African-American Family History Posted
Replies: 4
Re: African-American Family History Posted
 Stephen_Townsend
(View posts)
|
Posted: 21 Jul 2008 1:32PM GMT |
Classification: Query
Dear Susan:
My apologies for the delayed response. I thought I had responded, but had not.
In Alabama, I have found the quality of many of the local records to be very poor where slaves were involved. Your best bet would be to check probate court records, such as deed books, wills/estates, court minutes, etc., to find a connection. In the deed books, I would suggest starting 20 years after Emancipation and working backwards. Often former slaveowners engaged in business transactions with their former slaves, including selling land, sharecropping arrangements, purchase agreements, etc., some of which may have been recorded with the probate court. You are likely to have better results in Jefferson County than in Talladega County since Jefferson County, being much more urban, kept much better records.
One thing I have done is to trace the history of the white family that owned some of my ancestors to try to understand the connections and how slaves transferred ownership. For example, my 3great-grandfather, William Bellamy, owned slaves in North Carolina. Whether they were gifted to him or part of an inheritance, I have yet to determine. Anyway, around 1840, he left North Carolina for Alabama, taking his slaves with him. In Alabama, I have found no records indicating that he bought or sold any slaves. However, when his father died in 1846, he inherited 10 slaves who were eventually transported to Alabama. Using the 1840-1860 censuses, I tracked his slaves by age, gender and color and then matched them as best as I could against all of the free African-American Bellamys in the censuses following the Civil War. That exercise helped me identify family clusters that had remained intact for at least a generation in slavery. I also identified his blood connection to other local white families whose slaves intermarried with his. So that information gives me the opportunity to search their probate records for clues as well.
Another branch of the Bellamy family relocated to Jackson County, Florida. including two of William's brothers and his orphaned nephews. They, too, took their slaves with them and also inherited slaves when their father died. The proliferation of common names, such as Aesop and Annecke/Annica, within the North Carolina, Florida and Alabama Bellamys leads me to believe that some of these groups shared a common ancestry. However, proving that will be pretty near impossible except through DNA analysis.
Lastly, one other possible way to make a connection is to scan local newspapers. Sometimes, when former slaves died or their former masters made the news, there might be a reference to a relationship.
I hope that this is helpful.
Regards,
Steve
My apologies for the delayed response. I thought I had responded, but had not.
In Alabama, I have found the quality of many of the local records to be very poor where slaves were involved. Your best bet would be to check probate court records, such as deed books, wills/estates, court minutes, etc., to find a connection. In the deed books, I would suggest starting 20 years after Emancipation and working backwards. Often former slaveowners engaged in business transactions with their former slaves, including selling land, sharecropping arrangements, purchase agreements, etc., some of which may have been recorded with the probate court. You are likely to have better results in Jefferson County than in Talladega County since Jefferson County, being much more urban, kept much better records.
One thing I have done is to trace the history of the white family that owned some of my ancestors to try to understand the connections and how slaves transferred ownership. For example, my 3great-grandfather, William Bellamy, owned slaves in North Carolina. Whether they were gifted to him or part of an inheritance, I have yet to determine. Anyway, around 1840, he left North Carolina for Alabama, taking his slaves with him. In Alabama, I have found no records indicating that he bought or sold any slaves. However, when his father died in 1846, he inherited 10 slaves who were eventually transported to Alabama. Using the 1840-1860 censuses, I tracked his slaves by age, gender and color and then matched them as best as I could against all of the free African-American Bellamys in the censuses following the Civil War. That exercise helped me identify family clusters that had remained intact for at least a generation in slavery. I also identified his blood connection to other local white families whose slaves intermarried with his. So that information gives me the opportunity to search their probate records for clues as well.
Another branch of the Bellamy family relocated to Jackson County, Florida. including two of William's brothers and his orphaned nephews. They, too, took their slaves with them and also inherited slaves when their father died. The proliferation of common names, such as Aesop and Annecke/Annica, within the North Carolina, Florida and Alabama Bellamys leads me to believe that some of these groups shared a common ancestry. However, proving that will be pretty near impossible except through DNA analysis.
Lastly, one other possible way to make a connection is to scan local newspapers. Sometimes, when former slaves died or their former masters made the news, there might be a reference to a relationship.
I hope that this is helpful.
Regards,
Steve