Emily's Will~Releasing the Names

Many face the situation of finding the enslaved in our ancestor's records. 
This will of my 4th great grandmother Emily Elizabeth (Vaughn) Dargan (1797-1865) is interesting as it was written in May of 1865 just days before the end of the Civil War.
Living in Sumter County, South Carolina all her life, she saw firsthand the horrors of war and a complete change of lifestyle. 

Will of Emily Vaughn

Source: Sumter, South Carolina, “South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1670-1990”, database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com: accessed 26 January 2018), image for Emily Dargan, 9 May,1865 will pg. 256-25710-11, citing “Will Book, Vol D-1-E2, 1823-1868”

  She wrote these words 

I will and bequeath my servant boy William to my eight grandchildren viz Milton, Henry, Burgess, Bradford , Bernard, Dargan, Frances, Mary V., Alice Scarborough and to their heirs forever for their equal use and benifit. I will and bequeath my servant boy Iassac an my carriages and horses to my daughter Francis Elizabeth and her heirs forever. Should the following negros viz. Dick, Jim. Wesley, Adam, Amy, Annette, Nelly, Lea, Molly, & Jane which have been taken by the  army of the United States be still my property, or should they or any of them be at any time restored to my estate, I will and bequeath the same to my children and grandchildren and their heirs forever to be equally divided between them, except for my daughter Martha and her children; my granchildren only taking the share which is her or their part if living at the time would be entitled in an equal division of my property among my children.         

Could it really be just days before the end of the war, there was doubt in Emily's mind as to the outcome and ultimate freedom for her "servant boys" and "negros" who had been taken from her?

William, Isaac, Dick, Jim, Wesley, Adam, Amy, Annette, Nelly Lea, Molly, and Jane
 All but William and Isaac were no longer living on the property. If as Emily stated they were taken by the Union Army, where did they go? Were they still in the area or had they escaped north? Why were William and Isaac left behind? 
Perhaps other records will come to light to answer those questions.

As with all my posts releasing the names of the enslaved found while researching, this post will be shared with the Slave Name Roll Project. By extracting their names out of Emily's will and posting online it is hoped their descendants will be able to locate them and reunite them with their family as they are added to the family tree.  

Do you have slave owners in your family tree? If so, won't you consider releasing the names of the enslaved in their records? 

This post was written for 52 Ancestors, week 9 "Where There's a Will" from Amy Johnson Crow.

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The Dog Tag

Dog Tags are issued to soldiers as a form of identification. 

When my maternal grandfather, Gilbert Ernest Roberts (1920-19144) entered the Marines in 1943, he received his set. 

If the soldier is killed in action, one tag stays with the body and the other with the Company Officer.  

Gilbert Ernest Roberts
1944
Before shipping off to the South Pacific

The dog tag in the image below was returned to Gilbert's wife Azile after his death on the island of Peleliu in September of 1944, just a few months after shipping out.

Gilbert Ernest Roberts
Dog Tag
WWII

Photos, stories, letters, and the telegraph informing the family of his death have been passed down to his descendants. 
The Dog Tag makes it more real. 
Something tangible to hold. 
An heirloom that once hung around his neck.

Thank you for your service and your sacrifice, 


This post was written for week 8 -"Heirloom" from Amy Johnson Crow's series 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.


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Finding Love

My parents are an inspiration. 
In their 58 years of marriage, they have experienced the joy of family, the pain of being apart during dad's tour of duty in Viet Nam plus his other assignments with the Air Force and the heartache of debilitating illness.

This Valentines Day I honor them with this Adobe Spark video for their example of love, moving past difficulties and commitment through adversity.

Happy Valentines Day, Mom and Dad!





This post was written for this week's 52 Ancestors blog prompt "Valentine" from Amy Johnson Crow.


Do you have examples of enduring love in your family tree?

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Favorite Name~Epaphroditus Canty

Epaphroditus Canty. What a first name! Son of my 7th great grandfather, John Canty (born about 1675) and grandson of the Irish immigrant Tiege Canty (1621-1679), Epaphroditus was born in the early 1700s, near Charleston, South Carolina. He is my 6th great grand uncle. 
Not much is known about Epaphroditus. 
Land records show him owning land on the Ashley River in St. James Parish in 1729. Other information about his life has not been uncovered.

Epaphroditus is a name from the Bible, it means handsome or agreeable. Not common today, it stands out in my genealogy database. 
Wonder if he had a nickname. That is a mouthful!

Did this distant cousin of mine have a wife and children? Are there descendants to remember him?
At this point, these questions remained unanswered. 
His unusual name was chosen for this week's #52Ancestors prompt "Favorite Name" from Amy Johnson Crow as a way to make sure he is not forgotten.

Do you have an Epaphroditus in your family tree? What about any unusual or favorite names?

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Making Sense of the Census-Finding Nancy and Helen

Are you having trouble finding people in the census when doing a search on ancestry, familysearch or other genealogy content providers? 
Sometimes, you need to be thinking creatively  with how you search and when viewing the results when they pop up.

My great grandfather Jubal Ransom Early (1888-1964) was an interesting man. So far, I have discovered three marriages and several childen during his lifetime. Divorce wasn't legal at the time so it's likely he just walked away and started over with each new family.

Looking for Jubal in the 1910 and 1920 census of both North and South Carolina has not been successful. I have tried all the tricks. Using just his first hame, his last name, initials, birth date,and also looking for all the Earlys in a county and state. Nothing. 
In 1915 and 1916 he had children with Nancy Horton Early (1892-?) in Iredell County, North Carolina. One of those, a son died in 1916. 
In the 1930 census, Nancy and daughter Helen (1916-1971) were in Greensville, South Carolina where Nancy is listed as a widow although Jubal didn't die until 1964. This was a common practice expecially in states where divorce was not legal. Many woman claimed to be widows after their husbands left them.

Not finding Jubal-you'd think I would with a name like his- I changed my search to try to locate wife Nancy and daughter Helen hoping he was with them. 
No hits in the areas the family was from came up. Where was this family? I decided to expand the search into other areas.

Then I noticed a curious entry.

Could this be Nancy and Helen? 

1920 U.S. Census Lee County, SC, population schedule, Mt. Clio Township, Enumeration District ED 20, p.4 B (penned), dwelling 78, family 80, Nancy Early, digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com:accessed 21 Jan. 2018); from National Archives microfilm publication T623 roll 1524

I believe it is them. The ages match up even though the location is not where I would expect them to be. Why was Nancy living in Lee County, SC? She is listed as married so where is Jubal?
Then I realized.  Jubal was most likely next door in Sumter County, where he met my great grandmother! This was 1920 and my grandmother was born the same year! He's doesn't appear on the census of that county, but he obviously was there at some point. 
So, did he have his wife and daugter boarding in the next county while he was courting my great grandmother? It appears so. The cad.  

Where exactly was Jubal while the census was taken in 1910 and 1920? That's a question that still needs to be answered. Hopefully more creative searching can find him.

Do you have people you can't find in the census. Making sense of what the search engines bring up sometimes take creativity and thinking outside of the box.

It helped me find Nancy and Helen. Who has it helped you find?


This post was written for #52 Ancestors from Amy Johnson Crow. Week 5-In the Census.

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The Ancestor Banquet

I found myself at a dinner party, more of a banquet really, where there were many people gathered and dressed in an array of fashions from times gone by.
Entering the room I am seated at the head of the table and as I look around I discover these were no ordinary people. They were my ancestors coming together to discuss their lives and help me to remember and honor them.

Seeing Bertrand Campbell Price sitting near me I exclaim "Cam! Where did you go? Do you know the rumors that persist about you? When you disappeared in 1922 it was thought you ran away with all the family money or were a victim of foul play. Some say your daughter, Beulah Mae (Price) Roberts, knew more about your mysterious vanishing act than she was willing to tell. 
Now is the time to set the record straight!"

Beulah speaks up on her father's behalf and explains the reasons why she put a date and place for her father's death on her delayed birth certificate. Wanting to know more about her experiences during her time on earth, she sighs as I ask her to tell me about the grief of losing six of her twelve children; three in infancy and three during WWII. " How did you handle it?" I ask. Her tears flow as she shares how she moved forward a day at a time, never really getting over their loss, but learning how to live with it. We all are weeping as we hear her story.

Turning to Frank Emerson Sullivan, Sr,  I plead with him to tell me "Who are your parents? Tell me about your life. All I know about you is your service in WWI. Please give me clues as to where to find your records so your branch of the family can be grafted into mine."

As we move on through dinner, Benjamin Marion, my French immigrant ancestor shares tales of his family's persecution as a Huguenot and what it felt like to be forced to flee their homes.
What was it like to sail across the ocean and start over in a new land? What were your first thoughts as the ship sailed into Charleston Harbor?" I ask.

Next, we all look to William Amos McManus and wife Fannie -Francis Virginia (McRady) McManus as I learn about his family and the children brought into their homes through adoption. Leaning a little closer, I whisper and ask about the scandal dealing with their daughter Effie Vida (McManus) Burkett and her husband William J. Burkett. "What's the real story? The newspaper report says they were poisoned! Your rebuttal asked for the true story to be told. Will you tell me now?"

 Around the table, I see Charity Stafford, William Dorrity, Mary Jane (Brown) McRady, William Smith, William Frierson, Rebecca Bradley, William Baker, Margaret Dunagan, Anthony Lee and others who stand at the end of their branches and each share a little of their life experiences. I ask them for help in finding their families in order to grow our tree.

 Looking to Martha (Mathis) Dorrity and Marina (Mathis) Stafford, I ask them to explain their connection and question if researchers were on the right track with their shared maiden name.

Thomas J. McRrady speaks up and agrees to help me understand his timeline and separate himself from others in the area with the same name. 
Joachim Hudson eagerly shares his knowledge of the reported tie to the famous Henry Hudson.

Ransom  Taylor Early, sitting further down the table with his in-laws William Martin and Matilda C., begins his story by telling where the Early family came from before living in Iredell County, N.C. William takes a turn and does the same. "Matilda," I query, "what does the "C" stand for in your name? Is it for your middle or maiden name?" She happily gives her full name so her branch of the family can be added.

Arriving late, Jubal Ransome Early sits next to his father Ransome. All eyes look at him as we shake our heads. "Three families?" I ask. "Children who didn't know about each other?"
He blushes and tells his side of the story.

As the banquet continues several of those who served in the Revolutionary War, some in the company of Francis Marion, tell of the events leading to war and the formation of our country. .John Jacob Ergle, Lt. John Frierson, Jesse Baker, William Baker, Anthony Lee, John Bradford, William Vaughn, William Strother and John Marion, Jr. all take a turn.

Confederate Soldiers, George David Eargle, Alpheus J. Baker, Benjamin Reese Gibson, Thomas Lemuel Thames, William Dorrity and son Manning David Dorrity, Sr.  enlighten us on what it was like during our nations Civil War and the toll it took on their families and why they choose to fight a losing battle against their nation.

I notice a group of women sitting together and they explain they are all the Marys, Janes, Marthas, Sarahs etc. who are listed with only their first names in my database. They plead with me to listen as one by one they share who they are and which family they belong to.

Making my way to the children's table, I am touched by all those who died in between census records or not included in family documents. They are anxious to share their names, to be counted, to belong.

Sadly, the night is coming to an end. Reaching out to each in attendance we share an embrace as we part. I thank them for their stories and each priceless piece of information.
Each is cherished, even ones who may have lived and made choices foreign to my understanding,
Their blood runs through mine.
If not for them, I would not be here to share their stories. They want so much to be remembered.

Waking from what turns out to be a marvelous dream, I pull out my computer and go to work.
I have branches to climb, stories to tell, and ancestors to remember.

If you had the opportunity, which of your ancestors would you invite to dinner and why?

This post was written using the prompt "Invite to Dinner" from the series 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks by Amy Johnson Crow.

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Oldest Subscriber. Good Old Friend. Aged Servant of God.

My paternal 3rd great grandfather Alpheus J. Baker (1824-1917) lived to be 93 years old.

Alpheus J. Baker (1824-1917)

Newspapers are one of my favorite sources for information to discover stories. 
This article found in the September 1897 issue of The Southron and Watchman gives a shout out to their "Oldest Subscriber".  The fact Alpheus went on to live 20 more years after this clipping says he was "getting along in years" makes me chuckle. 

Alpheus Baker-Old Subscriber
Watchman and Southron (Sumter, South Carolina)
September 1897,  pg. 3

Alpheus was the subject again in 1905 after a visit to the newspaper office. He was 81 years old. This time they not only reported on his being a long time subscriber but on his memories of the area and his family.

Alpheus Baker-A Pleasant Call
Watchman and Southron (SC)
25 Oct. 1905 pg. 6

Whether it was due to his longevity or standing in the community, the paper felt the need to run a long article letting readers know about Alpheus being seriously ill on 26 December 1917. Unfortunately, this article although well intended ran two days after his death.

Alpheus Baker-Illness of a Veteran
Watchman and Southron (Sumter, SC)
26 Dec. 1917 pg.3

Word was received of his death and a lengthy obituary was published on the 29th.

Alpheus Baker-Death
Watchman and Southron (Sumter, South  Carolina)
29 December 1917 pg.3

Dates on a tombstone show a man who lived to be 93 years old.

Oldest Subscriber. Good Old Friend. Aged Servant of God. 

Stories surviving through newspapers help to fill in the story of his life.

Do you have ancestors who live a long life? Share their story in the comments below.

Longevity is the topic for #52Ancestors this week. 

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Azile and Marguerite~Friends for Life

Do you have a photo that is a favorite, or one means a lot to you? Favorite photo is the theme for this week's #52Ancestors prompt from Amy Johnson Crow. 

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to collect many photos from the branches of my family tree. A favorite? Well, that's hard to choose!

This photo is one that makes me happy every time I look at it.

 My maternal grandmother, Azile Juanita (Daughrity) Sullivan (1921-2009) is seen on the left with her lifelong friend Marguerite (Windham) Gaskin (1920-2016). Both girls grew up in Sumter, South Carolina on Church St. I believe the house in the background in the Daughrity home.

It no longer exists and the land it stood on is now a city park.

The pure joy of teenage girls hanging out together radiates from this photo! What I would give to know what tidbit of gossip, secret or joke they may have been sharing. Just look at those faces!

Azile and Marguerite
Mid-1930s
©Cheri Hudson Passey

 In the mid-1950s, both ended up married and living Camden, South Carolina.
The couples often spent time together.

Decades later this photo was taken at the beach. They remained friends throughout their lives. 

Marguerite and Azile
Mid-1960s
©Cheri Hudson Passey

Do you have a favorite photo in your family history collection? Who is it of and why?
I'd love to have you share it!

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January 2018-Time for a New Start

The beginning of a new year has many of us thinking about goals, planning for new projects and looking back at what didn't work in the past.

Most of us look at the new year as a fresh start.

What does my view of the year look like?

First, staying on track of the many things I need to get accomplished each day is a must.
I played with using a bullet journal last year and it was helpful. When I used it! 
This year, I am making it a priority to incorporate it more in my daily planning along with using Evernote and Trello to keep me on task.  

Second, my personal research has been put on the back burner as client work, teaching and writing have taken up more of my time. Carving out time for my ancestors is on the action plan for this year. 
I really need to find out where my great great grandfather Campbell Price disappeared to and when my Daughrity ancestors came to South Carolina!

Pixabay CC0 image

The third point on my new start plan for the year is to continue learning and growing as a genealogist.  Education is important in any field. Keeping skills fresh and gaining knowledge of others as opportunities arise rounds up my genealogy goals for the year.
Attending conferences, listening to webinars and participating in online classes and hangouts along with reading books and magazines will provide the necessary knowledge needed to be the best I can be. My big to do this year is to learn more about DNA and understanding test results. 

Lastly, I would like to help more of you climb your family tree this year. More presentations, classes, coaching, client work and blogging have been added to my schedule with additions to come. 
Let me know what I can do to help you! 

Taking the time to chart a course for the year can help us all get motivated and begin anew. 
The most important thing is to put that plan into action and go and do!

Pixabay CC0 image

So what about you? Are you planning on a new start for your genealogy pursuits this year?
What plans have you made? How are you going to accomplish them? What will keep you motivated?

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