By Claudette Lewis Bard
Lovettsville was settled by German immigrants in the 19th century. What are the chances that in 2024, a German citizen with African American ancestral heritage, returns to Lovettsville, in search of his family history?
This young man’s journey began in November 2022, when he spotted an article online that I wrote for the Lovettsville Historical Society newsletter entitled “Ray and Sarah Edna Anderson: A Profile of Two of Lovettsville’s African American Citizens.” I wrote it in July 2021, and it was a narrative about my great-great uncle Ray Anderson and his life as a resident of Lovettsville. I felt inspired to chronicle his life because he was once a well-known and well-liked resident of this town.
Ray and Sarah Edna had twelve children. It turned out the article reached much farther than I could have imagined. Through the power of the internet, it reached a man in Germany by the name of Pascal Rayvon Sommer, and this citizen of Germany wrote the Historical Society and said his great grandfather was Ray Anderson. Ray’s youngest son was Ralph Lee Anderson and Pascal Rayvon’s grandfather. Ralph Lee enlisted in the U.S. Army in the mid-1950s. He was stationed in Germany, served two tours in Vietnam, returned to Germany, met a German woman and they had four daughters. Pascal Rayvon Sommer is the son of one of those daughters.
Pascal Rayvon, who goes by Ray, mentioned in his letter what Ralph Lee meant to him, that they were very close, and how he was influenced by him. I answered his letter to the Historical Society right away. This began a series of correspondences using an app called WhatsApp, and through Facebook messenger. I was learning much more about this young man, his family, and his endearing relationship to his grandfather. We shared an interest in genealogy and family history; we exchanged bits of valuable genealogical information.
The Anderson family has been having a family reunion since about the 1950s and we have photographs documenting these events. But there are stories that this reunion may have occurred as far back as the 1930s. With the exception of 2020, where we suspended it due to COVID, we resumed the tradition in 2021. And it continued this year.
Ray made it his goal to attend. He achieved that goal this year. Finally, our several years of communications were culminating in an in-person meeting. Finally, I’ll be able to meet my cousin. Finally, I’ll get to sit down with him and share with him the information I have gathered. Finally, the years of writing to each other, getting to know one another, can end with a face-to-face conversation.
Finally.
I was looking forward to our “reunion.”
Ed (my husband) and I met him at Dulles International Airport on Tuesday, August 20th. Ed cleverly used his phone to write “Ray” across the screen because I had not made an airport welcome sign. I held it up, hoping he’d see it. As waves of passengers piled through the doors, my anticipation was evident. I hope I don’t miss him. I texted him to let him know I was waiting outside the door. I texted him a picture of me.
I waited.
Suddenly a fresh-faced handsome young man with a tanned complexion, wearing a Yankees baseball cap came through the doors. I recognized him. He recognized me. That’s my cousin. That’s my family. That’s Ray.
I couldn’t help but hug him. I told him how I was so glad he made it. I was so overjoyed he was here. He said the same.
The New Jerusalem Lutheran Church
The next day we visited the town of Lovettsville, the town where his beloved grandfather Ralph Lee and siblings were raised by Ray and Sarah Edna Anderson. We were joined by two members of the Historical Society’s board of directors, Vice President, Ed Spannaus, and Secretary, Mike Zapf. Ray and I were both eternally grateful they were able to join us. Our first stop was the picturesque Lovettsville “German Settlement” sign located on Route 287. We took pictures and then continued onto the second stop.
At the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, we were able to enter the upstairs sanctuary of this beautiful and historic church. We then descended the steps to the fellowship hall, where we were able to see a Bible written in German which is known as the Elector’s Bible or Kurfürstenbibel. It was printed by Johann Andreas Endter of Nuremberg in 1765.1 It was written in German which reflects upon the fact that the church was established by Palatine Germans from Pennsylvania and Maryland, and services were in German until 1830.2 Seeing this Bible was the highlight of my cousin’s visit to the church. Ray recognized that the lettering was the old way the German language was written. He made an effort to read it but was unable to do so. Mike commenced to explain the meaning of the Bible to Ray and he spoke to Ray in German. Ray was able to gain a better understanding of it when explained to him in his native language. Even though he was miles from his country, this conversation in German made him feel a little bit closer to home. Ray understood Mike perfectly, because Mike’s German was excellent.
Mike continued to show us the outside of the church where there was a listing of the pastors who had served over the years. Ray and I have a connection to this church. The Lovettsville Historical Society uncovered an old register of burials performed by the pastor. It turns out our great-great grandmother’s name is listed in this register. This was unusual because when she died in 1892, most institutions were segregated, including church congregations. Nevertheless, her name is listed.
The name was misspelled but I was able to ascertain this was, indeed, our great-great grandmother. The log reads: Mary Jane Anderson(colored); DOD Jan. 7, 1892; Age 33.11.9; Place of Burial—Col’d Cemetery, Lovettsville; Remarks—Heb 9.27.3 Her name was Sarah Jane Anderson and, even though it is misspelled, all other information is identical to my research.
Quarter Branch Road
We then traveled to Quarter Branch Road, north of the town of Lovettsville. As we traveled in my car down this sometimes paved and sometimes gravel road, Ray and I became acutely aware of the distance we had to travel to get to the property where his grandfather once lived. It must have been quite treacherous and hazardous when Ralph Lee and his family lived there. Thank goodness, we were traveling there on a clear and dry day. We finally arrived at the property on Quarter Branch Road.
In my research, I had discovered the land where Ray and Sarah Edna Anderson once lived and raised their large family.4 The log house where they lived is no longer there and the property is owned by new owners. There is a barn still standing, and I am not sure if it was there when the Andersons occupied the land. According to Mike Zapf, the location of the spring, their source of water, is still visible.
My research showed this land was purchased in 1868 by Lee Simms 5, an ancestor, and it remained in the family until around 1964.We were able to view the land where the log house once stood. It was great to view this and I could imagine the log house sitting on the property.
We then drove a little farther down Quarter Branch Road and parked under several tall trees that provided shade. At that peaceful quiet spot, Mike showed us the Quarter Branch, which is a stream that flows under Quarter Branch Road. Mike said if we were to follow the stream, it would take us to the Potomac River. This stream is very important to my research because, according to the land records, the Quarter Branch is the boundary of Ray Anderson’s property.6 In studying the land records, it was nice to see the actual boundary.
Mike also gave us some more insight regarding this creek. It most likely was one of the routes of the Underground Railroad. He mentioned enslaved persons in Virginia, in an effort to escape slavery, used the Quarter Branch as an escape route. They navigated the stream, headed towards the Potomac River, crossed this shallow part of the river into Maryland, on their way to freedom. I told Ray how this large tract of land was the land our ancestors stood on and saw every day. It was the land his grandfather had stood on and lived. We both became emotional at that point, knowing this fact. We both became emotional just knowing how important this little shady, quiet and peaceful patch of land, and the land surrounding us, meant to our ancestors. It could have also been the location where those enslaved traveled to seek their freedom.
Knowing this gave us both great solace!
The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Chapel Cemetery
The AME Chapel, sometimes called the African Chapel, stands on Route 287 as one drives into Lovettsville. It was built around 1869 and once was the focal point of the African American community during the beginning to mid-20th century, having served as both a church and a school. Black residents gathered for church services on Sundays and children received their education during the week. Known as the “Lovettsville Colored School,” it operated under the segregated public school system in Virginia.
On the grounds of the AME Chapel, there lies a cemetery where many of Lovettsville’s early African American residents are interred. When visiting a cemetery, it is always a solemn experience. The AME Chapel Cemetery is special because many interred there are our ancestors, some with marked headstones and others do not have any gravestones or markers. Nonetheless, I was able to show Ray the headstone and footstone of our great-great grandmother, Sarah Jane Anderson. As mentioned earlier, her name was listed in the burial listing at the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church. My research continues as to what her connection was to the church. The gravestone had succumbed to age and the weather over the years, and it was very hard to read any inscriptions. After all, this gravestone has been there since 1892. We also saw the gravestone of one of Sarah Jane’s babies, a girl named Pearl, who apparently died in childbirth. The child was buried next to her mother. Even though the inscriptions were very hard to read, Ray was very impressed that he could witness this gravestone, since it had been there for so long. He never could have imagined ever seeing this. In a conversation about customs in his native Germany, often graves sites are not preserved as they are here in America. After a certain amount of time, in some German locations, graves are removed, and the land is returned to its former state. Therefore, seeing this ancestor’s grave was extra special to Ray.
The Lovettsville Museum
With the help of Mike Zapf, we were able to visit the Lovettsville Museum, which contained a wide variety of artifacts, maps and pictures about this wonderful and historic town. Ray looked in awe as to the many items the museum had on display. The display of items most likely had given him an idea of what life was like for his grandfather when he lived in this town. As we walked through the museum, I showed Ray a display of my article I had written for the Lovettsville Historical Society newsletter. It chronicles my experience of visiting the AME Chapel a few years back when my great-uncle Raymond Waters took my grandmother, my mother and I to the Chapel, and showed us where our ancestors worshiped and attended school. It was a memorable day in my life when I learned about those who came before me.
Ray was able to obtain a book about Lovettsville entitled, Lovettsville: The German Settlement, by Yetive Weatherly. I showed him sections of the book that contained quotes by his great grandfather, Ray Anderson. He was a man who was well-known in Lovettsville and was interviewed by the book’s author. It was a welcome addition to all of the knowledge we both obtained that day.
Leesburg, Virginia and the Douglass Center
Ray and I then got back on the road and traveled through the beautiful Virgina countryside with the Blue Ridge Mountains off in the distance. We followed Ed Spannaus, and I abandoned my GPS trusting in Ed’s navigation and enjoying the ride. Sometimes it is good not to rely on a GPS. The next thing I knew, we were entering the town of Waterford, Virginia. I mentioned to Ray that this village is a National Historic Landmark because of how its residents preserve its 18th and 19th century architecture.
We then stopped at the Second Street School. I noted to Ray that Jackie, his grandfather’s only surviving sibling attended school here after the AME Chapel school closed in 1949 due to declining enrollment. I also mentioned his grandfather most likely attended this school as well.
It was a surprise treat to drive through this village.
We arrived in Leesburg and went to the Historic Douglass High School where we met with Larry Roeder, who is the CEO of the Edwin Washington Society. He and his organization have worked tirelessly on documenting the segregated school system that once existed in Loudoun County. These efforts culminated in a book entitled Dirt Don’t Burn: A Black Community’s Struggle for Educational Equality Under Segregation, that he co-authored with Barry Harrelson.
We were able to view school logs from the Lovettsville Colored School that dated back to the late 1890s. (The records were found at the Lovettsville Museum and are on loan to the Edwin Washington Society). It was such a treat to see the roster of students. Included in this roster was Ray Anderson, listed as Ray V. Anderson (or Ray Von Anderson). Ray knew he was named after his great-grandfather, with the exception that the names were written differently (Ray Von vs. Rayvon). To see our ancestors listed was very surreal. The names of the students were so eloquently written in cursive, and they included Ray Anderson’s siblings as well. My great-grandmother, Minnie W. Anderson’s name was listed. We looked through quite a few rosters and we covered the years 1894 to about 1899.
We then left and traveled home. It was a day full of information, education, new-found knowledge, and a lot of history. We both felt humbled and proud of our ancestors.
A Visit with Aunt Jackie
When Ray decided to visit the U.S., one of his goals was to meet the last surviving sibling of his cherished grandfather. He had the foresight and the strong desire to make this trip sooner rather than later. Now the family reunion was Saturday, August 24, but I felt as if we should meet his great Aunt Jackie Williams beforehand. I called her and we set a date for the day before the reunion. With this visit, Ray could ask questions regarding the Anderson children’s childhood. As fate would have it, as we arrived at her residence, the song, “Kiss and Say Goodbye” by the Manhattans was playing on the radio. Ray commented it was Ralph Lee’s favorite song, and it was played at his funeral.
As my husband Ed, Ray, Keith (Jackie’s son), and I entered Jackie’s residence, we noticed several photographs on the dining room table. To our surprise, there was a picture of four beautiful women—Ray’s mother, accompanied by her three sisters. The picture was taken several years ago, probably in Germany, and Ralph Lee gave Jackie the picture. There were several other pictures on the table of Jackie and four of her five sisters. Jackie then identified the ladies in the pictures and explained when and where these pictures were taken.
The conversation continued where Jackie shared her memories growing up in Lovettsville. She talked about life on Quarter Branch Road such as getting water from the spring and toting it up the hill to the house. We were able to see that very hill and the spring the day we visited the land. Along with getting water from a spring, they did without electricity or indoor plumbing. During the winter months, the house was heated using coal.
She talked about going to school at the AME Chapel. Her father worked nights for the B & O Railroad in nearby Brunswick, Md. At this point in the Anderson household (the late 1940s), Sarah Edna had died and Ray was a widower. He was tasked with raising his children alone. After returning home from work in the morning, he would drive his children to school. But if for some reason, he was late, his children walked the several mile trek to school. In the afternoon, Ray Anderson’s brother, Carl, picked them up and drove them home.
The school did not have running water, indoor plumbing or electricity. An outhouse served as the bathroom and water was from a spring. During the winter months, each student was told to bring a lump of coal to school so that the stove could be fueled to provide heat. Apparently, the school system did not provide adequate coal for the school. Jackie spoke highly of the dedicated Black teachers who taught at the school, particularly of Mrs. Mildred Gray and Mrs. Elizabeth Jones. She mentioned the teachers came from Baltimore. Jackie recalled how Mrs. Jones stayed at the residence of her uncle and aunt, Dave and Orpha Redmond, who lived near the school on Irish Corner Road. The Black community and teachers such as Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Jones were instrumental in providing a positive and encouraging educational experience, despite the many obstacles they faced.
Due to declining enrollment, the AME Chapel School was closed in 1949. Jackie and her siblings were bussed to the Second Street School in Waterford. After attending the Second Street School, she briefly attended Frederick Douglass High School in Leesburg, Va. She then moved to Doubs, Md., moving in with her older sister Helen and her family. She finished her education in the Frederick County Public School system.
Ray wanted to know if his grandfather attended the AME Chapel school, and Jackie assured him that he had, as did all of the Anderson children. Ray also inquired if Jackie had a picture of the log house where his grandfather lived. Unfortunately, she did not.
The conversation continued about memories of other Blacks who lived in Lovettsville. I shared some of my research by naming Ray Anderson’s other siblings, all of whom lived in Lovettsville at one time, but many moved away to locations such as Montgomery County, Md. and Washington, D.C. Jackie talked about a gathering place in Brunswick, Md., called the Swing Inn. It was one of the few places Blacks could go and have a good time. I have often heard from relatives that Brunswick had more places where Blacks could patronize, much more than Lovettsville.
The conversation was pleasant, historical in nature, sometimes eye-opening, full of fond memories and laughter. After about two hours, we decided to end it, citing errands Jackie and Keith had to tend to. Jackie ended our conversation with a poem she had taught her children. The poem is called “Be the Best of Whatever You Are” by Douglas Malloch. It is an inspirational poem that no matter what you choose in life, be your best. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. often used lines from this poem in his speeches. The last stanza is:
If you can’t be a highway then just be a trail,
If you can’t be the sun be a star;
It isn’t by size that you win or you fail —
Be the best of whatever you are!
Jackie reciting it was a fitting end to this memorable occasion that Ed, Keith and I will cherish. But for Ray, it was so much more special in that he learned more about his grandfather, Ralph Lee, whom he misses so much. He learned about his grandfather’s childhood, a tough and simpler time, a time where the family managed with so much less. Ray could see some similarities between his great aunt and his grandfather, not necessarily physical features but the effortlessness of a conversation and the presence of laughter. Ray came away with a better understanding and his love and the admiration for his grandfather has increased twofold.
The Anderson Family Reunion
When I have spoken to older family members about past family reunions, they filled me in on what it was like to meet in Purcellville, Va., each year for this celebration of family. “We met at Aunt Grace’s house”—I cannot tell you how many times I have heard that. They speak of the comradery, the fellowship, and most of all, the food. There was always plenty of it.
And it has been that way ever since.
I had to warn Ray, he was about to meet a lot of cousins. After all, Ray and Sarah Edna Anderson had twelve children. He remained quiet on the drive to Frederick. However, I knew how my cousins were. He was going to have no problem.
I was right.
Most family members knew he was coming. I had texted pictures and information about him. And just as I thought, they welcomed him with opened arms. Ray felt he would get a good reception, but he never imagined it would be this level of acceptance. It was as if they had known him for years. He then fully recognized the family line from which his grandfather had come and began to fully understand what being an Anderson meant. It was eye-opening, wonderful, and he was eternally grateful.
Conclusion
In my home garden sits a field stone that Mike Zapf gave me several years ago. It was from the property that the Ray Anderson family once lived. As they were dismantling the log home, he was able to obtain the fieldstone that was part of their path that led to the porch, where they entered their home. In a symbolic gesture, Ray and I ended this part of our journey by stepping on this fieldstone that I cherish so much. This stone was used many times by the Anderson family.
Ray and I went on a journey that began in 2022, and what a journey it has been! We had many correspondences, we talked about his grandfather and what a special man he was. I had spoken to his mother about her father. I only wish I had met him.
Now we finally meet face-to-face. It has been nothing short of a miracle. I thank this young man, my cousin, for his foresight, his efforts, and all he went through to make this trip, in order that we can continue our journey of discovery. I am so grateful and so blessed we were able to do this.
The poem I cited earlier is so appropriate to this occasion. The members of the Anderson family were “the best” of what a family should be. They welcomed Ray, the best and only way they knew how: warmly, with opened arms and as a family. Jackie shared her memories the best way ever. Lovettsville, the German Settlement, welcomed this German citizen, an ironic twist, to say the least.
And our journey shall continue.
The End
References
1 Article in the September 2024 issue of the Lovettsville Historical Society Newsletter entitled, “Our German Roots: The 1765 Elector’s Bible at the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church” by Michael Zapf and Edward Spannaus
2 Historical marker on the grounds of the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, Lovettsville, Va.
3 Burial Register of the New Jerusalem Lutheran Church, courtesy of the Lovettsville Historical Society and Museum.
4 Loudoun County Land Records for 39869 Quarter Branch Road, as compiled by Lori Kimball.
5 Loudoun County Deed Book 5Y:450, 27 Oct. 1868; Jonas A. and Sarah Ann Harvey to Lee Simms.
6 Loudoun County Land Records for 39869 Quarter Branch Road, as compiled by Lori Kimball