James Aaron Herron - known as Aaron - was born into slavery on March 28, 1851 in Missouri. When his parents Phillip Herron and Clerenda Trotter were legally married in Greene County in 1866, they declared six children, including James Aaron, born to them in slavery. Aaron married Susan Wadlow on March 18, 1877, at the home of N. Wadlow near Cave Springs, in Greene County, MO. Aaron and Susan were still living near Cave Springs, with Aaron’s mother and siblings, in 1880. By 1900, Aaron and Susan had moved to South Calhoun street in Ash Grove, where Aaron worked as a wood hauler. After his wife’s death in 1912, Aaron moved in with his son Malgie’s family. Sometime in the 1920s, Aaron moved with Malgie’s family to Springfield, where they lived at 4 East Mill Street. Aaron died at home on September 1, 1928, of "mitrial insufficiency." At the time of his death, he was working as a gardener. Aaron's death certificate states that he was buried in "Ash Grove" (i.e. the Berry Cemetery) on September 3rd, 1918 (Russel 2012).
Grave Marker: James Aaron Herron's specific place of burial within the Berry Cemetery is unknown and there is no known individual headstone for him. However, James is memorialized by the inscription of his name (shown below) on the new monument, installed in 2017, for individuals interred in unmarked graves in the Berry Cemetery.
