Obituary

Born of slave parents in Tennessee in 1848 never knowing his father, and with a faint memory of his mother. Alexander Mayfield, a pioneer citizen of Newton, can paint word pictures of slave scenes that are omitted in the motion picture films of Uncle Tom's Cabin. on his body are welts which bear prude testimony to the reality of slavery days.
The aged colored man admits there were kind slave masters, but states that his knowledge of slavery comes from the unkind. 'Why if I told you all I know about slavery, child, no paper would print it. Folks who did Uncle Toms Cabin in the movies may think they have a good idea of slave days. But, I knew when I see those pictures how much they skip of real facts. It couldn't be in pictures as it really existed. If such a film could be made it couldn't be shown".
Tom Cannum, the slave master of this Newton citizen owned three large plantations in Tennessee, Mayfield said, and the sales block where the slaves were lead handcuffed on sales day, was a familiar sight to him as a lad. My eyes filled with tears as he told of members of his families separated there never to meet again. His own mother,however, was not sold but was given by the master to his daughter on her marriage. He never saw his mother afterward.
When a lad of 11, Alexander ran away from the plantation. A kind physician took him as his servant boy, and his first knowledge of the Civil War was when the physician became regimental surgeon of the Second Kentucky regiment. Later this youth became a drummer boy in Co. I, Fourteenth United States Infantry serving in that capacity for two years.
After his army service he went to school and worked for a farmer in Ohio. In March 1871, he homesteaded a farm in Marion County, Kansas which he later sold. While a resident he was drummer in the Marion band, being the only colored member. When his regiment held a reunion parade in Washington D. C. many years ago, he was there to act as drummer in the state. He was also a member of the G. A. R. post here.
It was in 1874 that Mayfield was married to Lucy Anderson, and of their five children, three are living and all are musicians. One daughter here is a piano instructor. Honesty and trust have enabled the couple to own property in Marion and a large modern home here, where they have been residents for more than 33 years.The boy slave now at the age of 73 has an unusually good memory, reads widely, is a lover of flowers having an attractive yard, and drives his own car.

transcribed by:Karen Wall from Newton Kansan circa 1927


September 25, 1930. Evening Republican.
Alexander Mayfield, aged 82 years, died at Bethel hospital this morning at 2:30 after being ill for a month.
Mr. Mayfield was a Civil war veteran and was a member of G. A. R. post in Wichita. He had been a resident of Newton for sixty years and forty years of that time he had been a cook.
He is survived by a son, Dan Mayfield of Montreal, Canada; a daughter' Mrs. W. K. Bowie of Minneapolis, Minn., and a daughter Mrs. Carrie Moccasin who made her home with her father at 330 East Sixth street of this city.
The funeral service will be held at the C. M. E. church on west fifth street Saturday afternoon at 2:30. In the absence of pastor, the services will be conducted by Rev. Price of the A. M. E. church.
Interment will be in Greenwood cemetery by the side of Mrs. Mayfield who died August 14, 1926.
The body will be taken from Duff and Son Mortuary Friday afternoon at 4:30 and friends may call there