Millard F. Singleton
{{Infobox person
| name = Millard F. Singleton
| birth_name = Millard Filmore Singleton
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1859|11|14}}
| birth_place = Virginia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1939|11|12|1859|11|14}}
| death_place = Omaha, Nebraska, United States
| other_names =
| known_for =
| occupation = civil servant
| party = Republican
| spouse = {{marriage|Blanche Ellen Braxton|1881}}
| children = 5
}}
{{Short description|African-American political leader and civil servant}}
Millard Filmore Singleton (November 14, 1859 – November 12, 1939) was an African-American political leader and civil servant in Omaha Nebraska. He was an officer in the Omaha Colored Republican Club and the Omaha branch of the National Afro-American League. He held posts as Justice of the Peace, storekeeper in the United States Internal Revenue Service,"Storekeepers and Gaugers". Omaha World Herald, August 21, 1889, page 4 recorder of deeds for the city, and as bailiff of the municipal court."M. F. Singleton Is Dead at 80". Omaha World Herald, Novermner 13, 1939, page 20
Life
Singleton was born on November 14, 1859 in Virginia near Washington, D.C. In 1881 he married Blanche Ellen Braxton and came to Omaha in 1883The Negroes of Nebraska Front Cover Writers' Program (Neb.) Woodruff Printing Company, 1940 with his brother, Walter J. Singleton. He had two daughters, Bessie May and Amelia, and three sons, Millard F. Jr (who was called Guy), Clarence, and John.40 Years at St. Philips, Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), Thursday, June 11, 1931, Page: 3 Clarence and John were prominent dentists in Omaha and John served a term in the state legislature and was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Guy followed Millard as storekeeper and gauger in the revenue service.The Western Bureau. Freeman (Indianapolis, Indiana). Saturday, August 13, 1910. Volume: XXIII Issue: 33 Page: 2 Guy's daughter, Constance, married Nebraska congressman John Adams, Jr. Millard Singleton died Sunday, November 12, 1939 in Omaha.
Career
He was closely associated with state legislator M. O. Ricketts, and in 1889 was elected vice president of an Omaha Colored Republican Club led by Ricketts and chairman and A. H. Willis as president"Colored Republicans in Travail". Omaha World Herald, October 3, 1889, page 5 and was president in 1896"Colored Republican Club". Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), Thursday, August 20, 1896. Volume: XXXI Issue: 325 Page: 1 and 1912.The name of the club changed over time, but 1912 it was known as the "Douglas County Republican League", see: "Douglas County Republican League". Omaha World Herald, July 24, 1918, page 6
In 1890, he helped form a Nebraska branch of the Afro-American League in Omaha, where he was an officer"Colored Men in Session Nebraska's Representative Negroes Meet and Form a State Afro-American League". Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska). Thursday, May 1, 1890. Volume: XXV Issue: 212 Page: 5 and was the Nebraska representative to the Colored Men's convention."Justice Singleton Omaha's Delegate", Omaha World Herald, February 25, 1889, page 2 He represented Omaha on the national stage again as an alternate at the 1892 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis.Proceedings of the Tenth Republican National Convention: Held in the City of Minneapolis, Minn., June 7, 8, 9 and 10, 1892 Front Cover Harrison & Smith, printers, 1892 In 1895, he was a delegate to the state meeting of the Afro American League, along with George F. Franklin, Millard F. Singleton, James Bryant, and RickettsOmaha at a Glance. Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska). Thursday, June 27, 1895. Volume: XXX Issue: 270 Page: 8
In 1890, he was a member of a national building, loan, and protective union organized to assist Omaha blacks to buy or build a home. The local board of the group consisted of president George F. Franklin, vice president William Marshall, Secretary and Treasurer Alfred S. Barnett, Attorney James S. Bryant. The Board of Appraisers was Millard F. Singleton, Alphonso Wilson, and Harrison Buckner.[No Headline]. Progress (Omaha, Nebraska). Saturday, March 22, 1890. Page: 2
In the mid-1890s, two cases against black men in Omaha received great attention: the murder of Maude Rubel and the Rock Island train crash near Lincoln. Sam Payne was convicted for the murder, while George Washington Davis was convicted for sabotage in the train crash. Both cases were believed to be based on circumstantial evidence. Further, supporters believed Payne was not mentally able to give testimony in the case, and believed Davis was a scapegoat for corruption within the rail industry. Attorney Victor B. Walker worked to exonerate these men, with George F. Franklin, Ella and Thomas P. Mahammitt, John Albert Williams, Singleton, M. L. Wilson, and John W. Long playing important roles in rallying local support for the convicts.Davis and Payne. Afro-American Meeting to Relieve the Two Prisoners. Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska). Wednesday, January 15, 1896. Volume: XXXI Issue: 107 Page: 8
In 1895, he was named a Justice of the Peace in the Eighth Ward in Omaha and was the Republican nominee for a seat in the state legislature to replace M. O. Ricketts in 1896, but lost.Patterns on the Landscape: Heritage Conservation in North Omaha. Published by Landmarks Heritage Preservation, 1984 [https://web.archive.org/web/20151222151006/http://landmark.cityofomaha.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Patterns-on-the-Landscape.pdf] In 1904 he was appointed recorder of deeds of the city."Singleton Files Endorsements", The Omaha Daily Bee, December 13, 1904, page 1 In August 1906, black members of the Omaha community formed a group called the "Progressive League of Douglas County", led by Father John Albert Williams, to pressure the county Republicans to include blacks on the legislative ticket, in particular SingletonColored League Formed, Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), Tuesday, August 7, 1906 Page: 6 and Singleton was again a candidate in the republican primary of the legislature in 1912, again losing."Endorse Colored Man for Legislature". Omaha World Herald, April 13, 1912, page 1
On the evening of April 16, 1930, two men placed an iron cross covered with oil-soaked burlap on the lawn of Singleton's son, John, and set it afire. John was away, but his wife and niece were there. Millard arrived shortly and tore down the cross in front of a large crowd."Take Flaming Cross from Singleton Home". Omaha World Herald, April 17, 1930, page 4
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{North Omaha}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Singleton, Milton Filmore}}
Category:People from Omaha, Nebraska
Category:African Americans in Omaha, Nebraska