"Robert Reed Church"(June 8,1839-August 29,1912)

Was an African American entrepreneur and landowner who lived most of adult life in Memphis,Tennessee.His father,Captain Charles B. Church was a white steamship owner.His mother was Emmeline,a slave owned by his father.According to family accounts,Emmeline was the daughter of a white planter from Lynchburg,Virginia and a "Malagasy princess.By 1878-79 Robert had acquired considerable wealth and was able to move his family to safety during the yellow fever epidemics that swept through Memphis.Depopulated by epidemic,and therefore devaluing the land,he saw a great opportunity in Memphis real estate and increased his property holdings throughout the city.His properties would grow to include undeveloped land,commerical buildings, some restidental housing,and bars in the red-light district.Its estimated that he was able to collect approximately $6,000 a month in rent from his properties.Multiple sources refer to Robert as the first black millionaire,although it is now generally accepted that his wealth reached only about $7000,000.He is most famous as the father of Mary Church Terrell.