Hinds family

Wiley Hinds, c.1915 ¹Johanna Hinds (Pierce), c.1900 ²Julietta "Julia" Hinds ¹²Edith Hinds (Nicholas), c.1900 ³Pearl Hinds (Roberts). c.1915 ⁴

The Hinds family lived mostly in Tulare County, but lived in two different homes in Oakland. Most notably Mrs. Lucy Hinds and the younger daughters lived at 864 - 34th St. in Hoover-Foster. The home still stands.

Wiley Hinds (1836 – 1919) was born into slavery in Arkansas to Thomas and Rachel Hinds. His mother died when he was 4; his father purchased Wiley's freedom when he was 10. He came to Visalia, California in 1858. Hinds worked in ranching and farming and eventually bought his own property. After becoming successful, he travelled back east and met and married Lucy McKinney (Hinds) (1856 – 1928) in 1873 in Kansas. They had 8 children, all born in Tulare County: Johanna Hinds (Pierce), Mary A. Hinds, Julietta Hinds, John Thomas Hinds, Polly Rachel Hinds, Wiley Douglas Hinds, Edith Bell Hinds (Nicholas), Ernest Logan Hinds, and Pearl W. Hinds (Roberts). ⁹

864 - 34th St., c.1915 ⁵
Lucy and Wiley Hinds on porch864 - 34th St., 2022
CC SA-BY Our Oakland

In the early 1900s, Hinds bought 864 - 34th Street, partly to increase educational opportunities for his younger children, especially youngest daughter Pearl. Lucy lived in Oakland with her, and Wiley split his time between Tulare County and Oakland. Pearl attended Durant Elementary School, and later graduated from Oberlin College. ⁶ She studied under Pauline Powell-Burns, and also studied music at the Boston Conservatory and was head of the music department at what is now South Carolina State University. ⁸

The 1904 directory lists Lucy, Edith and Johanna living at 1733 Myrtle Street, and the 1910 census lists Lucy, Wiley Douglas, and Pearl living there. The 1916 phone directory lists Pearl living at 864 - 34th St., ¹⁰ and the 1920 census lists Lucy, Wiley Douglas, Ernest, and Pearl living there. It's not yet known when the family lived at each address, but the move seems to have happened c.1912.

c.1904 Durant Elementary School ⁷
Pearl Hinds is 3rd row back, 3rd student from left

Later, Pearl married Frederick Madison Roberts, who was descended from Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. Roberts became the first Black assemblyperson elected west of the Mississippi.

At the time of his death in 1919, Wiley was in Oakland. His remains were at Hudson and Butler Funeral Home, and the funeral was held at Fifteenth Street A.M.E. Church. His remains were interred in Visalia. ^9,11

Links and References

1. MS2_B4_F6_015 Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland
2. MS2_B4_F6_013 Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland
3. MS2_B6_F2_180 Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland
4. MS2_B5_F7_145 Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland
5. MS5_B5_F3_067 Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland
6. Hidden History: Pioneer Wiley Hinds built great wealth during life in Tulare County yourcentralvalley.com
7. uclalsc_1889_b13_f01_004a.tif Miriam Matthews Photograph Collection, UCLA
8. Pearl Hinds Roberts monticello.org
9. Wiley Hinds on FindAGrave.com
10. Oakland Directory 1916
11. death notice for Wiley Hinds Oakland Tribune August 16, 1919
12. MS2_B4_F6_012 by F.O. Haussler, Roberts Family Papers, African American Museum and Library at Oakland