A Profile of the Life of Deacon George Franklin “Dock” Champion, Sr.
As recorded and presented by Myrtice Champion Johnson
2001 Champion Family Reunion
Papa, as the grandchildren called him, was the tenth child born to parents of former slaves, Louis and Ann Tatum Champion, in 1878. Fourteen children were born to this union. The family resided in the Sumter County area. His mother, Ann, was a member of the Tatum family of Plains, Georgia. At an early age, Papa met and later married Henrietta Scott. Twelve children were born to this union. They resided in the Sumter City area also known as Smithville, of Sumter County , Georgia. Papa was a quiet, gentle, God-fearing man. He instilled the love of God into all of his children. He and his family were members of Zion Hope Baptist Church of Sumter City, where he served on the Deacon Board for several years. His wife, Henrietta, preceded him to live with the Lord in December of 1941. Papa made his journey home to be with the Lord in October 1964.
As recorded from the words of Aunt Rubie and Uncle Dock, Papa was a man who didn’t work much in the fields. Early in his marriage, he rented land from a white man named Col. Shipp. He planted vegetables on this land and sold them for the family’s income. He was known as the “peddling man”, for he peddled his vegetables in the community of Sumter City and Smithville, Georgia. The white landowner, Col. Shipp, favored Papa. Col. Shipp was so inspired by Papa’s honesty, hard work, and love for his family that he encouraged him to acquire and buy as much land as he could for himself and his family. At the Col.’s encouragement, Papa purchased 100 acres of land from him and started his own farm. The 100 acres of land included the “big house” which was formerly the white man’s home and the “little house” which was formerly a slave or sharecropper’s home. This purchase was made in the year of 1926. Still living at home with their parents at that time were the following children: Daisy, Leonard, Elder, Rubie, Lewis, and Dock, Jr. The other children were married and living on their own.
Papa raised all kinds of animals, crops, fruits and vegetables. He owned peach orchards, plum orchards, pecan orchards, apple trees, pear trees, and strawberry patches. He grew all types of products, which included cotton, peanuts, corn, watermelons, rye, sugar cane, and sorghum. He raised hogs, chickens, ducks, guinea, cows and mules for farming. The family did not “want” for anything. Everything the family needed was on that farm. The only products the family bought were sugar and tobacco. All other foods came from the farm.
Papa required his children to work on the family’s farm. They were not allowed to “work for the white man”. This was a family rule that passed down to each generation due to bad treatment and unfair conditions the family had received from the white man during slavery.
After Grandma Henrietta’s death in 1941, Papa continued to live in the “big house” with the children who remained in the home. During this time, his son Elder had married and acquired a family of his own. Since Elder’s house was destroyed in a severe storm, he and his family temporarily moved into the “little house” until a new home could be built. Papa later met and married his second wife Ola (Lela) Bell. He then set out to acquire additional property and a new location for a home for his new wife. He purchased 50 additional acres of land in another location, commonly referred to as “The Other Place”. He built another “big house” for his new wife, as well as for third wife, Sweetie. At the time of the new purchase, the payments on the old purchase had not been completed. Papa told the boys if they would pay for the land they could have it. Elder, Dock Jr., and Leonard decided to purchase the land. Elder made the down payment on one-third of the 100 -acre property and built his new house in 1944. Leonard also built a house on his portion of the property. Dock, Jr., the baby, remained in the ‘home house” also known as the “big house” and remodeled it.
The girls were offered land on “The Other Place” with Papa. Papa also purchased additional land in Smithville, Georgia. He made an offer that the first child who wanted to build a home could have the Smithville property. Ola Mae built her home on the Smithville property in 1945. The Smithville property became the property of daughter, Rubie, upon the death of Ola Mae. Rubie had earlier chosen to marry and move to Waycross, Georgia; therefore, not taking advantage of the Smithville properties.
Papa’s brothers also believed in owning their own property and inventing things to make our world a better place. His brother Andrew, who lived in California, owned property in California. Brother Abraham was an inventor. He invented the train coupling, a mechanism for linking the train cars; safety ladder, corn planter, and the “push back” pews. There is no record or copyright for Abraham’s inventions.
Dock Champion, Sr. was a very spiritual man who loved his family and who worked hard to give them a good, Christian life. He was determined that his children would not be raised under the harsh treatment of the “white man” and that they would never live on the white man’s land nor work on the white man’s plantations. He passed these ideals and beliefs down to this children and grandchildren. All of his children became landowners, following the mighty footsteps of this giant of a man as their role model. Under his spiritual guidance, many of his children became preachers of the gospel: Aunt Ola, Aunt Ada, Uncle Leonard, Uncle Lewis, and Uncle Dock, Jr. The other children who were not preachers, called by God, were ministers in their own right. This strong spiritual awareness has passed on to all generations of the Champion Family.
God has been “extra good” to the descendants of Dock and Henrietta Champion. He has and is still keeping his promise to this family. “I am God All Powerful. If you obey me and always do right, I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted. I will give you a lot of descendants and in the future they will become great nations. Some will even become Kings.” (Gen. 17:1-2; 6, CEV)
CHAMPION FAMILY REUNION 