I have been searching and searching for more information on this. I can’t find anything! I’ve also been looking for information and photographs of the Mary Loiselle. Again, nothing. On MemphisHistory.org I found another account of Marcus Winchester’s life that does not mention the ban on persons of mixed-race and questions the “accusation” that his wife was indeed a Negro.
He married Mary Loiselle of New Orleans somewhere around 1823. Mary was said to be a woman of color, but in this context it is hard to say what that meant. Many slaves by this time looked white. In any case the idea that she was a Negro hurt Winchester’s reputation and contributed to a number of business reversals that were to follow him to his grave.
Marcus acted as an agent for the proprietors and opened the first store. He was one of the first five members of the Quarterly Court and was elected register in 1820. When Memphis was incorporated in 1826, Winchester became the first mayor. He operated a ferry and served as postmaster until 1849, although his loyalty to the Jacksonians came under question when he supported Davy Crockett for Congress.
Because of his marriage and the deep rifts occurring along race lines leading up to the Civil War, Winchester’s career declined. A whispering campaign by members of the Murrell Clan alienated Winchester from the community. Ultimately Winchester moved his family to a home a few miles outside the city.
The idea that she was a Negro… That says a lot.
I searched through the guide to the Winchester family papers on TN.gov. I find it “interesting” that in all of the correspondence listed for Marcus, there is no mention of a wedding or a wife or children. One can glean that he was in New Orleans around the time he is said to have married. There is also a later request for a deed for a “lot south of town of Memphis” which gives credence to the town’s ban of mixed race people.
I am so curious about this.
Wow, an “accusation” that she was negro.
Didn’t know that was a crime. I am grateful for that time and place i live in.(South Florida).
It interesting though. We cant forget what people were like and had to go through.
the “genogram” is sort of confusing to me….
Marcus Winchester and Marie Louise Amarante Regis Loiselle are my great grandparents 4 times back. My Grandmother (Dorothy Richards) always told me that her father (Charles Richards) told her that Marie was part Osage or Blackfoot Indian. This is the story in the family. It sure would be nice to find out if Mary was part black or part American Indian. Guess we will never know.
I would love to meet any “estranged” relatives. There are many of us out here…sad to say separated by divorce and abandoned. My line comes down from Marcus and Mary’s daughter Valeria m. to a Richards, and and their daughter Jesse m. to a Gryder, their son Joe m. a Brogdan (my grandmother Aileen) They had two daughters before divorcing: my mom Margaret Oswalt and aunt name changed from Barbara Jean to Bonnie by adoptive parents…she m. a Dohme. A lot of us live in the Memphis area I’ve been told by a first cousin to my mom (one of the Gryders) the blood is black. I have a photo of an older Jesse Richards Gryder and family that does show some influence. We are proud to be part of the line.
I also have a photo of an older Jesse Richards Gryder. What do you think she “shows some influence” of?? When I was a kid we use to peak at her through a window and think she was a “witch” because of her long hair. Not very nice but kids can be that way. Like I posted earlier, Dorothy Louise Richards, my Grandmother told us that her father, Charles L Richards, was 1/16 Osage or Blackfoot. If that is true, who knows. It was said he was “ashamed” to be part indian. Maybe he was “ashamed” to be part black and made up the story. It would be interesting to know the truth.
Anita,
I actually have quite a few photos of the Jesse Richards Gryder clan. None are of a young Jesse. She looks darker than everyone else except for her stunningly handsome son Otis. He appears darkly tanned in some photos. The reason I believed we have a bit of black blood is due to info from one of my mom’s first cousins, Carroll Gryder. Jesse is his grandmother, too. The story of Marie Loiselle being beautiful and well educated is believable because of ties with New Orleans. We learned in college U.S. history that many well to do mixed race young people were sent away for an education in France. Do you follow Marie’s father’s lineage as Baribeau? He comes from a long line of French Canadian fur trappers back to an immigrant coming in as a Jesuit, which he renounced later. I also have been told that a good deal of the family remained Catholic. I can scan and send photos if you wish.
Hi Debra & Anita,
This is Julie (Anita’s cousin) and I would be thrilled to find out any information on Marie’s family as I have been unable to uncover anything on them.
To all who want info,
Are we allowed to give out email and phone numbers? I have some good contacts if they are still living. Mr. Bill Boyd is in Memphis/Cordova and might be a big help. There are many others who may or may not wish to be contacted. Do not forget the Tennessee Genealogy Society in Germantown. The biggest thing most of us want is a picture of Mary Winchester! What if sometime we could have a get together and bring what we have along with a printer.
I don’t know about leaving phone number on this site but I would certainly be willing to get together with all the stuff all of us have collected over the year and share it. It would be fun to see exactly what we do have and don’t have. We could just email each other privately and see what we could come up with.
Debra,
Jesse Richards Gryder is Jesse Beulah- everyone called her Beulah. She had 7 children. Otis was married to Beulah’s daughter Mary Margaret. (my grandparents) I believe the “Otis” you referred to is actually Carroll, as he was the darkest of all the brothers. The children of Beulah & Jessie Virgil Gryder were Gladys b. 1897, Virgil b. 1889, Carroll b. 1904, Norma b. 1905? Mary Margaret b. 1907, Joseph b. 1910, William Virgil b. 1913 – middle name after older brother Virgil who drowned.
I came to this site out of curiosity re: Amarante Loiselle after reading “David Crockett, the Lion of the West” by Michael Wallis. He mentions the friendship with Marcus Winchester, and the marriage in 1823 to A.L. “brilliant & educated in France, & reputed to be one of most beautiful women in the South. She was 1/16th black, which is why the wedding took place in her hometown of New Orleans, where mixed-race marriages were legal. Amarante Winchester was ostracized by Memphis society, & Winchester’s career declined. Eventually city aldermen passed an ordinace forbidding anyone of mixed race from owning property or living within the city limits. This caused the Winchesters to move to a farm outside of Memphis. They remained married until her death in 1840″ . Hope this is helpful.
They had a son named loiselle Winchester and he is buried in Elmwood cemetery. I would like to see photos of Mary as well
DEAR SIR OR TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. ihave a 29 page booklet. with an article titled outcast for love the story of marcus b. winchester and wife marie louise amarante loisel covering about 12 pages if interested