The Workers

Through the research of the members of RAIL, we have been able to uncover many of the names of the incarcerated African Americans who labored on the construction of the railroad up the Blue Ridge Escarpment.

These names are theirs:

From the 1880 Census (Age Range 14-66; 172 male, 3 female, 7 listed as White, All others listed as Black/Mulatto)

• Charley Aikins
• Henry Adams
• Henry Brinson
• Alexander Barger
• James Barns
• Moses Bell
• John Brown
• Henry Bigger
• John Brasswell
• Thomas Boyakin
• Edward Banner
• Richard Baits
• Ellen Bell
• Daniel Baird
• David Brown
• Joseph Barnes
• Corsey Blair
• Degrand Barber
• Henry Bobbitt
• Daniel Brown
• Hampton Best
• Sampson Best
• James Bost
• Edwards Bradly
• Pinkney Boyd
• Cissiro Bryant
• George Bullock
• Joseph Cox
• Stephen Cannon
• Milton Clark
• Simon Devenport
• Frank Day
• Simon Dick
• Chester Davis
• Henderson Dossett
• George Fox
• John Folk
• Gauld Foy
• Peter Foy
• George Ford
• David Fitzgerrell
• Linsey Green
• John Glen
• Charly Gaston
• Winslow Gush
• Henry Gilliam
• Webb Gudger
• William Hill
• John Hargrove
• Wilson Hunt
• Lorance Hunter
• James Hurt
• Hampton Holeman
• William Davis
• Isaac Hunter
• William Harris
• Charley Hansely
• John Hicks
• Burley Haywood
• Israel Hays
• Anderson Harshow
• Jeff Hamilton
• Charles Harper
• Tobe High
• Thomas Jones
• Jessee Johnson
• William Jones
• George Johnson
• Albert Jessup
• William Jones
• Samuel Jones
• Thomas Jones
• Henry Jones
• Miller Jones
• Alexander Johnson
• Benjamin Jones
• Noah Kindsey
• Harvy Knight
• John Land
• George Lamburt
• Peter Lathan
• Jones Latham
• Back Lee
• Archey Leach
• George McEntire
• Lucey Morgan
• Henry McKee
• William Montigue
• Israel Morrison
• Green McCullep
• Thomas Moore
• Isaac Mitchell
• Tim Newkirk
• David Odens
• Simon Parrett
• David Passmore
• Jessee Phillipps
• Anderson Pearch
• Sandy Pagan
• Henry Portner
• Zebulen Parker
• Cato Peeds
• Jessee Johnson
• Cornelius Rich
• David Richardson
• Ranerd Ruffien
• George Roundtree
• Arch Ragan
• Henry Revals
• George Rolen
• David Rine
• Dan Richardson
• Norton Roundtree
• Robert Roundtree
• George Smith
• John Simmons
• Henry Show
• Hardy Sanders
• Charley Smith
• George Smith
• Willis Sprewill
• Frank Sikes
• Tobe Street
• Nedums Sanders
• Arch Stewart
• Monroe Smith
• Moses Smith
• Allen Seras
• John Suwell
• Dan Simmons
• Rollay Sanders
• David Satchwell
• Shephard Smith
• Lewis Smith
• Joseph Smith
• Peter Smith
• Fred Satterfield
• Robert Sawyer
• Armsted Troutman
• James Torrance
• Arther Timmons
• William Turner
• Hampton Tompson
• George Taylor
• John Thompson
• Abertn Taft
• Nash Trollenger
• James Vick
• Susan Reston
• Henry Williams
• Pink Wilson
• David White
• George Willis
• Miles Williams
• West Word
• Abe Watt
• Willis Williams
• Everett Williams
• Thomes Williams
• Lee Williams
• James Wilson
• William Walker
• James Warren
• William Woodley
• Robert Willis
• Alfon Wallace
• Robert M. Walker
• Jessee Williams
• Felix Whitson
• John Walker
• Rufus Young
• Levi Yokely
• Sam Reid
• Fork Johnson
• George Parson

Other Names Taken from Historic Newspapers:

1876

• Peter Long
• Albert Long

1877

• Rufus Young (Note: There is also a Rufus Young on the 1880 Census, though he was reported killed in 1877)
• Travis Haley
• John Brown

1881

• Henry Edwards

1886

• Dave Jones