The Lowdown by BlackProGen

Timelines for the 2018 Rootstech folks

2018-03-02T05:01:00+00:00

Thank you for attending. Here is the information I promised linking to the timelines…enjoy and have fun with it. Let me know if you have any questions. RootsTech Timelines are for You.

Timeline for Genealogy Blank Timeline for Genealogy Blank 2017

A Blog Interview with my African DNA Cousin

2018-02-27T21:12:00+00:00

Maame Durowah Okai

(Used per permission)

I am elated and honored to feature one of my African DNA cousins, Maame Durowah Okai of Amsterdam, Netherlands, on my blog. If someone had told me five years ago that I will be doing this, I wouldn’t have believed them. DNA technology has allowed many of us to learn something about our African ancestry and connect with African cousins.

Many geneticists recommend that one of the best ways to get a glimpse of our African roots utilizing DNA is through DNA matches to living Africans who have also taken one of the autosomal DNA tests – AncestryDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage, and Family Tree DNA. Many African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans are matching people from the Motherland, and these matches are celebrated. This is to be expected since we are the descendants of many Africans who were taken from an area of West Africa, stretching from present-day Senegal to Angola, as well as from present-day Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Madagascar. Check out Fonte Felipe’s insightful blog post, “How to find those elusive African DNA matches on Ancestry.”

Maame Durowah Okai’s family roots are from Ghana. Her father is Ashanti and her mother is from the Obo Kwahu people, who descends from the Ashanti Empire. Interestingly, historians believe that Harriet Tubman’s African maternal grandmother, Modesty, descends from the Ashanti people. Cousin Maame Durowah took the AncestryDNA test last year, which identified her as 97% Ivory Coast/Ghana, 2% Benin/Togo, and 1% Mali.

Incredibly, she is a DNA match to both my father and me at 13 cM (centimorgans). According to the International Society of Genetic Genealogy (ISOGG), that amount of DNA is in the range of a fourth cousin or further. My chances of figuring out exactly how Cousin Maame Durowah is related on my father's side is astronomically slim. But that's OK. It doesn't matter. What matters greatly is that we carry an identical strand of DNA that originated from a common African ancestor, who was most probably from the Gold Coast (present-day Ghana).

Cousin Maame Durowah is doing wonderful works in the Netherlands, and I am proud that she is my African cousin. To spotlight her, I asked her the following four questions about herself, her family, and her thoughts about DNA testing. She graciously took time out of her busy schedule to e-mail me the answers to them.

Question 1. What are your current endeavors in Europe?

I was born in the 80s in the Netherlands on a Sunday morning. I was raised in Amsterdam South East by my Ghanaian parents, Nana Yaw Okai & Mercy Ayirebi. I had influences by my Dutch grandma, who is from the Netherlands, named Will Ottens. She lived downstairs and helped my mom out when she rang the bell and when nobody wanted to open the door (due to the Sunday morning). It was only my Dutch grandma that opened the door; this was in the 80's, and knowing the time in the Netherlands with the migrants. My grandma took the chance and helped my mom out and I become part of the family. She had an amazing influence in my life (learning about the Dutch culture up close - best of both worlds). This also gives me the chance to teach and educate people on diversity in the Netherlands; currently writing a project on that.

I am a social worker and a family coach. I have been active in social work and community development. I am the founder and project manager of the Brighter Day Foundation, an international social and community development organization. The Brighter Day Foundation develops creative, social, and community projects to raise awareness, impact, and speak out on social issues.

I am working as a family coach/counselor in a youth team (9-5 job). I don't see it as a 9-5 job. My purpose in being there is to break generational trends by helping people to think beyond the “system” and be self-reliant. My main statement when it comes to my work is, “No one can pay you for the job you do because we give more than we are paid for.’’

In 2018, I will be starting a tour called “The Kingdom Citizen: I Have Never Become Who I Am,” which is based on my book. The aim is to share my story on how I discovered purpose by highlighting different life stories. The teaching element at hand is to show how one can creatively discover purpose through the obstacles in life and maximize their potential by making their “stories” known. This will take place in five major cities in Europe. I am not all knowing, letting one know their Purpose that is in God's hands yet being a tool to discover is a calling. I accepted my calling as a pastor at the age of 30. Before that, I was actively involved in ministry from age 23, becoming serious in the Faith when I was 19. I was raised by a Christian mom; my Dad joined the faith in a later stage.

My faith in God is my foundation and my source of success in life I can proudly proclaim. I travel around as an international speaker, teaching and sharing about the full gospel of Jesus Christ. Kingdom-minded and focused on missions around the world, I mentor the broken and rejected and raise up leaders. I am a woman wearing a mantle of many colors; a signature that reveals myself via my various activities. I am a 'Kingdom' representative breaking the status quo!

(Used per permission)

Question 2. Why did you take the DNA test and what are your thoughts about it?

On February 15, 2017, I decided to do an Ancestry DNA test just out of curiosity. I saw it several years ago when the African Ancestry DNA stories came out on the internet. My curiosity was about how God can create us with such an amazing DNA and link us to a specific country, yet all being connected some way. I knew I was full Ghanaian, but I was still curious what could come out of it. I had heard about Mali being a part of the history of the Ashanti Empire from my Dad but to know that there is a Mali percentage in my DNA was fascinating!

One thing is for sure, I am a Kingdom Child of God, and I know where I come from. Yet I was given a nation in the land of the living. While sitting on the bus on my way home from London, I received an email with my DNA results. “Well, well,” I exclaimed. This was an interesting combo! Being 97% Ivory Coast/Ghana, 2% Benin/Togo, and 1% Mali was interesting! What made the story more interesting were the 15 people who were directly connected to my DNA, surprisingly.

Question 3. Tell me something about your family roots in Ghana?

Mercy Ayirebi Kwahu (Obo Kwahu) is my mom’s name. She was born to Mr. Alfred Kofi Ayirebi & Mrs. Alice Abena Owarewah (daughter of Kwaku Nyame Danquah and Akosua Tiwah Donkor). My Dad is Nana Yaw Okai - Ashanti (Bonwire). My Dad’s lineage can be traced to Yaa Asantewaa. (Read more about Yaa Asantewaa here). I was told this as a young girl. Grandpa Afrani, we are still on the trace. Mrs. Yaa Durowah, who I was named after, is the daughter of Mrs. Efua Brempomaa & Nana Kwaku.

I was introduced to Ghana at age 10 and fell in love. I celebrated my 11th birthday in Ghana and the plan was for me to stay in Ghana and go to school. But my parents decided to keep me in the Netherlands. That one trip changed my life – my people, the food, the language. I became more interested about my background. We spoke Dutch, English and Twi at home, but learning my dialect became more of interest when I got to age 15. Forcing my parents to teach me the right way, I got myself into the culture, traditions, languages, food, my tribes…everything. I started going there every year, to even twice a year. The vision of the Brighter Day Foundation was born in Ghana. I lived in Ghana while doing my thesis but I had to come back to the Netherlands to finish school. I made up my mind 4 years ago to move to Ghana for a period of 5 years to build up a youth center, but my ways got an encounter, and I came back to the Netherlands to say yes to my calling.

I don’t have an English name. I was named after my Dad’s mother, Maame Durowah. I was born on Sunday - Akosua. In Ghana, they call me Ako or Akosua Durowah. Maame means lady or mother, so that is a general name before your name, which is Durowah (female) in my case. Durowah means medicine which comes from the word Oduro (male version). I was named after my Dad's mother out of love and respect. Okai is my paternal grandfather’s name. I do a lot of first and second generation analogy at work, but lately I am trying to do one of my own family genealogy, and every time I do it, I get to know more.

Maame Durowah Okai’s paternal ancestor, Queen Mother Nana Yaa Asantewaa

(Source: Black History Heroes)

Question 4. How do you feel knowing that many people of African descent in America are your distant cousins?

It was really surprising when you sent me a private message saying that I was your DNA cousin in America. Even though it’s a small percentage, it is still a match. I have family members by marriage who are African-American, but knowing that, through the DNA test, many others are DNA matches is an eye opener. It opens another chapter of your life; you hear the voices of the unheard and share stories untold.

Maame Durowah Okai in Malta in 2017.

Heirloom-52weeks 52Ancestors

2018-02-22T03:55:00+00:00

I am trying to keep track of the challenge and I am slipping. This week I will acknowledge a family heirloom. My 2x grandfather-Ahira Harvey Worden was born on March 20, 1838, in Eaton, Michigan, his father, Parley Worden, was 42 and his mother, Lydoriana (Boyer), was 19. He married Elizabeth “Betsy” Boyer in 1859 in his hometown or on route to Michigan from New York. (yes they were cousins) They had eight children in 17 years and three survived. He died on December 12, 1916, in Shelby, Michigan, having lived a long life of 78 years, and was buried there.

Ahira Harvey Worden, a private from Michigan, fought for the Union during the Civil War. He served as a private in the 15th Regiment, Michigan Infantry, Company I. In his profile he listed on 16 March 1865. He mustered out on 13 August 1865 at Little Rock, AR. (Record of Service of Michigan Volunteers 1861-65) He applied for his pension and it took about 40 years to get it, but it finally came in and then he died ($20) and his wife applied and got it.

After the war he joined the GAR Post #68 in Shelby, Oceana County, Michigan. Here is his GAR medal, one of my favorite heirlooms.

View the photo of Ahira and his wife and note he is proudly wearing his medal. When my brother Calvin (aka Todd) was sworn in the SAR & Sons of the Union Army he proudly wore this medal.

Ahira was also a whittler and here is a photo of a chair he whittled.

Know your roots, they are long and strong!

Enjoy familytreegirl!

Relative Race Season 3

2018-02-21T14:00:00+00:00

Relative Race is back on BYU TV checkout the trailer below

BlackProGen LIVE: Ep 52: Deconstructing the Freedmens Bureau

2018-02-21T03:49:00+00:00

Relative Race is back on BYU TV checkout the trailer below Advertisements

DON’T GIVE UP!

2018-02-16T21:49:00+00:00

I just wanted to offer some words of encouragement to those on the genealogical journey, DON’T GIVE UP! Genealogist are chosen and you have been chosen to give your ancestors a voice. Even if you haven’t found that document, that ancestor, or that connection to a relative you’re been looking for tirelessly, DON’T GIVE UP! Keep researching, you will find it when it’s time. Sometimes the answers we are looking for are already in the documents we have and we might have to take a break and look at them with fresh eyes as some say. Just stay positive and focused in your research, you this!

Preparing Our Genealogical Blue Print for the Next Generation - Char McCargo Bah

2018-02-16T02:00:00+00:00

This discussion is on documenting ourselves and leaving a blue print for future genealogist. We are the era of baby boomers; we have seen and participated in a lot of history in our life time. It will take 72-years or more after our death for our family to research us and, we can leave them a blue print so that they do not have to wait to find out about us. Char McCargo Bah is the CEO/Owner of FindingThingsforU, LLC. She has been a genealogist since 1981 and has appeared in television interviews with CBS, FOX-5, Comcast, PBS - just to name a few and documentaries. Char has received numerous awards for her work in genealogy. She was the City of Alexandria’s genealogist on the Alexandria Freedmen and Contraband Cemetery and became a Living Legend of Alexandria in 2014. She is co-author of “African Americans of Alexandria, VA: Beacons of Light in the Twentieth Century.” Char has over 41 articles with the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) in a column called Char’s Corner” She is the founder of her blog: “theotheralexandria”. Char is currently working on her second book which will be available in 2018; and, she has completed a PBS documentary on the first African American NBA player as well as working with PBS on other projects. The documentary is scheduled to be in the theatres in February 2018. The title “The First to Do It.” Char recently accepted a freelance position with the Alexandria Gazette Newspaper in Alexandria, Virginia writing articles on the history of African Americans’ in Alexandria, Virginia. She is a member of over 25 Writer’s Association, Historical and Genealogical Societies including Prince Georges’ AAHGS.

BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 51: Finding and Tracing Enslaved Ancestors

2018-02-14T03:41:00+00:00

A Genealogy Mishap Case: Discovering the True Paternity with DNA

2018-02-12T10:53:00+00:00

No matter what the oral history said, DNA can say something differently.

What may seem obvious may not be the truth.

Louisa “Lue” Bobo Danner (1842-1921) of Panola County, Mississippi

Miscegenation during slavery is a situation that many of us African-American researchers are often confronted with in our family histories. My mother’s maternal grandmother’s mother, Louisa “Lue” Bobo Danner, was known to look like a white woman with long straight hair “that reached the floor,” according to family elders. Recently, I discovered that I had the wrong white father attached to her for nearly 20 years! According to her Civil War widow’s pension file, she was born on January 21, 1842 in Union County, South Carolina. Her enslaver, Dr. William J. Bobo, transported her, her mother Clarissa Bobo, and other family members to Mississippi in 1858.

A late family elder remembered her very well. Cousin Robert Danner was 16 years old when his grandmother died in 1921, and he spent a lot of time at her home. From my first interview with him in 1996, until his passing at age 103 in 2008, he shared many details about her. Mississippi to Africa: A Journey of Discoverywould not have been possible without his priceless memories. He recalled that a man named Sandy Wilbourn visited his grandmother often. He claimed that Sandy was her white half-brother who acknowledged their family relationship, something that was exceedingly rare at that time. Cousin Robert had proclaimed confidently, “Grandma Lue’s father was a Wilbourn.” I uploaded some of the recordings of my oral history interviews with him in this 2013 blog post.

With that huge clue, I researched the censuses and other records, as well as communicated with Wilbourn descendants, and determined that Sandy Wilbourn was William Sanford Wilbourn (1853-1935). He died in Panola County when Cousin Robert was 28 years old. “Sandy” resided in the area where Grandma Lue lived. His father was Elijah Wilbourn, Jr. (1810-1878), so I concluded that Elijah Jr. was the man who had impregnated Clarissa with Grandma Lue and possibly her “mulatto” brother, Eli Bobo (1844-1918), too. Eli was a shorter name for Elijah, so that naming clue carried a lot of weight, in my opinion.

Elijah Wilbourn, Jr. had settled in Panola County, Mississippi also from Union County, South Carolina around 1840, about two years before Grandma Lue was born in South Carolina. I had theorized that he probably traveled back to South Carolina periodically to visit family, and during one of those trips, he made his way onto his former neighbor Dr. William Bobo’s plantation and impregnated Grandma Clarissa. That was my story, and I was sticking to it. Besides, Cousin Robert’s memory of many other people and events of our family history turned out to be accurate, so I had very little reason to question his recollection of Sandy Wilbourn being Grandma Lue’s half-brother.

Grandma Lue’s death certificate reported “Don’t Know” for her father’s name, so I was extremely grateful that he remembered this piece of history. This was very valuable oral history. I soon made an entry in my family tree, closed that chapter, and didn’t put much more thought to this Wilbourn impregnator. Then, DNA hit the scene nearly twenty years later. It told a different story.

In early 2015, a high DNA match appeared in 23andMe. I’ll call him “Cousin D.” He was sharing 100 cM over 4 segments with my mother (79 cM/3 segments with me), 75 cM over 4 segments with her brother, and 75 cM over 3 segments with her sister. These significant amounts indicate a fairly close relationship, possibly in the third cousin range. I also noticed that he was sharing 20 cM with my mother’s 2nd cousin, Cousin MAJ. To my surprise, Cousin D was 99.9% European. How could my family and I share this much DNA with a white person? This was my first thought.

Interestingly, Cousin D was also sharing DNA on the X chromosome with my aunt and uncle. (See chart below.) My mother, her siblings, and Cousin MAJ are great-grandchildren of Grandma Lue and her husband, Edward Danner. Cousin D soon contacted me, and I expressed to him that he appears to be closely connected to Elijah Wilbourn, Jr. of Panola County, Mississippi. Having African-American relatives piqued his interest. But there was one huge issue.

Because Cousin D was sharing X-DNA with my aunt and uncle, this meant that he’s related to us on his mother’s side. Males inherit one X chromosome from their mothers, while females inherit two X chromosomes, one from their mother and one from their father. His late mother was adopted, and he had no knowledge of her biological family. He then hired a professional genealogist to utilize autosomal DNA to build his mother’s biological family tree. This was indeed a challenging feat, but she had great success after administering autosomal DNA tests to numerous key people.

Cousin D’s genealogist determined that he and my mother are 5th cousins, and no one in his immediate family ever resided in Panola County, Mississippi. This was shocking. William Wilburn (1765-1822) of Union County, S.C., who was Elijah Jr’s uncle, was his 3rd-great-grandfather. However, we both felt that Cousin D shares too much DNA with my mother to be her 5th cousin, so something was not jiving. I didn't know what was aberrant, so I left it alone. I needed something compelling to make it a bigger research priority. Well, that “something” soon came.

Cousin D's maternal 2nd cousin, Cousin E, recently took the FamilyTree DNA (FTDNA) test, and her raw data file was uploaded to GEDmatch.com. She too shares a lot of DNA and X-DNA with my family, including another one of my mother’s 2nd cousins, Cousin ORN (Cousin MAJ’s 1st cousin). See chart below. This was significant because Cousin D and Cousin E share the same great-grandparents, William Ray and Mary Amanda Wilburn (1855-1935) of Union County, S.C. Mary Amanda’s parents were Joshua Wilburn (1805-1887) and Elizabeth Sparks.

Cousins D and E’s sharing of X-DNA with my family was very revealing. While my family’s matching X chromosome segments with them came from Grandma Lue’s father, their matching X chromosome segments appear to have come from Mary Amanda. But there was a problem. None of Mary Amanda’s X-DNA ancestors matched the maternal ancestors of Elijah Wilbourn, Jr., who was her father’s first cousin. If Elijah Jr. was Grandma Lue’s father, the X-DNA he passed on to her came from his mother, Mary Roundtree. She was not related to Cousin D and Cousin E. Also, the X-DNA that Mary Amanda’s father passed on to her came from his mother, Susannah Gibbs (1781-1814). This was the second red flag.

Elijah Wilbourn, Jr. inherited all of his X chromosome from his mother, Mary Roundtree. She inherited that X-DNA from both of her parents.

50% of Mary Amanda Wilburn’s X-DNA came from her father’s mother, Susannah Gibbs.

Cousin D’s genealogist also observed that my family share DNA with other descendants of Joshua Wilburn – Cousins A, B, and C. See chart above. All of these autosomal DNA findings point to Grandma Lue’s father likely being either Joshua Wilburn or his twin brother, also named Elijah Wilburn (1805-1889), who were the sons of William Wilburn and Susannah Gibbs, and not Elijah Wilbourn, Jr. (son of Elijah Sr./Mary Roundtree) who migrated to Mississippi. Both of the twin brothers lived and died in South Carolina. Fortunately, there was additional evidence.

I performed the “People Who Match One of Both of 2 Kits” option in GEDmatch.com between Cousin E and Cousin MAJ since they share the largest amount of DNA at 111 cM over 5 segments. The purpose was to see who else shared DNA with both of them. As expected, my family appeared among their mutual matches. I also noticed a DNA match that was among my mother’s DNA matches in FTDNA who attached a family tree to his account. I am calling him “Cousin F.” Being able to view a family tree among shared DNA matches was essential to try to determine a common ancestor. Cousin F’s extensive family tree revealed that he indeed shares common ancestors with Cousins A, B, C, D, and E. His 3rd-great-grandmother was Elizabeth Gibbs, a sister of Susannah Gibbs’ father, James Gibbs. Elizabeth and James’ parents were John Gibbs (1716-1770) and Susanne Phillipe (1720-1786).

In a process known as manual triangulating, I viewed Cousin F’s “One-to-Many Matches” in GEDmatch.com. I then selected my family and Cousin E and viewed their matching chromosomes on the 2-D chromosome browser. Interestingly, Cousin F shares long overlapping chromosome segments with my family and Cousin E on chromosome 9. See figure below. I verified that they all match each other on chromosome 9. This indicates that everyone descend from a common ancestor.

Cousin F matches family members on overlapping chromosome segments on Chromosome 9

In 23andMe, this section of my mother’s chromosome 9 is identified as Northwestern European.

DNA is indicating that Grandma Lue had Gibbs ancestry. This served as additional DNA evidence that her father was likely Joshua Wilburn or his twin brother, Elijah (1805), sons of Susannah Gibbs. However, if Joshua and his twin brother Elijah (1805) were identical twins, they would share 100% identical DNA with each other. Full siblings and fraternal (non-identical) twins share around 50% of identical DNA. Therefore, Grandma Lue would share DNA with both Joshua and Elijah (1805) in the parent/child range (approx. 3,600 cM) if they were identical twins. If Joshua was the father, then Cousins A, B, C, D, and E are half 3rd cousins to my mother, her siblings, and Cousins MAJ and ORN. However, my speculation now is that they were identical twins, and Elijah Wilburn (1805) was her father. Then, Cousins A, B, C, D, and E are half 4th cousins genealogically but half 3rd cousins genetically. This revelation would have never been discovered had it not been for DNA technology.

This AncestryDNA match shares 34 cM / 1 segment with my mother. Elijah Wilburn (1805) is his 3rd-great-grandfather.

Acknowledgement: Special acknowledgement is given to Clarise Soper, CG for her great work in utilizing DNA to discover Cousin D's maternal ancestors.

My New Koonce Surname Study Site

2018-02-12T05:48:00+00:00

A couple of weeks ago I shared that I’d joined the Guild of One-Name Studies. This is Week 6 of Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series and how apropos that this week’s prompt is “Favorite Name.” Guess what name I choose? KOONCE! A perfectly timed prompt for launching my new site dedicated to the Koonce surname. My interest in my Koonce surname is, after all, what sparked my curiosity of those that came before me. Thus, it is my favorite name.

I am very pleased with my new site. The design is Template 15 of the TNG: The Next Generation of Genealogy Site-building software and I like the segmentation of the page. I have a link to my Mailchimp email distribution for updates I share with other Koonce researchers and family members.

The database has about 4,000 individuals and I’ve created sections for both white and black Koonce lineages along with indications to their regional areas. The Koonce to Koonce newsletters, published by my buddy John P. Koonce, are featured on the front page and I could not help but put a picture of myself browsing the newsletters as my “contact” picture.

http://koonce.one-name.net

My next step for the new site is to start re-attaching media files. I made a conscious decision not to transfer them in batch because I needed to do some cleanup. But the sources are all there so at least others will be able to see those.

I love working on my surname study. I enjoy connecting with other Koonces and researching Koonce families. If you are a Koonce descendant, I’d love to hear from you!

52Ancestors52Weeks Weird Names

2018-02-11T16:45:00+00:00

Oh yes there are some interesting names in our ancestry. Typically, the odd ones in my tree are all on my mother’s paternal side. It’s the European’s all the way. My father’s side all seen to be “normal” and familiar. So for this week I will just list some of the first names. But, if I think of it, they are just as weird as some of the 21st century ones of today. Here are some of the strange or let’s say odd male and female names in my family tree. I did not include any of the Dutch names because I do not know if they are odd or not. Enjoy!

Experience

Welcome

Thankful

Sophronia

Craney

Ahira (great grandfather)

Hopestill (7th great grandmother and her last name was Holley and married a Worden)

Jabish

Joram, Jorum (great great grandfather)

Lycurgus

Orpha

Parley (my great great grandfather)

Sweeting

Waite

Weed (oh this is really interesting and he is not from the 1960s, but the 1700s)

Wealthy

Ahasuerus (I believe this man is a Tory-ugrrr a traitor!)

Amasa

Mourning

Manassah

Massena (on Mom’s mother’s side)

Rolla

#52ancestors

familytreegirl!

Left Behind: Peonage and Involuntary Servitude with Antoinette Harrell

2018-02-09T02:00:00+00:00

Antoinette Harrell a Peonage Detective has spent countless hours in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., conducting peonage research in Class 50 (Peonage) Litigation Case Files, 1907 – 1973. The Class 50 litigation case files were created or accumulated by the Civil Rights Division in carrying out the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) responsibilities in matters arising under statutes implementing the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution. Many African Americans were physically forced or sometimes beaten to return to former employers to work off their debts. The files contain correspondence, memorandums, telegrams, newspaper clippings, transcripts of testimonies, FBI reports of investigations, and indictments. Antoinette has spent the last five years interviewing and documenting the history of Donald Jeffery who lived his entire life on Ballground Plantation. VICE Documentary is producing a 30-minute documentary on her research. Her peonage and involuntary servitude research has been featured in People Magazine, Nightline, ABC News and many other National and International Publications.

BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 50: Ask Mariah – The Remix

2018-02-07T22:53:00+00:00

Did you miss BlackProGen LIVE! Episode 50? Don’t worry just click on the link below and enjoy a full episode of Ask Mariah.

BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 50: Ask Mariah - The Remix

2018-02-07T03:49:00+00:00

Did you miss BlackProGen LIVE! Episode 50? Don’t worry just click on the link below and enjoy a full episode of Ask Mariah.

In the Census: I’m Ready for 1950

2018-02-05T05:59:00+00:00

A view of my presentation

Yesterday, I was delighted to present a session on Researching African American Family History & Genealogy on behalf of the Nashville Chapter of the Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society. This is our fourth year partnering with Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage to conduct part of their Black History Month programming and it went well! We had a turnout of more than 60 people and during our post-presentation consultation sessions, had a chance to interact individually to help answer research questions.

This week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series prompt is “In the Census.” Well, a standard part of my presentations on getting started in your research is that the first set of records to go to are the US Census records. It never ceases to amaze me just how much information can be gleaned when working backward consecutively through the years. During the presentation, I explained how the 1950 census will be released in 2022 and I thought to myself – wow- we are so close! I did quite a bit of transcription for the 1940 census and I am looking forward to hopefully being able to do the same for 1950.

I am already beginning to think about who I’ll search for first in the 1950 census and it will definitely be my grandparents:

maternal grandmother: Alice McNair – in April 1950, my grandmother had given birth to my uncle Stanley. He was born in Brooklyn, NY so I expect to find her and him there; he was only 6 weeks old on census enumeration day. The address on his birth certificate is 44 MacDonough Street in Brooklyn, so I expect to find them there.
maternal grandfather: Herman Robinson – my grandfather discharged from the US Navy in 1946 and would marry my grandmother in September 1950. I expect he will be in New York somewhere, but I do not know where. I wonder if he will be near his own mother, Lucinda Lennon Robinson – she would be living on Harlem River Drive in Manhattan.
paternal grandmother: Cora Mae Lawhorn – she married my grandfather in 1951, so I expect to find her still living at home with her parents in Craven County, NC.
paternal grandfather: William Koonce Sr. – I also expect to find him still living at home with his parents – also in Craven County, NC.

I will then search for my great-grandparents as 7 of the 8 were still alive in 1950. Until the 1950 census is transcribed, we will need to navigate them by knowing the enumeration districts, so check Steve Morse’s One-Step site for those details.

1950 Craven County, NC Enumeration Districts

And so that I don’t forget my plan, this blog entry is going into my calendar for the first week of April 2022. Are you prepared?

Color Genealogy Filing System

2018-02-02T20:23:00+00:00

Editor's Note: This posting was originally posted on my blog on Sunday, February 15, 2009. Links to this blog posting were updated March 10, 2014, January 23, 2018, and February 2, 2018.

Genealogy is a hobby full of papers, electronic files, and heirlooms. The more documents we find on our family, the more the paper piles up. As a result, the excitement of finding information on our ancestors is overshadowed by the weight of piles of papers.

Since beginning this hobby in 1994, I have tried various filing methods such as notebooks and an ancestral number filing system. However, none of these methods have worked effectively for me. Many new genealogist use a notebook to organize their paper documents. I used a notebook also when I began this hobby in 1994. However, after accumulating many documents, a notebook did not work for me. A few years ago, I discovered the Family Roots Organizer Video in my local public library. Later, I purchased my own copy of the video which I watch periodically.

The foundation of this filing system for genealogy papers is based on a color-coding system for the pedigree line. This method recommends using one of four colors for each of your four grandparents.

BLUE: Paternal Grandfather

GREEN: Paternal Grandmother

RED: Maternal Grandfather

YELLOW: Maternal Grandmother

I modified this filing system to suit my needs. I’m not sure why I didn’t use the exact colors for each grandparent that were suggested, however, the four-color method still works no matter what colors are used for each grandparent. I also choose to use color file folders for both ancestors and collateral family and green hanging folders for all families. I use highlighters on the hanging file folder tabs for each surname. I choose the following colors for each of my grandparents.

Minor: Maternal Grandfather (green)

Emma: Maternal Grandmother (red)

Mack: Paternal Grandfather (blue)

Hattie: Paternal Grandmother (yellow)

Red, Green, Yellow, and Blue colored file folders are included in the spring colors of an assorted box of folders. Orange is also included in the spring colors and I adopted this color for my growing collection of DNA related files. The fall colors of an assorted box of file folders includes Grey, Maroon, Royal, Teal, and Purple. From this box, I have chosen Purple folder for my files related to white families in my research who are either slave owners, suspected slave owners, or some other relations to my family such as employer, landlord, or neighbor. I use the remaining colors for personal files such as bills and other financial related files.

Since using this color system for my ancestral files, I can now immediately indentify from a distance the category or grandparent to which each file belongs. By the way, this color filing system can also be used with notebooks, instead of file folders. Some genealogists use white notebooks and place a specific color cover and strip in spine for easy identification.

For more information, visit the websites below:

Family Roots Organizer System
Handout - Family Roots Organizer
Color Coded Genealogy Filing System (Just Another GiGi blog-includes links to videos)
Change File Folder Icons to Color (free version)

52Ancestors52Weeks, Census-Joseph Goings

2018-02-02T05:00:00+00:00

As a genealogist new or experienced the Federal Population census is a go too document. From what I know and you can visit the United States Census Bureau website for more information. There are several reasons why the federal government developed the population census. I am not going in-depth about who does what about the census. But here are some key points that I think folks should know:

It’s about people and the economy in the United States. It is taken every ten years.
It helps delegate federal $$ to local communities every year and others things
It does the American Community Survey, something I look at for my day job.
The first census was taken in 1790 and today we have access to the 1940 Census.
Every 72 years the census is available to the general public.
Each census collected different information-visit this website to learn about each census: https://www.census.gov/prod/2000pubs/cff-2.pdf

Well let me introduce you to Joseph Goings! He is my 4th great grandfather. I find him in the 1810, 1820, and 1830 federal population census. We assume he is born about 1750 to 1775. His son Lawson was born in 1807 in Loudoun County. As of yet, we do not know when he died or where he is buried. Most of the Goings family in Loudoun County migrated to Jefferson County, Virginia, now West Virginia.

I would recommend looking and learning the columns and what should be filled in but the census taker. The 1810 Census collected the name of the head of the family, if the head of the household is white, their age and sex, race and if there were slaves. When you develop your timeline on an ancestor you want to make sure you have the census and state census listed. In addition, you want to note who is in the household.

Below is a blank 1810 to view:

Here is an 1810 census showing Joseph Goings in Loudoun County, Virginia.

Here is an 1860 Census for Medina County, Ohio. View the Wm Davis family. The 1860 census collected the 1860 the Name of the head of the household; age; sex; race; value of real estate; value of personal estate; occupation; birthplace; whether married within the year; school attendance; literacy; whether deaf and dumb; blind, insane, idiotic, pauper, or convict.

Here is the 1860 Census with William and Mildred Davis’s household.

Another document I would suggest you get is the instructions for the census takers. You can download it free from the census bureau website. With the blank census forms and the filled out forms you should gain a little bit more knowledge of the benefit of using the census. (https://www.census.gov/history/www/through_the_decades/census_instructions/)

Know your roots, they are Long and Strong!

GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Site with Christopher B. Thomas

2018-02-02T02:00:00+00:00

The GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site has been established on the campus of GLEAMNS Human Resources Commission is located in the old African-American Brewer Hospital, the site and source of African-American healthcare in Greenwood County before desegregation. The site, adjacent to and part of the old Brewer School has its origins back to 1872, was chosen because of its historical significance to black life in Greenwood County. The birth home of Dr. Mays, previously listed as one of South Carolina’s Eleven Most Endangered Properties, was originally located in a pasture in SE Greenwood County in the community of Epworth. The site includes the original Burns Spring School from the Epworth area that is identical to the Brickhouse School that Dr. Mays attended as a child. The Barn that serves as modern museum. The museum captures Dr. Mays’ life in over 100 professionally framed photos and contains many of his personal items. The museum contains a theatre that seats fifty-five and is equipped with TV/DVD system that allows visitors to the site to hear and see films, speeches and sermons by and about Dr. Mays and his extraordinary life. Christopher B. Thomas is a native of Sacramento, CA and was educated in the Sacramento public schools. He has lived in Greenwood, SC since 2007. He hold a Bachelors of Arts in History from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies and a Master of Theology from Liberty University. He is an ordained Elder in the Church of God In Christ and is celebrating his 25th years in public ministry. He currently is the Director of the GLEAMNS Dr. Benjamin E. Mays Historical Preservation Site in Greenwood, SC, and senior pastor of Faith Fellowship Community Church of God In Christ in Greenwood, SC.

An African-American Cemetery in Baltimore was Bulldozed

2018-02-01T01:14:00+00:00

Wow this is so sad! Thank you Dick Eastman for sharing this information. Our cemeteries are precious and protected. This is why what we do as genealogists is so important.

Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

“Show me the manner in which a nation cares for its dead, and I will measure with mathematical exactness the tender mercies of its people, their respect for the laws of the land and their loyalty to high ideals.” – William Gladstone

Since it was opened in 1852, Laurel Cemetery was supposed to become a place where the luminaries of Baltimore’s black community could be remembered forever. “All who procure burials here are sure of an undisturbed resting place for all time to come,” an 1858 ad promised. However, “forever” ended in the 1960s.

The cemetery was paved over by developers with political connections. Today the former cemetery is the site of a Food Depot, a discount department store, and a Dollar General, among other commercial buildings.

View original post 80 more words

Caesar Bruner - Seminole Band Leader

2018-01-31T01:28:00+00:00

(Photo courtesy of Susie Moore, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

One cannot present a profile of Seminole families without mention of the name, Caesar Bruner. He was the leader of the Bruner band--the band chief in fact. And, in addition, his legacy is one that continues to this day. Bruner is also one of the few leaders from Indian Territory for whom there is also a photo image of him that survives.

At the time of the Dawes Commission, Ceasar was already an old man, who had arrived with the contingent of Seminoles from Florida. He like Abraham and others lived among the maroons, and later with the Indians who later arrived in the Territory after the Seminole wars. Bruner, like another compatriot, Dosar Barkus ended up being not only a band leader, but also spoke on behalf of many Freedmen who appeared in front of the Dawes Commission in the 1890s and early 1900s. His word was accepted when he spoke on their behalf.

Little is written however, about Bruner's own family history and it is seldom mentioned. in particular his own parents and siblings if they are known. As a result I decided to give a brief overview about his life.

From The Dawes Card

Caesar Bruner lived his life before the Civil War as a free man. He was the son of parents from Alabama and Florida, who came to the Territory during the years of removal. Having been born and having lived among Seminoles as well as Creeks Bruner spoke the language of both the native people as well as English.

His parents at one time were said to have been enslaved, although that can be disputed to a great degree as well. However, the status given to him on the Dawes Card is interesting. This man, a leader in the tribe, a free man, never enslaved, was still put recorded as a "Freedman". So his placement as a "freedman" is seemingly incorrect, because he was not "freed" from bondage, having not been enslaved. His name was recorded on Seminole Freedman card, #740, Field #133.On his card in fact in the column reflecting the name of the slave holder, it is clearly written that he was a free man.

Seminole Freedman #740 Field Card #133

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914

NAI Number: 251747

Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

His parents were said to have been William Bruner and Affie Bruner. According to the information on the Dawes card, they had once been enslaved by Tom Bruner a Seminole.

Siblings of Caesar Bruner
Of course many of the interviews are missing and not available for examination. Thankfully from an interview of a nephew of Caesar Bruner a bit more is learned about the family. From the 1937 interview with Benjamin F. Bruner, the names of some of the siblings of Caesar were learned. Ben F. Bruner was interviewed as part of the Indian Pioneer project. He spoke about his life, and his own family.

Ben Bruner was part of the Bruner clan and like Caesar, was he too born free. And at the time of the Dawes enrollment, he lived in the same community as Caesar.

In the interview with the Pioneer project, he spoke of his own father John, and when they came to Indian Territory. His interview also reflects a more intimate relationship between Seminoles enslaved and free, and of the contact between those who were enslaved and those who were identified as full Seminoles. In addition, the relationship between Seminoles and Creeks is also noted in this excerpt from his interview. And in that interview he mentions his father John's siblings by name.

From this excerpt we learn that Ben's father John, and had siblings who were Perry, Caesar and Will. Clearly Caesar is among them. It also has to be pointed out that the brother "Perry" he mentions is actually Paro Bruner, often called Perry even some by Bruner descendants today.

But note---Paro Bruner was actually enrolled as a Creek and he was the very first Creek Freedmen to enroll on Census Card #1. Also he is another Freedman leader for whom a rare photo image actually exists as well. When examining the card for Paro Bruner---it is clear that he and Caesar Bruner were siblings--same father and the same mother. His parents were William Bruner and Affie Bruner--the same two people who were the parents of Caesar Bruner.

(Courtesy of Oklahoma Historical Society)

Enrollment Card for Paro Bruner front and back

Creek Freedman Card #1
(Source: Same as for census card images above)

The interview with Ben Bruner also left another significant clue about Caesar Bruner. He mentioned that Caesar along with Perry and Will left Indian Territory,and went north (meaning into Kansas) during the Civil War. I checked to see if Caesar served in the military in the Union Army. What a surprise that to see that he did not serve in the military as a soldier, but worked for the military as an official interpreter.

National Archives and Records Administration. U.S., Civil War Pension Index:
General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934. Washington, D.C.:
National Archives and Records Administration. T288, 546 rolls.

He filed for a pension later in life, but was not awarded the pension, however, the record shows that he applied for his service having been an interpreter. After his death his wife Nancy also applied, but she too was later denied a widow's pension. And a second card reflects the brother William, who was a soldier. He enlisted in the 1st Kansas Colored Infantry. That unit was later re-designated as the 79th US Colored Infantry. In his own case, he applied for a pension and received it.

(Source: Same as above image)

Application Jacket

Usually the Dawes Commission records contain an application jacket that corresponds with the enrollment card. However, similar to that of the Creeks many of the Seminole files are empty. The jackets exist, but they are clearly marked empty and unfortunately in the case of this band leader, his file was also empty. Although he was interviewed many times when other Freedmen members of his band applied, his file was an empty one years later.

National Archives Publication M1301

Applications for Enrollment

(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen)

It is difficult to imagine how the words of a tribal leader would be lost, but some of his words were preserved in the interview when he appeared to select his land allotment.

Ancestry.com. Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Land Allotment Jackets for Five Civilized Tribes,

1884-1934[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014.

Original data: Department of the Interior. Office of Indian Affairs. Five Civilized Tribes Agency.

Applications for Allotment, compiled 1899–1907. Textual records. Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75.

The National Archives at Fort Worth, Texas.

(Source: same a above)

And sure enough each member of his immediate family was able to select their small 40 acre parcels of land, each. On this particular document one can see Caesar's name along with wife Nancy, and granddaughter Effie on this land record. Although they received only 40 acres each, it should also be pointed out that Bruner had other adult children as well. However, it does appear that in some other cases from other bands that Seminoles identified as "by blood" their acreage was larger. How extensive that pattern was is not known. But the large Bruner clan did occupy much land after the process ended.

(Source: Same as above)

It is well known that the large extended family of Bruners settled in the lands around Turkey Creek. An older settlement area known as Brunertown was the area where this large clan of Seminoles lived for many years and then after the allotment process ended they lived around Turkey Creek. He died in 1923 and is buried at Mt. Zion Cemetery in Seminole County Oklahoma. His descendants live around the country.

(Courtesy of Charles Gibson)

The legacy of Caesar Bruner is an interesting one, going back to his own family in the Seminole Nation, in Florida, and also part of Alabama. By following the footprints that he left in the records, his journey was massive. His parents and siblings all survived the Seminole wars, and began a new life with family in Indian Territory. He was a leader to his community and was a major patriarch to his family and clan.

As one who spoke the Muscogee language of the area, and served the Union army as an interpreter, and was able to move comfortably among both Seminole and Creek communities. His brother Paro Bruner was a leader among Creek Freedmen while Caesar himself became band chief of the Bruner band. His life spanned a good portion of the 19th century during a period of disenfranchisement and hardship, and extended into the early years of the 20th century. He lived to see the world change, to make a difference, and because of him an amazing legacy remains.

This is the 40th article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

Home Training – Why Genealogy Needs a Code of Conduct

2018-01-30T21:53:00+00:00

The rest of the world has one. Why don’t we?

My mother has a lot of ‘isms and anecdotes that I quote because they’re hilarious, provide for good conversation, and mostly because they’re true. One of her most often used tropes is about home training.

home training

verb. A way of acting, in both public and private, that indicates that the adults in your life have taught you about what is and is not appropriate in a respective environment.

Ma was and still is a stickler for home training, especially in public. Even as an adult I can still hear her declarations before I go some place:

“You better act like you have some home training.”

Of course we never wanted to embarrass ourselves, but we for sure never, ever, ever wanted to embarrass my mother or our family.

It seems like every day we hear about at least one incident where someone has displayed an apparent lack of home training – whether it’s

a teacher using a racial slur as a way to get her students to turn down their music, or
a famous YouTuber going into a known location of suicides, filming a suicide victim he came across, and uploading the video of said incident to YouTube to generate for views on YouTube, or
or referring to El Salvador, Haiti, and the 54 countries that make up the continent of Africa as “shithole countries”

the time is apparently ripe for a display of a lack of home training.

The Time a Tree Fell in the City and Only One Person Saw It

It’s with this in mind that I believe a dialogue needs to happen in the genealogy and family history space. We, as a collective group, also need to get our lives together when it comes to the subject of home training.

Recently, an attendee at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) used a racial slur referring to immigrants during one of the sessions being held. The term was one that use to be directed toward Ellis Island arrivals but in the last 40 or so years has been directed specifically at the Latinx community. The slur was used in a joking manner. Based on accounts, only one person even bothered to say anything to the attendee when the class had 40 people and an instructor there.

One person. Let those two words sink in. Only ONE PERSON bothered to say anything. At least in the examples I gave above more than one voice came out and said they couldn’t support the behavior, yet here, the silence was defeaning.

In the days that have followed the incident, my geneabud Linda Okazaki blogged about what had taken place since she was in attendance at SLIG but not in the session where the incident took place. Others have heard about the incident and have taken to social media to discuss it, which is puzzling considering that only ONE person in the session bothered to say anything. Not a single word from SLIG either. I can say with certainty that I believe had Linda not written her piece, this entire thing would have flown way under the radar.

Playing Together Nicely

Anyone who applies for a job or is currently employed is familiar with non-discrimination policies. These are clearly outlined and should, as per the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission “state that discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), national origin, disability, age (40 or older) or genetic information (including family medical history) is illegal and will not be tolerated.”¹

Why we don’t have the same thing for genealogy and family history, in particular, for conduct at conferences and/or events?

Some may speculate why would even need such a policy or code of conduct when people should just be on their best behavior. Well, the truth is, we see how far that’s gone if the attendee at SLIG felt comfortable making the comment they made. It’s hardly the first of it’s type and won’t be the last. Along those lines, we have to be mindful that people within our community may not have ever been held accountable for their behavior or in the words of Ma “may not have home training.”

The Board of Certification of Genealogists has a Code of Ethics, but not even within that code of ethics is even a period, semi-colon, dash, ellipis, etc. referring to even certified genealogists agreeing to non-discrimination in their personal or professional work. Even still, only certified genealogists are subject to that code. So, what about the other folks?

Head to most family history related conference/event website and I can guarantee you MOST of them don’t have a code of conduct that could potentially have prevented the incident that happened at SLIG. In fact, I can tell you more about where I can eat during a conference than about whether or not an organization will tolerate a fellow conference attendee calling me the N-word. This is an issue for EVERYONE.

The only large scale genealogy and family history related entities I could even find that have a non-discrimination policy are Thomas MacEntee, Dear MYRTLE and RootsTech.*

Moving Foward

A code of conduct could easily be implemented in the registration process for membership or for event/conference attendance. Yes, it would be a rubber stamp considering that we’re all held to federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination, but it would also send the message to people of color and marginalized communities that they are welcome and protected. Silence is complicity and in this case, there’s more than a conference room of 40 attendees with their mouths shut.

Sources

(1) General Non-Discrimination Policy Tips. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Jan. 2018. <https://www.eeoc.gov/employers/smallbusiness/checklists/general_non-discrimination_policy.cfm>.

* Editor’s note: The first version of this post neglected to mention the efforts of Dear MYRTLE (Pat Richley-Erickson) to commemorate the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2024. The graphic below is what she uses to communicate this statement along with the following text that is shared before her hangouts: “DearMYRTLE and Cousin Russ recognize the United Nations’ International Decade for People of African Descent 2015-2024. We reach out to all regardless of race, color, creed or national origin with support for researching family and documenting cultural inheritance.” The image and text have been shared with her permission.

Additionally, RootsTech also contacted me about their newly instituted newly instituted Code of Conduct for the 2018 conference. It is now required that each attendee agree to the terms before their registration is processed. This Code of Conduct was not previously publicly available but has been provided to me by FamilySearch to be shared with this post.

The post Home Training – Why Genealogy Needs a Code of Conduct appeared first on who is nicka smith?.

I’ve Joined the Guild of One-Name Studies

2018-01-30T05:01:00+00:00

This weekend I joined the Guild of One-Name Studies and I am ecstatic! I’ve had my eye on the Guild for a few years because I do research on families with my Koonce surname – whether related to me or not. I have a research database full of Koonce families and I actively use FamilySearch Family Tree and Ancestry Member Trees to document the work. Many Koonce descendants have contacted me over the years and I enjoy every interaction.

A few months ago, I learned that the Guild offers members the opportunity to host our research sites on their servers. They offer to do this in several formats, including WordPress sites and through the use of TNG: The Next Generation of Genealogy Site-Building. With that, I was hooked because I am a WordPress fangal and ardent user and supporter of TNG; I’ve been using TNG for about 11 years and personally find it unparalleled as a genealogy software platform.

As a Guild member, I anticipate being able to take my research to the next step. I plan to move my project from my personal web server over to the Guild’s. The Koonce surname is now part of the registry and I know that even after I am gone, the research will live on as a legacy site for others to leverage for years to come. Members’ research files can also be submitted to FamilySearch as part of their “Genealogies” collection. The Guild has committed to maintaining members’ sites for the long-term; a move I find visionary and only wish more national/international societies would employ.

P.S. – I’ve been participating in Amy Johnson Crow’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks blog series and for Week 4, I blogged on the Koonce site, rather than here on my genealogy blog. Go check it out!

The Sanders Family - Freedmen of the Choctaw Nation

2018-01-30T04:07:00+00:00

This final piece in my 52-week blogging effort focuses on the Sanders family of the Choctaw Nation. The names of the children were found on Choctaw Freedman New Born Card #230. Their mother Louisa, was already enrolled on a regular Choctaw Freedman Card. George Sanders was the head of the family at the time, and the children of this family, are an extension of the family of Samuel and Sallie Walton.

They are the grandchildren of Sallie Walton, through her daughter Louisa, who was on Choctaw Freedman card #777 with the rest of the Walton family.

Choctaw Freedman Enrollment Card #777
The National Archives at Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914, NAI Number: 251747
Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

Louisa Ingram married George Sanders and with her husband she had several children, including the three children on the enrollment card #320 of Choctaw Freedmen. John Henry, Ethel and Eastern were the three oldest children. Two other children Bennie and George were later born, but they were born after the rolls closed and were never added to the file.

Choctaw Freedman Newborn Card #230

Among some family records an old photo was located taken at a small country school in the Choctaw Nation. Easter Sanders identified who her siblings were before she passed away in 1999.

Sanders Children in Old Family photo

Personal Collection

The Application Jacket

The first items found in the application jacket were three birth affidavits for each of the Sanders children. John Henry, Ethel and Easter Sanders all had birth records that were recorded. A surprise for me was to learn that my great grandmother Sallie was listed as the midwife attending the births of her grandchildren.

National Archives Publication M1301, Applications for Enrollment
(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen

(Same as above)

The interview was conducted with George Sanders the husband to Louisa. Questions were initially focused on the parents of Louisa Ingram. Louisa was previously enrolled on Choctaw Freedman Card #777 with Sallie Walton who was her mother. Her step father Samuel, and her brothers Houston and Sam Jr. were also on the same card. However the focus remained on her father who he was. Sanders was asked if he knew anything about John Williams as her father and his reply was that he did not. He mentioned that Samuel Walton had raised her and she always called him Pa.

Questions were also asked regarding Louisa's mother Sallie. In that exchange a references was made to a nickname that they used for Sallie. Sometimes they called her "Kittie".

Upon reading about her nickname I personally recall an uncle visiting the home speaking with Sallie, and him asking her "didn't they used to call you Kitty?" I remember that conversation from my childhood only because I thought it so odd. I recall that she did not reply, but she simply smiled at him, when he called her that name.

(I would only learn later that "Kitty" was also the name of her grandmother--her mother Amanda's mother's name was "Kitty Perry." I would also learn in a court document when Nail Perry would state that Kitty was sometimes called "Old Kit".)

Again the questions would drift back to the identity of Louisa's father.

(Same as above)

There was some concern whether papers had been submitted on time to enroll the children. George Sanders pointed out that he did mail in papers for Ethel and they had been submitted many months before. They became part of the official file as evidence for the case.

(Same as above)

It appears that in spite of the mother's status as an enrolled Choctaw Freedman, the fact that a deadline had been missed, put the children in jeopardy of being enrolled as Choctaw citizens. The stipulation was focusing on submission of an application for the children prior to November 1906 and even the evidence submitted on Ethel's behalf, the case was denied. Appeals were made but the decision made "adverse" to the applicants was upheld.

(Same as above)

The Sanders family still had access to land that was obtained through the enrollment of Sam and Walton, and Louisa's brothers Houston, and Sam Jr. For many years, this Sanders lived in what became Le Flore County Oklahoma, around Heavener Oklahoma as George the father worked in the mines. He and Louisa raised their children in Le Flore County, where they remained well into the 1940s.

Their close cousins the Waltons had moved into Fort Smith to obtain high school education for the Walton sons, Samuel Louis, and Richard Daniel . They, like the Sanders remained in Fort Smith. And meanwhile, another branch of the Sanders line moved to Bakersfield California where they remain to this day.

Descendants Today

Through Bennie Sanders and daughter Ruthie Sanders Bradley, the family continues to thrive in Western Arkansas. Through George Sanders Jr., the line continues through the families now based in Bakersfield California.

Within various families branches of the extended family, the ties to the cultural base in which they lived remained strong. Sallie, the family matriarch was always known to be Choctaw, as she spoke the language, and practiced many cultural traditions. Many of her great grandchildren from both Sanders and Walton branches, recall her teaching them words and phrases in Choctaw. Her brother "Uncle Joe" would occasionally visit the family in Arkansas, and some elders still recall his visits.

Ethel, the one of the daughters of George and Louisa died as a young girl at the tender age of nine years. John Henry lived to adulthood, and worked as a mechanic for Texaco in Poteau Oklahoma for most of his life with his wife Augustus Sanders a popular school teacher in the black school in Poteau. Easter Sanders lived to be 91 years of age and died in 1999 in McAlister Oklahoma.

Easter Sanders - Personal collection

The family always knew and spoke of their Grandma Sallie and considered her to be a traditional Choctaw woman. Cousins in California who descended from George and Louisa throughout the years spoke of having been denied their rights as Choctaws, since their mother Louisa had been enrolled.

I first made contact with some of the California Sanders cousins who descended from George Sanders, one of the younger children of Louisa and George. Their father George had asked in his final days that they continue the family's quest to prove their Choctaw history.

There is no land to obtain now, and admission to the nation will not come to them, but through history, their history and documented tie to the land of their father's birth has been completed. Born of the Choctaw Nation, their roots are already proven, and hopefully they will find peace knowing that their ties are there and cannot be denied.

-John Henry, Ethel, Easter, and later George and Ben were the children of George and Louisa Ingram Sanders.
-Louisa was the daughter of Sallie Walton
-Sallie was the daughter Amanda Perry.
-Amanda was the daughter of Kitty Crow
-Kitty whose parents are unknown came with the Perrys clan from Yalobusha County Mississippi on the Trail of Tears.

Kitty was the oldest person enslaved in the Perry clan, and Kitty, Amanda, and Sallie would not see freedom until 1866. Their ties to the Choctaw Nation before and after removal are strong and are well documented and the descendants of all from George Sanders Sr. to Ruthie Sanders Bradley can know that their history is strongly rooted upon the soil, and upon the pages of history.

These families are important to me, because they, like myself, all descend from Sallie Walton. Our legacy is a strong one, and status on the roll or not--we have a history that deserves to be told, to be honored and to be celebrated.

This is the 52nd article in a 52 article devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus has been on the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts have been part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

New Season, New Ideas, New Directions: Black Pro Gen

2018-01-30T03:09:00+00:00

Black Pro Gen LIVE New Features

Well a new season is here, and new ideas that have been simmering are arising. So thrilled to share with everyone the new season and some new strategies to work with beginning genealogists and seasoned ones to find the ancestors and break through the challenges we call "brick walls."

Black Pro Gen is a community of African American Professional Genealogists who work together, sharing ideas and strategies. There are quite a few of us out there ready to assist others, and to share ideas with each other as well.

For the past year, there have been regular Black Pro Gen Hangouts - which are live discussions viewed by an audience listening to a fascinating dialogue about research strategies. If you missed them, you can find them on YouTube. Each Hangout session is devoted to a theme---some are focused on various states and resources, and other new features.

As Google is making changes, the Hangouts are now to be known at LIVE, and Black Pro Gen is joining the fun. But in addition to that some new features will be added to the Black Pro Gen events.

ASK MARIAH

Do you have a genealogy brick wall? Is there something that you can't figure out from your many records? Or are you looking for a suggestion on where to go next with your research? If this description fits you, then you may get some help if you "Ask Mariah". This is a new feature that will be part of Black Pro Gen LIVE. Throughout the year, this group of researchers, gather online to discuss projects, or to explore a common topic and to offer suggestions and strategies to each other. Simply submit your questions to me@whoisnickasmith.com, or to AngelaW859@aol.com, and we will answer them on Black Pro Gen LIVE! Put Ask Mariah in the subject line.

ANCESTRY MAKERS

How can you as a regular person have your genealogy done by professionals? Well Black Pro Gen, will have your genealogy done by professionals free of charge. If you are selected, you only have to be a guest on the BlackProGen Hangout, and find out the results of their research conducted for you. Why not let the team of professional genealogists on Black Pro Gen LIVE do the work? If your project is selected, the reveal will be made to you and your family LIVE online in one of the Black Pro Gen Hangouts. If this interests you, send an email to Nicka Smith and she will follow up with you about your research interest.

Both services are offered for free.

Here are members of the BlackProGen community and where you can find their blogs and websites:

Name: Website

Bernice A. Bennett Research at the National Archives and Beyond

Linda Buggs Simms Mississippi Rooted

Melvin Collier   Mississippi to Africa, Roots Revealed

Vicky Daviss-Mitchell   Mariah's Zepher

Ellen Fernandez-Sacco   Babilonia Family History

George Geder Geder Writes

Taneya Koonce Taneya's Genealogy Blog

James Morgan III Afr. American Fraternal and Benevolent Society History

Shelley Murphy Family Tree Girl

Drusilla Pair   Find Your Folks

Renate Sanders Into the Light

Angela Walton-Raji African Roots Podcast, My Ancestor's Name, African-NatAm.

Nicka Smith Who is Nicka Smith, Atlas Family

Teresa Vega Radiant Roots, Boricua Branches

Next year promises to be an exciting year and we hope that you will join all of us!

Sam and Sallie Walton - Choctaw Freedmen

2018-01-29T23:10:00+00:00

Samuel and Sallie Walton
(Personal Collection)

No Oklahoma Freedman project would be complete without telling the story of my own family from the Choctaw Nation. The face above is that of Sallie Walton, my great grandmother. She was the face that I saw throughout my childhood, and a face that represents, love, sweetness, and wisdom. She was the face I saw every afternoon, and it was her bed into which I fell for my afternoon naps, until I started school.

Her ties to the Choctaw Nation were nothing new--it was often spoken of. It is also from studying her history, that I learned the history of thousands of others from the same place--Indian Territory. Sallie was born in the Choctaw Nation, in Indian Territory about 1863, right in the middle of the Civil War. I would not realize however, until 1991 that the face that I had always loved was the face of one who was born enslaved. She was a small child when freedom came and having been born enslaved that would place her and her children on the roll of "Freedmen" from the Choctaw Nation.

Sallie married Samuel Walton, and they both appeared in front of the Dawes Commission in 1898 to apply as Choctaw Freedmen. On the card, were my great grandparents, Samuel and Sallie, my grandfather Sam Jr., my uncle Houston and my aunt Louisa Ingram. They all lived in the Skullyville area of the Nation.

On the far right it is noted that Samuel's slave holder was a man called Jim Davis. For Sallie it was noted that she was enslaved by Emeline Perry.

Choctaw Freedman Card #777

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914

NAI Number: 251747, Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

Additional information on the back appears on the enrollment card. Samuel's father was listed as Pat "Drenard" and his mother as Lydia Walters. Sallie's father was listed as Eastman Williams, and her mother was Amanda Perry. In the column next to her father's name is a notation that he was not enslaved or "owned" but in fact he was a Choctaw Indian. Sallie's mother had been enslaved and it was noted once again that the slave holder was Emeline Perry.

The Application Jacket

Thankfully, the application jacket contained full testimony of the Waltons during the Dawes process. Samuel first was interviewed and additional information about the family was revealed. It turns out that he was not born in the Territory, but was born, in fact, in Arkansas. Samuel pointed out that he was later brought to the Territory and later sold to Jim Davis in the Choctaw Nation. On this same document Sallie was interviewed. When asked she refers to her mother Amanda, and interestingly with a new surname---a Choctaw one "Anchatubbee".

Richard Brashears is then called to testify. He was a leading Freedman in the post Civil War years and served as an advocate for Choctaw Freedman. He speaks to Sallie's history and her mother slave holder. (He erroneously mentions Jonathan Nail's sister as being the slave holder, but it is clarified in a later interview.)

National Archives Publication M1301

Applications for Enrollment,
Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen)

More about Samuel is learned in the interview, when Nail Perry comes to testify. He pointed out that Sallie's mother Amanda was freed under his sister, Emeline. After the interview with Perry, it becomes clear how Sallie was connected to the Choctaw nation, and by whom she and her mother were freed.

(Source: Same as above)

Land Allotment Records
The family was placed on Choctaw Freedman enrollment card #777. The official "roll number" is found to the left of the name of the enrollee. As a result, the allotment file is categorized under the Dawes Roll Number. In the case of Samuel Walton, my great grandfather, his roll number is 3747. The file pertaining to his land allotment therefore is 3747, and each person whose name is listed on the card has a file pertaining to their land allotment and it is categorized by their roll number.

Ancestry.com. Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Land Allotment Jackets for Five Civilized Tribes, 1884-1934[database on-line].

Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014

In this statement data was taken from Samuel Walton, as he represented Sallie in the selection of her land. Included in the document is a legal description of the land that was allotted.

(Same as above)

By closely examining the document it is noticed that Samuel Walton was a literate man. He signed his own name and his signature appears. It was pointed out in the earlier Dawes interview that he was a preacher and traveled throughout the territory. Seeing his signature is insightful as it speaks to the fact that he was literate.

(Source: Same as above)

Family Documents

There are a few personal records that also reflect Sallie's history. Folded up in the family bible was a plat map that Sallie kept among her papers. It was found after she died in 1961 and for years it was not clear what it was, until I began to explore the family's history and learned more about the allotment process.

Land document from personal family collection

Other notes made in an old family Bible reflected dates of births and deaths, and some of them were clearly born in "I.T." for Indian Territory. For many years it was not known what I.T. meant on those bible pages, until I had begun documenting Sam and Sallie's history.

(Sample page from family bible)

In another set of records, I discovered a set of school records from Skullyville County in the Choctaw Nation. These records are preserved on microfilm in the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Among the records were those of the "Colored Neighborhood Schools in the Choctaw Nation. These small schools in Skullyville were established by the tribe, for the children of their former slaves, and they were fascinating, as the staff and teachers were from the same community of Freedmen where Sam and Sallie lived. I compiled the school records into a small booklet.

(Booklet compiled in 2006)

On one of those cards, in the Ft. Coffee Neighborhood School, the name of Samuel Walton was found listed among the students. That Samuel would be the son of Samuel and Sallie Walton, whose name appears as Sam Jr. on the Dawes Card above.

(Source: Same as above)

There is much more that can be shared about the life of Sallie Walton. Not much is known about her life during her early years. But she lived through incredible times and survived. I also learned more about her direct ancestry--her mother Amanda, and her grandmother Kitty, who came with the Choctaw Perrys to the Territory from the old country in Mississippi. Sallie was born a slave, during the Civil War, but was freed while still just a tiny child. She then grew up amid at time of critical change in Indian Territory.

Thankfully being enslaved was not a memory that Sallie had to live with, but she did live through the years of westward expansion, and during a time of lawlessness on the western frontier, which was a reality in the Territory. In fact, one of Sallie's uncles was accused of being a part of a group of Choctaw outlaws. This uncle was put on trial in front of Judge Parker, the hanging judge. The circumstances around the case of 2nd great uncle Jackson Crow brought much trauma to the family at the time in the mid 1880s. Sallie would be in her twenties when this occurred. In later years, when family would ask about the old days of west--Sallie was adamant about not talking about that time. And after that she and the family went through the Dawes enrollment process, secured their land allotments all around the time of Oklahoma statehood. She also endured Jim Crow when it became Oklahoma law, and these events were only part of her journey. And she lived long enough to see the beginning of the Civil Rights era.

After statehood, she remained in Oklahoma until the 1920s when she would move across the Arkansas River and spend the last three decades of her life in nearby Fort Smith, Arkansas. There are multiple stories about Sallie that can be shared, but these few facts are presented in an effort to reflect the life in a small way, of an amazing woman who was clearly one who chose to survive.

Samuel died in 1912, and Sallie passed away almost 50 years later, in 1961. With all of the changes that she saw, she was still the same country woman who made wonderful sassafras tea for me when I was a child. She kept her own identity as a country Choctaw woman intact. And she also kept a strong identity as a black woman in America, always encouraging her grandchildren and great grandchildren to "do good for the race."

I still miss her smile, her potatoes, the scent of mint from her garden, the multi-colored bachelor button flowers that lined the fenced, and even the smell of her snuff. When I work in my garden I think her her massive garden that she always kept, and can smile as I feel her presence with me. Her legacy now extends into multiple families. From the Perry/Walton lines, come new generations of Waltons, Sanders, Bradleys, Dedners and beyond. The legacy of this beautiful Choctaw Freedwoman continues. She was my heart.

Image Source: Personal Collection

Colorized by Terry Ligon

**********

This is the 47^th article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

Tom Owens & Family, Choctaw Freedmen

2018-01-29T03:49:00+00:00

Coming from Red River County of the Choctaw Nation, in the town of Harris, Indian Territory, we find the Owens family of Choctaw Freedmen. Tom Owens appeared in front of the Dawes Commission April 18, 1899 to enroll himself, his wife Charlotte, their daughters Mollie, Lettie, and son Charley and another child, Martha Ann. Charley was born enslaved and he was enslaved by Lorenzo Harris of the Choctaw Nation.

Choctaw Freedman Card #186

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914

NAI Number: 251747 Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

From the back of the cards, it is revealed that Tom's father was also a man called Tom Owens. His mother was Jinsey Dradner who was enslaved by Betsey Harris, wife of the enslaver Lorenzo.

Tom's wife Charlotte was from the Butler family and her father was Henry Butler, once enslaved by Tom Pitchlynn. The Pitchlynn family was a prominent family in the Choctaw Nation, and Peter Pitchlynn was once the principal chief of the Choctaw Nation. Charlotte's mother was Carrie Butler, and both Henry and Carrie (Charlotte's parents) were both on the earlier 1896 Roll. The had been enslaved by William Harris

(same as above)

From The Application Jacket

At first glance the standard interview is found in the packet. Basic information is collected. As a Freedman it was asked if he had been a slave and who the slave holder was. Questions were also asked about his wife and whether she was a "state woman" , meaning from the United States. The reply was that she was a Freedman of the Choctaw Nation.

Another more interesting question was asked, if he had collected $100 and agreed to leave the Territory, and he replied that he had not.

National Archives Publication M1301

Applications for Enrollment

(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen)

Another Witness was called Bill Cole, and he was asked to confirm the name of the slave holders of Tom Owens, and he confirmed that Lorenzo and Betsy Harris were his slave holders. He confirmed that Tom was also considered a Choctaw Freedman.

The file was surprisingly large with additional papers about people not part of the family. Among one of the pages was a document reflecting the death of daughter Lettie who died in 1902. But what stands out in the file is a large number of pages pertaining to cases of omission by the Dawes Comission to enroll various individuals who had come through the interviews with the commssioners. They had met requirements for enrollment, but for some reason they had been previously omitted.

(Same as above)

However, those pages were quite extensive. The name that appear on those multiple pages represented people from other tribes who should have been enrolled. Among all of the people on those pages were Cherokees, Creeks, Chickasaws. In an effort to clear up confusion it was pointed out that all had been omitted previously and should have been enrolled.

(Same as above)

(Additional pages from the same collection NARA Publication M1301)

And the paragraph reflecting Tom Owens family information was included about Martha Ann Owens whose name had previously been omitted. It was also noted out that the people on the enrollment card were the children of Tom and Charlotte and that they all should also be placed upon the approved roll of Freedmen as well.

(Same as above)

Also found were birth affidavits that one often sees in files, reflecting children born after the interview process had begun.

(same as above)

And from the final pages of the lengthy it was concluded that the Henry and Martha should also be included as Choctaw Freedmen

Land Allotted

Like all families members of the Owens family was allotted land. Each person received a portion of land, appropriately.

Ancestry.com. Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Land Allotment Jackets for Five Civilized Tribes, 1884-1934[database on-line].
Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014.

(same as above)

The Cole family lived for many years in the community of Harris, but years later subsequent generations relocated to central Oklahoma to the Oklahoma City are where some descendants reside today. Their history of survival of enslavement and their continued life for many years in the Choctaw Nation is a testament to their sense of family, survival and legacy.

* * * * * * * * * *

This is the 32nd article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an on-going project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

The Family of Joe and Belle Davis -Cherokee Freedmen

2018-01-26T07:01:00+00:00

Sons of Joe and Belle Davis, Cherokee Freedmen, Courtesy of Steve Spencer Top row: Willie Davis, Joseph Davis, Curtis Dan Davis, Middle Row: Jim Davis, Thomas Davis, Bottom Row: Carl Davis, Charles Davis, John Davis

The Davis family of Vinita, in the Cherokee Nation has a very rich history. Joe Davis the patriarch appeared in May 1901 to enroll his family as Cherokee Freedmen. He provided the names of each of his children, Sadie, Willie, Thomas, Joseph, Dan, Carl, and Charles. Two other sons not on the card were adults and had enrolled on their own card. It is recorded that Joe had at one time been enslaved by Kinnie Davis.

There are additional notes on the card referring to more information on the family. The Davis family names had also appeared on the Kern Clifton Roll--referred to at the K.C. roll. In the lower left part on the page it is noted that there are other relatives to be found on Cherokee Freedmen cards #1200-1204.

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914
NAI Number: 251747, Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

His father was Tom Faught and his mother's name was Betsy Davis. Tom Faught had been a slave and was enslaved by Peggie Faught, and his mother Betsy was once enslaved by Wm. A. Davis. The family resided at that time in the Cooweescoowee District of the Cherokee Nation. It can be assumed that Joe took the name of his mother as the family name was not Faught. No other information is provided on Tom Faught, other than the name of the slave holder.

Also note--the family was originally placed on the "Doubtful" card as there was a concern about their eligibility for enrollment. Their names were later moved to an approved card in 1904.

(Same as above)

Application Jackets

Joe Davis was interviewed on May 16, 1901 in Vinita, Indian Territory in the Cherokee Nation. The questions began immediately about Joe Davis and his status as a recognized Cherokee Freedman. His name dd not appear on the 1880 roll of authenticated Cherokee Freedmen, which immediately made the commissioners willing to find reason to prevent his enrollment as a Cherokee citizen. He identified his wife and children when asked, and identified also the name of the Cherokee who enslaved him--Kinney Davis. His mother Betsey had died before 1880.

National Archives Publication M1301,
Applications for Enrollment
(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen)

In front of the committee, he presented a record of the family, and he indicated that the record that he had was abandoned by the Davis slave holding family when they had left it the estate at the end of the war. This is more than significant----Joe because he shared a document--a book that contained the names of all of the slaves held by the his family's slaveholders. The document is not found in this packet, and it can be assumed that he took it back and kept it. But on this page it is clearly stated, that he shared a book with the examining committee.

It should be pointed out, that few if any slave records from Indian Territory have ever survived, and at this time, , the Davis family still retained what they were able to found--a record confirming their own enslavement. It this record still exists by the descendants it should be preserved or placed in a county or state archives or museum, because its is a very rare slavery era record coming from Indian Territroy before it became Oklahoma.

On that page, Joe Davis was asked about the slave owner Kinney Davis. The document states:
Q. You were a slave of Kinney Davis?
A. Yes sir.
Q. Is Kinney Davis here?
A. No sir. Here is his family record, every slave that was on there. (Produces a book.)
Q. How did you happen to get Kinney Davis family record?
A. We was the last ones that left the place, me and my mother, and we carried this off, my mother give it to me.

This is probably the only case that may exist where a man once enslaved was able to prove the status of enslavement by producing the record that bore his name on the page!

Joe Davis was then asked about his name not being on the authenticated 1880 roll of Cherokee citizens. His tone is one again of confidence. When pointed out that it was strange that his name did not appear on that roll, he replied that it as not that strange to him.

A beautiful expression of love
The most striking remark then follows when asked about his marriage to wife Belle. He was asked when they married, and he produced a marriage certificate from 1876. He was asked if this was his first marriage.

Q. Was Bell Davis your first wife?
A. Yes sir, she was the only woman I ever loved in my life.
Q. You love her yet, do you?
A. I love her yet, still harder.

This kind of tenderness is rarely seen in Dawes interviews, particular since many of the commissioners were known to be harsh and hostile to the Freedmen being interviewed.

(Same as above)

In this file, one gets a remarkable story of the movement of Joe Davis after the war. He pointed out in the previous page that he learned the barbering trade in the early 1870s and continues to document the various places where he lived and where. Between Vinita, Fort Gibson, Cabin (Cabin Creek), Texas and other places he lived and moved throughout the Territory.

(Same as above)

As much as Davis was moving around over the years, he was also resourceful. He acquired property and had owned one piece of land since the late 1860s.

(Same as above)

Others were called in to testify for Joe Davis--George Vann, William Tucker, and Amy Bean. There was a need to verify that he was truly recognized as a Cherokee and that people had recognized him over the years.

(Same as above)

Another fascinating interview occurs when Amy Bean was sworn in. Joe Davis himself becomes the interviewer. He asks Amy how long they had known each other. She says that they knew each other during the time of the Civil War. Interestingly he also asks a fascinating question regarding where and what they did during the Civil War. Her reply again was remarkable and their exchange in general was amazing.

Q. What did we do during the war?
A. You know what we done, we hid in the mountains to keep the rebels from taking us off.

A long analysis of the status of the family followed with the decision to remove their names off the doubtful roll and to enroll them as Cherokee Freedmen.

(Same as above)

Three birth affidavits are included in the file for the younger children, Dan, Carl and Charles.

Birth Record for Dan Davis(Same as above)

Birth Record for Carl Davis(Same as above)

Birth Record for Charlie Davis

(Same as above)

A final interview in the file appears with Emmet Skinner. He was a close acquaintance of Joe Davis and spoke of how they met first in Texas and later back in the Cherokee Nation. Again like the other interviews, the reader gets an amazing glimpse of life in a western frontier town in a small Cherokee town such as Vinita. Skinner himself was not a Freedman and possibly not a Cherokee citizen, as he appears in some census years as white and confirms that he was from Texas. Nevertheless his interview also reflects movement and life on the frontier as his father was a cattleman.

(Same as above)

He clearly knew Joe Davis well, and he spoke even with knowledge about the location of Joe Davis's barber shop. This was a clear friendship and relationship that was one of two who had known each other for many years.

(Same as above)

The file ends with other smaller memos including one with the resolution to enroll the family of Joe Davis as Cherokee Freedmen.

(Same as above)

Also an interesting recruitment poster also appears in this file. This flyer was widely distributed and one ended up in the Davis family's application jacket and is included here.

(Same as above)

Courtesy of Steve Spencer

There is much more that can be shared about this family, but these basic items are share here to record their story. Special thanks to the late Steve Spencer, great grandson of Joe and Belle Davis, who allowed me to research and document his history in 2007. Hopefully these records from the Cherokee Nation, will be a part of the family's narrative permanently and that their story will endure. May they be forever remembered and these stories are shared in Steve's memory.

**********

This is the 51st article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

Joseph "Stick" Ross, Cherokee Freedman

2018-01-26T05:18:00+00:00

Driving through the area around Tahlequah, Oklahoma, one will pass a small road with an interesting name. Stick Ross Mountain Road. For many who are part of the Freedmen community in an near the city, his name is well known. Although no known image of him survives, he clearly left his footprints upon the land where he lived.

In early years of his life, he was enslaved by Cherokee Principal Chief John Ross. But upon release from bondage, Stick Ross became involved in the affairs of the local area and left an impression on the community.

Like many people freed from enslavement, participation in the larger society in which he lived was desired. The right to live, vote, and participate in events around him were a strong interest for him. Joseph "Stick" Ross, as well as other freedmen had a similar vision. Before the century would end, he would see himself involved in the affairs of his local area, and also the tribal council itself. He was one of several men once enslaved, to serve their nation. His reputation as an advocate for the freedmen and for the nation as a whole was noted when he was elected to the Cherokee tribal council in 1893. He followed the footsteps of others such as Joseph Brown, Frank Vann, Samuel Stidham, and Jerry Alberty. Ned Irons would later join this circle of Freedmen leaders.

Dawes Card
From the Dawes card Stick Ross appeared in front of the commission in 1901. He was applying for himself, his wife Nancy, son Malcolm, daughters Julia, Amanda, Patsy, and son Clem. It was clearly noted on the card that he was at one time, enslaved by John Ross. Wife Nancy had been enslaved by David Rowe.

Notes on the front of the card point out that his name had previously been inscribed on earlier rolls as "Joseph" Ross. On the back of the card, it is learned that his parents were Hector and Sallie Ross, and both had also been enslaved by Chief Ross. Nancy's parents were Johnson and Edna Rowe.

The Dawes Interview
The application process was not a complicated one for Stick Ross. Questions were asked pertaining to the family members, and who was seeking enrollment and the ages of the children. Earlier rolls were examined and he and the others were found on the 1880 Authenticated Cherokee census. It appears that the process was a smooth one for him, and there were no issues to challenge. Perhaps the reputation of Ross himself as a known tribal leader may have had some influence on the smoothness of the enrollment process. All were subsequently enrolled.

Land Allotment Jacket
Placement of one's name on the Dawes Rolls made one eligible to apply for and receive land allotments. The documents below, reflect the allotment made to Stick Ross himself. One can also see the homestead application, the questions asked, and answers received.

Stick Ross remained in the Tahlequah area, and for years the Ross family land was atop a large hill. As the road led to his land, it became known as Stick Mountain Road. The hill itself was later named Stick Ross Mountain Road. During his lifetime he was a man who obtained other pieces of land and is said to have donated the land for Ross Cemetery, where he is buried. Sadly, his grave is not marked. In recent years however, a marker was placed in the Ross Cemetery to honor his final resting place being there upon the land.

In 2008, some of the descendants of Stick Ross visited the cemetery that bears their Ross surname, and had a small monument placed there in honor of him. Ross was also said to have donated the land for this Tahlequah Freedmen burial ground. Though almost 90 years after his death, a memorial stone was placed in his honor. His influence on the community, shall not be forgotten.

Image Source: Find a Grave.com, Uploaded by Mary Ryder

This is the 41st article in a 52 week series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

52Ancestors52Weeks Week #4, Invitation to Dinner. Gathering of the Greats!

2018-01-26T02:30:00+00:00

Holy moly! Well it won’t be a barbeque dinner but it will be a fabulous dinner at the familytreegirl’s round table. So here’s the menu designed by this genealogy professional.

Menu for familytreegirl’s Round Table Dinner for 8!

The Gathering of the Greats.

Each of the dinner guests have to complete a “timeline” on their life.
Each have to identify their parents, grandparents and what they know about them and even their great grandparents. (snacks are on the table, fresh fruit and veggies)
As the host, I will show them photos of their descendants and ask them which of the descendants look like someone in their family
Each need to tell the names and birth location and ages of their siblings
Each will share their faith and any churches they attended
For the ladies, tell me how many children they had and lost along with what their favorite meal they cooked and what they did not like about their husbands, etc.
If they served in the military, what war and what was their role?
What is the one thing they wished for their children and descendants?
Allow familytreegirl to take photos and record the whole dinner session
I hope they enjoy red wine as that will be the drink for dinner along with a good dressed up arugula salad, mashed cauliflower and a beyond meat burger.
I will close dinner by sharing the love, answering any questions they might have and telling them to keep in touch, return my telepathy calls & thoughts during my prayers and meditation and thanking all of them for passing down the heart disease, etc.-I am handling it the best I can.

The guest list:

Joseph Goings, I guess a mulatto, free born, 4^tx great grandfather was born about 1775, in Virginia somewhere. He lived in Loudoun County but just not sure-yet- if he was born there. He is either the brother or son of Luke Goins born about 1740. He was married to Nancy (Windsor) in 1801 in Maryland. They leave Loudoun County and resume living in Jefferson County, Virginia and as of June 20, 1863, it is West Virginia. This line supposedly goes to Jamestown and I am on the right path with some evidence so far, but I grave more. I have researched their children but have not located his or his wife’s death location. The one thing I would like to know is who is Joseph Goings and Nancy Windsor’s parents, and how do they connect to William Goings and James Goings. Information retrieved from ancestry.com: Maryland, Compiled Marriages, 1655-1850.

Name:	Joseph Goings
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	30 Jul 1801
Spouse:	Nancy Windsor
Spouse Gender:	Male
County:	Frederick County

Parley Worden, my European 2x great grandfather on my mother’s paternal side. Parley was born in 1795-1799 in New York according to an entry written in the Worden bible. Parley was part of a party of 19 who left the Herkimer County, New York area and traveled to Eaton County, Michigan. He married Lydoriana Boyer. He died in Oceana County, Michigan 5 May 1862, he is buried in the old section in the Benona Cemetery with no marker. I hope to save some money to put up some headstones for those buried in the cemetery. What I want to confirm is that Parley’s father is Arnold Worden born in 1763 in New Stonington, New London Connecticut, and died in Petersburg, Rennselaer, New York in 1840, confirm where his mother Abigail (Marshall) is buried. I will visit your grave in March and hope to find out that Abigail is buried right next to you. I am sure your second wife Mary Sheppard is buried near you as well. Finding out about Arnold, a patriot of the Revolutionary War will help me complete another application in the Daughter of the American Revolution society.

Sarah Ann Hart-Goens/Goins/Goings, white or mulatto, born in 1810, somewhere in Virginia. She is my 3x great grandmother, on my mother’s side, who married Lawson Goens/Goings/Goins and they lived in Jefferson County, Virginia/West Virginia until Lawson passed 12 July 1874. You moved in with your daughter since I located you in the 1880 Jefferson County population census. I have tracked the children and yet to locate anything on your family. I found family connections but not your parents. The bottom line with Ms. Sarah Ann, “who’s your daddy and momma”?

William Davis, my 2x great grandfather on my mother’s maternal side, a mulatto. William was born 1814-1818, in Pennsylvania, not sure where, but somewhere near Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. He is the son of a slave owner and a slave. Oral history says he is one of three children and his father, the slave owner (who had numerous slaves) was poisoned by the neighbors. The neighbors did not like the fact that Williams’s father, who was not married, has the slave women in the house with him and she had the three children. The neighbor’s poisoned him and on this death bed told the slave woman to take the children and flee north. I believe rather have a theory that the plantation was actually in the Winchester, Virginia area and the fleeing took them to Chambersburg, which is just about straight north of Winchester. William Davis died in Joyfield Township, Benzie County, Michigan in 1881 and is buried in the Joyfield Cemetery, Benzie County, Michigan. It is believed that they are the first family of color to homestead in Benzie County. I would like ask him about his siblings and parents, along with any grandparents to help confirm oral history about the Davis family. I figure the white Davis family in Franklin County is yours but can’t prove it-yet.

Mildred Ann Brand-Davis, a mulatto, she is my 2x great grandmother on my mother’s maternal side. Mildred was born about 1825 in Richmond, Virginia, died 17 December 1895, buried next to her husband. Mildred’s father was from Scotland. Now the question to Mildred Ann is what are your parent’s name? Why and when did she relocate to Pennsylvania and meet William Davis. Another question-good gracious, who is Joseph Brand Davis your first born son’s father? We located the court case and it says he is your illegitimate son. Also, who are your siblings and grandparents? http://bit.ly/2DDwWLs

George W. Marsh, an African American, born in 1834 in Virginia is my 2x great grandfather on my Mother’s side. Now you are a slave per oral history and your daughter Clara Marsh-Davis. I know you were dark skinned and very tall. I have heard the stories for over 50 years that you could stand with your hand on a fence post and jump over it. You and your wife, Mary Catherine Goens/Goins/Goings had 12 children, yes I also heard six were dark and 6 were light skinned. Based on the photos we have of the children and Mary, I would say that is oral history was true. You and Mary left Jefferson County right after the Civil War, did you serve? You traveled to Morrow County, Ohio, had your daughter Sara and then migrated to Manistee County, Michigan. On route you met Leonard Reed from New York/Canada and family and you both traveled together. In Manistee Michigan, you are believed to be the first person of colored who homesteaded 160 acres. I grew up spending my summers on this homestead property. Now George, I want to know the truth about what you remember the day your father was killed by the plantation owner, you were only 4 years old what did your mother do after that? Did she stay in Virginia, get sold, what about your siblings and who was the owner of your family, was it Battille Muse of Jefferson County since his farm was called the Marsh farm, did you take his name? Battille Muse had 24 taxable slaves.

Ambrose Cureton, African American my 2x great grandfather on my father’s side. Ambrose was a slave born about 1840, either in Africa and came here at the age of 9 per oral history, or born in Tennessee or one of the Carolina’s. I located him, his wife Eliza, son Govan and daughter Elizabeth in Cocke County, Tennessee in the 1870 census. He with 2nd wife Lue J (Grinway) appear in the 1880 Census for Loudon County, Tennessee. I lose him and the children, except for Govan the first born son. Govan and his wife, Hattie (Russell) relocated to Knoxville and then on to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Govan’s daughter Viola Cureton marries William Columbus Murphy and from there they become my grandparents. I will visit Govan’s grave while in Ft. Wayne attending the Midwest African American Genealogy Institute (MAAGI). Govan died in 1920, and is buried in Lindenwood Cemetery in the Negro section. Lindenwood Cemetery has over 69k graves. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lindenwood_Cemetery) I hope to hear Ambrose tell me who owned him, about his parents, any siblings and where he is buried. Also, did he become free before 1865 and where is Eliza and Elizabeth buried and when did they die.

William Michael Murphy-great grandfather, we have no idea what he is, he might be a mulatto, maybe American Indian and African American, or slave, who knows! You are my Immaculate Conception individual-a real legit brick wall, and so far I am creeping up on an exhausted dead end search for him. Genealogy does not guarantee that we will find an ancestor. He might have been born around the 1860s. I am hoping my genealogy buddy Victoria will have some luck with him. I am not sure when or where he was born or died, when he and my great grandmother Nellie (McCorkle-Giles) got married and had children. Per one record from his son, my grandfather William Columbus Murphy, his father was born in Indian Territory. Nellie was born about 1865 in Greene County, Tennessee. So far there is no divorce, no death record or marriage record. Nellie remarried as Nellie Murphy to Henry Giles and they had two children. I have tracked Nellie’s life through her daughter Irene Ethel Giles’. So far nothing has helped me to connect to William Michael. I am thinking that William Michael was a coal miner and died because the locations of Nellie and Henry tended to be around coal mining towns. What I want to know–where in the hell are you great grandfather William Michael and who are your parents, etc.? This record is William Columbus Murphy’s SSI application noting his father’s name.

Know your Roots, they are Long and Strong!

African American History Etched in My DNA with Andre Kearns

2018-01-26T02:00:00+00:00

Andre Kearns's research comes from the perspective of an African American genealogy hobbyist. Advances in DNA testing offer African Americans the possibility of leapfrogging brick walls created by slavery to connect to ancestral roots by analyzing family history documented within DNA. Andre will share strategies he’s used to advance his research as a hobbyist and highlight how he’s leveraged DNA testing to reveal white slave owning ancestors, uncover free people of color ancestors and re-connect family branches. Andre Kearns has deep roots in the American south and a passion for discovering new ancestors and learning their stories. An African American, he knew he descended from enslaved persons and likely slave owners which DNA analysis has helped confirm. Through his research he also discovered ancestors that were free people of color long before the civil war, Native American, and multi-racial persons. Discovering this ancestry has unlocked previously unknown rich aspects of American history. Andre is a genealogy hobbyist. By day he works in the business and technology world, and holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Business Administration from Morehouse College. His website www.Cumbofamily.com is where he regularly shares his research findings through blog posts. He also regularly blogs on Race, Culture, History and Genealogy at www.medium.com under the name Andre Kearns.

BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 49: It's a Family Reunion: From Planning to Renewed Bonds

2018-01-24T03:30:00+00:00

My Aunt Lillian Murphy 52Ancestors 52Weeks-Longevity

2018-01-24T01:08:00+00:00

As genealogist/family historian we always think of our eldest relative and what questions do we want to ask them. Well my father’s sister is our eldest relative on the Murphy side of the family. Aunt Lillian was born 20 December 1920 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana and now enjoys her time living with her daughter Jackie and granddaughter Allison. Yes, she has celebrated her 97th birthday. What a blessing! I did not get to know her well, since she moved away from Michigan. I am in contact with her via Jackie and asked about some more details about her Mom. Jackie shared that Aunt Lillian was sort of secretive about her life, which is just like her father, Granddad (William Columbus Murphy). She is the first born and only surviving of her family. Here parents are William and Viola (Cureton) known as Mother Vi. I am named after Mother Vi (my middle name is Viola). She has one sister Evelyn and five brothers (William “Bud”, Calvin (my father), Harold, Ralph and Donald.

Lillian’s parents and my grandparents: Viola (Cureton) & William Columbus Murphy

Lillian’s brothers (L to R) Harold, Donald, William “Bud” Jr, Ralph, and Calvin (my father). These are some good looking men!

Aunt Lillian with her brother -Uncle Donnie

Brothers Calvin (my dad with the shades on) and Uncle Donnie (on Right) in MI:

The Murphy’s are a quiet and we don’t know much about them except for the evidence we can find. William and Viola married in Ft. Wayne in 20 June 1920. My grandfather got his calling to be a minister while in Ft. Wayne working at a hotel shoveling coal. According to oral history there was a lynching (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynching_of_Thomas_Shipp_and_Abram_Smith)close to Ft. Wayne, Allen County and my father said he remembers his mother (Mother Vi) frying chicken and baking biscuits. The children where woken in the night, they, all 7 of them hopped on a train in Ft. Wayne and they were put off in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The train porter -Mr. Harmon took the family and housed them until Granddad got a job. He got a job with the WPA and helped to build a water tower in Franklin Park in Grand Rapids. Granddad also became and Associate Pastor at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church

The “Murphy Sisters” Aunt Evelyn and Aunt Lillian

Photo of Aunt Lillian playing the organ

The Murphy children are very talented. The boys all sang, Aunt Lillian played the piano and organ and Aunt Evelyn did readings of bible versus. Her one brother Harold sang with the famous Wings Over Jordan Black Gospel group during the Korea War:

Aunt Lillian has become set in her mind and her ways as all our elders do. Jackie says she won’t let us take pictures of her. Aunt Lillian hates Trump, she thinks he is crazy. I have to agree with her on this one! But she loves Obama and his family. She also loves Oprah and always wanted to meet her. They tired to get tickets to her show. She enjoys her soaps- General Hospital and One Life to live. Also watching the OWN Channel and likes Iyanla, Sweetie Pie’s and sometimes Dr. Phil. Jackie shares that the TV watches her more than Aunt Lillian watching it. The Maury and other court shows, such as, Mathis, Hot Bench, Peoples Court and loves Judge Judy. The View is another favorite that she watches everyday and thinks a lot like Whoopi.

She married George Leon Johnson on December 1, 1941, in Grand Rapids, Michigan and they had 5 children (Jackie and her 4 brothers).

Photo of George Johnson

Lillian and Junie, the oldest son.

Over the years she worked for Michigan Bell Telephone and transferred to NJ Bell in 1959 as an Information Operator. She retired from the company. She likes to travel and after retirement lived in Michigan, Ft. Wayne a bit in San Francisco and returned to New Jersey in 1979 where she still resides. She also worked for the Montessori school for several years. My mother (Verna) and Lillian have wrote letters over the years, can you believe it, my mother has all of the letters that Lillian has ever wrote.

Aunt Lillian is a lover of traveling. It doesn’t matter if by boat, train, or plane. One of Aunt Lillian’s hobbies is a bit of Crewel, stitchery and hook rugs, which she made many and gave them as gifts. She also loves doing Word search puzzles. She was known for her potato salad-yum!

“Traveling Aunt Lillian”

Aunt Lillian (on left) at Bear Lake Michigan at my brother Todd’s house, sister Evelyn and granddaughter Allison. Second photo, Todd and Allison.

Aunt Lillian is living her life, fragile but doing well for 97! She has survived both her parents and all her brothers. She is well taken care of and loved by family. I hope to make it to 97 when I grow up and sit back and let the TV watch me…

52Ancestors 52Weeks, Week #3

Know your Roots they are long and strong!

The Longest Living Person in My Genealogy Database: Zeola L. Portis

2018-01-22T05:59:00+00:00

It’s Week 3 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series and this week’s prompt is “Longevity.” For this prompt, I decided to check my genealogy database and find the longest-living person.

I use TNG: The Next Generation of Genealogy Sitebuilding for my primary software program and it is easy to run statistics and find the longest-living person. This calculation can only be done when there are definitive birth and death dates, so as it stands right now, the longest-living person is Ms. Zeola L. Portis. She was born January 6, 1902, and died September 19, 2008. She was 106 years old when she passed away.

Zeola L., age 8, in the 1910 Calvert, Robertson County, TX census as the youngest child of her mother Hattie.

I learned about Zeola from a fellow genealogist who contacted me after finding my information online about my ancestors from Edgecombe County, NC – specifically, relatives of my 3rd great-grandmother, Mariah Wimberly. Zeola’s grandparents were Reddin Battle and Amanda Wimberly and we suspect Amanda and Mariah are related – possibly sisters. If Amanda and Mariah are sisters, then I would be Zeola’s 1st cousin three times removed.

Zeola and her family were from Calvert, Robertson County, Texas. And, upon being contacted by the other genealogist and doing research, I discovered that one of Mariah’s brothers moved from Edgecombe County, NC down to that area of Texas; I’ve been able to definitively source his move and his family; in addition to tracing several other Edgecombe County families to that same area. It is through a conversation with Zeola that my geneabuddy was able to learn about the family’s migration from North Carolina, so Zeola’s oral account, and the documentation I’ve located so far converge.

My research on Zeola and her family is far from complete, but I should re-focus and consider what steps I can take next to seek out more evidence for Amanda’s relationship to my family. I will definitely have to put my thinking cap on.

Appearances Can Be Deceiving

2018-01-20T20:32:00+00:00

Cousins Mack Danner and his sister, Henrietta Danner Bacon, two of the five children born to my great-grandmother’s brother, Alexander K. Danner (1865-1905), and his wife, Lou Anna Brunt Danner of Panola County, Mississippi

Many of us genealogy hobbyists and genealogists warn people about the "mulatto" notation in the censuses. It doesn't automatically mean that the person had a parent of a different race. Most times, the census-taker saw a person who wasn't racially "pure." Check out this case.

Uncle Jack, the oldest of my great-great-grandparents' 12 children, who was born in slavery c. 1846, was consistently reported as "mulatto" in the 1870 and 1880 censuses. The rest of his household were noted as "Black". Also, the rest of the 12 children were always reported as "Black" in the censuses.

Many of us probably have family cases where the oldest child (or not the oldest) was fathered by a white man, but the mother's husband raised that child as his child, too. Thus, that "mulatto" child took the stepfather's surname. Was this the case with Uncle Jack? Let's see. This is the evidence at hand:

(1) Oral history, that was told by family elders in the 1970s and recorded in the family reunion booklets, noted Uncle Jack as one of my great-great-grandparents' children.

(2) None of the family elders living within the past 15 years ever said anything about Uncle Jack not being the biological son of my great-great-grandfather.

(3) DNA: At least 5 great-great-grandchildren of Uncle Jack took an autosomal DNA test. All of them match my father, from 60 cM/6 segments to 149 cM/9 segments. Uncle Jack and my father's grandmother were siblings, therefore they are my father's second cousins twice removed (2C2R). According to ISOGG, the average amount of DNA for 2C2R is 53 cM, the same as 3rd cousins. So the average for half 2C2R would be 26.5 cM. Therefore, the DNA sharing amounts with these cousins don't suggest a half relationship with Uncle Jack.

(4) DNA: A "father-to-son" great-grandson of Uncle Jack's younger brother took the 23andMe test, which provides a paternal haplogroup that is passed down from father to son for many generations. His paternal haplogroup is E-M54 (African), which would be my great-great-grandfather's paternal haplogroup. Recently, a "father-to-son" great-great-grandson of Uncle Jack took the 23andMe test. His paternal haplogroup is also E-M54.

(5) DNA: My great-great-grandfather was taken away from Nash County, North Carolina and brought to Mississippi. It is clear that he left behind close kin in N.C. My father is sharing very good amounts of DNA (119 cM, highest amount) with people from Nash County. Those N.C. DNA cousins are also sharing DNA with Uncle Jack's descendants.

(6) DNA: Although my great-great-grandfather had at least 12 children with his wife, my great-great-grandmother, he also fathered children by other women during slavery. Descendants from those children have also taken an autosomal DNA test. Most of them are sharing DNA with Uncle Jack's descendants. There is even the phenomena of overlapping DNA segments (triangulation) with both groups, which indicates descendancy from a common ancestor. (Will show this in a future blog post.)

Conclusion: I haven't gotten a Y-DNA test done on the two male cousins mentioned in No. 4, and that would serve as the ultimate DNA proof. However, the evidence at hand very strongly indicates that Uncle Jack was simply much lighter-complexioned than the rest of his younger siblings and was my great-great-grandfather's biological son. (Note: European ancestry has been detected in my great-great-grandmother's lineage).

Discovering Ties to Slavery With Genealogy and DNA with Nicka Smith

2018-01-19T02:00:00+00:00

The history of slavery in America has made our DNA a complex cultural stew. In this episode, Nicka Smith combine traditional genealogy and DNA research to trace back to previously unknown but well documented enslaved ancestors. Nicka Smith is a professional photographer, speaker, host, and documentarian with more than 18 years of experience as a genealogist. She has extensive experience in African ancestored genealogy, reverse genealogy, and family reunion planning and execution. She is also an expert in genealogical research in the Northeastern Louisiana area, sharing genealogy with youth, documenting the ancestral journey, and employing the use of new technology in genealogy and family history research. Nicka has diverse and varied experience in communications, with a background in publications, editing, graphic design, radio, and video production. She has edited and designed several volumes of family history that include narratives, photos, and genealogical information and has also transferred these things to an online environment. She is the host of BlackProGen LIVE, an innovative web show focused on people of color genealogy and family history.

Month 1-Genealogy Do-Over Setting Previous Research Aside-Paper Files

2018-01-16T19:49:00+00:00

Mission Statement: During the 2018 Genealogy Do-Over, I would like to accomplish the following: To improve in organizing and managing my genealogy data, digital and paper files on my pedigree line so that I can pass this information on to my three sisters and nieces and nephews.

In order to set previous research aside, you have to be able to find the documents. My paper files are scattered throughout my house. Most are housed in boxes upstairs in several rooms; some are organized in colored folders and others are not. However, some are scattered in various locations downstairs where I last worked with them because I did not return the papers to the permanent filing location. Last year, I began putting orphan genealogy papers found downstairs into a banker's boxes.

Notes to Self

One of my goals this month is to continue this process of gathering genealogy related documents located downstairs into one place into banker's boxes.
Next, I want to begin sorting and purging the contents of these boxes before placing them in their permanent location.
My long term goal is to move all of my genealogy related papers and resources to one room upstairs.

I will report on my progress with this task at a later time.

Happy Hunting!

“Professor Dru” aka Drusilla Pair

Memory Monday: School House Rock Songs

2018-01-15T16:04:00+00:00

Originally posted Monday, September 6, 2010

Happy 45th Anniversary to School House Rock!

Recently, I began humming my favorite school house rock song “Conjunction Junction, What’s Your Function? This was a song from a series of school house rock songs which played in between Saturday morning television cartoons during my childhood in the 1970s. I think that the Conjunction tune was my favorite because of the jazzy styled music and lyrics.

Conjunction, Junction, What's Your Function?

In addition to being entertained by various cartoons during my childhood, the school house rock songs would help children learn new things or reinforce things already learned in school. Many of the catchy songs were about the parts of speech such as “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, get your adverbs here,” or “Interjections show excitement or emotions! . . . ” There was also a song about how a bill becomes a law which opened up with a personified bill character (piece of paper rolled up) sitting on steps of the nation’s Capitol singing, “I’m just a bill, yes, I’m only a bill, and I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill . . .” The character then proceeds to explain the process of a bill becoming a law.

Thanks to YouTube, I am able to revisit my childhood memories and view and listen to these school house rock tunes from days gone by.

If you also remember these school house rock tunes, which one was your favorite?
====================
Lolly Lolly Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here

Interjections!

How a Bill Becomes a Law

Upending Google Photos: An Organizational Strategy for Digital Photos

2018-01-15T06:19:00+00:00

Just a tad bit late, here is my second post up for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series. The Week 2 prompt is “Favorite Photo,” but rather than sharing a specific photo from my family history, I want to share an organizational strategy I’m using as I continue my mission to get my photos (physical and digital), completely re-organized.

Since 2014, I’ve been using Google Photos as my primary location for all the digital photos I take. Prior to its release, I’d been manually storing all digital pictures into folders categorized by year and month. Then, when Googe Photos came out, I was pulled into its allure and the application of intelligent searching across my photos. However, I found over time that it made me less efficient in finding photos I needed.

As I’ve embarked on my re-organization project, I decided to change my approach to using it. I now use it more for the “camera roll” it is and on a regular basis, move my photos out of the specific folders allocated for “Google Photos” and into my manually constructed folders. Thus, my pictures are now going to be in “Google Photos” folder only temporarily. Then, I finally turned on the function offered for Google Photos to include all pictures in Google Drive and this, in combination with my enhanced metadata, is now really making it easier for me to find the photos I need.

turning on Google Drive settings in Google Photos

So now, I have the best of both worlds – the magic search of Google Photos AND the efficient organization of my manual system. If I need to search, I do it Google Photos. And, if I know exactly what I am looking for, I go directly to it in my folder hierarchy. Perfect!

Meet Clara LaVina Marsh-Davis Week 2-Photos, #52ancestors

2018-01-12T02:33:00+00:00

Okay its week two of this wonderful adventure developed by Amy Johnson Crow; 52 Ancestors, 52 Weeks. It simply means I will do something each week revolving around my ancestors. Let me introduce you to Clara LaVina (Marsh) Davis. The Davis and Marsh families while living in Joyfield Township in Benzie, County, Michigan attended the Reorganized Church of the Latter Day Saints.

I really do not have any memories of her except my cousin Vanessa and I were combing her hair, while she sat quietly in a chair at her daughter’s house (Amyne’s house on James St., Grand Rapids, Michigan). I thought we were combing my aunt’s hair and my mother said, that was your great grandma! She was a church goer. Once she moved to the city of Grand Rapids she attended Rev. Julian’s Lutheran church. We don’t have many photos but this one is a favorite. This photo tells me this is a strong determine and very independent woman. Here’s a little bit of what I know about Clara, my maternal great grandmother.

Clara LaVina Marsh-Davis

Born: 22 July 1874, in Manistee County, Michigan

Died: 4 September 1959, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan

Parents: George W. and Mary Catherine (Goens/Goings) Marsh.

Clara is one of 12 children (six girls, six boys). Her Mother Mary Catherine was free born and her father, George W. was a former slave, farmer, and homesteaded 160 acres next to the Leonard Reed family from New York on Letteau Road, Pleasanton Township in Manistee County, Michigan. Thirty acres of the original 160 acres still remains in the family and the Reed family (a white family) are still next door. The Marsh and Reed family met on the trail and homesteaded next to each other. Clara’s mother Mary brought some apple seeds from Jefferson County, Virginia now West Virginia.

Here is a photo of Clara’s mother Mary Catherine (Goens/Goings) Marsh. We do not have a photo of George W. Marsh. Mary is pictured here with her granddaughter Mary Maniteau/Manitou.

A log cabin was the first house built and apparently it burned and another house was build near the road/path. It was close to something special with the area Native Indians. During the winter the Native Americans would pass by the house and rub up against the house. As I was growing up we spent our summers on the Marsh farm. The photo of the house since it has been restored. The house part on the left is the original house, you can see the chimney or something that splits the house and everything to the right was added by the current owners (my beautiful cousin Shelia is pictured in front of the house). The second photo is showing one of the fields of the Marsh House.

Clara left at the age of 16 with the David Hopkins family (A white family, which I find strange. I am not sure I would let my 16 year old daughter go to another state without me) and went to Dallas, Arkansas area. Mr. Hopkins was believed to operate a drug store. Clara had already passed the 8th grade, which was rare for the Arkansas area they were living in. People were shocked when they learned she could read and was educated. The local people did not want her to leave, they wanted her to stay and be the teacher. She for some reason knew she would when she bid her father goodbye that see would not her father again. She returned when she was 18 years when she received word from her mother that her father, passed 12 September 1892. Clara did a little bit of teaching while she was in Arkansas. Her job was to help the Hopkins wife with the kids. The Hopkins family had a daughter the same age as Clara. They liked to ride horses and had fun when riding to grab tree limbs and swing on them. One time the daughter, while they were riding yelled to Clara before she grabbed a tree limb, which actually was not a tree limb, it was a huge snake.

Another note on Clara, it is said that she was able to read tea leaves and loved to sew and never removed her basting threads on things that she sewed. This caused chuckles with the women in the family. She delivered her granddaughter Clara Eugene, my Aunt and also a neighbor lady’s baby, who named her baby LaVina, who was also albino baby. Per Clara’s granddaughter Verna, my mother, says “my grandma always seen the good in people and she always talked nice about everyone. She also identified people by seeing an animal in them when she looked in their face”. Now that is interesting!

Clara married 5 January 1896 in Benzie County, Michigan to Henry Allen Davis (born in Medina, Ohio, son of William and Mildred Ann (Brand) Davis. The Davis family was out of Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania and was on route to Michigan after a five-year stay in Ohio. It is believed that William and Mildred were the first people of color to homestead in Benzie County. Henry was Clara’s brother in law, who was married to her sister Sarah Ann, who died in 1894, and had one child Randolph Davis.

Photo: Henry Allen Davis, date unknown (b. 1862/63 in Medina, Ohio, d. 13 July 1929 Grand Rapids, Michigan)

Clara and Henry had five children (three girls and two boys). Clara and Henry also raised her nephew and her brother Warren Marsh’s two children Wes and Lester Marsh when their parents passed in 1910.

Here are some other photos to enjoy with my great grandmother Clara.

Clara Marsh Davis 1940

Irene Arlington (Davis) Worden and Great Grandmother Clara on the right. Date unknown.

Great Grandmother Clara and daughters Amyne on the L and Irene on the R. Date unknown but in the early 1920s.

Photo of Malcolm School in Manistee County. As you can see one of Clara’s sisters (Hattie) and her three young brothers. Clara is in Arkansas.

Henry and Clara (on right) and their children and family. First Car-Photo taken in the 1920s.

Know your roots, they are long and strong!

Thank you, familytreegirl #52ancestors

The Genealogy Do-Over for 2018 with Thomas MacEntee

2018-01-12T02:00:00+00:00

The Genealogy Do-Over (https://genealogydo-over.com) is an online educational initiative to improve genealogical and family history research skills. The Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover/) has over 15,000 members working through the monthly topics provided by genealogy author and educator Thomas MacEntee. The goal of The Genealogy Do-Over is not to wallow in regrets over the mistakes we've made with our genealogy in the past. Do-Over members are willing to set aside years of research and start over - from scratch! And finally, a NEW FEATURE is added for 2018 - the DNA Do-Over! This group targets genealogists and family historians who have taken DNA tests but really haven't put their DNA data to work! Patterned after The Genealogy Do-Over, we cover one topic each month and improve our genetic genealogy education in a supportive atmosphere. What happens when a “tech guy” with a love for history gets laid off during The Great Recession of 2008? You get Thomas MacEntee, a genealogy professional based in the United States who is also a blogger, educator, author, social media connector, online community builder and more. Thomas was laid off after a 25-year career in the information technology field, so he started his own genealogy-related business called High Definition Genealogy. Thomas describes himself as a lifelong learner with a background in a multitude of topics who has finally figured out what he does best: teach, inspire, instigate, and serve as a curator and go-to-guy for concept nurturing and inspiration. Thomas is a big believer in success, and that we all succeed when we help each other find success.

BlackProGen LIVE! Ep 48: "How I Did It" Part 1

2018-01-10T03:22:00+00:00

Genealogy Do-Over 2018

2018-01-07T16:09:00+00:00

Most genealogist fall into the craft without any formal training and get caught up in the excitement of “finding their folks.” This excitement leads to the mass accumulation of digital and/or paper documents and other resources which usually become overwhelming.

I have been researching my family history for over 23 years and am one of the countless genealogists who finds themselves drowning in tons of genealogy data, documents, and other related resources. The Genealogy Do-Over has been a solution for me and many other genealogists to “learn new research approaches in order to improve and change our genealogy research habits.” The Genealogy Do-Over was started in January 2015 by Thomas MacEntee of Abundant Genealogy. It has returned for 2018 with the added bonus this year of the new DNA Do-Over group---click here to learn more.

Although I have participated in the Genealogy Do-Over on several occasions since its inception in 2015, I have never completed the entire process. However, I have decided to begin the process once again. During the 2018 Genealogy Do-Over, I would like to accomplish the following: To improve in organizing and managing my genealogy data, digital and paper files on my pedigree line so that I can pass this information on to my three sisters and nieces and nephews.

I’m looking forward to much more success this time around! If you have not done so already, sign up now!

Happy Hunting!

“Professor Dru” aka Drusilla Pair

Our Visual Address History

2018-01-07T03:21:00+00:00

As Amy Johnson Crow begins her 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks series this year, I finally decided to take the plunge and participate! The goal of the series is to do something with the genealogy research that I, and so many others, obsess about ; to make it more interactive and dynamic than just names and dates in a genealogy program. I have been blogging about my genealogy for about 10 years, but have slacked off the past few years; it is my hope that participating in the series will help me pick that back up also.

This weeks prompt is “Start.” To that end, I’d like to share a project I’ve just started to document an aspect of my family history. Using Becky Higgins’ Project Life app, I started a scrapbook to document all the places my parents have lived, and all the places my siblings and I grew up.

The scrapbook starts with my maternal grandmother, Alice McNair Robinson, and where she lived when my mother’s oldest brother, Stanley, was born. She lived on MacDonough Avenue in Bronx, NY and we even have family pictures taken outside the apartment. I’ve put together some photos and stories from that time period to put the page together.

my scrapbook page

I recently shared an update on my photo organization project and I am reaping the benefits already! As I consider how to put these scrapbook pages together, I know what pictures I have to match the time frame and the location. It has been immensely helpful.

I have plenty to do as I build the scrapbook; growing up, we lived in a lot of places and my siblings and I went to many different schools. I will continue to move through the years and document various aspects of our lives. I am having regular conversations with my parents to gather information for the scrapbook and I am already learning so much family history that I did not know. I plan to include family memories and stories along the way so I know that doing this is going to be a wonderful experience! And, as a final outcome, I’ll have a book that I can gift to my parents and siblings; definitely will make the history tangible.

If you have done a family history scrapbook I would love to hear about it; I’m always on the lookout for inspiration.

National Genealogical Society Issues Call for Proposals for its 2019 Family History Conference

2018-01-06T16:32:00+00:00

Call for Proposals-NGS has recently announced for 2019, thanks Dick Eastman for posting this information and allowing me to share.

Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter

The following announcement was written by the National Genealogical Society:

ARLINGTON, VA, 2 JANUARY 2018—The National Genealogical Society (NGS) has opened the call for proposals for its 2019 Family History Conference, effective 2 January through 1 April 2018. The conference will be held in St. Charles, Missouri, from 8–11 May 2019.

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52 Ancestors 52 Weeks -#52Ancestors (AmyJohnsonCrow) One 2018 Goal!

2018-01-06T04:54:00+00:00

Oh yes, I need to make one or two or several goals for 2018! We all need to consider the guidance of setting goals. There is alway a genealogy brick wall that needs to have some focus or taking a break from one ancestor to another so I joined the efforts of Amy Johnson Crow-http://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com and set at least one goal.

Amy has implemented another great program called “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.” Now what this means is every week for the next 52 weeks, one of my ancestors will get attention. I will either conduct some research on them, maybe even post a tweet or write a blog. There will be something as in thought and action about one of my ancestors. It doesn’t matter if it is a photo or an interview or a written article. Something will be done and will carry the hashtag of #52Ancestors

I invite you to join the efforts. I believe this is a great idea. Thank you Amy Johnson Crow! (luv you for this) It’s free ! Here is my first posting on one of my ancestors.

Ahira Harvey Worden, you are my maternal great grandfather and on my mind. You were born in Eaton County, Michigan 20 March 1838 and died 12 Dec 1916 in Oceana County, Michigan. You are the son of Parley and Lydoriana (Boyer) Worden. You married Elizabeth “Betsy” Boyer. I really don’t know much about you except that you whittle wood and was a farmer. Also, you served in the Civil War and joined the GAR. I have decided to share some photos that represent you. (You are wearing your GAR Metal)

Your Obituary! You do not have a headstone, but I will remedy that situation soon.

Photo of some Michigan GAR, you are in the photo.

Besides having your actual GAR metal, here is a chair you whittled.

“Know your roots, they are long and strong”

Writing and Self-Publishing Your Family Stories with Kathy Marshall

2018-01-05T02:00:00+00:00

In 2017, Kathy Kanika Marshall wrote, The Ancestors Are Smiling! which is a collection of uplifting, funny, touching and sometimes harrowing real life stories, creatively told by Kathy Marshall’s ancestors and their descendants. For example, Marshall’s great-grandmother, Ella, worked for a congressman who helped convince President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, making it possible for her second great-grandmother, Margaret, to transport her five enslaved children in a buckboard to freedom in Ohio. Spunky Great-aunt Reba describes receiving her high school diploma at 106, and being profiled in Essence Magazine and on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Pullman Porter Austin’s dream came true when his sometimes wayward son (Marshall’s father) became a doctor. Marshall’s mother, Mary, a Principal, shares her excitement when Apple Computers installed the first computer technology lab in her Sacramento school in 1983. And 93-year-old great-uncle Charles describes how he became a medical miracle in 1946. These true stories are woven by Marshall with the African fabric of American historical events. Marshall has been exploring her family roots off and on since 1976. She used several effective techniques to write her book in a mere 10 months, from start to published book on amazon.com. She is a self-avowed missionary for family history, encouraging others to write their own family stories NOW! Kathy Kanika Marshall has been the owner/artist for her Kanika African Sculptures business since 1993, sharing her love of African fabric and ethnic-inspired, welded and ceramic sculptures with art aficionados around the world.

Tech Tuesday: My Digital Photo Organization

2018-01-02T07:11:00+00:00

A couple of days ago, I posted an update on my 2017 New Year’s resolutions; particularly, my work to organize my physical photo collection. Throughout this year, I’ve also been working on my digital photo organization as I liked what I was doing with my physical items and transferred the concept to my digital photos.

Just like my physical photos, I have 3 groupings:

Taneya’s Family (pictures of my side of the family and my childhood)
Kalonji’s Family (pictures of his side of the family and his childhood)
Our Family (photos from the time I met Kalonji and of our nuclear family with our 5 kids).

Also like my physical photo organization system, I have some groupings by decade and then as we move closer to present time, yearly divisions. Example folder directories may include:

Kalonji Family 2017
Kalonji Family 2018
Our Family 2017
Our Family 2018
Taneya Family 2017
Taneya Family 2018

If you were to look inside my “Our Family – 2018” directory, I have subfolders for each month. I start each folder name with the year followed by the two digit number for the month, then followed by the month name. The reason I use numbers at the beginning of the file name is so that the folders will easily sort by date. Example file directory names may include:

2017-01 January
2017-02 February
2017-03 March
2017-04 April

Here is the inside of the “Our Family – 2018 / 2017-02 February” folder. My individual file names also start with the year, two digits for the month and if I know it, the exact date. I try to put descriptive text for the rest of the file name, but when I take multiple pictures for one event, I give them all the same name and use two digits to number them at the end (e.g., 01,02,03). The reason to use two digits is for proper sorting once the number goes into two digits.

2017-02-01 Dinner at Rainforest Cafe 01.tif
2017-02-01 Dinner at Rainforest Cafe 02.tif
2017-02-01 Dinner at Rainforest Cafe 03.tif
2017-02-02 Taneya playing solitaire with the kids.tif
2017-02-05 Parthenon at Centennial Park.tif

For each photo, I add IPTC metadata information for a handful of specific fields. Check Alison Taylor’s RootsTech 2017 presentation for more information about editing photo metadata. Using metadata, specifically IPTC metadata, is key for capturing the details of each picture. The reason to use IPTC metadata is that it is an industry standard; it can be read by many different photo management/editing programs.

Other things to know:

I currently use ACDSee as my primary photo management software. At about $40 it is cheaper than Adobe’s’ products and it has been around for more than 20 years. I used to use it before Google’s Picasa came out and went back to it once Picasa was retired.
I save all my images in TIFF format (or, if I have only a jpg; convert it to TIFF) as TIFF is the recommended standard for archival quality images. Anytime I need to share a photo I make a jpg from the TIFF file.
When I take pictures, my phone automatically backs up to Google Photos. Google Photos has its own subdirectory in my Google Drive account. This means I periodically need to go through the Google Photos subdirectory and move pictures to my their proper directory.
I save ALL of my stuff in Google Drive – which is great because I have access to it across multiple devices. I use SpinBackup to backup my Google Drive account.

With this organization plan, not only do I feel much more equipped for finding and locating pictures when I need them; it also greatly helps my digital scrapbooking hobby too as my scrapbooking is largely chronologically-oriented.

This is all part of my master plan to be ultra-organized with my genealogy files. I have so much more to do but I enjoy seeing it come together over time. I’m sure I’ll have more posts with updates in the future!

Image credits: file folders

Killing Us Softly With the US Colonial Song: Puerto Ricans Matter

2018-01-01T04:51:00+00:00

This blogpost is dedicated to my 2nd great-grandfather, Juan Eusebio Bonilla Salcedo, who was assassinated in 1890 by the Spanish Civil Guard for being a member of the Puerto Rican Autonomous Party. Juan Eusebio pre-deceased his comrades, who in 1897, took part in La Intentona de Yauco, the last uprising against Spanish colonial rule. It is likewise dedicated to my 3rd great-uncle, Pedro Lajara Guerra-Mondragon, a captain in the Spanish Militia, who took part in El Grito de Lares — the first uprising against The Spanish in 1868. These men spoke truth to power about the conditions of the Boricua people. I am humbled to know that I descend from Puerto Rican revolutionaries who were truth-tellers. Me siento honrado de saber que su espíritu de resistencia está en mis genes. Que descansen en paz eterna.

Finally, this blogpost is dedicated to each and every one of my Boricua Branches. Like branches of a tree, we will continue to grow together. I have been blessed to have made all of your acquaintances. There are way too many names to list, but you know who you are. Besitos y un abrazo fuerte.

L Artist: Rosenda Alvarez, Old San Juan

On Becoming Comfortable with My Rice & Beans & Collard Greens Self

On December 27th, 2013, I wrote one of my first blogposts about what it meant to find my Boricua Branches — my father’s side of my family. I will always say, without an ounce of hesitation, that the best part of taking my DNA tests was finding my Puerto Rican cousins. My father’s absence for 20 years of my life — from the age of 3-years old until 23-years old — resulted in a critical disjuncture in how I saw myself. While I always knew I was half-Puerto Rican, my pre-23 year old self did not know what that meant having been born and raised in Brockton, MA, a suburb of Boston. Brockton was not the diverse community it is today when I was growing up. It was a predominately white community with a small African-American and Cape Verdean population. We were often seen as Black and sometimes as Cape Verdean. Pre-23-year old Teresa was definitely Black culturally-identified. Though I always knew I had a diverse maternal extended family and equally diverse ancestors, having been raised by my maternal grandparents, I grew up within the confines of an African-American community.

I arrived in New York City in the Fall of 1990 to attend graduate school in a city that had one of the largest populations of Puerto Ricans outside of Puerto Rico. With a name like Teresa A. Vega, I had a hard time convincing anyone that I was anything other than a Latina. People assumed that I was either in denial about being a Latina or had some sort of hangup about speaking Spanish. It never occured to most people that maybe I didn’t grow up with my Puerto Rican father, that maybe Spanish wasn’t my first language, or maybe I was raised in a place that didn’t have a Latino community.

Two months after my mother passed away in December 1990, my father walked back into our lives. Boom! There he was. It was nothing short of an earthquake that shook up our lives. My siblings and I had different reactions to his re-emergence. None were more valid than the others. Our reactions were what they were. As I stated in another post, I left graduate school in the Fall of 1991 and moved to Cordoba, Spain, where my father retired, to get to know him. That is a decsion I will never regret. For all his faults — he had many — I learned what I inherited from him and, more importantly, what I didn’t.

Though I had 10 years (1991-2001) with my father before he passed away, he was always a step away from Puerto Rico for me. There was only so much I could learn from him about Puerto Rico as he left the island when he was a child and was raised in New York City. Even though I had been to Puerto Rico before, I felt disconnected to the island because I didn’t know anyone who was related to me and he didn’t remember any relatives there either. When I thought of Puerto Rico, there was always a sadness present due to the loss of family. Sometimes we mourn for that which we know we should have received automatically, but we didn’t. We are just left with a bottomless void…. so I thought.

23andme DNA Cousins in 2017

Receiving my first DNA test results in December 2013 was certainly a life-changing event. I went from having 1200 DNA cousins on 23andme in December 2013 to having 1933 in 2017. On AncestryDNA, I went from having 1800 DNA cousins to over 35,000 today and, on FTDNA Family Finder, I went from having 145 DNA cousins to having 1489. On all three of my DNA tests, the great majority of my matches are Puerto Rican. So, now I know that voids can be filled and hope should ALWAYS be kept alive.

My Boricua Branches, Global Family Reunion, 2015

DNA Cousin Gathering 2016

DNA Cousin Gathering 2017

When I look back over the last 4 years, I realize just how blessed I’ve been in the company of my Boricua Branches. Just knowing and being among them gave me my birthright — my ancestral heritage — back. My cousins have always maintained ties to Puerto Rico. They were never one step away from the island, but always kept one foot there. Over the past couple of years, in addition to meeting my cousins here in New York from all over the country, I’ve also traveled to Puerto Rico and met my cousins there. Like I’ve said before, we are all branches on the same tree that is firmly rooted on the island. It has been my Boricua Branches who taught me what being Puerto Rican truly meant and there is nothing like two back-to-back hurricanes, Irma and Maria, that have brought that message home to me in stark terms.

Happy 100th Anniversary: American Citizens and Colonial Subjects

When Hurricane Irma and Maria hit, my Boricua Branches and I were frantic. Phones were ringing off the hook and FaceBook IMs and text messages were flying back and forth. All of us trying to locate our family and friends. Some of our kin were readily located and others went missing for weeks. For the first time in my life, I feared for my family and friends in Puerto Rico. My cousin Maddy and I called each other trying to find out about our relatives in Yauco and San Juan. So many calls were made to my cousins to find out if they heard from their relatives that I lost count. Every day we checked in with each other to see who had been located and who was still missing. Sometimes all we could do was pray as we waited. Tears flowed as the devastation became known bit by bit.

My Bonilla Cousins in San Juan

Theresa aka T2 and Ralph

Four years earlier, I didn’t know one relative in Puerto Rico and now I had so many to track down. One of the longest waits I had was for Theresa and Ralph to show up. It took a month. The two of them have the honor of being designated as my “First LIVE Puerto Rican cousins that I met in Puerto Rico.” The NYC honor goes to my cousin, Raul Cruz Delgado, who earned that title back in 2013. Though Theresa, Ralph and I are forever linked in the AncestryDNA commercial we filmed together, we are also spiritually-bonded through the libation ceremony — overseen by our primo Luis Sanakori Ramos — that we gave my 2nd great-grandfather that honored both his Taino ancestry and his Puerto Rican revolutinary spirit. Both were with me when I met my Bonilla cousins for the first time, an experience that is forever seared in my mind that is too precious to adequately put into words even today.

Libation Ceremony in honor of Juan Eusebio Bonilla Salcedo

The day I met my Bonilla Cousins on my dad’s 80th birthday

My Boricua Branches and I watched as the President of the United States sat by as both hurricanes devastated our beloved island and offered minimal help. As American citizens, we expected more. We did not ask to become United States citizens, it was a condition imposed on us by the United States in the form of the Jones-Shafroth Act of 1917 which granted Puerto Ricans full American citizenship. A couple of months later, in May 1917, Puerto Ricans began to be drafted to fight in World War I. Over 20,000 Puerto Ricans served in the military then and continue to do so today.

Puerto Rico has been a colony of the United States ever since it was won as a result of The Spanish-American War of 1898. At no point ever have Puerto Ricans been able to control their island. Though Puerto Rico is self-governed through a local constitution whereby Puerto Ricans can elect their own Governor, Assembly and Senate, the United States government still oversees and controls the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. There is no President of Puerto Rico other than the President of the United States. We are not citizens of some other country. We are citizens of the United States of America. It’s a damn shame that I even have to say that in 2017, but I do.

When the current President of the United States, in a heinous, blatantly ignorant act of utter disrespect, threw paper towels at us and joked about about how Hurricane Maria was not that bad compared to Hurricane Katrina, my Boricua Branches — even those cousins who voted for him — and I cringed. It was as clear as day that we did not matter to HIM. We were seen as “The Other” because of the color of our skin and the language that rolled off of our tongues. It did not matter that we were American, that a lot of us were bilingual or only spoke English, or that we only had to move to the mainland for our votes to count.

We also sat by and watched as the Governor of Puerto Rico became politically impotent and agreed with the President’s shenanigans in early October. We were all shocked as both the President and Governor undercounted the death toll by the hundreds, if not thousands, and made light of our very real pain and denied what our own eyes were witnessing. The gaslighting of Puerto Rico’s hurricane victims was in full effect on every television network worldwide. Though the Governor now realizes his mistake, the damage was done. History will remember that it was the Mayor of San Juan who stood up with cojones and spoke truth to power in real time. She represented all Boricuas wherever we are found in the world. Her name is Carmen Yulin Cruz. Say HER name, Say HER name, Say HER name…

It was Carmen, along with many other Puerto Rican activists, who sounded the alarm about the compounded impact that the Jones Act of 1920 would have on Puerto Rican hurricane victims. Under the Jones Act, any foreign vessel must pay expensive tariffs, fees, and taxes to deliver goods to Puerto Rico. These taxes are then passed on to the Puerto Rican consumer. As a result, consumer goods are much more expensive. Of course, humanitarian aid was and has been hindered by this Act which was waived for a month after Hurricane Maria. The United States has since let that waiver expire.

There are many government officials and other Americans who look to blame Puerto Ricans for their current situation. It is far too easy to render blame to people who don’t look like you and who speak a different language than you. It’s so easy to also assign blame to others when you yourself are ignorant of United States history as well as the definition of what a colony is. Puerto Ricans are not responsible for their current situation when the US government calls all the shots, especially as they relate to the Puerto Rican economy. For example, when we look back to 1976, we see that Congress decreed that American companies could relocate to Puerto Rico and operate tax-free and many pharmaceutical and manufacturing companies did just that. However twenty years later, Congress then decided this was too costly and ended these tax breaks. Companies fled the island and took their jobs with them. This pullback ultimately led to the current debt crisis that existed before the hurricanes hit — a crisis that has meant that the Boricua people are at the whim of the United States government (e.g., PROMESA). As far as I am concerned, every president who has been in office has been complicit in the underdevelopment of Puerto Rico. Over the past decade, thousands upon thousands of Puerto Ricans have fled the island for the mainland and poverty has become deeply entrenched. Again, the Boricua people are victims of policies that are regulated by Washington by people who have no ties to the island. We are at the mercy of a President and government that believes that Puerto Ricans don’t matter.

How can you explain the fact that Puerto Ricans have been left to die by the hundreds, if not thousands, and the real body count will never be known? How do you explain that, 100+ days after Hurricane Maria, only half the island has power and may have to wait until Spring to get it —-in the “greatest” country in the world? How can you even look the world in the eye and claim that you want to “Make America Great Again” when the policies that you espouse have resulted in the PREVENTABLE death of innocent people? How can you sleep at night when you just passed a tax-reform bill that treats Puerto Rico like a foreign country and will further devastate and economically ruin American citizens of Puerto Rican descent? It is so clear that the United States is are being led by people who follow a false prophet and adhere to a false religion. Do not talk to me about a Christianity that is 1000% un-Christian. Talk to my hand because the God I KNOW would never let his flock suffer like we are now. NEVER! The devil is real, folks!

Anyone with a heart and soul knows that Puerto Ricans matter. We matter because we are human. How do you not recognize another person’s basic humanity? Throughout history, I know there have been those who walked among us and denied others the right to exist just because they were different from them. I will never understand that.

Some of us are brave though and we follow the ways and knowledge that our ancestors passed down to us. We will stay, resist and fight back against our intended demise, and aid our brothers and sisters by any means necessary in their time of need. We are here for the long-term. Puerto Ricans MATTER! We don’t need anyone’s pity and we are not asking for unjust handouts. We ask for that for which we are due for all 119 years of colonial subjugation. People and companies profited off of Puerto Rico and it is time that the Boricua people receive payment back. We want hurricane relief with no strings attached. We don’t want to be saddled with outrageous debt that we did not create. We want the Jones Act repealed as it has placed an unfair burden on the Boricua people. We want something that goes beyond the current FEMA programs whereby people are able to stay in their homes or are able to be resettled nearby. We want to live in a clean environment with toxin-free water…..among other things.

We are, without a doubt, the canaries in the coal mine. Just a thought, if the current US government does this to us, as American citizens, who else is next given all the forthcoming cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, the ACA, health organizations, etc.?

We Are RESILIENT!!!

“We Puerto Ricans are also a heroic people, because we resisted Spain for five hundred years, and now we have resisted the United States for a hundred and nineteen years. We are like trees that not even a hurricane has been able to uproot, because our roots grow so deeply. Our leaves may be torn off, but they will grow again. These are the fruits of what we have sown

-Heriberto Marin, one of the last survivors of the Jajuya Uprising in 1950

(The New Yorker Magazine, 12/27/2017)

I am proud of the Boricua Branches that I have because they prove time and time again just how resilient we are as a people. I can’t stop bragging about them. Here are just some of the cousins I have who have stepped up, before and after the hurricanes, and set an example to be followed.

Adopt Arecibo

In the days after they resurfaced, Theresa and Ralph started to immediately organize to not only help others in need, but also to coordinate hurricane relief donations from the mainland to their home. They then began distributing these donations to places that were not being reached by anyone and they have continued to do so ever since. They even created a Closed FB group, along with Dee Smalling, Rose Turner and others, where they keep track of donations sent, when they are received, and then they post where those donations ended up. This is the only Puerto Rican relief group that I am working with that I can 100% confirm are legitimate and do what they say they are going to do so. They have been delivering food donations, sanitary supplies, solar lights, water filters, tarps, and other items. They have also been working with our other cousins on the island and conscripting them into their great cause. Of course, our mainland Boricua Branches have also been sending supplies in earnest. Together, we are handling it BIG TIME.

Adopt Arecibo

Adopt Arecibo Info

Adopt Arecibo Donations Delivered

Adopt Arecibo started out as a small relief organization, but is turning out to be a lot more. Adopt Arecibo now partners with the following organizations:

American Black Cross
Boondocks K-9 Search & Rescue Unit Inc. – CERT
Cajun Commissary
Caras Con Causa
Casa Bonuco
Casa Pueblo
Coalition of Hope
Coblian Med
Comedores Sociales
Commit 2 PR
Connect Relief
Coqui Nation
Cuerpo De Emergencias Medicas Estatal Base De Arecibo
Direct Relief
Disaster Relief Alliance – DRA
Empowered by Light
Familiares en Puerto Rico,Comunicate aqui,con tus fami
Flamboyan Foundation
Fundación Stefano Steenbakkers Betancourt
Fundacion Surfrider Rincon
Fundadacion Oye Aguadilla
Generate Some Love
H3 Tech Conference
Habitat for Humanity, PR
Heath Pro Med
Initiativa Comunitaria
Institute for Socio-Ecological Research
Levantando el Valle Relief
Mano A Mano Aydando Puerto Rico
MAP International
Mentes Puertorriqueñas en Acción
New York Disaster Interfaith Services (NYDIS)
Operation Agua
Operation Puerto Rico
Para La Natureleza
Parallel18
PECES, Inc
Power 4 Puerto Rico
Programa de Asistencia Tecnológica de Puerto Rico
Project Coqui_Puerto Rico Relief
proyecto esparciendo amor inc.
Puerto Rican Family Institute, Inc
Puerto Rican National Chamber of Commerce
Puerto Ricans in Action
Puerto Rico Diseña
Puerto Rico Distribución de Filtros de agua/ Water Filter distribution
Puerto Rico Love—Disaster Online Support Team
Puerto Rico Mercy Corps
Puerto Rico por Puerto Rico PRxPR
Puerto Rico Recovery Fund
Raices Cultural Center, A NJ Nonprofit Corporation
Raise Your Hands For PR, Inc.
RBC Maria Relief
Reconstruccion de Puerto Rico
Remote Area Medical
Rescate Playas Borinquen
Ricky Martin Foundation
Samaritan’s Purse
Shop+HirePuerto Rico
Texas United for Puerto Rico
Together Puerto Rico / Juntos Puerto Rico
Tree of Life Counseling Center & Foundation
U Mass Amherst
Unity Warriors Group
Veterans At Sea
Veterans For Puerto Rico
Warrior Angels Rescue
Water Filters for Puerto Rico
Water For Puerto Rico Foundation
Water Mission
Waves 4 Water
World Water Solar
Yonomequito

If anyone one has a charity organization that would like to deliver hurricane relief items to Adopt Arecibo, please feel free to contact me at rrbbgenealogy@gmail.com directly for further info.

Padre Jose Antonio Oquendo-Pabon

What can I say about a cousin who truly lives according to the word of God and could teach those in Washington a thing or two (make that many things) about how to live a Christian life? What can I say about a man, who could leave Puerto Rico in a minute, but has chosen to remain in horrible conditions to minister to his flock despite his own medical problems? What can I say about a man who is keeping a Hurricane Maria Diary to bear witness to all he has seen and who is intent on telling the truth until the very end? This cousin of mine has my utmost respect. He is a true man of God and I KNOW God knows his name. I pray for him every day because the work he has to do is more than noble. I ask people to also send prayers, love and light his way to lift Padre Jose Antonio Oquendo-Pabon up because the work he is doing is not easy. May the blessing of the Lord be with him always. Amen.

Jesse Gonzalez

Me and my cousin Jesse Gonzalez

A big thank you goes to my cousin Jesse, the founder and CEO of Comelco, Inc., who stepped up and donated a 1-million watt generator to The Mennonite General Hospital in Aibonito, PR, an area that was heavily hit by Hurricane Maria. That act of generosity, not only saved 209 jobs, but will also save countless future lives. The generator left Jacksonville, FL last Thursday and will be received shortly. Jesse is one of the most generous people I know and I love that he has never forgotten where he came from. He is still that kid who grew up in the projects on the Lower East Side. Respect in the highest of the high!

Luis Sanakori Ramos

Me and my cousin Luis Sanakori Ramos

My cousin Luis is a treasure, not only to me, but to many of our cousins. We met almost 4 yeara ago. He is our cultural ambassador and educator who connects us to our Indigenous ancestors in very tangible ways. He guided Maddy, Theresa, Ralph and me as we sought to honor Maddy and my 2nd great-grandfather in the way that celebrated his Indigenous Tano roots. Luis has also aided many cousins on their own quests to connect with their Indigenous ancestors and has given them their Indigenous names in a beautiful naming ceremony. He is the founder of the Mobile Indigenous Library, a Fancy Dancer who connects with various Indigenous cross-cultural groups nationwide. Moreover, he also performs healing ceremonies and acts as an Indigenous educator throughout NYC. Luis is a member of the Naguake Indigenous Community in Puerto Rico/Boriken and is working on fostering greater ties with this community in the future.

Our Leaves May Be Torn off, But They Will Grow Again….And Again

It’s the very end of 2017 and around 300,000 Puerto Ricans have already left the island for the mainland and more are packing up ready to go. 2018 is now here. Because we are resilient and love our island, we will never forget those who left us to suffer and die in prime time. We will vote, as American citizens, this coming year, and in 2020, and our votes and voices will be heard nationwide. Make no mistake. Our votes will be our greatest form of resistance.

We WILL remember EVERY name on the lists below.

Here is the full list of Representatives that voted against disaster relief for Puerto Rico:

Justin Amash (R-Michigan)
Jim Banks (R-Indiana)
Andy Burr (R-Kentucky)
Joe Barton (R-Texas)
Jack Bergman (R-Michigan)
Andy Biggs (R-Arizona)
Mike Bishop (R-Michigan)
Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee)
Rod Blum (R-Iowa)
Dave Brat (R-Virginia)
Mo Brooks (R-Alabama)
Ken Buck (R-Colorado)
Ted Budd (R-North Carolina)
Steve Chabot (R-Ohio)
James Comer (R-Kentucky)
Warren Davidson (R-Ohio)
Scott DesJarlais (R-Tennessee)
Sean Duffy (R-Wisconsin)
Jeff Duncan (R-South Carolina)
John Duncan (R-Tennessee)
Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota)
Virginia Foxx (R-North Carolina)
Trent Franks (R-Arizona)
Mike Gallagher (R-Wisconsin)
Thomas Garret (R-Virginia)
Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio)
Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)
Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia)
Paul Gosar (R-Arizona)
Morgan Griffith (R-Virginia)
Andy Harris (R-Maryland)
Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas)
Jody Hice (R-Georgia)
French Hill (R-Arkansas)
George Holding (R-North Carolina)
Richard Hudson (R-North Carolina)
Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana)
Walter Jones (R-North Carolina)
Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)
Trent Kelly (R-Mississippi)
David Kustoff (R-Texas)
Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado)
Jason Lewis (R-Minnesota)
Barry Loudermilk (R-Georgia)
Kenny Marchant (R-Texas)
Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky)
Mark Meadows (R-North Carolina)
Luke Messer (R-Indiana)
Alex Mooney (R-West Virginia)
Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma)
Kristi Noem (R-South Dakota)
Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina)
Gary Palmer (R-Alabama)
Steve Pearce (R-New Mexico)
Scott Perry (R-Pennsylvania)
Robert Pittenger (R-North Carolina)
John Ratcliffe (R-Texas)
Todd Rokita (R-Indiana)
Keith Rothfus (R-Pennsylvania)
David Rouzer (R-North Carolina)
Mark Sanford (R-South Carolina)
David Schweikert (R-Arizona)
Jamex Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin)
Jason Smith (R-Missouri)
Chris Stewart (R-Utah)
Mark Walker (R-North Carolina)
Jackie Walorski (R-Indiana)
Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio)
Roger Williams (R-Texas)

Here is the full list of Senators that voted against disaster relief for Puerto Rico:

John Barrasso (R-WY)

Bob Corker (R-TN

Tom Cotton (R-AR)

Mike Crapo (R-ID)

Mike Enzi (R-WY)

Jeff Flake (R-AZ)

Jim Inhofe (R-OK)

Ron Johnson (R-WI)

James Lankford (R-OK)

Mike Lee (R-UT)

Rand Paul (R-KY)

David Perdue (R-GA)

James Risch (R-ID)

Ben Sasse (R-NE)

Richard Shelby (R-AL)

Luther Strange (R-AL)

Pat Toomey (R-PA)

Edited with BlogPad Pro

The Family of Doran and Mary Ann Bruner- Seminole Freedmen

2017-12-29T20:34:00+00:00

From the town of Sasakwa, the family of Doran and Mary Bruner appeared in front of the Dawes Commission to enroll as Seminoles. On the enrollment card, the father Doran was born a free man in the Territory, yes, as was done with so many--he was placed on the Freedman Roll. Their children were Alice, Ellen Iona, Eva, Georgeann, Geo. Washington, Manda and Lizzie. Another child was born in 1905 named Parah Bruner, whose enrollment card is the third image below. This entire family was part of the Ceasar Bruner band of Seminoles.

Seminole Freedman Card #640 Field Card #33

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914, NAI Number: 251747

Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

Doran Bruners' father was Dan Bruner and his mother was Rachel Bruner, and like so many especially those from the Sasakwa settlement, his parents had at one time been enslaved by John Jumper. Doran. Mary Ann's father was Ginford Thompson and her mother's name was Minerva. Both of her parents were once enslaved by Judge Thompson.

Son Parah's name was placed on Seminole New Born Freedman card #7. Both parents' names appear on the card. The "new born" category appears in most of the tribes, but in many cases some names were simply added on the front of the original family enrollment cards, and in other cases they were placed on new born cards such as this case.

Seminole New Born Freedman Card #7

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914, NAI Number: 251747
Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

Thankfully, a small interview does exist for this family. There was most likely additional data, because the only focus of this one interview pertains to the death of one of the children. Clearly questions, about the history and parentage of the father and mother would have been taken at the time, but in this case the only document to remain in the file pertains to proving the death of one of the children.

Like many of the Seminole Freedmen a spokesman was called to testify on their behalf. In this case, the band chief Caesar Bruner himself came to testify to verify that one of the children had died. Caesar confirmed that Georgeann had died, and that he was at the family home after the funeral. Also note that Ben Bruner also came to testify for the family. Ben Bruner was also an officer for the Bruner band of Seminoles.

Application for Enrollment NARA Publication M1301 Seminole Freedman #33

(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection)

Thankfully there were no complications in the enrollment of this Bruner family. They were allowed to enroll without any challenges made by the Dawes commissioners. Their enrollment however, was that of Seminole "freedmen" although the father was born a free man. Nevertheless, having been approved, they were eligible for the allotment of land they which they accepted.

Land Allotment Records

The names of the family are shown on this first image as they applied for their land allotment.

Ancestry.com. Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Land Allotment Jackets for Five Civilized Tribes,

1884-1934[database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014.

Much of the data found in the allotment records contain legal description

(Source: Same as above)

Most importantly the end of this story is summed up in the final question asked, "Will you accept these lands for yourself, your wife and children as final allotments to the Seminole Nation?" His response was clear, "Yes sir."

(Source: Same as above)

Like the story of many, the family was now a land-owning family, and were able to face their future moving ahead. Statehood came and like all families they now faced a new future in a new state of Oklahoma, and new country--The United States to call their own. Their legacy however, as Seminoles, like those of all of the Five Tribes was one well documented through complicated years of war, peace and challenge. This Bruner family, like others of their band, like others of the same nation, and like others from Indian Territory, have a richly documented history, reflecting legacy, endurance and continuity. May they always tell their story.

This is the 50th article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.

Julia Hershey and Family - Creek Freedmen

2017-12-28T07:44:00+00:00

Researching families from the Creek Nation is not without its difficulties. This is particularly when one finds that so many of the interviews of families are simply missing. They were misplaced, and never microfilmed and now lost to time. Therefore when one finds some remarkable stories in the application jackets that were preserved they should be share as they provide so many insights in the lives of people in the 19th century in Indian Territory.

Such is the case of Julia Hershey (Hersche) from Muskogee. She appeared in front of the Dawes Commission in September 1898. Data from her enrollment card is simply and one might think that hers was an uncomplicated case.

She was 54 years of age when she applied for enrollment as a Creek Freedman. On Field Card #1222 her name is found along with that of her son John Pyles who was 18. Was a member of Arkansas Town and had been enslaved by Lookin Barnett. Some notations on the front of the card indicate that she had been placed on earlier rolls over many years.

Creek Freedman Card #1222

The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914
NAI Number: 251747
Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75

On the reverse side of the card the names of her parents are found. Her father was Alex Barnett and her mother was Rosa Barnett who had died during the years of the Civil War. Lish Pyles was her son's father, and he was not a citizen of the Creek Nation.

(same as above)

The Application Jacket

To say that the data contained in her application jacket was plentiful does not say enough. There is information about her as an applicant, but the 33 pages contained in the jacket go far beyond the ordinary that one typically sees. Personal data about her life was there. But in addition, one can read about the process that people went through, the various people that they met and even some of the witnesses on her behalf reflect the relationships that people had with others from beyond their family circle and even their community. Many had formed relationships and friendships with those from other tribes as well.

Personal Data about the applicant.

Initially personal data about Julia and her life was extracted. Her mother was Rosa Black who had married Alex Barnett. It also turns out that at one time Julia also used the name Pyles, which was the surname of Rosa's husband. Julia had already said that her son's father was Lish Pyles, but the question was asked if her son's surname was taken after her mother's husband which she replied, "yes".

There was also an interest in the surname Black and that sometimes the name Blackdirt was used. This would be asked again later.

National Archives Publication M1301
Applications for Enrollment
(Also accessed from Fold3.com, Native American Collection, Choctaw Freedmen)

The next witness on her behalf was a Cherokee woman whose name was Nannie Murray. Nanny Murray was asked about her knowledge of Julian and the family and she pointed out that she knew that Julia's mother was enslaved by Granny Black. (The reference to Granny Black also appears in the first interview above.) She was then asked to confirm the relationship of Julia to Granny Black the slave holder. Nannie pointed out that she never was at the home of Granny Black, but her own grandmother used to visit Granny Black and Granny Black used to visit them. She learned from those visits in her childhood that Granny Black owned her mother "Rhody" and that Rhody had three children.

(same as above)

Again there were questions about the tie of Julia to the Blacks and Nannie confirmed that Granny Black used to make references to "her colored folks" frequently. She was then asked if she knew Charlotte Blackdirt, which she said at first she did not know. But then she replied that she knew that Charlotte had married a Lewis, but was not sure if Granny Black had owned Charlotte. When asked why she referred to her as "Aunt Charlotte" she pointed out that many people of color referred to other in that way.

(same as above)

Arkansas Town Officials Testify for Julia

Willie McIntosh was the next witness. It turns out that he had an official role in his town as he served as Secretary for the Arkansas Colored Town. He was present when citizens came to draw the various payments over the years and verified that he knew her. He also asked if he knew a Julia who was part of the Derishaw family, which he did not. He verified that he knew that Julia drew the money and was asked more than one time how he was certain of it. He was then presented with a document and asked if it was in his hand-writing. He pointed out that it was not done by his hand, but it was copied from his own book. There then seemed to be satisfaction enough that Julia was qualified for enrollment.

(same as above)

A year later, Julia appeared again in front of the commission. She was asked about her parents. Alex was Barnett was enslaved by Larkin (Lookin) Barnet and her mother was enslaved by Granny Black. Her mother died before the war ended, although it was not mentioned where.

(Same as above)

Julia then tells the story of her life during and after the war. She was taken south to Texas, but after peace was declared and the treaties signed, she traveled with a group of scantily clad Indians back to Fort Gibson. She remained there for a while before making her way to the Old Agency in Muskogee.

(Same as above)

The questions continued and Julia was then asked to tell other parts of her story, describing when she married Lish Pyles, and where she moved. She mentioned several places that she had lived and the details were more detailed than one would usually find. Others who knew her were called. and the reader gets a glimpse not only of Julia's life, but of life after the Civil War for many former slaves.

As a reader one can see the movement of people across the country side, some to Fort Gibson, and others to other settlements. Some were in search of family and others in search of a way to make their life. Julia described how she had moved from Fort Gibson to Muskogee, and how many times she appeared for payments to Creeks. She also described having her name put on the Dunn Roll. Following that were multiple pages about her receiving various payments over the years. Various payments from "Bread money" and other payments made over the years. She was grilled continuously about who distributed the funds to her, and where. Then witnesses were called to verify that she was truly the same Julia. These questions continued for pages in the file.

The Town King Testifies

One of the more fascinating interviews in Julia's file came from Gabriel Jamison was called. He was the town king for Arkansas Colored Town. The line of questioning was focused on Julia's name on the Arkansas Colored Town roll. When asked if her name was there and how it was done, he decided to describe the entire process of creating the town roll. His description provides for the reader a clear insight into exactly how things happened from inside of this Creek town.

(Same as above)

Many pages were devoted to why Julia's name was left off several rolls from the $29 payment roll to the "Omitted" Roll. and for those whose ancestors went through the process it will be worthwhile to explore each and every page of this lengthy file.

Oddly, as detailed as the file was, the ending to the case was abrupt. Julia was recalled again, and was asked about the exact age of her son, and why some data conflicted with other data. She pointed out that at times her mind would come and go and she was not sure. She was then directed to present any additional testimony on June 12th for her next interview. And thus the file ended.

(Same as above)

The abrupt ending of the file does not diminish the file, nor the case. In fact the rich data contained on those pages far outweigh the seemingly short ending. Julia Hershey was clearly a woman of the Creek Nation and clearly her case was eventually approved and not rejected. She left behind an amazing narrative describing her life from the end of the war, her travels back to Fort Gibson and her life over the years. As the nation changed, her status changed, and she was a witness to the many changes within Indian Territory.

She got her land as did her son. This Creek woman whose education was limited survived. From her file, we see part of her life described before emancipation. We see the early days of freedom as her life was changed. We also see the years spent as circumstances required movement sometimes for word and other times to find something better. Her relationship with the tribe is apparent, and the relationship of former slaves to the land and the community was strong. From this simple woman's files, so much can be learned. May her Creek descendants come to read, embrace and grow from her story.

(The entire file of Julia Hershey can be found in Application Jacket #1222, in microfilm collection M1301 at the National Archives. It can also be accessed online at Ancestry.)

**********

This is the 49th article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.