4 February 2025

By Edward H. Jones

Here Edward H. Jones continues his story from yesterday about Frency A. Johnson.

This simple rhyming poem recounts parts of Frenchy Johnson’s life with an occasional bit of hyperbole thrown in for fun. Should anyone be inclined to sing the poem and desire a melody, the familiar American tune “Yankee Doodle” will do nicely. The first and last stanzas of the poem were previously published in Chapter 1 of the book Boston’s Black Athletes: Identity, Performance, and Activism (Lexington Books, 2024), available for viewing online at Google Books. This is the first time the entire poem has been published.

FRENCHY AT THE OARS

Edward H. Jones © 2022, 2025

Frenchy Johnson went to Boston
where he rowed the Charles.
There he honed his sculling skills
which won him fame and laurels.

[Refrain]

Frenchy Johnson row your boat,
keep it smooth and steady.
Turn the stake and stay the course
and victory you’ll make ready.

When Frenchy raced at Boston town
amidst the cheers and hollers,
he took the lead to finish first
and won four-hundred dollars.

[Refrain]

When Frenchy rowed at Silver Lake
at forty strokes per minute,
he kept the pace throughout the race
then surged ahead to win it.

[Refrain]

When Frenchy rowed the double sculls
a boat he had to borrow.
Then he and T. C. Butler rowed
until they reached tomorrow

[Refrain]                                            

Sculling during Frenchy’s day
was often rough and tumble.
He got into a race dispute
that ended in a rumble.

[Refrain]

Two thousand folks amassed along
the Allegheny River
to see if Frenchy’s boat could win
and yes, he did deliver.

[Refrain]

When Frenchy won his Hulton* race
his boat was made of paper,
but on day two some fiend had pulled
a foul and heinous caper.

[Refrain]

When Courtney’s boats were sawed in half
before his race with Hanlan,
an affidavit Frenchy signed
did vouch for Courtney’s actions.

[Refrain]

When Frenchy rowed at Jacksonville
he was an out-of-stater,
but nonetheless showed such finesse
he shamed an alligator.

[Refrain]

When Frenchy’s rowing days were done
he took up glass ball shooting.
His skills were on display again
of which there’s no disputing.                                                     

[Refrain]

Though Frenchy Johnson’s life was short
he showed both skill and bravery.
He triumphed o’er life’s challenges
having risen up from slavery.

[Refrain]          

*The Hulton Course was a section of the Allegheny River just outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, named for Jonathon Hulton who ran a ferry service at the site. Frenchy Johnson had won his heat on day one of a two-day regatta at the Hulton Course, but he had to withdraw on day two when he discovered that his racing shell, which had a paper hull varnished for stiffness and water resistance, had mysteriously been punctured. (You might say it was a Hulton hull hacking.)