Grayson County TXGenWeb


Sunday Gazetteer
June 21, 1908

A COLORED BOSS
In early days when voting qualifications were not hedged in by the Australian ballot, Terrell law, etc., the colored voter cut a big figure in local political affairs, in fact, if a solid colored vote, or even 75 per cent of that vote could be controlled, it meant victory to a candidate.  In those days many colored voters were counted that resided in the Indian Territory and the outskirts.  The sanctity of the ballot was not considered.  The colored boss was much in evidence, and he made a good thing at politics.  The boss was a colored barber name Dave Williams, and he paid more attention to politics than he did to shaving of people.  Dave conducted a swell barber shop and he numbered among his patrons all of the politicians, big or little.  They found it to their advantage to stand in with Dave in the political shuffle, in fact, Dave carried the colored vote in his breeches pocket and wielded an influence in politics that turned the scale in many an election in the 70s.  Dave was a wire puller.  He could make a nice calculation as to how many votes he could deliver, but of course, the political machinery had to be greased, and Dave made more money at politics than running a barber shop.  He was a smooth talker, a good dresser, and well posted; he was magnetic, and the average Negro fell into Dave's way of thinking and voted accordingly.  
Several colored political bosses attempted to unhorse Dave, but he put them all to rout.  This man's influence in local politics had to be reckoned with, and for years he was a power that no seeker of office could afford to ignore.
Times changed and the election laws became more stringent.  Men who lived in the Indian Territory and Arkansas could not have a vice in our city affairs.  Then Dave as a political boss, commenced to decline.  When a Negro presented himself at the polls he had to prove up his right to vote.  Still the influence of Dave Williams was paramount for a long period, and until he left here the colored people looked up to him as a sort of Moses to whom they could go for advice.
He is at present conducting a barber shop in the City of Mexico.



African-American Williams of Denison, Texas
1876-1877 David Williams (colored) has a barber shop, "Williams and Son," at 207-1/2 W. Main St.  Large advertisement in City Directory: "Fashionable Tonsorial Artists.  Hair cutting, shampooing, and shaving done with neatness and dispatch.  Bath rooms attached."  Working as barbers at this shop, too, are Horace G. Williams and James Williams, both colored.  David Williams also owns a saloon on the south side of Woodard between Austin & Houston avenues.  He resides on the north side of Bond between Burnett and Rusk avenues.
1889-1890 D. [David} W. Williams (colored,) barber & bath rooms, 218 W. Main St.  Residence at the same place.  Quarter-page ad: "Williams' Shaving Parlor, 218 West Main St., Denison, Texas.  Hot & cold baths. D.W. Williams, Proprietor."
1889-1890 Laura J. Williams (colored), works at D.W. Williams; resides at the same place
1889-1890 James Williams (not designated as colored) is a laborer at the Ice Factory.  He lives on Johnson St. between Travis & Crockett avenues.
1891
The Sunday Gazetteer
Sunday, January 4, 1891
pg. 4

EMANCIPATION DINNER
Dave Williams, the colored barber at No. 220 Main street, celebrated New Year by giving an emancipation dinner to which were invited a number of the more prominent colored men of the city.  Mayor Tone, Hon. A.B. Person and W.S. Pearson were present as orators of the occasion.  Mr. Person counseled the colored people to a higher and better life, stating that he had fought hard to keep them in slavery, but now he would fight equally as hard to keep them out.  The mayor congratulated them, as a race, on the progress made during the last 25 years and hoped they would continue.  
Mr. Pearson told them that when a small boy he used to eat pot liquor from a wooden bowl with his father's slaves in southwest Georgia, and that his first horse-back ride was behind "old Uncle Pete," on the wheel-mule hitched to a wagon loaded with cotton for the Columbus market.  He told them that he was glad slavery existed when it did and as it did, but was now glad of their freedom.  On the Negroes of the South rested the great responsibility of redeeming Africa.  England, Germany, France, Portugal and Austria had made an inglorious failure, and that the life work of the American Negroes for ages to come should be the abolition of the slave trade, and then the Christianizing and civilizing of the dark men on the dark continent.  He counseled them to habits of industry, sobriety, cleanliness and honesty, and above all things to preserve their self-respect, letting politics severely alone.
Marked attention were paid the speakers, and many thanks were expressed for their presence.
1893-1894 David W. Williams (colored) is a barber at 218 W. Main St.; he lives at that address, too.
1893-1894 Thompson & Williams barber shop (colored) is at 106 N. Rusk Ave.  Principals  are Joseph Thompson (colored), who lives at 305 W. Bond St.; and Peter  Williams (colored), residing at 522 N. Houston Ave.
1893-1894 Working at the Columbia Restaurant, 209 W. Main St. upstairs, is Alfred Williams (colored).  He boards at 612  N. Mirick Ave.  Also boarding there is Elbert Williams (colored)
1896 "Pete Williams.  Everything first-class in the tonsorial line.  Hot Baths & Warm Rooms.  Ford Building." (Source: Program, Denison Opera House, November 19, 1896)
1896-1897 To judge from City Directory information, several "colored" barbers seem to have had close relationships with Levi B. Burton and Edward D. Burton.  Living next door to Levi Burton at 615 N. Mirick Ave. is Harry Platt, who works at 307 W. Main St.  Peter Williams, who operates a barber shop at 106 N. Rusk Ave., lives at 522 N. Houston Ave.  Sherley O. Platt works at Peter Williams' barber shop & resides at 527 W. Bond St.
1896-1897 Carlisle & Williams Restaurant, 205 N. Houston Ave.  Grant Carlisle (colored) and (who?), proprietors.  The business is also described as a lunch room
1898-1899 The Palace Barber Shop (colored) is at  109-1/2 E. Main St.  Proprietor is Edward D. Gentry (colored), who lives at 627 W. Bond St.  Also working there as barbers are Sylvester Lott (colored), who resides with his wife Virginia at 100 W. Bond St.; Peter Williams (colored), perhaps also an owner  of the  shop, who lives with his wife Eleanor at 423 W. Walker; and Sherley O. Platt (colored), living at 527 W. Bond St.
1898-1899 Another Palace Barber Shop is at 106 N. Rusk Ave. (106 Ford Building).  Proprietor is Peter Williams (colored).  He resides at 423 W. Walker St.
1899-1900 C.F. Williams (colored) is a barber at Love & Haywood barber shop (colored), 121 W. Main St.  Principals are James S. Love & S.H. Haywood.  Williams is married & living at 116 W. Walker St.
1899-1900 The Palace Barber Shop (colored) is at 106 N. Rusk Ave. (106 Ford Building).  Principals are Peter Williams (colored), married & living at 423 W. Walker St.; & Sylvester Lott (colored), married & living at 408 W. Johnson St.
1908 David Williams "At present conducting a barber shop in the City of Mexico." (Source: Sunday Gazetteer, June 21, 1908.]
1915 "Pete Williams.  Hair cut, shampoo & massage.  Best Barbers in the City."  [Source: The DHS Yellow Jacket, 1915]
[Source : City Directories]






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