I updated Dr. Jerome R. Riley’s story after some more research. So please go check him out again! https://jgraydiscovery.com/dr-jerome-r-riley/
Additionally, I completed 5 biographies of Black Ambassadors for BlackPast.org:
I updated Dr. Jerome R. Riley’s story after some more research. So please go check him out again! https://jgraydiscovery.com/dr-jerome-r-riley/
Additionally, I completed 5 biographies of Black Ambassadors for BlackPast.org:
Well folks it has been a minute since my last post so here’s an update:
Our internet was down for about 3 days and that slowed all my research to a grinding halt! So the backlog of work to do is high but I’m chipping away at it ! Yes long hours!
Next I have been actively writing biographies on Black Ambassadors for BlackPast.org the impressive online encyclopedia. I was very honored to be asked to do these 8 Ambassadors; Sue K. Brown, Montenegro, 2011-Present -Ann Forrester-Holloway, Mali, 1979-Gayleatha B. Brown, Benin, 2006-Sylvia Gaye Stanfield,Brunei Darussalam, 2002-Barbara M. Watson,Malaysia, 1981-Ruth Washington,Gambia, 1989-Leslie M. Alexander, Mauritius, 1993, Ecuador, 1996-Bernadette Allen, Niger, 2006! So stay tuned and I’ll let you know when they get posted.
A couple of days ago Catherine (cousin) informed a few of us that she got word that there was a movement to have a landmark erected in remembrance of the homesteaders in the Dewitty community in Nebraska. So Marcia and Catherine and myself started up a Facebook group which exists to highlight the lives of our ancestors – the DeWitty, Nebraska Homesteaders – who worked so hard to leave a rich legacy for us and future generations. We also plan to ensure that our voices are heard in the process of getting the landmark erected. We are not only hopeful but determined to see this happen.
Another great find is locating the platt maps of the land owners and by doing so I’ve been able to make the connection with my great great grandfather Joseph Birch and his father Daniel Birch on my maternal side.
So back to the grind… Oh and Sarah Brown has a new blog up and running: BitterSweet Linked through slavery @ http://linkedthroughslavery.com/ Check it out!
More later…..cya
Ten thousand miles begins with one step
I saw that on a Facebook ad and thought how profound… Our ancestors took that first step to survive and make their lives count for something………..
Here’s a portion of what Monique posted on her blog:
“I have been researching my family for a while but just lately I connected with a cousin “Joyceann Gray”. We didn’t know we were related, but during the course of our research we found several names that matched up through marriages. One day I happened to mention that (Solomon H Thompson the grandson born in 1870: Grandma Frances brother) has some family papers at the University and I had a quote from the University but I hadn’t ordered it yet, so she responded send me the email, well I sent Joyceann the email and she responded once again and said I went on and ordered it I hope that was ok. I was surprised and excited!!! We were both excited because since we’ve been finding connections we both figured we might find some family information that would help. I never expected to find what we found when the documents came back. I’ll let Joyceann tell you her side and what she found, but my ENTIRE family history from the Thompson side was written out on just a few pieces of paper.”
My side of the story: During our collaborating, Monique and I discovered we had Dr. Solomon Thompson in both our family trees. (I mentioned this in my Jan 5th post) From my research I identified Dr. Thompson as a cousin to my maternal great-grandmother Charlotte Baldwin Hatter. I was as excited as Monique to find out more about him and our family relationships. So when Monique said here’s the email, I jumped at it and sent the request and check into the Spencer Research Library and Impatiently waited for the response. When we finally got the emails with the attached copies of papers, it really was a great day. That email contained a gold mine for Monique. God is Good. Although I didn’t get the answers I was looking for Monique did and that makes it all worth while.
Then just this past week, Monique finally got her DNA results and found that Skip Mason was a cousin, so back to the trees we went and again found that the three of us have the same ancestors. Although I don’t share DNA with Monique or Skip they are still cousins since we do share four plus (4+) relationships through marriage. Their people and mine lived, worked and traveled in the same circles. They toiled the lands of the Samuel Walter and Bushrod Washington plantation’s back in the early 1800’s and made their marks after the war of the states. All our ancestors contributed to their families, communities and to history!
They may have been born during slavery but that didn’t make them slaves.
When the challenges are great, so are the possibilities for making real progress. Accept that those challenges exist, and yet do not be resigned to them.
Be clear and honest about where you are. Then begin moving boldly toward where you wish to go. Look realistically at the difficulties you face. In every single one of them, there is opportunity.
No one is better positioned than you to make the most of those unique and meaningful opportunities. For you know exactly where you are, where you intend to be, and what you have to work with. The road to real accomplishment leads directly through the challenges. Right now, you have what it takes to begin moving forward on that road.
You know what must be done, and more importantly, you know why you must do it. Step confidently into the challenges, and keep going until you reach the success that is on the other side. — Ralph Marsto
January
This is a busy month for birthday’s of those with us and those of us that we honor and remember!
Jan 1, 1914 – Neal (O’Neil) Page Jan 2, 1843 – Dolly Ann Irvin
1922 – Albert Riley Jr.
Jan 3, 1882 – Catherine L. Travis Jan 5 – Ibrahim Matin
Jan 6, 1876 – Sara Elizabeth Jan 7 – Clymtene M. Brooks
Jan 8 – Monique Jan 9, 1853 – George W. Hatter
1920 – Zelma F. Riley 1893 – Gordon W. Shreve
1921 – Harold Wm. Stith 1885 – Samuel H. Travis
1875 – Theodora Epps
1917 – Kenneth M. Hayes
Jan 11, 1910 – Richard L. Reed, Jr. Jan 13 – Jehan Mesidor
1934 – Leonard D. Shreve 1844 – Mary E. (Eliza) Brown
1903 – Baldwin W. Walker 1858– Charlotte B. Hatter
1866 – Jeanette Watts 1913 – Vera Mae Robbins
Jan 15, 1849 – Lewis Thompson Forte Jan 16, 1909 – William T. Carter
Jan 17, 1912 – Dwight E. Stith, Dr. 1883 – Tipton Tip Fugate
1828 – Elizabeth A. Tofflemire
Jan 18, 1872 – Felix Franklin Shreve Jan 21, 1872 – Charles W. L. Travis
1891 – Dennis E. Walker Jan 22, 1877 – Jasper R. Thompson, Dr.
Jan 19, 1878 – Ina Lizella Thomas Jan 24, 1948 – Dexter Rodney Hatter
Jan 20 – Marilyn Morton 1849 – Matilda Hatter
Thornton Hatter Jan 25 – Teddy Hayes
1867- Mary Jane Brooks Marcia T. Thompkins
1878 – Grace Dureen Fox Jan 29 – Derrick Vaughn
1873 – Wm. Nelson Searight 1867 – Lessie Mary Cason
1884 – Mollie Thompson
1866 – Elizabeth E. Watts
** Honor and remebered (With No exact day in January)
1820 – Ephriam Kersey 1879 – Mable Nixon
1832 – Sarah Ann Travis 1880 – Abraham Shreeves
1836 – Richard Page 1883 – Noomie Tillery
1854 – Mary Isabella Kersey 1888 – Austin C. Proctor
1855 – Louis McDade 1889 – Blanch Tillery
1857 – Phoebe Arlena Brooks 1890 – Henrietta McDade
1879 – Mable Nixon 1891 – Ethel Tillery
1882 – Della Jones 1892 – Maybelle Carter
1881 – John T. Mc Campbell Britton Mc Dade
1882 – Britton McDade 1896 – Annie R. Hatter
Charles B. Woodson, Sr. Mosella Brooks
1862 – Jacob Mc Intosh Herbert Staten
1898 – Eva May Carter
1899 – Harer Johnston
This past weekend I recieved two emails inquiring about the Gibson/Gipson side of the family! both are through marriage that we have a common bond.
It is so much fun and very rewarding to connect with people and working the linage until you find the connections. Although sometimes it may just end up the relation is only through marriage, still I consider the new additions as Cousins Discovered!!!
Take for instance My association with Monique Crippen-Hopkins, we started out as just members of the same Facebook online group Our Black Ancestry. Through that group with the help of my cousin Shelley Murphy’s introduction ,we found that the three of us were looking for family in the same small town of Charles Town West Virginia. As a result we not only found one connection but four (4) different connections through the years:
Henrietta Richardson (1897) who married George Hatter Cross (1880)
The son of Sarah (Fannie) Francis (Hatter)(1850) who married in 1871 William Cross (1845)
Margaret C. Thompson (1894) who in 1931 married Eugene Godfrey Cross (1898)
Also the son of Sarah (Fannie) Francis (Hatter) Cross.
Fannie C. Thompson (1892) who in 1933 married Chester Reed Cross (1892)
Also the son of Sarah (Fannie) Francis (Hatter) Cross
Gelettia Sturgis Richardson married John Rufus Cross
Also son of Sarah (Fannie) Francis (Hatter) Cross.
William A. Thompson (1882) who married Rebecca Farrell (1880)
The daughter of Franklin & Rebecca Hatter; Emily (Hatter) (1848) married (1871) Lorenza Farrell (1836)
Emily is sister to Sarah).
This was Great!!
Now that the New Year is here and the holidays distractions are behind us, it’s time to get back on tract!
During the course of my researching various family members I have run across the terms Mulatto, White and Black all in the same census of one family. So I stopped and took a bit of a turn to research the words and why they might be used in this context.
* “Through the Decades”. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2015-01-01
HMMMMMM
A Indian virtual home
Building Our Dream Home
Digital Magazine
Trying to put all the pieces of the Shumpert family in place.
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou
See, what had happened was...
Blog of Brass Oak Genealogy
A great WordPress.com site
From Texas To The Carolinas, A Never Ending Search For My Ancestors
A Indian virtual home
Building Our Dream Home
Digital Magazine
Trying to put all the pieces of the Shumpert family in place.
“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” — Maya Angelou
See, what had happened was...
Blog of Brass Oak Genealogy
A great WordPress.com site
From Texas To The Carolinas, A Never Ending Search For My Ancestors