2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
Snapshot photograph of Jefferson Shields, 3-1/2" x 4-1/4", glued to and cut from an album page. The outdoor photo of Uncle Jeff shows him wearing his various confederate medals. The reverse has a photo of VMI Cadets. Accompanying the image are five "VMI Cadet" buttons by D. Evans, Attleboro. The following was published in the 3 Nov 1901 issue of The Times (Richmond, VA), page 18 -"Jefferson Shields was born a slave in the family of Mr. James Edmondson, father of the late Judge James K. Edmondson, and is now in his 75th year. He is a man of rugged character and is a great favorite among the white people, especially the old-soldier element, for Uncle Jeff counts himself one of the followers of the "Lost Cause." Uncle Jeff. entered the Confederate service as cook with his young master, James K. Edmondson, who became colonel of the 27th Virginia Regiment, Stonewall Brigade. Later he was cook for General "Stonewall" Jackson, and of this honor he never tires of talking. After General Jackson's death, he cooked for General J.E.B. Stuart, then for an officers' mess until the close of the war. The old darky recalls many incidents of General Jackson's colored Sunday school, taught here in the Presbyterian lecture-room several years previous to the Civil War. Uncle Jeff was in General Jackson's class, and he is the only survivor of that class of 19 negro scholars. He says he is indebted to General Jackson for his early religious training. He is a trustee in the first Baptist Church (colored) of Lexington, of which church he has been a member for 57 years. Uncle Jeff delights to visit Confederate reunions. He attended the meeting of the Grand Camp of Petersburg last week, and on his return home appeared on the streets decorated with Confederate badges and souvenirs of the trip. At the recent reunion of the survivors of the Stonewall Brigade, held in Staunton. Uncle Jeff was elected a member of the brigade, and was, by vote, authorized to wear one of the Brigade badges."
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