Arbuthnot's Grocery and House Museum
is listed on
The National Register of Historical Places
Saturday, January 28, 2017 marked the soft opening of The Arbuthnot's Grocery Museum.
Please join us for
The Grand Opening
of
The Arbuthnot Grocery Museum
May 20, 2017
1:00 p.m.
Please join us for
The Grand Opening
of
The Arbuthnot Grocery Museum
May 20, 2017
1:00 p.m.
Willie Arbuthnot
01/13/1892-10/04/1967 Willie was one of ten children born to Nolan and Pinky Arbuthnot and was raised on the Millbrook Plantation in Woodville. His family sharecropped, picked cotton, planted corn and potatoes but later acquired their own land and raised livestock. Willie was noted as an outstanding cowboy and soon became overseer of operations on the plantation. After serving in WWI, he returned to Woodville and worked for Wax and Ransom Logging Company estimating timber. Willie married once before Estelle and fathered 4 children, of which one still lives, Mrs. Beatrice Minor, and she resides in Woodville. They married in 1943 and had no children together but raised four other children, which are Estelle's nephew Phillip, her niece Sharon and two of her grandchildren, Michael and yours truly, Jacqueline of which they adopted. The duo built a home in 1952 and was instrumental in filling a void for education by helping to build the African American public school. They also answered the call by becoming strongly involved in voter’s registration and the civil rights movement for equal rights. Willie was very skillful in his endeavors all of his life and actually began his entrepreneurship by owning and operating a grit mill with his first cousin Ebe, long before they open the store. According to Ebe's widow, Mrs. Ethel, "All I know, 'Duck' as I called him, was nothing but a man and when they got that store, they helped everybody." When Willie wasn't transporting someone to the doctor or into town, he was tending his garden and dogs and raising cattle. Willie was an active member of St. Matthews Baptist Church and a Mason of the Fort Adams Masonic Lodge #622 until his untimely death. |
Arbuthnot Grocery 1955 Arbuthnot Grocery first opened its doors around the summer of 1955. The store was one of the first African American owned businesses in Woodville during the time of segregation and Jim Crow laws. Arbuthnot Grocery was once a beacon and lifeline in the community of Pinckneyville and the only store and gas station ten miles west of Woodville. The store was small in perimeter but large in supplies and resources. It contained all the amenities of a large supermarket, such as meats, fresh veggies, fruits, dairy products, medicines and toiletries, clothing, hardware and even food for all kinds of animals. The store was a pit stop for those passing through, on their way to work at Joan of Ark Cannery, The Matte Plant or to the Louisiana State Penitentiary. Many patrons would shop and sit a while, play the juke box, shoot a game of pool or enjoy a cold beverage while feasting on the well sort after "salami" The majority of families at this time consisted of ten to fifteen children and sharecropping and farming was the major occupation of the region. Often times, many patrons could not afford to buy food to feed their families. However, the lack of money was not a factor at Arbuthnot's Grocery because our grandparents granted credit or "put it on a ticket" for many customers from payday to payday. Sometimes, families were unable to honor the promise to pay but they would permit them to "put it on a ticket again so they could feed their families." They even offered employment to numerous family and friends to enable them to meet their needs. The store was open seven days a week, holidays included with the exception of church on Sunday. Our grandparents were trailblazers that exemplified charity and love for the family and for the community. Truly honor, service and integrity was the core of this duo existence. Our grandparents' legacy is a splendid and special part of history favored by God, forever recorded, preserved and forever remembered. |
Estelle Arbuthnot
11/29/1919-11/23/1998 Estelle was born to Addelle Palmer and Albert Gross, and the second child of two siblings of which are all deceased. She was raised on the Woodstock Plantation in Woodville where her family sharecropped and later became land owners near her place of business. Estelle was married once before marrying Willie and had one child, named Mildred, who is the mother of Jacqueline and six siblings. She gained her independence by working at Joan of Ark Cannery in St. Francisville, Louisiana and working uptown at Mammie's Dress shop when only a select few of African Americans were allowed to work there. It is noted by her nephew Phillip, "she would work at the Cannery during the day and open the store in the evening until she was able to work fulltime at the store." After Willie's untimely death, she tirelessly continued to run the store, provide for us and care for her bedridden mother in her home, for over fifteen years. As the achiever she was, Estelle and several church members were instrumental in helping to acquire the ownership of King Emmanuel Baptist Church, of which she later became a member and Sunday school teacher. "Stell", as some of her associates would call her, was the first African American foreman of a jury in Woodville and she had an amazing ability to speak on any given occasion. She was often keynote speaker for her Liberty Chapter of the Eastern Star and numerous other programs in the surrounding area. Estelle rarely took any time off. At the close of a day, she would often assist family and friends with completing forms to qualify for various programs, mainly in acquiring home ownership. In her words, "I dreamed of a better life and I was determined to achieve it" and achieve it is what she did. |
Arbuthnot's Grocery Museum and House is located in the Pinckneyville community, 10 miles west of Woodville, Mississippi. Pinckneyville is a community in Wilkinson County established in 1815 and was the flourishing center of wealth and home to many prominent people. The first native born governor of Mississippi, Gerald Brandon, was associated with this region. The community houses one of the oldest homes in the county "Cold Springs" and was the home of the Revolutionary War soldier, General James Wilkinson for whom the county is named. The founder of the University of Mississippi, James Ventress, lived in this community on the Lagrange Plantation of which my family emerged. A historical marker is the final resting place of Oliver Pollock, the wealthy Irish immigrant that designed the American dollar sign. The tourist attraction, Clark Creek Natural Area is famous for its waterfalls ranging from 10-25 feet in height, is in the region of Pinckneyville. The community is comprised of 6 African American Churches where many direct descendants still reside and desire to live "no where else". Woodville is one of the oldest towns in the state of Mississippi and was settled near the turn of the 19 century. During the golden years, the town was chosen as the county seat of Wilkinson County and described as "one of the wealthiest and the most important settlement south of Natchez". The business district is built around a square with the courthouse in the center and in the southwest corner is a live oak tree that have the distinction of being a member of the American Society of Live Oaks. African American businesses also thrived within the square during the 19 century, namely Polk Meat Market, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Presently, the town square consist of a hamburger stand famous for the "Hazel Burger", the delightful L&M Bakery, Main Street Package Store, beauty and barber shops, a beauty school, several neighborhood grocery stores and an office supplier, all African American owned. African Americans from Woodville also contributed to the world of performing arts, such as classical composer William Grant Still, which is the first African American to conduct a major symphony. It is home of tenor saxophone player Lester Young, who helped define the swing style of the Count Basis band. Self-taught guitar player and blues legend Scott Dunbar gained recognition here and abroad and the town is well known for the filming of "The Autobiography of Jane Pittman."
OUR GOAL
Preserve the community unique character, develop an attractive tourist destination and help diversify economics by launching a 2017 Capital Campaign with a realistic goal of three million (3,000,000) dollars. |
First Let's
Discover
The first Museum of its kind in the state of Mississippi and the Southern "Blackbelt" of the United States of America. Instead of a traditional museum, AGM provides visitors the opportunity to experience and become a part of this vast and vital history.
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Now let's WORK
Conserve
For generations, the Arbuthnot family have loved, served and lived in the Woodville community. Likewise, residents, neighbors and friends know all about the Arbuthnot Grocery store. It was the place where everyone was made to feel welcome.
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IT'S UP TO US
Change
Family members, friends and volunteers are helping to get the AGM vision solidly and securely off the ground. Collecting photographs, artifacts, memorabilia, building supplies and tax deductible monetary gifts to restore Arbuthnot Grocery to its full glory`.
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