CHAPTER THREE - The Black Community

The Black Community:   "Paranoia reached its height when in 1835 the Missouri General Assembly cites its constitutional authority to 'pass such laws as may be necessary...to prevent free negroes and mulattoes from coming to and settling in this state under any pretext whatsoever."   In 1856 when the slavery controversy was at its height, laws were passed which required "all negroes to be in their quarters by nine o'clock." Despite the rigid laws and restrictions of this period, a young black man named Washington Reed came to Missouri to the area which is now Breckenridge Hills. This young man has left a proud heritage to his family and to the (community as a whole).   Washington Reed left his home in Racine, Wisconsin sometime during the 1850's. He spent three years before the Civil War renting and farming lands in the Breckenridge Hills and Overland areas.   Reed enlisted in the Union Army on October 17th, 1863 at Providence, Rhode Island. He served as a Sergeant in "G" Company of the 11th Regiment, United States Colored Artillery. Sergeant Reed fought until the end of the war and was discharged in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1865.   He then returned to Missouri and married Miss Belle Lackey. They had seven children, two sons; Alonzo and Logan, and five daughters; Elizabeth, Carrie, Maude, Mamie, and Stella.   Over the years, after the war, the Reed family worked rented farms, operated a dairy and Mr. Reed also taught the black children (in the community).   A section of the Breckenridge Estate was auctioned at the County House in 1889. Reed, through a great deal of hard work, had amassed enough to pay $125.00 an acre for 44 acres of land bounded by present day Baltimore Avenue, West Milton Avenue, Breckenridge Avenue and Quiet Lane.   The original home of the Reeds was located on the South East corner of what is now Rex Avenue and Breckenridge Road. Sergeant Reed died in 1915 leaving his property to his widow, Belle.   Upon the death of Mrs. Belle Reed, the land was passed on to the Reed children. All of the children except Carrie Reed Carter had subdivided and sold their holdings between 1948 and 1950.   Breckenridge Hills is one of the few communities that can boast of a family which has owned land and maintained a fine community for over a hundred years.   A great deal of gratitude is owed to Sergeant Washington Reed, his descendants and to all members of the black community for the heritage and service given to the Breckenridge Hills community.

Onto CHAPTER FOUR - Schools!