Stearlin Arnwine, Image courtesy of Candice Hammons (Photo Credit: Federal Writer’s Project, United States Work Projects Administration (USWPA)
Arnwine Drive in Vandalia may seem like just another quiet suburban street beside Paradise Lake, but it carries a name woven with layers of history and struggle. Honoring Zebedee “Zeb” Arnwine, a prominent African American business owner who lived in the community from 1943 to 1957, the street marks more than a local legacy. It connects to a past rooted in the harsh realities of slavery in Texas, where Zeb’s ancestors endured unspeakable oppression. Now, decades later, his descendants are fighting for justice, determined to heal the wounds of that haunting history.
Candice Hammons, a Detroit native and descendant of Texas slave owner Albertus Arnwine and the enslaved Gracy Arnwine, is on a quest for justice for her family. As a cousin of Zebedee “Zeb” Arnwine, she recently began exploring her lineage. She uncovered a long-standing injustice: land that was willed to the Arnwine family by Albertus Arnwine was never transferred to them. Hammons is determined to correct this historical wrong by reclaiming the land and honoring the legacy of her ancestors, ensuring their story is recognized and remembered.
After her niece urged her to explore her family heritage through a DNA test, Hammons initially set out to learn more about her mother’s lineage. However, as she delved deeper, she discovered something much more about her family’s history than she had anticipated.
The Arnwine Family Reunion 2024 in California, Image courtesy of Candice Hammons
“I took the DNA test in 2018 because I wanted to know more about my mother’s side of the family. I was always curious about who they were, where they came from, and my ancestors, of course, and I never did that before,” Hammons said.
“I’m finding and reading all these different records articles, all kinds of things from back in those days, and the 1800s, which are records of the family.”
Hammons started to connect the dots as she came across a slave narrative by a distant relative, Stearlin Arnwine, who would have been her third cousin.
“He (Stearlin Arnwine) mentioned that our family had 900 and something acres of land in Jacksonville, Texas, and he said that they never received it. My third great grandfather, who was a slave owner, left the will for my third great grandmother, who he had children with,” Hammons said.
Hammons and her family kept digging and discovering historical documents such as bills of sale for family members who were slaves and census records.
Stearlin Arnwine was born around 1853 in Texas and lived through the Civil War era as an enslaved person. His life story is documented as part of the Federal Writers’ Project under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the 1930s. Arnwine was enslaved by Albertus Arnwine near Jacksonville, Texas.
He recounted in his slave narrative how Albertus, who was unmarried, passed away when Stearlin was around seven or eight years old. After Albertus’s death, Stearlin was sold to John Moseley in Rusk, Texas, who employed him as a ‘houseboy’ and treated him with relative kindness.
Arnwine’s slave narrative sheds light on the realities of slavery in East Texas. His narrative captures up close and personal insight into the day-to-day experiences of slaves post-Civil War. Arnwine’s slave narrative has become an important part of historical records archived at the Library of Congress.
The account of Stearlin Arnwine’s story can be found in the Federal Writers’ Project: Slave Narratives. In his narrative, Arnwine recounts events with his sister Gracy and their children, who were forcibly sold to a different slave owner. Despite the intentions and promises made regarding their sale, the ruling that should have protected them and honored their family ties was ultimately disregarded, leading to their separation.
The will was meant to secure a sum of money for the descendants of Hammons family, along with all of his property, which included land in Jacksonville, Texas. However, his heirs never received any part of the inheritance they were promised.
In 1936, Stearlin Arnwine, who was Gracie’s grandson, shared a troubling story about the women who were owned by Albartis Arnwine. His account shed light on the complicated and unfair way Hammons’ estate was handled and how it affected his family.
Hammons’s dedication to her family history intertwines the painful past of slavery with the effort to seek justice and recognition for those whose rights were historically overlooked. Hammons efforts represent a broader movement to address historical injustices and reclaim what rightfully belongs to the descendants of those who suffered under the oppressive system of slavery.
(L) Candice Hammons, (R) Beverly Elliot, Director of The African American Museum of Southern Arizona
“My great grandfather, the slave owner, actually fled Tennessee because he shot at and killed his nephew. So he fled Tennessee with the slaves,” Hammons said.
“They were mad because he was so kind to his slaves. The family, the neighbors, and the whole city didn’t like it. He didn’t treat his slaves like they wanted him to be dirty and mean.”
Hammons currently resides in Arizona. Moving from Michigan, However, she and her family are getting hometown love and support, namely the Detroit Task Force of Reparations United States Representative Rashida Tlaib and Mayor Byron H. Nolen of Inkster.
“We’ve been getting the word out and reaching out to Congress and Senators, getting a lot of support from them. To date, I think we have over 17 letters of support from Congress and Senators,” Hammons said.
To learn more about the backstory of the Arnwine Family legacy or to purchase the book, visit www.thearnwinefamilyproject.org.
It’s a Slave’s Story…The Arnwine Family History is on display at The African American Museum of Southern Arizona; visit www.aamsaz.org/arnwine-family.
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