john lee haney
1911-1946
Life Story
Birth & Family
John Lee Haney was born on January 7, 1911, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, to George Haney, Jr. (1881–?) and Carrie Miller Haney (1895–1929).
By 1930, he was living with his father in Newton County, Mississippi, following the death of his mother in 1929. As a young man, he worked doing odd jobs to help support the household and completed the fifth grade of elementary school.
Marriage & Early Struggles
During the 1930s, John married Helen Whitfield (1916–2004). In 1935, he joined Sam Whitehead and his wife Lula Whitehead, along with Idel Whitehead and Leon Whitfield, in the purchase of approximately 100 acres of land.
The group was unable to satisfy the financial obligations on the property, and the land ultimately went into foreclosure. This experience reflects the economic hardship many African American families endured during the Great Depression, when access to capital and stable employment was limited and credit systems often worked against them.
Work & Migration
Following the foreclosure, John and his wife relocated to Copiah County, Mississippi. In 1940, he was employed as a bus driver for a bridge construction operation. By 1941, he had returned to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where he worked as a laborer.
He later registered for the World War II draft in Cairo, Alexander County, Illinois, reflecting the broader national mobilization during the wartime period.
In 1944, John moved to Sacramento, California, where he secured employment as a carpenter. At that time, he was married to Anna Mae Haney and resided in the Del Paso Heights community.
Death & Burial
On January 7, 1946, John Lee Haney died as the result of a tragic workplace accident in Sacramento, California. Newspaper accounts reported that he fell approximately 28 feet while working on a warehouse at McClellan Field and was pronounced dead shortly after the accident.
His remains were returned to Mississippi, and he was laid to rest at Old Pleasant Grove Cemetery in Newton County, Mississippi.
Resting Place
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1920 Federal Census
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current
- California, U.S., Death Index, 1940-1997
- U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
- The Newton Record, Foreclosure Notice, Thu, Jun 03, 1937 ·Page 7
- U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- The Sacramento Bee, Tue, Jan 15, 1946 ·Page 17
- The Sacramento Bee, Carpenter is Killed in Air Depot Fall, Mon, Jan 14, 1946 ·Page 5
- The Sacramento Union, Carpenter Falls to his Death, Sun, Jan 13, 1946 ·Page 1
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