Inherit the Land: Jim Crow Meets Miss Maggie' s Will

by Gene Stowe, Carl A. Sergio (Illustrator)

In the early twentieth century, two wealthy white sisters, cousins to a North Carolina governor, wrote identical wills that left their substantial homeplace to a black man and his daughter.

Maggie Ross, whose sister Sallie died in 1909, was the richest woman in Union County, North Carolina. Upon Maggie's death in 1920, her will bequeathed her estate to Bob Ross―who had grown up in the sisters' household―and his daughter Mittie Bell Houston. Mittie had also grown up with the well-to-do women, who had shown their affection for her by building a house for her and her husband. This house, along with eight hundred acres, hundreds of dollars in cash, and two of the white family's three gold watches went to Bob Ross and Houston. As soon as the contents of the will became known, more than one hundred of Maggie Ross's scandalized cousins sued to break the will, claiming that its bequest to black people proved that Maggie Ross was mentally incompetent.

Revealing the details of this case and of the lives of the people involved in it, Gene Stowe presents a story that sheds light on and complicates our understanding of the Jim Crow South. Stowe's account of this famous court battle shows how specific individuals, both white and black, labored against the status quo of white superiority and ultimately won. An evocative portrait of an entire generation's sins, Inherit the Jim Crow Meets Miss Maggie's Will hints at the possibility for color-blind justice in small-town North Carolina.

Genres: Historical Fiction

322 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2006

Reviews

[Linda Raber · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super work of nonfiction. I bought it because I'm a genealogy buff, and I ran into some of the main characters in this book when untangling the branches in my own family tree. A well-written and documented book.

[Cliff Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Seeing it on Gypsy's list created the impetus for my curiosity.)
An amazing chronology that keeps your attention through all the family connections. Admitting I was at time lost in family connections from time to time, and recommend this for any and all Union County natives.

[Nina Post · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remarkable account of the true trial over a white woman’s will leaving all of her possessions and land to “negroes”!
Jim Crowe is alive in Union County North Carolina.
The family names exist at the courthouse and on many designated roads in Marvin,Monroe and Weddington still!
This author did all of this outrageous research and has true accounts and transcripts from the trial.
A time on history when Blacks were lynched and slavery persisted!
The area is now amassed with the rich superbly of Charlotte with a multitude of mansion filled neighborhoods!

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved reading this book. Most of this took place in the area of my husbands grx4 grandparents lived. Most likely they knew of this, and am happy that Bob, Mittie and family won. Thank you for writing if this and it seems so appropriate for what’s happening in the US right now.