George Wynn, born in slavery, was given 60 acres of land by his white father,
and became a successful farmer in the Birch Creek-Taswell Community.

 

Mulatto Son of White Slaveholder
Becomes Successful Farmer and Helps
Establish Birch Creek Community

 

by: Bobby McDonald

Many members of the Birch Creek Community, south of Sulphur Springs, can trace their "roots" to one George Wynn, a young man who was born a slave, in his white father's household and given 60 acres of land at emancipation.

Old George Wynn was a white land and slave owner, and he and his half-Indian and half-black slave girl had three children, George, Orange, and Dosia. Old George Wynn provided for these mulatto children when the slaves were emancipated. These children received 60 acres of land, each, from him. The land is still owned by members of the family. The land that he deeded to his children formed the nucleus of the Birch Creek-Pleasant Hill Community, South of the Tazwell Community, in Southern Hopkins County.

George (son of Old George) Wynn, took his 60 acres and became a very successful farmer. He married his wife, Nettie Clark, and they planted fruit orchards, cotton, and other crops on the property, in addition to raising all forms of farm livestock. George Wynn was a well respected farmer by both white and black people, and sold his produce as far away as Dallas. County.

George and Nettie Clark Wynn had two daughters, Eliza and Cinthia, and Nettie had a son, Robert Kinchilow, from a former marriage. Eliza was born in 1901 and Cinthia was born in 1898.

 

 

Eliza Wynn was a beautiful, mulatto young woman, said to be among the fairest of the young women in the community. And, it was along about 1909 that Claude Pryor was attending school at the little schoolhouse in Pleasant Hill, that he "took a shine" to Eliza. Claude Pryor and Eliza Wynn were married about 1920 and reared their family on the property that was originally her father's. They raised a large family that included: Herman Pryor, Claudell Pryor, Chloe Pryor, Herbert Pryor, Billy Pryor, Orren Pryor, Euela Pryor, Nettie Mae Pryor, Elvis Pryor, and George W. Pryor.

This family was active in all of the affairs in the Pleasant Hill Community, attended the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church and attended school with all of their many cousins, at the little Pleasant Hill, two-room schoolhouse.

George Wynn instilled the "work ethic" in his family and it was passed down from generation to generation, allowing the family to prosper and have a strong appreciation for the land. "We were taught to work hard and save our money!" remarked descendents of George Wynn.

 

_____