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Creation Date
4-2-1929
Description
George Harvey worked as a handyman; his wife, Emma, was the daughter of Eliza Campbell Wilburn (slave name Wilbourne), the first African American to serve as a cook when she worked for Chancellor George Frederick Holmes at the inception of the University. Emma became the Chancellor's cook after her mother's death. George and Emma worked for four Chancellors from 1892 to 1932: Fulton 1892; Kincannon 1907-1914; Powers 1914-1924; Hume 1924-1930; and Powers again from 1930-1932. They lived in the Chancellor’s home which was located in Barnard Observatory on campus. Later they moved into a two room house erected for them on the premises. George and Emma Harvey passed away in the 1930’s and were commemorated by the University for their long service. The Harvey family, for two more generations, continued to work for the University in the bookstore, dormitories, fraternity houses, sorority houses and mail service totaling more than 14 decades. Emma and George’s two sons, Ulysses and Bishop, worked in the bookstore, post office, and dormitories. Information provided by Ms. Susie Marshall, Oxford Development Association, and the Harvey Family. Read about the ODA and other local organizations in this exhibit.
Relational Format
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