Several families in Kingsland have left a lasting impression on the city. From the King family, who founded the municipality, to the Holzendorfs, whose descendants held important offices representing Kingsland in state government, the city has been shaped by the efforts of local families. One such influential family is the Joseph Family, led by Jacob Joseph, an African-American trailblazer who would help craft Kingsland’s religious and economic story for generations to come.
Jacob Joseph was born into slavery on the Murray Plantation in Walterboro, SC, around 1845. A very independent and religious man, Joseph emancipated himself by buying his freedom by age 20 and changed his name from Murray (the last name of his enslaver) to Jacob Joseph, a biblical name. Joseph moved to Kingsland circa 1865 in search of work and land. He found employment at a turpentine company dipping gum for trees and was considered the top person in his field at the company. Shortly after moving to Kingsland, he married Isabella Dawson, and by 1870, they had three children. Possessing an entrepreneurial spirit, Joseph earned money to purchase land and care for his family by selling surplus produce and seedlings from his farm. He also owned a dipping vat where farmers across Kingsland and North Florida came to sanitize their livestock after an infectious disease outbreak threatened the livelihoods of the farmers in the area. Eventually, the couple would have 14 children, and Joseph would own over 100 acres of land to accommodate his large family and businesses. Despite never learning to read or write, Joseph considered education essential for his children. = Joseph built two separate schoolhouses on his land for his family and neighboring children to hold the first organized classes for African-American children in Kingsland. He hired teachers for the school and provided free room and board in exchange for their instruction. As a religious man, Joseph helped build and found St. Paul AME Church in Kingsland, where he served as a Trustee and Steward for the church. The church is still in existence today, located at 410 North Orange Edwards Blvd.
Joe H. Joseph, one of Jacob Joseph’s sons, followed in his illustrious father’s footsteps by becoming an entrepreneur and landowner, owning over 110 acres of land. A farmer by trade, Joe raised livestock, produced turpentine, and sold his farm’s produce at the market located in what would become present-day downtown Kingsland. A descendant of Jacob and Joe Joseph, Abraham (Abe) Joseph (former Deputy Inspector General for the Department of Navy), recently bought the bank where the original market once stood and renamed it the Joseph Building in honor of the place where his forefathers once made their fortunes.
Today, the Joseph family’s impact is depicted throughout the Historic District of downtown Kingsland. At the Joseph building, located at 120 South Lee Street, mile markers are posted on the building’s south side depicting the lives and contributions of Jacob Joseph, Joe Joseph, and Hammond Roberts, another influential African-American businessman and community leader in Kingsland. Around the corner from the Joseph Building lies the Mullis, Krews, and Conrad Building (127 South Lee St.), home of the city’s Centennial Mural painted in 2008. The mural depicts important milestones, people, and industries commemorating the city’s founding, including a seated Joe H. Joseph and a standing Hammond Roberts, amongst other community
leaders responsible for Kingsland’s progress.
References
Brown, B. (2022, July 11). Centennial Mural, 2008, Kingsland. Vanishing Georgia: Photographs by Brian Brown. https://vanishinggeorgia.com/2012/04/16/centennial-mural-kingsland/
Jackson, G. (2009, June 30). Kingsland Murals Get People to Stop Downtown. The Florida Times-Union. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/entertainment/2009/06/30/kingsland-murals-get-people-to-stop- downtown/15981089007/
Mariner, C. (2023a, May 13). Jacob Joseph Historical Marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=222206
Mariner, C. (2023b, May 13). Joe H. Joseph / Hammond Roberts Historical Marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=222212
Thompson, S. (2022a, January 16). Mr. Abraham Joseph Jr. Entrepreneur – The Florida Star: The Georgia Star. The Florida Star | The Georgia Star -. https://www.thefloridastar.com/articles/mr-abraham-joseph-jr- entrepreneur/
Thompson, S. (2022b, January 22). Mr. Abraham Joseph Jr. Entrepreneur – Part 2 – The Florida Star: The Georgia Star. The Florida Star | The Georgia Star -. https://www.thefloridastar.com/articles/mr-abraham- joseph-jr-entrepreneur-part-2/
Family History, Joseph Family, African American Family History Files, Bryan-Lang Archives, Woodbine, Georgia. 2023 August 08.
Family History, Joseph Family, African American Family History Files, Bryan-Lang Archives, Woodbine, Georgia. 2023 August 08.
Newspaper Article, Joseph Family, African American Family History Files, Bryan-Lang Archives, Woodbine,
Georgia. 2023 August 08.
