Unmarked memorial for Alex Helper (Osborne)

Item

Legacies Classification
Memorial Artwork
Memorial Type
Sculptural Memorial
Memorial Context
Reparative
Memorialized Subject
Close up black and white photograph of Alex Helper (aka Alex Osborne).Helper (Osborne), Alex
Title
Unmarked memorial for Alex Helper (Osborne)
Background and Context
Alex Helper (Osborne) also known as Alick and Alec) died on July 2, 1912. The former enslaved and Jim Crow-era employee worked as a college janitor from 18552 until his retirement between 1903 and 1910. He was buried on July 4 at the Christian Aid Society Cemetery in Davidson, NC.

His last names—Osborne likely from his father and Helper from his enslaver—changed over time. During his marriage to Adeline White (Helper), he used Helper but later reverted to Osborne. This is reflected in his death certificate where William Osborne served as the informant. There is no visible headstone at his gravesite. It is unclear whether one was ever placed.

A probate case after his death may explain the absence of a marker. In September 1912, the children of Adeline Helper sued Mary Harris, his former housekeeper. They attempted to recover possession of property in Davidson purchased by their mother but deeded to Mary. They alleged Alex acquired their mother’s land through fraudulent means. The court ruled in Harris’s favor. Adeline’s children appealed the ruling but were denied. J.W. Mock, whose family had sold the land to Adeline, even testified on behalf of Osborne’s stepchildren. Using their mother’s maiden name, his stepchildren did not see him as legitimate; and therefore, did not place a headstone.

Despite this contested probate, students included an image of him in the “Local Color” collage photograph in the 1915 yearbook which suggests he left a positive impression on the students who encountered him during his final years of service at the college.
Physical Description
An unmarked mound covered with grass
Memorial Inscription
N/A
Creator/Participating Person(s)
William Osborne, death certificate informant
Close up black and white photograph of Alex Helper (aka Alex Osborne).Helper (Osborne), Alex
Date created, installed or dedicated
July 4, 1912
Historical Period
1890-1945: Era of the Lost Cause, Jim Crow legal segregation and discrimination, and organized anti-Black racism
Funded by
William Osborne
Christian Aid Society
Campus Location
Wooden outdoor sign with black letter of the name of the cemetery on a white background.Christian Aid Society Cemetery
Location: Institution, City, State
Davidson College; Davidson, North Carolina
Learn More About this Subject
Death Certificate of Alex Osborne, North Carolina, U.S. Death Certificates, 1909-1976, Ancestry.com
Probate of Adeline White Helper, North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probates, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com
“Heirs Seek to Recover the Land,” The Evening Chronicle, Sep 20, 1912, 8.
“Seeking Title to Valuable Lands,” The Charlotte News, Sep 21, 1912, 10.
1915 Quips and Cranks

Position: 1408 (53 views)