jan 1, 1858 - Isaac & Mittie Hancock

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Isaac & Mittie Hancock, escaped slaves and the grandparents of Quindaroan Loretta Elsenia Norman, fled Oklahoma in the late 1800s. They came to Quindaro by way of the Underground Railroad. They settled in the Bell Crossing and Quindaro Park vicinity, which was a considerable risk due to bounty hunters. Border ruffians were also disturbing new area settlers. In the mid-1900s, Leroy and Jesse Nealy, former residents and parents of Loretta Norman, remained in the Bell Crossing area. Norman stated, "My dad worked at the rock quarry. When employment was hard to come by, some men in the area had to become homemakers, while women went to work outside the Quindaro community. Women came home for the weekend and gave the earnings to their husbands. My mother would sometimes get off the bus, leave money in my father's hand, and immediately return to work." During that time, Jesse Nealy worked in a building with poor sanitation conditions, a leaky roof, and no heat during the winter. Jesse and her female co-workers would heat bricks and stand on them to keep warm. Such circumstances were demoralizing for both African American men and women. Still, Quindaro citizens sought to provide a safe environment for all families, with a willingness to share necessary resources. Norman attended Vernon School and Western University. At Western University, she sang in the choir and traveled to many exclusive white populated areas to perform. She recalls people coming from all over to attend the university.

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