Special thanks to Walter and Sarah!
The first Gathering at Harewood Plantation just outside of Charles Town!
Hosted by S.Walter Washington and Sarah Brown, both direct descendants of the Washington families.Our first Harewood gathering brought together the Jefferson County Black History Preservation Society (JCBHP), the descendants of those who built and serviced Harewood, and Washington Descendants together with other interested Charles Town residents. We shared an insightful, soul soothing afternoon, and promised to return to further our research and connections.
WELL, WE DID IT AGAIN!!
Our great gathering of new family – it’s a long story, but a great one!
L to R – Back row; Matt Landerkin; Kelly Ferrell (Joyceann’s daughter), Walter Washington, Sarah Brown.
Middle row; Leah Ferrell (Kelley’s daughter, Joyceann’s granddaughter), Monique Crippen-Hopkins, Marilyn M Morton (Joyceann’s sister).
Front row: Bunny Shaw (Nikki’s mom), Shelley Murphy, Nikki Matt Landerkin, Brennan Landerkin (Nikki and Matt’s son), Joyceann Gray, Jaden Landerkin (Nikki and Matt’s son). Yay!
Other’s that left before the picture was taken; The Tolbert’s and the Taylors, Heidi Snow, her sister and mother Mrs. Oliver.
How we began;
Shelley contacted Khadijah (my sister) with a question about the passenger list of the Carolinian that took manumitted enslaved persons to Liberia. Khadijah sent the information to me (Joyceann) since I was doing the historical research for that branch of the family. Wow, what do you know There in black and white was Rueben and Elizabeth Hatter, relations of ours connecting our family back to Harewood Plantation.Oh, and by the way, Shelley is our cousin from the Nebraska branch of the family.
While all this is going on, Shelley connects me to Facebook group ‘Our Black Ancestry’ where I meet and share research with Monique as we three are researching the same area Charles Town, WV. As we get deeper into our research low and behold Monique and I find out we’re cousins four times over. Some by blood some by marriage but cousins to be sure! Eventually, Sarah Brown connects with me since she has already made Monique’s connection to Claymont Plantation and they work to solve the connection with Fortune Thompson and the Washington family. Click here for her well-written accounting of her research.
Now to be sure this all didn’t happen overnight or in a week.
We have been working for years to gain a name or location. Shelley has been hard at for over 30 years! I can only imagine what her office/house looks like with all the records and documents she has amassed! 🙂
Next, our newest member of our team is Nikki ( a Goins relative), who lives in WV and has so much to offer, and share indeed she does. You see, we just don’t look and study for our own historical benefit, we are constantly digging and uncovering for each other. Sarah found baptism records for my people, I found letters that helped Monique and so on.
Now this past Saturday we met a few new people of Charles Town and shared a delightful potluck smorgasbord that satisfied everyone’s palette.
Our dining was watched over by Col Samuel Walter Washington upon the Wall…
Wonder what he was thinking about our gathering…. 🙂
We spent all afternoon sharing our stories and research and filled the air with laughter and hugs.
Even our little ones enjoyed the day with Walter Washington and Kelly Ferrell playing poker!
WATCH OUT THERE’S MORE TO COME………
J. Gray Researching 
Reblogged this on familytreegirldotcom and commented:
This was a fabulous gathering in Charles Town, Jefferson County, WV, home of my great great grandmother Mary Catherine (Goens) Marsh and family. I met some extraordinary individuals. As you know good food, kitchen table and a porch will bring a lot of people together. We all link to Jefferson County via our enslaved and/or free ancestors. I finally met a “white” Washington. Yes, I am serious, Walter and his cousin Sarah Brown opened his home for our gathering. I had never met a white Washington, Walter is a Washington. I only know of African American with the surname Washington’s, well besides President George Washington. Walter and Sarah were gracious and we all love them dearly. We are bonded by our research and our family ties. This will not be the last time we gather. We hope we can locate other descendants of the slaves who were owned by the Washington family in Jefferson County, Virginia/WV. The work will continue. Thank you Joyceann for writing the article. Yes, there is more to come.
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