John Wesley Terry facts for kids

John Wesley Terry (born 1846) was an important Baptist minister and a leader for workers' rights. He lived in Tennessee and later in Chicago. In Chicago, he worked at a streetcar company. He also became a leader in a group called the Knights of Labor. He helped solve big worker strikes in 1886, including events related to the Haymarket affair.

John Wesley Terry's Early Life

John Wesley Terry was born in 1846 in Maury County, Tennessee. His parents, Hayward Terry and Mary, were enslaved. The family was owned by a man named William Pickard. John and his brother, Henry, grew up in very difficult conditions. They had to work in the fields from a young age.

Seeking Freedom During the Civil War

In 1863, during the American Civil War (1861-1865), John's mother tried to escape with her sons. They sought safety in Columbia, Tennessee, which was controlled by the Union Army. Henry joined the army, but John was too young. He stayed with his mother in Columbia.

However, the Union commander there returned them to their owner. Soon after, his mother escaped again and found permanent freedom. When a larger Union force took control of the county, John demanded his freedom. He then began to receive wages for his work.

Moving to Nashville and Chicago

Terry later moved to a farm near Sandy Hook, Tennessee to work with his father. In 1866, he went to Nashville, Tennessee to live with his mother. There, he worked on steamboats. In 1868, he managed a fruit farm for a year.

In 1869, he returned to Nashville and opened a textile store. He also worked in construction. In 1872, he moved to Chicago.

Life and Work in Chicago

In Chicago, John Wesley Terry was baptized into the Baptist faith. On March 11, 1873, he married Catherine Brown of Nashville. Their wedding took place at Olivet Baptist Church in Chicago.

In 1875, he started working for the Chicago West Division Street Car Company. He left in 1877 to study at the Wayland Seminary in Washington D.C. He graduated in 1881 and returned to Chicago. He became an ordained minister and went back to work at the streetcar company. In 1882, he was promoted to foreman. He was the only Black person to reach this position. He supervised seven to twelve white workers.

Terry as a Labor Leader

In 1886, John Wesley Terry joined the Knights of Labor. This was a large organization that worked to improve conditions for workers. His co-workers chose him to represent them during strikes in Chicago that year.

Key Roles in Worker Movements

On March 29, 1886, he was elected as a judge-advocate for a local Knights of Labor group. At this time, he was the only Black man in that part of the organization. In the same year, he became a director of the Central Park Building and Loan Association.

In December, he was a delegate to the Cook County Political Assembly of the United Labor Party. He also helped start the Chicago Cooperative Packing and Provision Company. At its first meeting on January 2, 1887, he was elected a director.

Political Involvement

At the first meeting of the Cook County United Labor Party, he was chosen for the executive committee. On February 28, 1887, he was a delegate to the city convention of the party. There, he was nominated to be a city alderman for the thirteenth ward.

Black workers played a big role in Chicago's United Labor Party during this time. Other Black leaders, like William Bruce and James S. Nelson, were also nominated for city positions.