My Great-Great Grandfather

This essay is by scholarship recipient Nyjah Parker

My great-great grandfather Bryd Oliver, was described to as a gentle man who loved his family and his community. He was a resident of Forsyth County within a community called Oscarville. Bryd Oliver resided in Oscarville at a time when African Americans strived towards “Freedom” and “Freewill” by building their own homes with their construction and carpentry skills. Byrd and other African Americans of Oscarville also grew essential goods on their farmland and raised animals, with a specialty skill such as chicken incubation. During that time, my great-great grandfather was also the local pastor for the black community.  His family grew with a wife and seven children who inspired him to stay humble in a place where African Africans were not respected by whites. In 1912 during the fall months, Forsyth County became an unforgettable place due the incident of Mae Crow, a young girl in the Oscarville community. From freedom to fear, my great-great grandfather and African Americans became victims due to a local crime. Byrd Oliver and his family were one of many African American families that fled Oscarville to prevent loosen their lives. Many were beaten and even killed because of the color of their skin. Everything Byrd Oliver and African Americans worked hard to develop was either burned or destroyed. “Freedom is an individual’s opportunity and autonomy to perform a chosen action, unconstrained, by external parties.” However, my great-great grandfather Byrd Oliver and his family were deprived of “Freedom” and “Freewill” when they were told to leave Forsyth County. Byrd, his family, and many others realized that surrendering and leaving their homes seemed to be the best option but to no avail.

This journey was a nightmare as they tried to escape along the banks of the river. While trying to flee Forsyth, Byrd and his family were separated never together again. Byrd’s wife and three of the children were separated from him and 4 children never uniting along the way. Byrd and the four children reached Gainesville, Georgia to hopefully overcome tragedy and rebuilt a new life. He knew that overcoming the pain of losing half of his family and yet having to provide for the children and himself, was something he had to obtain. 

Years later he met Beulah Rucker and they later were united in marriage. Byrd Oliver, with a broken heart but not a broken spirit, along with hard work persistence, used his skills to maintain a livelihood with his new wife and his children. Along with Beulah, his new wife, they built an industrial school that trained blacks to become productive citizens in the community. He restarted chicken incubation which helped develop Gainesville as one of the chicken capitals of the world. 

My great grandmother, Dorothy Rucker was one of Byrd and Beulah’s children. It was said that great-great grandfather Byrd passed down his strong sense of self to my great-grandmother and her siblings.  I to have valued that trait as I continue my college education and become a health care administrator in my own facility. With a major in Health Care administration and a minor in construction and building, I will continue our family’s strong sense of self knowing what my great-great grandfather overcame.