John W. Pollard facts for kids

John William Pollard (born in 1846, died in 1932) grew up in Virginia. His family were free Black farmers, even when slavery was common in the South. In 1862, John was one of the first African Americans to join the Union Army during the American Civil War. He served in a special unit for Black soldiers.

After the war, John became a barber. He later moved to Chicago with his wife, Catherine Amanda Hughes. They had eight children: five boys and three girls. This family made amazing contributions in sports, music, movies, and helping their community. John Pollard lived at 1928 Lunt and had his barber shop at 7017 North Ravenswood. Several family members are buried at Rosehill Cemetery.

John William Pollard's Early Life and Family

John Pollard's family became free near the end of the American Revolution. They settled in a community of free people in Northern Virginia. When John was eight, his father died in a logging accident. His mother worried that John and his sister might be kidnapped and sold into slavery. So, she sent them to Kansas Territory to be raised and get an education.

In 1862, when he was 16, John joined the Union Army. He used the name Jackson Ridgway to serve in the Civil War. During his time in the army, he became the boxing champion for his group. After the war, he returned to Kansas. John wanted to study law at Oberlin College, but he got smallpox on his way there. This illness stopped his plans for college.

After he recovered, John became a barber in Mexico, Missouri. There, he met Catherine "Amanda" Hughes (born 1856, died 1937). She worked as a seamstress and came from a mixed heritage family. They got married and had their first three children. Later, they moved to Chicago and settled in the Rogers Park neighborhood. This area had many white German immigrants. They chose Rogers Park because it offered better chances for education. In Chicago, they had five more children.

Amazing Achievements of the Pollard Children

John and Catherine Pollard's children achieved great things. Their eldest son, Luther Jay Pollard, was a fantastic athlete. He wanted to play professional sports, but the sports world was segregated at the time. This meant Black athletes were often not allowed to play with white athletes. So, Luther went into advertising instead. He also led the Ebony Film Corporation, which made movies for Black audiences.

Another son, Leslie Pollard, was also a skilled athlete in high school. He played football for Dartmouth College. Later, he coached at Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania, from about 1910 to 1915. Leslie died young from an accidental gas leak in his apartment.

Hughes Pollard (born January 5, 1892, died 1926) was another talented son. He was a great high school athlete and played the drums with a group called The Melody Four. Hughes was hurt by a gas attack while serving with the French army during World War I. He died several years later from health problems caused by this injury.

Fritz Pollard (born January 27, 1894) was John's youngest son. He became a legendary football player. Fritz is now in the College and Professional Football Hall of Fame. In a 1970 interview, Fritz shared that his sisters, Ruth, Artemesia, and Naomi, also had successful careers in sports and academics. John's grandson, Fritz Pollard Jr., was a hurdler. He won an Olympic bronze medal, continuing the family's athletic legacy.