Category: Crozierville

Crozerville was founded in 1868. It had 348 residents, all of whom were Episcopalians from Barbados who arrived in Liberia five years earlier. Their emigration was the outcome of a November 1862 visit by Edward W. Blyden to encourage emigration from the Caribbean to Liberia.

In 1864, Joseph S. Attwell, who was born in Barbados, went to the United States to collect funds to assist his compatriots in emigrating to Liberia. He collected about US$20,000, and was instrumental in the founding of the settlement of Crozerville.

On April 6, 1865, the American Colonization Society chartered the ship “Cora”, with 346 Barbadian emigrants for Liberia, where they arrived in Monrovia on May 10, 1865. Many of the emigrants came from the Parish of Christ Church in southern Barbados. Some of the Barbadians later moved from Monrovia to the neighboring country of Sierra Leone, while others founded the Crozerville settlement.

The town was named after John P. Crozer and Samuel A. Crozer, brothers and American Colonization Society benefactors from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They funded the Barbadian emigration project.

Crozerville residents were known as skilled mechanics and farmers (especially in producing breadfruit, arrowroot and ginger.

In 1867, the local Episcopal Christ Church was noted as having been “kept open regularly and supplied with religious services.” Christ Church operated two outreach missions, one at Careysburg and another as Bensonville.

By 1878, the Episcopal Church had established a local Parish School.

In 1893, a fifth regiment of the national arm was added, drawing from Clay-Ashland, Louisiana, Millsburg, Harrisburg, Arthington, Muhlenburg, White Plains, Robertsville, Crozerville, Bensonville and Careysburg.

Footnote: “Religious Services in Mesurado County, African Repository, Nov. 1867, p. 343.

In 1896, the national legislature incorporated a bridge association for the settlements of White Plains, Crozerville, Bensonville and Careysburg naming W.T. Hagans (president), R.A.M. Deputie (vice president), Sr., Benjamin Fagans (vice president), Cato A. Sims (vice president), James D. Carter (vice president), Edward Hunte (treasurer), G.S. Padmore (recording secretary), D.E. Howard (corresponding secretary), J.C. Johnson (manager), Jas. W. Cooper (manager), J.E. Port (manager), Jas B. Wright (manager) and Thomas W. Haynes (manager).

In 1897, a local chapter of the Knights of Pythias was formed, naming A.L. Sims (c.c.), Josiah Cox (v.c.c.), Isaac Holder (p.), J.H. Locket (m.w.), W.O. Crawford (k.r.s.), Cato A. Sims (m.f.), Jas. B. Padmore (m.a.), E.A. Padmore (i.g.), J.D. Weeks (o.g.) and John I. Thorpe (l.a.).

The local Number One Native Community Club was incorporated, naming C. P. Graham, president; David B. Cooper, vice president; rozSamuel P. Crawford, secretary; Kparkla Dennis, patron and treasurer; Moses Brown, chaplain; Charles Dunn, advocate; Kpannah Queh, collector; Fahn Sunday, messenger; and members: James Dingwall, Rolax Elias, Hektee Dunn, being “civilized Christian young men … anxious to disseminate what light of general and Christian education they have received among their less favoured brethern.”

Immigrants from Barbados would have a profound impact on Liberian journalism. Noted journalists included:

Arthur Barclay, editor of the Observer, the only paper being published in the country from 1878 to 1883; Rev. James Emmanuel Padmore, editor of the Bensonville Whip; J. I. A. Weeks, business manager (April 1930-1934?) of the Crozierville Observer and editor in the 1930s of the Careysburg-based Herald; and Albert Porte (1906-1986), who edited the Enlightener (Jan. 4, 1920-1930?) and the Crozierville Observer (April 1930-1934?).

Porte remained active as a member of the publishing committee of the Herald (March 1937-1940?), irregularly published out of Careysburg, and as a columnist for the Weekly Mirror (1934-193?). During his decades-long career, he was sued, threatened and detained without trial on countless occasions by officials in various administrations.

Burrowes, Power and Press Freedom, pp. ??; Source: This article uses material from “J. Porte of Bassa Dies,” Liberian Observer, March 23, 2006; Negro Year Book: An Annual Encyclopedia of the Negro, 1916, 2006, p. 187; American Colonization Society, The African Repository, 1871, p. 278; American Colonization Society, The African Repository, 1871, p. 278; Harry H. Johnston and Otto Stapf, Liberia, 1906, p. 229; American Colonization Society, The African Repository, 1871, p. 278; Sea Breeze Journal of Contemporary Liberian Writings; Gabriel I. H. Williams, Liberia: The Heart of Darkness, 2002, p. 325; Brewer 1992; Cassell 1970, 242, 244, 263; Lynch 1970, 32-33; Acts of the Liberia Legislature, 1893, p. 6; Acts, 1896, p. 3; Acts, 1897, p. 17; Acts 1937, pp. 94-95; Rogers 1988, 204-206, 221 n. 145, 262; Liberia Official Gazette, 1971, “Obituary,” May & June,31-32; Dunn 1992, 314; Observer, Dec. 25, 1879; A. B. King to Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, May 1, 1887, P. H. S., Vol. 12, p. 2; A. B. King to Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions, Nov. 21, 1888, P. H. S., Vol. 16, p. 6; Observer, Oct. 28, 1880.