The story of Forney First African Market is inextricably linked to the life of its founder, Jerry Forney, an extraordinary man who overcame the chains of slavery to become a respected entrepreneur and community figure. This is the story of Jerry Forney's incredible journey and entrepreneurial spirit in Santa Barbara.
The Plantation Owner Bred His Slaves for Intelligence... They Became Smart Enough to Overthrow Him
Map of Santa Barbara County, California
From Slavery to Freedom
Jerry Forney was born into slavery around 1820 at Bellevue, the Erwin family plantation outside of Morganton, North Carolina. In 1852, Jerry was among a group of slaves who were taken to work the gold fields in California. After their owner returned home, Jerry’s wages and those of the others were sent to North Carolina. In 1854, Jerry decided he’d no longer work in bondage.
In 1858, Jerry Forney was sinking a well in Amador County when he hit a rich vein of gold. He had trained his white mule to do tricks, and now in his fifties, he joined the circus. When Montgomery Queen’s Circus with its menagerie and company of clowns, trick riders, acrobats, and trapeze artists struck their monster tent in 1874 in Santa Barbara, they left two members behind, the enterprising Jerry Forney and his trick mule.
Settling in Santa Barbara
While the carnival life may have been exciting for a time, it was also very hard, and Jerry was getting on in years. Santa Barbara seemed like a great place to set down roots. One of the first things he did, in July 1875, was register to vote. Though the local paper was silent on his appearance in the Centennial parade of 1876, later stories tell of him riding his white mule, waving an American flag, and wearing broken shackles to symbolize the freedman.
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Aerial view of Santa Barbara, California
Entrepreneurial Ventures and Community Involvement
Jerry took part in many aspects of Santa Barbara life. He appeared on the Lobero Theatre stage in a performance of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and in the program for the annual Rose Festival, where he expounded on Temperance principles. In 1886, as part of a performance featuring Major Robert H. Jerry was always ready for a good time. In 1879, he provided some comic relief to a rather dull and tedious day at Bradley’s racetrack (which circled today’s Bird Refuge).
The press reported, “Prof. When Bert’s Dramatic Troupe, a theatrical repertory company, came to town for a week in 1879, the troupe joined Jerry for a spontaneous free concert in front of the Occidental Hotel, where Jerry had his stand. The paper reported, “Quite a crowd gathered to listen to the old time negro melodies by the entire company; and to witness the dancing of Jaba by Prof.
Forney’s entrepreneurial nature saw him experimenting with growing cotton, which he displayed at the annual Los Angeles Horticultural convention alongside such major local horticultural lights as Ellwood Cooper, Joseph Sexton, Sherman P. Stow, and Frank E. Kellogg. In 1881, Jerry initiated a scheme to meet Santa Barbara’s labor needs. He hoped to bring a colony of good mechanics, farm laborers, and house servants from North Carolina to Santa Barbara and circulated a petition, which eventually garnered 500 signatures from men who “numbered among our best and wealthiest people.” Newspapers throughout the state reported on his plan. At the time, not much came of the idea, but Forney did work as a broker of sorts, placing advertisements in the paper to help African Americans obtain employment.
Civic Engagement and Political Aspirations
Jerry’s foray into civic affairs led him to announce his candidacy for mayor twice and run as a delegate for the Republican Primary once. Soon after Jerry had arrived in Santa Barbara, Mortimer Cook, a bank owner, was running for mayor against the incumbent, Mr. Richards. On election day, Jerry was shining the mayor’s boots posthaste, when Cook, also in a hurry, came by and sat in the next booth, impatiently waiting.
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John P. Stearns, who was running as councilman, came by. Clearly a Cook supporter, he threw down his cane, grabbed a set of brushes and a pot of blacking, and set to work polishing Cook’s boots, racing Jerry to the finish. Stearns won, but Jerry spent the rest of the day electioneering against Stearns’s choice as councilman. He said that Mr.
Jerry Forney
Later Life and Legacy
In 1898, a paralytic stroke and rheumatism forced Jerry to give up his business. He had married Martha Harris late in life, and the two had a home on the corner of Anacapa and Yanonali streets. Jerry’s many friends rallied to help the couple, and they were able to live comfortably.
In 1904, the incredible Jeremiah A. Forney passed away. His life serves as a testament to the resilience, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit of African Americans in the face of adversity.
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