Generations

First Generation
(Oscar's grandparents)

Second Generation
(Oscar's parents, aunts & uncles)

Third Generation
(Oscar & siblings)

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Black History
in Kansas

FIRST GENERATION

Oscar Micheaux's grandparents, David and Melvina Michaux, were slaves in Graves County, Kentucky.

According to Oscar Micheaux's book "The Conquest," his grandfather, David Michaux was sold to Texas slaveowners, and was never heard from again.

After slavery, the Micheaux family moved to southern Illinois. Oscar Micheaux had two uncles and an aunt who migrated to the Great Bend, Kansas, area after 1878 as part of the "exoduster" movement.

Oscar's grandmother, Melvina Micheaux, was also an "exoduster," coming to Stafford County, Kansas, in 1878 with her bachelor son, William P. Micheaux. William Micheaux died in 1900.

Oscar's father, Swan, and his mother, Bell, didn't move to Kansas until 1901. Oscar's parents, deep in debt with 11 children, inherited land from the estate of Oscar's Uncle, William P. Micheaux, leading to the Micheaux family's move to Kansas. Oscar patterned his career after his "exoduster" relatives, deciding to become a homesteader himself on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in the Gregory, South Dakota, area. Oscar persuaded his grandmother, and his sister, Olive, to make homestead claims in South Dakota.

Oscar's grandmother later returned to Kansas, and died on March 5, 1916. She is buried at Eden Valley Cemetery south of Great Bend. She and her bachelor son, William, share a tombstone. Grandmother Michaux was born in 1832 in Alabama. She died at the age of 83.

Most of this excellent genealogical research was done by Karen Neuforth and her late mother, Juanita Neuforth, of Great Bend. In spite of their best efforts, they could never find out what happened to the grandfather in Texas. If someone could learn facts about what happened to Oscar's grandfather, David Michaux, it would be a major triumph in scholarship.

SECOND GENERATION

Oscar Micheaux's Father, and Aunt and Uncles

(oldest to youngest)

1. Calvin Swan Micheaux (1847-1932)

Buried in Great Bend Cemetery. Oscar's father moved to Kansas at the turn of the century when his brother William P. Micheaux died.

Inherited Ľ of William Micheaux's land in Kansas. 11 children. Wife: Bell Willingham Micheaux.

"The Conquest", page 15: "My father fell heir to a part of the estate of a brother which came as a great relief to his increasing burden of debt." (Oscar's first book).

2. William P. Micheaux (1849-1900)

Bachelor, "Exoduster"--1878. Buried in Eden Valley Cemetery south of Great Bend, migrated to Kansas with his mother, Melvina (Oscar's grandmother).

3. Harriette Micheaux Robinson (1854-1921)

Married Napolean Robinson, buried in Eden Valley Cemetery. "Exodusters."

4. Andrew Jackson Micheaux (1859-1942)

Buried in the Great Bend Cemetery--referred to as "the richest Negro in Kansas." Owned 760 acres in 1941. $500,000 in today's value. Invested in Oscar Micheaux's films. "Exoduster." "Banker for the black community."

5. Edward Micheaux

Migrated to Liberia after slavery. Became a member of the Liberian cabinet. Buried in Liberia.

THIRD GENERATION

Oscar Micheaux and His Siblings

(oldest to youngest)

Calvin Swan Micheaux married Bell Willingham - 11 children

1. Lawrence Micheaux

Died in Spanish American War.

2. Ida Micheaux Payne

Pueblo, CO, school teacher.

3. William Owen Micheaux (1877-1924)

Buried in Great Bend.

4. Finis Micheaux

Oscar Micheaux's next older brother, Finis Michaux (apparently the spelling on tombstone, as well as death record), was born 22 January 1882 in Illinois and died 26 November 1948 in Los Angeles County, California. He served as a Private First Class in Company A, 404th Signal Battalion, US Army, and was buried 30 November 1948 in Plot 144 R-B 5 of the Los Angeles National Cemetery. The sources for this information are Death Records from the California Dept. of Health Services, Office of Health Information and Research Vital Statistics Section, and the records of the cemetery. The cemetery information can be viewed by linking to: http://www.interment.net/data/us/ca/losangeles/lanat/m/lanat_m15.htm The information that Finis was in the Navy in 1918 was apparently a misunderstanding (I seem to recall it was from an obituary or something). Anyway, from what I've read, the 404th Sig. Bn. was probably in Europe during WWI, and someone may have heard "overseas" or something and misinterpreted the info. One interesting item on the death record for Finis is that it lists his mother's maiden name as Goff, instead of Willingham or Willinham.

5. Oscar Micheaux (1884-1951)

6. Maude Micheaux Pritchard/Pritchette

7. Olive Micheaux Robinson

Great Bend High School, 1909.

8. Ethel Micheaux Wilson (1890-1974)

Great Bend High School, 1909. Buried in Great Bend.

9. Veatrice Micheaux (1892-1915)

Great Bend High School, 1910. May 18, 1915--murdered in Pueblo, Colorado. Buried in Great Bend.

10. Gertrude Micheaux Gravens

(Sims--second marriage) Great Bend High School, 1914.

11. Swan Micheaux (1896-1975)

Didn't complete high school. Secretary-Treasurer of Micheaux Book and Film Co.