Lady Flo

Florida J. Wolfe

El Paso Black Society Queen

Many of El Paso's city’s founders have been laid to rest in Concordia Cemetery. Florida J. Wolfe, also known as “Lady Flo,” was one of the most remarkable, resilient, albeit mysterious Black women to live in El Paso, Texas.  Consort and common law wife to Irish Lord Delaval James Beresford, who owned cotton plantations and cattle ranches in Canada, the southwestern United States and Mexico, Lady Flo was a proud African American woman who flaunted tradition, but in her good-hearted, generous manner earned the inexorable respect of citizens on both sides of borders of the bi-national cities of El Paso, Texas and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

Born in Illinois, in the town of Salem, daughter of David, born in Virginia, and Nancy, born in Indiana, Wolfe, a black family, Florida, “Flo” grew up in Salem, where she and her family were known as “genteel blacks”.  Florida ended up in Chihuahua, Mexico working as a nurse for the family of the US consul.  It was there in 1886, she met Lord Delaval James Beresford, the brother of the Lord high admiral of the British navy.  She nursed him back to health from an illness and soon became his housekeeper/companion.  Fluent in Spanish, Lady Flo was often described as “looking Mexican.”

Lady Flo’s relationship with Lord Beresford made it easier for them to live in Mexico as Texas law in l893 prevented interracial marriage or cohabitation. The couple frequently traveled between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso in a multi-person entourage. Lady Flo gave grand parties and made contributions to the El Paso Fire Department and Police Department. With Lord Beresford’s death in a train wreck in Minnesota in December l906, Lady Flo claimed his property as his common law wife.
 
Using her knowledge of ranching and farming, she expanded the ranch's production after his death. Lord Beresford’s family in Ireland contested Lady Flo’s claim and after a protracted court battle she received only $15,000 and a “few hundred head of cattle.” 

Rancho Los Ojitos
Region: Northern Chihuahua, Mexico  

Nonetheless Lady Flo spent the remaining years of her life in El Paso, Texas, attending regularly the Second Baptist Church and giving away what was left of her fortune to the poor and downtrodden.

The Second Baptist Church, the oldest black Baptist church in El Paso, Texas,

 opened in 1884 and its building, at 401 S. Virginia, was constructed in 1906. 

Florida J. Wolfe developed tuberculosis and died in El Paso in May 1913.

Lady Flo's gravesite

Concordia Cemetery

El Paso, Texas

The prominent Black physician, Dr. Lawrence A. Nixon tended to Lady Flo and ultimately signed her death certificate.

 

Nixon, Lawrence Aaron (1883–1966)

Lawrence Aaron Nixon, physician and voting-rights advocate, moved to El Paso, Texas in December 1907 where he established a successful medical practice. In 1914 he helped to organize the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

 

  Lord Delaval Beresford’s gravesite

Clonegam Co, Waterford, Ireland  Born: 1862; Died: 22 December 1906  

 Irish Royal Lord Delaval Beresford was killed in a train wreck on his way home to Mexico from his ranch in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada where he had sold one of his ranches.  He described Florida Wolfe, his 20+ year partner, as his wife.  She was referred to by the royal title, Lady.

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Edward K. Warren

 Australia Newspaper :  June 15, 1910

“The Beresford 110,000 acre Ojitos ranch was purchased for $190,000 by Edward and C. K. Warren, of Three Oaks, Michigan, who owns an adjoining ranch of 120,000 acres."

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You're never too old to learn new skills.  One of mine, storyteller, came to fruition with the opportunity to take on this role of Lady Flo.  To hear more about Lady Flo, listen to the interview
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Patricia