I owe this post to my two friends, Victoria and Ann. Both had shared photos of Luther Price’s house and said it was being restored. This Old House assisted with the restoration. I adore this house and am glad it got the attention it deserved. A restored photo of the home is below.
Luther Price was a shopkeeper and the first appointed Black postmaster of South Atlanta. He was also arrested for furnishing Black citizens guns and ammunition during the 1906 Atlanta Race Massacre.
He and his wife, Minnie, lived above the store with their children until they decided to move just down the street on Gammons Street.
Morse can be seen under one of the power lines with what looks to be the date of 1906. I am uncertain what the other date is.
Victoria was the one who asked why the building was called Morse. I delved into census records to see if I could determine the reason why. Well, Albert Morse and his family lived right behind the store. They lived next to each other according to the 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 census records. Additionally, Morse is listed as a postal clerk. Since the 1890 Census Records were lost to fire, it is unknown whether the families knew each other before 1900 and who moved to the area first.
The Morse house is still standing. In addition, Albert’s brother, Dr. George Skipworth Morse, was one of the first Black doctors to work for the Atlanta Public Schools. Both families were successful in their own right.
I hope to unravel more about the friendships between these two families.
Both families are buried in Southview Cemetery.
