA.: Printed at the Constitution Job Office, For Geo. W. Harrison, State Printer. (Franklin Publishing House.). 1892. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  3. 1 2 "To Another Negro: Roosevelt Gives the Collectorship at St. Marys. Holzendorf is the Man. Coffee is Fired to Make Way for Another Negro. There Was a White Applicant for the Post — Holzendorf Had the Backing of the Republican Organization—Charges Were Preferred Against Coffee—Senator Pritchard Has Recovered and Is Again Interesting Himself in the Vicks Case—Trying to Get Person in". The Savannah Morning News. Savannah, Ga. February 1, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  4. ↑ Work, Monroe N.; Staples, Thomas S.; Wallace, H. A.; Miller, Kelly; McKinlay, Whitefield; Lacy, Samuel E.; Smith, R. L.; McIlwaine, H. R. (January 1920). "Some Negro Members of Reconstruction Conventions and Legislatures and of Congress" (PDF). The Journal of Negro History. 5 (1): 72. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  5. ↑ "They Are Here! A Midnight Welcome to Georgia's Lawmakers. A Trip Through Rain and Flood. The Legislative Train Arrives at 12:15 This Morning. Governor Northern Couldn't Come. The Statehouse Officials and Atlanta's Mayor and Council Along. More Coming In To-Day. The Military's Salute and Escort. The March to the De Soto. The Building Illuminated From Street to Roof.: Representatives". The Morning News. Savannah, Ga. August 29, 1891. p. 8, sec. Representatives. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  6. 1 2 3 "The Georgia House: The Members, Who They Are. Short Sketches of the Members of the Lower House. A Notable Body of Men, The Large Proportion of Farmers in Both Houses. A Conservative House, And One That Has Accomplished a Great Deal.: The Colored Members". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga. July 19, 1891. p. 21. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  7. ↑ Fields, Tara. "Plantations & Homes of Camden County". The Crypt. GlynnGen.com. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  8. ↑ "John Holzendorf in household of James Trueblood", United States census, 1870; Camden County, Georgia; page 6, line 24, National Archives film number NARA microfilm publication M593. Retrieved on 2023-05-01.
  9. ↑ "John Holzendorf and Lucilla Way, 30 Oct 1879". FamilySearching, citing Marriage, Camden, Georgia, United States, Georgia Department of Archives and History, Morrow, FHL microfilm 177,192. Retrieved 2023-05-01. State of Georgia, Camden County. To any judge, justice of the peace or minister of the Gospel. You are hereby authorized to join John Holzendorf and Lucilla Way in the holy state of matrimony, according to the constitution and laws of this state; and for so doing, this shall be your sufficient license. And you are hereby required to return this license to me, with your certificate hereon of the fact and date of the marriage. Given under my hand and seal, this 13th day of October, 1879. F. M. Adams, Ordinary. (Seal.) Georgia, Camden County. I certify, that John Holzendorf and Lucilla Way were joined in matrimony by me, this 30. Day of October, eighteen hundred and seventy 9. Marshall Roberts, minister of the Gospel. Recorded, Nov. 12, 1879, F. M. Adams, Ordinary, C. C.
  10. ↑ "John Holzendorf in household of Cloe Way", United States census, 1880; Jeffersonton district 31st; page 42, line 24, enumeration district 13, National Archives film number NARA Series T9, Roll 137. Retrieved on 2023-05-01.
  11. 1 2 "John M Holzendorf", United States census, 1900; Saltilla Mills 31st Dist, Camden County, Georgia; page 10, line 67, enumeration district 12, National Archives film number NARA T623 roll 183. Retrieved on 2023-05-01.
  12. ↑ Bell, Karen Cook (July 10, 2019). "Local Politics and Black Freedom After the Civil War". Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  13. 1 2 Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of Georgia at the Session of the General Assembly. Commenced at Atlanta, Wednesday, November 5, 1890 (Report). Atlanta, GA.: Geo. W. Harrison, State Printer. (Franklin Publishing House.). 1890. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stevens, Mary Jane (December 1973). Some Aspects of Negro Life in Camden County, Georgia, 1868-1906 (MA). Atlanta University. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
  15. ↑ "The House Committees". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga. November 12, 1890. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  16. ↑ "The Railroads and the Races". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga. July 22, 1891. p. 5. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  17. ↑ "The Liquor Tax". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga. September 19, 1891. p. 7. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  18. ↑ "Glynn's Split". The Morning News. Savannah, Ga. September 29, 1892. p. 2. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  19. ↑ "Georgia's Tidal Wave. The Democratic Majority May Reach 70,000". The Morning News. Savannah, Ga. October 7, 1892. p. 2, sec. Camden County. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  20. ↑ "To Another Negro: Roosevelt Gives Collectorship at St. Marys". The Dawson News. Dawson, Ga. February 11, 1903. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  21. ↑ "St Marys To Accept Negro". The Atlanta Constitution. Atlanta, Ga. February 10, 1903. p. 3. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
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