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- Description is exactly "These are advertisements for George W. Seawright, who was a boot and shoe maker in Florence. Florence historian Lee Freeman notes: "Born a slave in Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama, George Wasahington Seawright (1848-1931) is believed to have been a slave of George Seawright (1832-1904), a native of Sumter County who married Fannie Malone Wilson of Lauderdale in November of 1859. George's 1931 death certificate listed his parents as Ivan Calhoun and Millie Seawright. During the Civil War a young (just 13 in 1861) George W. Seawright accompanied Fannie Malone Seawright's brother, Mitchell Malone (1842-1927) of Co. K, 7th AL Inf, CSA and Co. F, Roddey’s 4th AL Cav, CSA as Malone’s body servant (after the war Malone became a Methodist pastor and served as Lauderdale County Tax Assessor). "Wash," as he was known by locals was one of at least eighteen pro-Southern blacks from Lauderdale County. After the war Seawright proudly attended at least three United Confederate Veterans’ reunions, two at Mars Hill in Lauderdale County and one in Birmingham. By May of 1884 George had opened up a boot and shoe-maker’s shop “in the room recently occupied by Mr. Fink over the store of Mr. Jacobs.” His shop relocated twice and with several other black and white businesses was burned out twice. By 1914 George's shop was located on East Tennessee Street assisted by his son Reuben (1867-1935). George was married to Francis Jackson (ca. 1848-aft. 1920), a daughter of Nancy Jackson (ca. 1818-aft. 1900) and they had three children, all but one of whom had died by 1910. In 1900 Francis’ mother lived with them as did nephew Lee Estus Farley (1883-) and niece Mattie Farley (1886-). A respected member of the community, George’s obituary was written by white Sons of Confederate Veterans officers RT Simpson and Donald White, who stated that he always voted "the white man's ticket" however Seawright described himself in an 1894 letter to the editor of the Florence Times as a Republican not a Democrat.""
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