Thomas Cobbs Tapscott, George Thomas Tapscott, and Eugene Charles Allen

     A blog of 5 Jan 2013 told of Thomas Cobbs Tapscott of Buckingham County, Virginia, who, with Amanda Davis, is believed to have had two mixed-race children, Amanda Lee Davis and George Davis (later adopting the name “George Thomas Tapscott”). The blog noted that Amanda had a connection with Bill Cosby, a person of some notoriety, these days not all good. But her brother, George Thomas Tapscott Sr,. also had a connection with someone of some notoriety, this time all good. The story follows:

     George Thomas Tapscott Sr., was born in August 1864, although he cannot be found in the 1870 census. By 1900, he had changed his name from “Davis” to “Tapscott,” the name he used the rest of his life. Sometime between 1900, when she was listed in a census as George’s housekeeper, and 1910, when she was listed as his wife, Sarah L. Hubard and George were married. Previously married to Robert Hubard, who died early, Sarah had five known children, all probably the offspring of George Thomas Tapscott Sr.—Addison Wilmington, Nannie E., John A., Sarah Malina Ladaan, and George Thomas Jr., the last born 22 Aug 1900.

Unmarked stone at right of that for Thomas Cobbs Tapscott
in the George Nicholas Tapscott Family Cemetery is believed
to be for his son George Sr. (photo by Jeremy Winfrey)

     About 1929, George Thomas Jr. married Kate Allen, one of ten or eleven surviving children of Albert and Sophia Allen. Born into slavery, Albert and Sophia were illiterate. Thus census ages (and, therefore, birth years) for them and their children vary widely and are highly questionable. Kate (sometimes, “Katie”) Allen was born 20 Feb 1904 (SSDI), almost certainly in Buckingham County. In 1910 and 1920 she was living with her parents and some of her siblings in the Slate River District of Buckingham, in the northeastern part of the county.

Eugene Charles Allen

    George Jr. and Kate farmed in Albemarle County, near Scottsville. George died 23 Oct 1991 and Kate died 23 Mar 1998, probably in Washington, DC, where they had been living. The location of their graves is unknown.

     Although Kate and George had no children as a couple, Kate had two sons, Eugene Charles and Geater, from an earlier relationship. The boys never lived with their mother, residing instead with their aunt and uncle, Charles and Susan Brown.

     Born in a log cabin on 14 Jul 1919, a time of harsh segregation, Eugene achieved fame. In 1943 he married Helene Arnetta Lee and nine years later joined the White House staff as pantry man. There his career lasted more than thirty years, during which time he served eight presidents, from Harry S. Truman to Ronald Reagan, and worked his way up to maître d’. Eugene passed away 31 March 2010. At his funeral the minister declared, “Now, it's true that some tried to stigmatize his job, that of a butler. But Eugene Allen raised it to a level of excellence. It was as if Eugene knew the way to be exalted was through humility.” Numerous biographies are available for Eugene. Perhaps the best is that in the memorial booklet, “A Life Well Lived” distributed at his funeral.

     A movie, “The Butler,” inspired by Eugene’s life in the White House, was released 16 October 2013. Unfortunately, for dramatic effect, much of Eugene’s story and even his name was changed. A straightforward version would have been much more interesting.