Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2017/Fall/Section 26/John Abner

John H. Abner

Born in 1876, John, an African American man, farmed from a young age and worked his whole life in farming. He has been married 3 times and has 15 children, counting those who have passed. Six with his first wife, Maggie Sellars and Nine with his second wife Annie Liza; he had no children with his third wife. He says the reason he had so many children is because he needed help on the farm, and as he bought more land, the more children he needed. John always played it safe and never over reached his bounds, and this is why he thinks he succeeded after the tobacco crash beginning in 1930.

Family

John had 15 children in his lifetime from two women, both who died. His first wife, Maggie Sellars, had six children with John before passing. His second wife, Annie Liza Lee, had his last nine before she also passed. After Annie, John married a third woman, _________.