Family and friends of the late Earnest Carrington Sr., along with City of Cleveland officials, gathered on Thursday, March 17, for the unveiling of street signs renaming Beach St. to Earnest Carrington Sr. Ave.
Carrington, who died 27 years ago, is described as a “go-getter” by his children, Earnest Jr., Linda and Vivian, who attended the ceremony. Carrington moved to Cleveland through his work in the sawmills and supported his wife, Plessie, and 13 children by hauling pulp wood and collecting discarded cans.
The Carrington family lived in the first brick house ever built in Pct. 20, a predominantly black neighborhood in Cleveland named for its voting precinct.
Carrington was one of three children of Anderson Carrington and Caldonia Walker Carrington, who originated in the Seven Oaks area in neighboring Polk County.
“Cleveland was a sawmill town back in the day. People started coming here and Conroe,” said Carrington Jr. “There is a Carrington Cemetery in Seven Oaks named for my family.”
Though he was a humble, hard-working man, Carrington tried to instill in his children the need to be self-reliant, said his daughter, Linda Carrington Vonner.
“He told us he wanted us to know how to do things and not rely on anyone or anything else,” she said.