Wisconsin Roots Too; 5; Allison

It seems that the longer slavery persisted, in 19th century America, the stronger the dream of freedom grew. And with continued hopes for freedom, came a more intense desire to support others in need. The great-grandparents of Charles Matthews were no exception. The family history in Wisconsin began after the Civil War. Locating adequate housing is probably the most important task undertaken by newcomers to Madison or even visitors. For many years Myra and Harry Allison provided housing for university coeds, low income renters, and even black notables visiting Madison. Charles Matthews is grandson to Harry and Myra. He remembers some of those prominent black visitors as well as how his family came to provide shelter for so many. Charles, could you tell us a little bit about Charles Denning and his farming? [Charles] OK. It might be good to preface my comments about Charles Denning by telling you where Charles Denning came from and how he arrived here at Madison. Um,

Charles Denning entered the Civil War at 13 years old as a bugle boy. And, in- in the process of moving across the country during the Civil War, he ended up- ended up mustering out of the Civil War at Camp Randall, where Camp Randall now stands. [Host] After he settled, or came to Madison, did he start, uh, farming in Madison or did he go on to Lake Mills? [Charles] My earliest recollections through my grandmother is that he, uh, ran a farm for Robert La Follette. Um, I'm not quite sure the streets but I can give you a basic idea where it's at. It's near the end of Spaight street, where the Yahara river comes in off of, uh, Lake Mendota. That's right. There was large farm there that stretched all the way down S-Spaight Street area and all around that area. And it was owned by the La Follette family. And, uh, Grandpa Denning ran that farm for the La Follettes until he was asked by Reverend Miller, Reverend Updike, Reverend Miller,

the first minister of the Congregational Church to go to Lake Mills to his [?] farm. To run the farm for him. And when my grandmother was 4 years old the Dennings left Madison and went to Lake Mills. [Host] You spoke about Booker T. Washington earlier. What was his relationship to Charles Danning? [Charles] Dr. Washington, from what I understand, was invited to Lake Mills to to rest and to visit with certain people that lived there. And while there, he got, he got to know the Denning family and my grandmother has told me time and time again how her father and Dr. Washington knelt in the mud on the shores of Rock Lake and designed Tuskegee Institute. And in Dr. Washington's memoirs he he does talk about Charles Denning and how Charles Denning was a great help to him in designing Tuskegee. [Host] Why did, uh, Booker T. Washington come to Charles Denning for his assistance?

[Charles] Well, when he arrived in Lake Mills, there was only one other black family there. Well, there were actually three black families there. But Charles Denning having been involved in farming, Booker T. Washington, or whoever he stayed with, sought Charles Denning out. And Charles Denning and Booker T. Washington spent hours together, talking about the school and talking about farming techniques because agriculture was a very important part of Tuskegee. And, um, Dr. Washington sought out Charles and then, as I said, in Dr. Washington's memoirs, he he's, you know, he extends a great thanks to Charles Denning. In the designing and planning of Tuskegee Institute. [Host] And what about Myra Denning, her childhood? [Charles] Well, Myra Denning was one of the five Denning children, product of Charles Denning and Mildred Denning. Um, Myra had left Lake Mills when she was about 15 or 16 years old. She'd been taken to Chicago

where her parents felt that she would come in contact with other black people. Prior to that, Grandma had not seen that many black people and they felt that she ought to be exposed to her own culture and her own people. So she went to Chicago when she was 16 years old. And when she was 19 years old she ran into a young gentleman named Harry Allison Sr. Now, Harry Allison Sr. had been there for a number of years. And he tells the story of how he was working in a, in a shoeshine parlor. And he saw this young woman go by in red shoes. And the other gentlemen who were in the parlor said well you, you want to talk to her because she's not going to, she's one of those young ladies that isn't going to talk to you. So, he said he was determined to meet this young lady. And finally he did. And as a result of their meeting he married Myra Denning in 1908 and soon afterwards she returned to

Madison. Tell us about the Allison house. Well in the early 40s, my aunt, my oldest aunt, Margaret Doxy, and my grandmother wanted to conduct an experiment. Not really an experiment, they wanted to try something that had never been done before and that was to open the first interracial girl's house on the University of Wisconsin campus. And they opened what was then called the Doxy House. And for the first time black- and girls of all ethnic groups, lived together and what little I can remember about the Doxy House was of a wonderful experience, a beautiful experience, a growing experience, because I met young women from all over the world. Black, white, Gentile, Jew, and Filipino,

Japanese, Chinese, just any, any ethnic group you could think of was at the Allison House and after my aunt Margaret Doxy and her husband Hosea moved away from Madison, my grandmother took over the Doxy House and they became the Allison House. But my grandma had always had something to do with the Doxy House. That house was the center of activity for a lot of people. The Duke Ellington crowd and Dane Brubreck was in that house. All of the Ellington band had been there, a number of really, Mary McGlobe [?], Marian Anderson and, uh, a number of really outstanding people of accomplishment were at the Allison house. [Host] So the Allison House, sort of, uh, served as a lodging for notables? [Charles] Yes. In those times, um, it was difficult for blacks to stay in the hotels in Madison. A lot of people find that surprising. And because of that,

the owners of the hotels and other people around Madison would usually call the Allisons. And, uh, Grandma always made room for people. So we met a number of really, notables over the years. [Host] Do you remember any particular stories about Duke Ellington? [Charles] Yes, he was really, really quite taken by my mother. He just loved little Connie Allison. My family tells me about this. And then when I got to know him, he, uh, he used to sometimes come to the house and he would set me on his knee and he would play the piano in the dining room. But the best story that I can remember is my aunts and uncles telling me about him completing Sophisticated Lady at the house on Park Street. [Host] Is that right? [Charles] She said to my, my Aunt Margaret says she could still remember the morning about 5 o'clock when he, she heard him saying "I've done it!"

And he had just finished his Sophisticated Lady. [Host] Thank you very much. Charles Matthews, grandson of Myra Dinine Allison and Harry Allison Senior. [Charles] Thank you.