Reverend Smith reflects on the many events that
occurred during the tumultuous times preceding and following the Civil War in his 1881
autobiography.
“We want earnest laborers amongst us, for those who are instructing my people are few and far between; and we have been deprived of education by the hand of slavery and servitude, which has been brought upon us by the slaveholder. I feel it is the duty of the people to take up our cause and instruct wherever they can.”
His identity and commitment to helping Black families grew from family ties, spirituality, and the injustices of slavery. The Northern Neck’s isolation deepened his confinement, while its close community gave him emotional grounding and introduced him to faith traditions that shaped his spiritual leadership and later activism. Smith became a respected figure whose life
moved from enslavement to leadership.\ The hardship he suffered in his youth gave Smith a moral compass that shaped his later ministry and activism. A summary of James Lindsay Smith’s autobiography further highlights his life.
Birthplace and Early Life in the Northern Neck
Smith was born enslaved in or near Heathsville, Virginia, in the Northern Neck peninsula. This rural region shaped his earliest memories of family, labor, poor conditions, suffering from a broken leg, and punitive harm by slave owners. Moving between properties, sometimes hired out or working as a ship’s cook, Smith experienced both confinement and support from the tight-knit enslaved community. Early experiences with faith and hardship in the Northern Neck later shaped his ministry and activism. The young Smith was sold to a ship captain, worked as a cook for the captain, and was severely mistreated to
the point of attempting suicide. Still in his teens, Smith was tormented on many occasions as the ship made its way to Richmond, Fredericksburg, and Cater’s Creek. While the boat was being repaired in Carter’s Creek, he ran away and made his way back to Heathsville by boarding a boat of his former owner, Mr. Mitchell.
At the Mitchell farm, Smith worked in the corn and cotton fields every day and resolved to find a way to rest on Sundays. He pretended to be lame and not profitable for the family. He was sent to Fairfield to work for his master’s uncle and began to learn about the shoemaker’s trade. Smith was eventually hired out in Heathsville and learned the skills to succeed in shoemaking, carpentry, and field work, which later became the economic foundation for his life in the North.
County: Northumberland County
First Baptist – Howland Chapel School
The Howland Chapel School, built in 1867 near Heathsville, Virginia, is a significant Reconstruction-era schoolhouse designed to educate African-American children, particularly the children of former slaves. This one-story frame structure, funded by New York philanthropist Emily Howland, showcases distinctive board-and-batten siding and bargeboards with dentil soffits, reflecting its historical craftsmanship.
In use as a school until 1958, the building now serves as a museum, community center, and adult-education facility, preserving its legacy as a testament to African-American education and resilience. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Haynie Farm
Haynie Farms, led by fifth-generation farmer P.J. Haynie, spans thousands of acres across Northumberland and Westmoreland counties and is recognized as a key grain producer in Virginia. Specializing in corn, soybeans, and barley, Haynie has become a prominent advocate for Black farmers, serving as Chairman of the National Black Growers Council. The council promotes efficiency and sustainability in Black-owned farms, addressing challenges like technology access and systemic discrimination.
Haynie’s work has earned national recognition, including being named a White House Champion of Change. His advocacy highlights the historical and ongoing struggles faced by Black farmers, aiming to foster equity and innovation within the agricultural community. Haynie Farms stands as both a cornerstone of local farming and a symbol of resilience and progress in Virginia’s Northern Neck. @aminaxolife
Rev. Paymus Nutt – Enslaved Founder of Four Churches
The Rev. Paymus Nutt Historical Marker
Inscription: “The Rev. Paymus (Pyramus) Nutt, born into slavery, helped organize four African American churches in Northumberland County after the Civil War. In 1866 he co-founded First Baptist. Shiloh Baptist, established in 1867, called him to be its first (interim) pastor. He was ordained there and served about 10 years. In 1867 Nutt also became the first pastor of Zion Baptist, Lottsburg, where he served for 25 years. He helped establish Lively Hope Baptist Church in 1880 and was the Northern Neck Baptist Association’s first moderator. The Freedmen’s Bureau identified Nutt as one of seven local African Americans qualified for officeholding under military Reconstruction.”
Holley Graded School – Caroline Putman Grave Site
Holley Graded School is a historic school building for African American students located at Lottsburg, Northumberland County, Virginia. It was built in stages between about 1914 and 1933, and is a one-story, cross-shaped plan building. It features four identical-sized classrooms, a central passage, two cloakrooms and a kitchen. It was used as a schoolhouse until 1959, and subsequently used as a combination museum and adult-education facility.
Dr. Jaehn Charlton’s House – Doctor and Inventor
The site of the home and office of Dr. Jaehn B. Charlton (1917-2004) a Family Physician and inventor, who was the 1 st African American physician based in Northumberland County, VA, and the 2nd A.A. physician in the Northern Neck. Dr. Charlton served the immediate and surrounding areas from the late 1940’s until the early 2000’s as a primary care physician. Patients came from far and near to receive medical care. Dr. Charlton served those patients who were able to pay his fee, as well as those who were not able to pay. During his years of medical practice he also invented the catalytic converter, and the coal chimney emissions device.
Dr. Jaehn Benjamin Charlton’s Historic Marker
Inscription: “The site of the home and office of Dr. Jaehn B. Charlton (1917-2004) a Family Physician and inventor, who was the 1« African American physician based in Northumberland County, VA, and the 2nd A.A. physician in the Northern Neck. Born in Dublin, Georgia, he grew up in Fort Wayne, IN. He completed his Bachelor’s Degree from Virginia Union University, his medical degree from Meharry Medical College, and his internship at Harlem Hospital in New York City. Dr. Charlton, his wife and family moved to Northumberland County in the late 1940’s. Dr. John Ellison encouraged Dr. Charlton to come to the Reedville area to serve this community. This home and office was built for Dr. Charlton and his family in the early 1950’s by Bechalorn Benns, Robert Curry and Samuel Keeve, all local builders in the area. Dr.
Charlton served the immediate and surrounding areas from the late 1940’s until the early 2000’s as a primary care physician, and during his years of medical practice he invented the catalytic converter, and the coal chimney emissions device. Patients came from far and near to receive medical care. Dr.
Charlton served those patients who were able to pay his fee, as well as those who were not able to pay.”
Julius Rosenwald School
Julius Rosenwald High School is a historic school building that was built in 1917 near Reedville, Virginia. It was one of the many schools that were funded by the Rosenwald Fund, a foundation established by Julius Rosenwald, a businessman and philanthropist who wanted to improve the education of African Americans in the rural South.
The Historic Marker Inscription reads: “Originally known as Northumberland County Training School, this institution opened in 1917, under principal John M. Ellison. Local African Americans raised more than $7,000 to build the school and received additional funding from the Rosenwald Fund. Julius Rosenwald, chairman of the board of directors of Sears Roebuck and Co., created this fund in 1917 to finance the building of rural southern schools for blacks. Some 5,000 Rosenwald schools were built in 15 states, including 308 in Virginia. On 12 Nov. 1932, under its principal the Reverend Dr. Henry M. Ruffin, the school was renamed the Julius Rosenwald High School. It closed in 1958.”
Coan Hall – Elizabeth Key (AR)
Coan Hall, located in Northumberland County, is a historical landmark tied to the story of Elizabeth Key, one of the first women of African descent in the American colonies to successfully sue for her freedom. In 1656, Key argued her case based on her father’s English heritage and her Christian baptism, setting a precedent in colonial Virginia law. The site represents a pivotal moment in the region’s history, highlighting the early struggles for freedom and justice.