Listening to one of my favorite genealogy podcasts on Facebook Live in 2023 (shout out to Genealogy Adventures), the discussion turned to Native Americans suddenly disappearing. That’s the way it seemed, especially in North Carolina. When I first arrived in Onslow County, North Carolina, a long-time resident told me that the Tuscarora Indians disappeared because they left the area. They assumed the tribe moved away because of the lack of natural resources and not forcibly removed (as in the Trail of Tears). I found this hard to believe, so I did my research.
Race Has Always Been A “Thing," Especially for Native Americans
Race has always defined individuals in this country and the world. A dominant race seems to overpower any race (especially one of color): Africans endured slavery; Jews suffered the Holocaust; the Japanese faced imprisonment in internment camps in the United States during WWII; and the colonists drove Native Americans off their land and relocated them to areas deemed less troublesome to them.
The federal government established a legal definition of race to classify people based on racial identity and appearance, especially in Virginia. An 1866 Virginia law specified the degree of “blackness” to be listed as “colored” or Indian. In 1924, Virginia passed the “Act to Preserve Racial Integrity” that the Native Americans started to “disappear.”
The Paper Genocide of Native Americans
Enforcing segregation relied on racial definition, particularly in Virginia. Walter Ashby Plecker, the Virginia Registrar of the Vital Statistics Bureau, pushed people to categorize their race as either “colored”/Black or white. The term “colored” became the new race for African Americans. Plecker group Virginian Native Americans in the “colored” category. Virginians with mixed African and Native American heritage faced scrutiny from Plecker, who believed these half-Native Blacks claimed to be Native Americans to circumvent segregation laws and pass for white.
Plecker scrutinized every birth certificate and marriage application for these citizens and manipulated their records. Statistically speaking, he reclassified many with Native American mixed heritage as “colored,” eradicating the genealogical heritage of Native Americans in Virginia. Plecker developed and maintained the one-drop rule, meaning mixed Native African heritage followed this rule and was considered colored/black.
Erasure of a Heritage and Culture
Plecker’s racial “erasure” efforts caused Native Americans to “disappear” from documents and records. Native Americans living on Virginia Reservations (Virginia has two state-recognized Indian reservations) regained their status in 1930. Plecker’s policy still affects the Native American population today. Virginian Natives struggle to acquire federal recognition due to a lack of documentation proving their Native American race and status.
Native American Heritage Month
The acknowledgment of Native American Heritage began on the 2nd Saturday in May as American Indian Day in 1915. Although not nationally recognized, New York celebrated on the 2nd Saturday of May in 1916. Starting in 1986, many celebrated Native American Heritage Day during the last week of November to coincide with Thanksgiving, calling it American Indian Week. In 1990, President Bush designated the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month. It became fully accepted sometime after 1995.
Native American Records
Several documents can help research Native American ancestors. The National Archives has collections for finding individuals, families, and tribes, including Indian census rolls, treaties and laws, school records, and Bureau of Indian Affairs records. Here are a few of the most significant:
Eastern Cherokee Indian Reservation Rolls (1848-1970)
This collection contains census records and rolls listing members of the Cherokee Nation. It lists the Cherokee and Council numbers, includes the Native American and English names, residence, individuals living in the household with their ages and genders, number of slaves (pre-Civil War) and type of livestock.
Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs (1824-1881)
This collection contains letters received by the Office of Indian Affairs between 1824 and 1881. This office helped broker relations between the U.S. government and Native Americans. You will need to know your family’s tribal affiliation and where they lived in order to research your Native American ancestors using this collection.
Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes (1898-1914)
The government established the Dawes Commission that negotiated agreements with the Five Civilized Tribes – the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole. The agreements provided for the dissolution of the tribal governments and the allotment of land to each tribal member. The Commission prepared tribal membership rolls and oversaw applications for tribal citizenship. The Dawes Rolls contain approved and denied applications.
Ancestry and Family Search have over thirty databases, including seven free indexes of Native American records. If you need assistance with finding and reviewing specific records, contact us.
They Were the Wampanoag Indians
As children, we learned the “history” of Thanksgiving. It always bothered me that the name of the Indian tribe was never mentioned. The history books erased their name. This scenario commonly occurs in American history books. From what I remember, the first Thanksgiving celebrated the harvest between the Pilgrims and Indians. The Indians brought a cornucopia filled with corn and maize to welcome the Pilgrims to their lands. Allegedly, they sat at a long table and eventually smoked a peace pipe.
As I got older and took history courses, this grammar school recollection forced me to evaluate what I had learned and question the obvious. During a visit to my grandparents’ home in Massachusetts, I visited a Wampanoag Museum, which sparked my fascination with Native American culture. I vividly remember the Museum docent’s native attire, his story about the first Thanksgiving, how his people were left out of the narrative, and that the Thanksgiving story widely told is not what really happened.
Revelation
By taking history courses in college, I discovered that the perpetrators became the storytellers who reconstructed the historical narrative. The truth from the Native American community, specifically the Wampanoag Indians who participated in that first Thanksgiving, has been reduced in elementary school social studies books. As with many erasures of historical facts about Native Americans, the truth about hostile land takeovers and brutalities against tribes would not make a good story for future generations of how this country came into existence. Changing the story and the outcome was necessary.
So what really happened at the first Thanksgiving? Well, the Native Americans did not feel thankful when the English arrived on their land. The actual Thanksgiving marked a dark moment in history that has been distorted. The colonists brought diseases, enslaved the Native Americans, and destroyed their homes and families to steal their land. The worst part – the Wampanoag and Pequot Indians tried to help the colonists adjust to their land, only to be literally stabbed in the back (also shot, burned, and beaten to death). If you don’t believe me, do your own research or ask a Native American. They will not sugarcoat their history.
Did You Know?
Did you know that Native Americans did not become citizens of the United States until June 2, 1924?
It’s true!!! Native Americans gained U.S. citizenship on June 2, 1924, when President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 (also known as the Synder Act) only 100 years ago! This act granted citizenship to all Native Americans born within the territorial limits of the United States. However, it did not automatically grant them the right to vote.
Voting Rights Barriers
Unfortunately, it took over 40 years for all states to allow Native Americans to vote. Many states continued to bar Native Americans from voting through discriminatory practices like literacy tests and residency requirements. These practices paralleled the challenges faced by African Americans after slavery. Native Americans fought hard for their voting rights through legal battles. For example, in 1948, court decisions in Arizona and New Mexico legalized voting rights for Native Americans in those states. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting practices and protected the right to vote for communities of color, including Native Americans.
Ongoing Barriers
Despite these legal victories, Native Americans still face barriers to voting, such as lack of access to polling places, voter identification requirements, and the absence of physical addressing systems in tribal communities. Native American activists continue to work to remove these barriers and ensure equal access to voting. Organizations like the Native American Rights Fund and the California Native Vote Project are actively involved in these efforts. The Native American Voting Rights Act (NAVRA) aims to protect their voting rights by ensuring equal access to resources and allowing tribes to designate voting addresses.
As we honor Native American Heritage Month, we recognize the invaluable contributions and cultural richness of Native American communities. Their deep-rooted traditions and modern-day achievements shape the diverse tapestry of our society. Celebrating their history, art, and heritage fosters greater understanding and appreciation for the strength, resilience, and beauty inherent in Native American culture. Let us carry these lessons forward, ensuring that we cherish and preserve the legacy of Native American peoples for generations to come.
February is Black History Month! Although Black History is American History, February is a time to showcase Black Excellence in our history and culture. Thank you for subscribing to The Family Jewels newsletter. Try to make researching your family history a priority this year. If you would like to discuss a specific topic or have a genealogical question, send me a message and I will feature it in the next newsletter.
HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH!
This year’s Black History Month theme is African Americans and the Arts. Art has many categories. The arts encompasses visual arts (painting, sculpting, filmmaking, photography, drawing ceramics & architecture), literature, performing arts (dance, theater, music) and culinary arts (cooking, candy making & wine). It’s a mixture of African, Caribbean and American culture intertwined with the happiness, pain, and heartache that we have suffered in our history. Our films, fashion and art reflect this, making sure that it tells the history of our people.
African American art, literature, music and culture became well-known during the 1920s and 1930s during a period called the Harlem Renaissance. This was only a snapshot in time because our art began with the creation of the pyramids in Egypt, the Mayan ruins, the fiddlers that entertained on plantations, even the Lowcountry sweetgrass basket weavers in South Carolina and Georgia who have been weaving baskets for over 300 years.
No matter what genre, Black artistry has a flavor that no one can duplicate.
Looking for Long Lost Relatives?
If you want to research your family history (and I strongly encourage everyone to do so), let me know and I can assist you. I offer several affordable packages depending on your research needs. If you are an amateur genealogist/family historian, I can create a research plan to guide you in the right direction. I am always willing to help.
I grew up with Reader’s Digest magazine. My mother had a monthly subscription along with Jet Magazine. It was my turn to read it only after my mother and grandmother had their hands on it. I enjoyed the articles, the fashion and the recipes. What I didn’t know until recently was the existence of the Negro Digest! It was first published in November 1942 by the same publishers of Jet and Ebony, John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company. The magazine was marketed directly to the African American community. Writers reprinted articles from other publications that were of interest to the Black community. Eventually, Negro Digest had its own staff writers and produced its own articles.
Magazine Marketing
Of course there was pushback in producing a magazine only geared toward African Americans and Johnson could not get funding. No one would take a chance and publish his magazine. He took out a $500 loan using his mother’s furniture as collateral so that he could send out letters from the mailing list of the insurance company he worked for. The letter was a marketing tool to solicit African Americans with a prepaid $2 per year subscription plan. His plan was a success and he secured the funding necessary to print and mail the magazine.
Strategy to Sales
The next obstacle he had to conquer was getting newsstands to sell his magazines. Newsstand owners believed that Black people would not buy it. Johnson came up with the idea to have any Black person he knew go to the newsstands requesting it. Eventually, the newsstands carried the magazine and it became an overnight sensation. The magazine became so popular that even white writers contributed to the magazine. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt wrote an article for the “If I Were a Negro” column and sales doubled!
Ebony Magazine
Johnson Publishing Company created Ebony Magazine in 1945 which mimicked Life Magazine. Jet Magazine, a weekly digest, launched November 1951. These magazines became extremely popular which caused the downfall of Negro Digest. It ceased publication in 1951 but came back to life in the 1960s under the new name, Black World. The new magazine had a whole new perspective because it focused on politics, activism, the economy and spirituality unlike Negro Digest. Black World came to an end in 1976.
Client Corner – Gloria Baker Goodwin
Words cannot express how much I appreciated all the work Tanya has done in opening up my family history tree. Tanya connected all the dots for me and made all the “leaves” make sense! I couldn’t wait until my next visit with my cousin to share the information, so I called her on the spot! Tanya was presenting me with my Family History Binder and I had to interrupt her to get my cousin on the phone so she could share with both of us. My cousin is the true family historian and I knew she would love to be a part of this discussion. I am so blessed to have Tanya as my genealogist.
Featured Article – Celebrating Black History Month
Black History is American History and should be celebrated every day. This year’s theme is African Americans and the Arts. Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. Because of our culture and heritage, we speak the truth to fight racism, discrimination and injustice. Let’s celebrate this month starting with some of the firsts in African American Arts.
Visual Arts
Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 21 June 1859. He was an American artist who moved to Paris in 1891 to study art. He was the first African-American painter to gain international fame. His most famous painting was The Banjo Lesson.
Mary Edmonia Lewis was a Free Person of Color born in 1844 In upstate New York, She was of African American and Native American (Mississauga Ojibwe) descent. She was the first African-American and Native American female sculptor who gained critical acclaim. Her most famous sculpture was The Death of Cleopatra.
Oscar Micheaux was born in Metropolis, Illinois on 2 Jan 1884. He was an author, director and producer who produced and directed 44 silent films in his lifetime. His most famous movie was Body and Soul.
Gordon Parks was the first Black photographer hired by Life magazine. He was multitalented in the visual arts. He was a pioneering photojournalist from the 1940s to the 1970s, a film director (“Shaft,” “The Learning Tree”), a best-selling novelist and a composer. His most famous work was a photograph called American Gothic.
Robert Robinson Taylor was born 8 Jun 1868in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was the first African American student allowed into MIT and graduated as an architectural student. He was the director of the Department of Mechanical Industries at Tuskegee Institute (now University). His most famous building was The Chapel at Tuskegee built in 1898. A fire destroyed the chapel in 1957.
Literature
Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa about 1753 and was enslaved in Boston Massachusetts. She published her book, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral, in 1773. Manumitted in 1774, Wheatley became the first African American to publish a book and the first African American to achieve an international reputation as a writer.
Performing Arts
Arthur Mitchell was born on 27 Mar 1934 in Harlem, New York. He was the first African American male dancer in a major ballet company. He also became the first African American principal dancer of a major ballet company, the New York Ballet in 1956.
Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry, also known as Stepin Fetchit, was born 30 May 1902 in Key West, Florida. He was an American vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor. Perry became the first African American actor to have a successful film career, earning him $1 million dollars.
George Washington Johnson was born about Oct 1846 in Virginia. He was a singer and recording artist. Johnson was the first African American recording star of the phonograph. His most popular songs were “The Whistling Coon” and “The Laughing Song.” He moved to New York after the Civil War and became a street entertainer who was famous for his whistling.
Culinary Arts
James Hemings was born enslaved in Virginia about 1765. He was the brother of Sally Hemings and half brother to Thomas Jefferson’s wife, Martha; he was enslaved by Thomas Jefferson. He trained in France as a master chef in the art of French cooking, the first African American to do so. We can credit him for creating the recipe for macaroni and cheese, French fries and the ice cream cone!
Augustus Jackson was a Free Person of Color born 16 Apr 1808 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as a chef for the White House in the 1820s. After leaving the White House, he ran a successful catering business. He was also a candy confectioner who created several ice cream recipes and perfected the method of manufacturing ice cream around 1832.
Thomas Price became the first African American to achieve the certification of American Master Sommelier in 2012. He is the 190th of 262.
John June Lewis, Sr. is recognized as the first African American winemaker in the United States. He took an interest in wine and winemaking while stationed in France during World War I. When he inherited land in Clarksville, Virginia, he started growing grapes. He opened Woburn Winery in 1940.
Editor’s Note – Making the Most of our History
Hello My Peoples! Black History is under fire. Many states ban books and prevent our history from being taught in schools. Why? Many say that it makes students feel uncomfortable and it’s unfair to those students. But is it fair that school curriculum is trying to erase the only history African Americans have? As much as we know, our history started when colonizers kidnapped us from Africa and we arrived in this country. We know that we helped build the United States, therefore we cannot allow school boards and administrators to erase and censor our hard work, determination and perseverence. If your children aren’t learning our history in schools, teach them at home! Take them to cultural events for Black History Month, Juneteenth, and Kwanzaa! Make sure they know who their ancestors are! It’s your job for each one to teach one. Love, Peace and Genealogy.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! November is Native American History Month. We learned the story of Thanksgiving in elementary school so there’s no need to replay the narrative. What has transpired is the focus of Thanksgiving has turned to be more about the Native Americans and less about the Pilgrims. Truth be told, the Native Americans lived here centuries before the English evasion but get no credit for their existence. This newsletter will focus on the indigenous people of North America.
WARTIME CODE TALKERS
Picture courtesy of Intel.gov
The government did not recognize Native American citizenship until 1924 and many places denied Natives the right to vote until the 1950s. However, Natives did not hesitate to join the Armed Forces and fight for the United States. Native Americans called Code Talkers used their tribal language to send secret messages to the battlefield about troop movement and location of the enemy during World War I and II.
During World War I, the code talkers known as the Choctaw Telephone Squad, sent coded communications to the front lines. During World War II, the military continued to recruit Native Americans as code talkers. This was ironic since the government required Native American children to attend boarding schools to assimilate them into “American” culture. Students were punished if they spoke their native language or practiced any of their cultural traditions. The military combined several Native languages to create this code: Choctaw , Comanche, Cheyenne, Ho-Chunk, Cherokee, Osage and Yankton Sioux.
During World War II, the Army recruited Native Americans from the reservations of Oklahoma in 1940. They received basic training and at completion, they were locked in a guarded room together until they produced a code. Because native languages were mostly unwritten, they had to memorize these codes and use them only among each other. The Navy and Marine Corps recruited Native Americans in 1942. They created a language of 211 terms which was eventually increased to 411 words that translated to military words and names. Two code talkers were assigned to each unit, one would work the radio and the other would translate the code into English. Their work was considered top secret until the program was declassified in 1968.
LOOKING FOR LONG LOST RELATIVES?
If you have an interest in researching your family history, let me know and I can assist you. I offer several affordable packages depending on your research needs. If you are an amateur genealogist/family historian, I can create a research plan to guide you in the right direction.
Did you know that enslavers whose slaves were enlisted or drafted into military service during the Civil War received compensation from the government? Why? Not having their slaves presented a financial hardship to the enslaver. Let’s unpack this…
The Emancipation Proclamation only freed the enslaved in Confederate States. Slavery was still legal for the bordering Union loyal states (Maryland, Kentucky, Delaware, West Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri). Soldiers of the United States Colored Troops (USCT) had the largest numbers of claims in these states.
The War Department through Congress passed two acts. 13 Stat. 11 in 1864 & 14 Stat.321 in 1866 allowed slave owners to receive up to $300 for slaves that enlisted and up to $100 for slaves that were drafted during the Civil War. In order to receive compensation, the enslaver had to prove legal ownership, proof of the slave’s enlistment and the owner’s loyalty to the Union. These records are searchable by soldier’s name and enslaver’s name. If you are interested in checking for your ancestor, click here.
CLIENT CORNER – TOMMIEA JACKSON
I had been following Tanya for a while on Facebook and did not hesitate to sign up for the class once it was announced. I am so glad I did. Her wealth of knowledge and desire to help were undeniable. She did not just talk about the theory of genealogy but gave us concrete steps to take and tools to use in our research. I was amazed at how much I learned in just a few hours, and I immediately put those lessons to use in my own research. The class was fun and engaging, which made the time fly.
FEATURED ARTICLE
The Paper Genocide of Native Americans
I was listening to one of my favorite genealogy podcasts on Facebook Live and the discussion turned to Indians suddenly disappearing. That’s the way it seemed, especially in North Carolina. In fact, when I first arrived in Onslow County, North Carolina, I told that the Tuscarora Indians disappeared because they left the area. They assumed the tribe moved away because of the lack of natural resources. I was assured they were not forcibly removed (as in the Trail of Tears). I found this hard to believe so I did my own research.
Race Has Always Been A “Thing”
A person’s race has always been a defining factor in this country and in the world. It seems that a dominant race overpowers any race of color: Slavery was forced upon the Africans; the Holocaust was inflicted upon the Jews; the Japanese were imprisoned in internment camps in the United States during WWII; and Native Americans were forced off their land and removed to a far off area where they would be less troublesome to the colonists. Legal definitions of race were established to classify people based on racial identity and appearance, especially in Virginia. An 1866 Virginia law specified the degree of “blackness” in order to be listed as “colored” or Indian. It was not until 1924, when Virginia passed the “Act to Preserve Racial Integrity” that the Native American started to “disappear.”
Genocide On Paper
Racial definition became important to enforce segregation, especially in Virginia. Walter Ashby Plecker, the Virginia Registrar of the Vital Statistics bureau, enforced the law to push people to categorize their race as either “colored” (Black) or white. “Colored” was the new race for African Americans and Virginian Indians were included in this group. There were many Virginians with mixed African and Native American heritage. Plecker believed that these half Native Blacks stated they were Native Americans in order to “get over” on segregation laws to pass for white. He scrutinized every birth certificate and marriage application for these citizens and manipulated their records. Statistically speaking, he reclassified many with “Indian” mixed heritage as “colored” which eradicated the genealogical heritage of Native Americans in Virginia. He developed and maintained the one drop rule therefore mixed Native African heritage would follow this rule and they would be considered colored.
Erasure
The racial “erasure” initiated by Plecker was one of the reasons that Native Americans “disappeared” from documents and records. Native Americans living on Virginia Reservations (bet you did not know that Virginia has two state recognized Indian reservations) had their status reinstated in 1930 but Plecker’s policy is still felt among the Native American population today. Virginian Natives have been struggling to acquire federal recognition because they do not have the documentation to prove their Native American race and status.
WANT TO HOST A CLASS?
Are you or your organization interested in a group genealogy class? We offer a group session with a special rate to teach 20 or more people how to research their family history. Click here to contact me.
Editor’s Note – Learn Your History
Did you know that Native Americans make up about 2.5% of the U.S. population? They were once the majority and now they have been wittled down to small numbers. Native Americans contributed to this nation’s history in many ways. We hear about the negative and stereotypical information in order to control the historical narrative of America being such a great nation and how they “saved” the savage Indians. We need to remember that they were here first and were the original owners of American soil. They were swindled and hoodwinked out of their birthright and then portrayed to be violent and blood thirsty predators. They were demonized by the land grabbing “privileged” colonists who believed that they discovered America. Okay…jumping off my soapbox now. The truth is now being told. Happy Native American Heritage Month and Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Juneteenth! I hope you do something special to celebrate this momentous holiday. This link gives you some suggestions on how to make your Juneteenth special: Juneteenth celebration.
Do you need help with planning your family’s reunion? I’ve got some helpful tips to hold a fantastic and memorable family reunion.
Thank you for subscribing to the newsletter. Make sure you add one or two of these items to your list of summer adventures:
Visit a historic site in your town or in the town, city or state that your ancestor lived
Research your great grandparents and create a narrative to tell their story
Plan a trip to a museum that you’ve always wanted to go to
See what your local library has in their local history or genealogy sections that could help you with your family’s history
SIGN UP FOR THIS MASTERCLASS!
Have you always wanted to research your family tree but didn’t know where to start? Another Genealogy MasterClass is being offered for beginning researchers on Saturday June 3, 2023 from 1pm-2:30pm. Sign up for this class! I promise to keep it interesting and fun. When you sign up, you will receive a free Family Matters Genealogy downloadable workbook. Also, we will have a free AncestryDNA kit giveaway during the class. Only a few days left to register so click here to sign up today!
Researching the 1940 census
There were minor changes from the 1930 census to the 1940 census. The 1940 census deleted the questions about the radio set and the ability to read or write. The 1940 census included more extensive questions about residency and employment. Because the government began focusing on housing, this census asked questions because of interest in the housing market. Columns 17 through 20 asked where citizens lived five years prior to the 1940 census, tracking city and rural living and migration patterns. Columns 21 through 33 tracked employment and (unemployment) status – occupation, professions, business ownership, sources of income, and number of weeks worked.
Several columns shifted to supplemental questions that were answered by those enumerated on lines 4 and 40 only:
Column 15: Age at 1st marriage
Column 19: Father’s Birthplace
Column 20: Mother’s Birthplace
Column 21: Mother tongue
Columns 30 & 31: Veterans information
Looking for Long Lost Relatives?
If you have an interest in researching your family history (and I strongly encourage everyone to do so) and don’t have the time or knowledge to do it yourself, I would be happy to assist. I offer several affordable packages depending on your research needs. If you are an amateur genealogist/family historian, I can create a research plan to guide you in the right direction.
Did You Know That Slavery Existed After Juneteenth?
Before 2021, many people did not know the significance of June 19, 1865, renamed Juneteenth. So when it became a federal holiday, EVERYONE learned the history and why it is celebrated. However, did you know that slavery still existed after this date? Let’s talk about this!
Juneteenth The Holiday
The Emancipation Proclamation declared that on January 1, 1863 all enslaved people in Confederate states were legally free. Unfortunately, many western Confederate states (especially Texas) did not abide by this rule and continued business (and slavery) as usual until June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers rode through the state on horseback declaring that all enslaved people were free. Surprisingly, slavery was still legal in the states of Delaware, Kentucky and New Jersey until the Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery officially in all states on December 18, 1865 – another six months after Juneteenth! New Jersey had up to 400 enslaved African Americans after the end of the Civil War. Delaware did not ratify the 13th amendment until 1901; Kentucky would not ratify it until 1976!
Apprenticeships and Labor Contracts
Many African Americans men, women and children worked for their former enslavers after Emancipation. The signed labor contracts in which the former enslavers created terms with time limits under which their formely enslaved would worked for them. Their “employers” were supposed to pay fair wages for their work. These contracts were filed with the Freedmen’s Bureau. Many freed adults could not read so they were unaware of the terms and conditions that these contracts outlined. Often, freed adults did hard work for months but were denied wages because of unfair contract requirements that weren’t met or for many other bogus reasons.
Children worked for free as apprentices of their former enslavers, under the guise of teaching them a viable skill to be productive citizens. These children worked for several years, sometimes until adulthood, under these apprenticeship term.
Penal Labor As Allowed by the 13th Amendment
Penal labor or prison labor was allowed by the 13th Amendment, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” Police accused African American men and women of minor infractions and violations of Jim Crow laws, often being falsely accused in order to convict and imprison them. While in prison, they did hard labor – working farms, building railroads and other infrastructures and in manufacturing warehouses. Many prisons, like Angola in Louisiana, were former slave plantations. Penal labor became slavery reinvented.
CLIENT CORNER – CATHY C. SMITH
Thank you so very much Tanya for an outstanding Family Matters Genealogy Master Class [Saturday, March 18, 2023]. I gained valuable knowledge from the tips, tools and historical resources shared to trace my family ancestry back to 1850. Your guidance has helped me to bring my ancestors alive in the 21st Century. Learning about their lives has brought a sense of connectedness to the past and has sparked marathon storytelling conversations with my family. I can’t thank you enough for assisting me with unleashing my maternal and paternal ancestors.
FEATURED ARTICLE – RANDOMNESS IS MY SPECIALTY
Sanders Family Cemetery
I was talking to a historical society friend who is the county historian and genealogist recently about where I lived. When I told him, he stated, “that’s the Old Humphrey Plantation.” My interest peaked! I lived on a former plantation, converted to a family farm and now a new housing development. You know me…let the research commence! Every day, I drive past a small cemetery about 1 mile from my house and had no interest. Now, my curiosity got the best of me. I wanted to know the connection of this cemetery to the former owners of my land. I decided to stop by after work one day to read gravestones and take pictures.
Surprising Discovery
The cemetery has about 16 marked headstones. Thinking that the interned were Humphrey descendants, it surprised me to learn that they were not! They were Sanders descendants. I was not aware of the Sanders Family owning land in and around my area. I’m always testing my research skills so my goal was to determine the relationship of everyone buried in the cemetery. Birth certificates, death certificates, census records and/or marriage records were used to determine the dates and relationships. Here is what I found!
The Beginning of the Sanders Family
The oldest headstones marked the beginning of this branch of the family. Brothers Pvt. James E. Sanders (1826-1862) and (2) Pvt. Shepard Sanders (1825-1862) were Confederate soldiers. James was a turpentine farmer and Shepard was a farmer. Pvt. James E. Sanders died in Goldsboro during the Civil War. His wife (Mary Sanders – not buried there) filed a claim for his pay on Nov 1863 according to his military record. According to the 1860 census, James and Mary had three children – his son was Samuel E. Sanders.
The Main Ingredient
These are the direct descendants of Pvt. James E. Sanders:
(3) Samuel Edens Sanders (Sept 27, 1859 – June 1931) married (4) Sarah Mandy Hansley (27 Sep 1859-29 Jun 1931) on 9 Mar 1879 in Onslow County. They had 9 children according to the 1900 census – Mary Milisie, John William, Deanie Laura, and Samuel Dolphus. Coy Roscoe appeared on the 1910 census.
(5) Mary [Milisie] Sanders [Mobley Williams] was born 18 Mar 1882 and died 9 Apr 1962. Neither of her husbands (Ernest Mobley and S.J. Williams) were interned with her.
(6) John William Sanders (18 Dec 1885-10 May 1947) married (7) Queenie Caroline Whaley (9 Jan 1891-9 May 1989) on 5 Dec 1908 in Onslow County. They had a daughter, (8) Betty Gray Sanders (9 Sep 1923-24 Sep 1997).
(9) Deanie Laura Sanders (24 Aug 1889-8 Oct 1958) married (10) George Henry Taylor on 27 Nov 1907 in Onslow County.
(11) Samuel Dolphus Sanders (21 May 1892-16 Aug 1943).
(12) Coy Roscoe Sanders (2 Apr 1901-23 Feb 1982) married (13) Emma E. Taylor on 13 Aug 1921 in Onslow County.
(14) Darwin Edward Sanders, Sr. (15 Sep 1922-3 Feb 1987) was the grandson of Samuel Edens Sanders. His father was Thomas Francis Sanders (not interned in the cemetery).
The Unknowns
The connection between (15) Baby Boy Thompson (10 May 1936-10 May 1936) and (16) Pee Wee Sanders (2001-2014) could not be determined. Trust me, I tried every trick in my genealogy arsenal! To be continued…
Upgrading Your Family Reunion
I am looking forward to my family reunion this summer! I can’t wait to fellowship with my family and eat Cape Verdean food until I pass out from a food coma. Family reunions are more than just food and fun; it’s an opportunity to capture the living history of your elders and the family members that remember your ancestors. Take this time to upgrade your family reunion. How do you do this? Here’s some helpful hints.
Do something different – create a Remembrance Ceremony that honors the past, celebrates the present and prepares the future.
Family photo booth – hire a professional photographer to take a reunion picture and a group picture of each family. Have them hold a picture of the grandparents or great grandparents to make a generational photo.
Interview sessions – using your cell phone’s video or audio, record a family elder answering questions about what their lives were like growing up. Have them tell stories about the family and upload it to Youtube for all the family members.
Family cookbook – if you’re trying to raise funds for the next reunion, collect family recipes and create a cookbook to sell to family members. Try to get the elders to include all the secret recipes that they hold tight to the vest (it might be the only way they get passed down)! Make sure to include family stories and genealogical information.
Reels and Tik Toks – have the youngest generation plan Tik Toks that everyone can participate in no matter what the age. Everyone will have a fun time being on social media.
Have fun, know your people and be inspired by them.
Editor’s Note – Love, Peace and Genealogy
This is the last newsletter before my summer hiatus. I have had a lot of personal issues to come up in May so I was unable to have a May newsletter ready. I hope you don’t mind that my June newsletter is a little longer than normal. I’m looking forward to doing research, visiting some historic places and museums, working with clients and attending my Fernandes Family Reunion in July. I miss my family and look forward to seeing everyone. It’s unfortunate that the last time we were all togther was for a funeral but we decided to change that since COVID restrictions are over. Family is important – knowing them and the paths they walked will bring you to knowing who you are. Love, Peace and Genealogy
This month’s newsletter is a milestone! The first edition of The Family Jewels newsletter occurred April 2022. It was a new adventure for me and I admit, sometimes I struggled with it. Now it has become something I really enjoy. This month, we will focus on a woman’s issue that I address in my Instagram reel and Masterclass ALL THE TIME!
As always, thank you for subscribing to the newsletter! This year, try to make researching your family history a priority. If you would like to discuss a specific topic or you have a genealogical question, send me a message and I will feature it in the next newsletter. I will continue to be random and quirky and give you interesting historical facts and genealogy tips.
I’M TEACHING ANOTHER MASTERCLASS!
I’m teaching another Genealogy MasterClass for beginners on Saturday June 3, 2023 from 1pm-2:30pm. Have you always wanted to research your family tree but didn’t know where to start? Sign up for this class! I promise to keep it interesting and fun. When you sign up, you will receive a free Family Matters Genealogy downloadable workbook. Also, we will have a free AncestryDNA kit giveaway during the class. Only 25 spots are available so click here to sign up today!
Researching the 1930 census
The 1930 federal census had more additions than the 1920 census. The federal government added back the schedule for Indian populations, realizing its importance in counting Native Americans. Color or Race was still a category; however, the rules of determining ethnicity changed. Specific instructions were given to record ethnicity: the designation of Black changed to Negro; Mulatto (mixed race people who are black mixed with white or Native American) was no longer an option; instead they were classified as the race of the non-white parent. Only Negroes that associated with a tribe could be classified as Indian.
Column 9 – The government wanted to know if its citizens owned a radio with this Radio set column. At first considered a luxury item, the radio opened doors to the technology we have today. It became an important part of the entire family with instructional classes and entertaining stories. Retail stores and manufacturers advertised their businesses on the radio to reach a larger audience.
Column 15 – The 1920 census deleted the column for the number of years married. It was added back to the 1930 census as the column titled Age at First Marriage. This sort of gives a researcher a date when the marriage occurred…but only of the first marriage. If you know that your ancestors were married more than once, make sure you research a marriage records database to get the full marriage dates.
Column 24 – Immigration and naturalization information was important. The additional column wanted to know if new immigrants were making the effort to learn English on arrival to the United States.
Column 30 – The government wanted to track veterans who were involved in conflict and/or wars
Column 31 – The government wanted to know which wars the veterans fought in. By 1930, there were six wars that veterans could have been in combat – World War I (1914-1918), Civil War (1861-1865), Philippine-American War (1899-1902), Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901). Spanish-American War (1898), and Pancho Villa Expedition (1917-1918).
Looking for Long Lost Relatives?
If you have an interest in researching your family history (and I strongly encourage everyone to do so), let me know and I can assist you. I offer several affordable packages depending on your research needs. If you are an amateur genealogist/family historian, I can create a research plan to guide you in the right direction.
Did you know that enslavers were able to purchase insurance policies for their enslaved? Well, it’s completely true. The Baltimore Life Insurance Company of Maryland existed from 1830-1867 and became one of the first companies that offered insurance policies for the enslaved in southern states, especially in Virginia. Slave owners worried about injuries and death of their most valuable enslaved “property” because they considered slaves and the institution of slavery an important part of their business and economic prosperity.
Enslavers bought policies for those doing valuable or dangerous skilled occupations such as artisans, house slaves, carpentry, shoemakers, factory workers or coal miners. Surprisingly enough, enslaver did not take out policies for field hands. Then again, they weren’t difficult to replace if one died. Almost 60% of their policies between 1854 to 1860 covered the enslaved at ⅔ of the face value of the policy. Since the insurance companies wouldn’t let an enslaver take out more than one policy on their slave, many enslavers took out policies using several companies. The limit on policy terms could not exceed 7 years. The average term for slave insurance in the 1830s was 2.5 years and increased to 5.5 years in the 1850s.
In the 1840s and 1850s, other companies saw the lucrative insurance industry and opened up agencies in the south to insure the enslaved – North Carolina Mutual, the Mutual Benefit Life and Fire of Louisiana, Virginia Life Insurance Company and Greensboro Mutual Life. Northern insurance agencies also benefited from slave insurance such as Nautilus Mutual Life Insurance (renamed New York Life), Aetna and US Life. In total, there were approximately 40 firms that sold slave insurance in the south prior to the Civil War; several of these companies still exist today.
Slavery Era Insurance Registry is an excellent resource for the names of the enslaved who were insured and include the names of their enslavers.
Client Corner – Ebony Merritt Harrison
I had a good awareness of my paternal family history but I needed assistance learning more about my maternal history. I had the typical problems that most people have. The matriarchs/patriarchs have passed away without leaving thorough documentation of the family history. Most of the information that I learned was through partial stories and pictures with no concrete documentation. The unexpected benefit that I experienced from using Family Matters Genealogy is an increased desire to speak with my remaining family about our history. This communication has helped to strengthen relationships and foster the same desire in other family members. Excellent! The enthusiasm shown, depth of research and the final presentation/product were excellent! I would recommend Family Matters Genealogy to anyone wanting to learn more about their family history. Family Matters Genealogy is a great resource. I highly recommend them – you will not regret it.
Featured Article – Researching Women in History
In honor of Black Women’s History Month, we will discuss a HUGE woman’s issue for me as a genealogist. I have preached from the mountain tops that women should keep their maiden names on documents after marriage. Most genealogists and family historians have a hard time tracing female ancestors because women haven given up their maiden names after marriage. I usually find maiden names on death certificates because the parents are listed on the document (including the mother’s maiden name). However, vital records only became required after the beginning of the 20th century (each state varied; check your state’s website for the official year) so tracing your female ancestors before then is dificult. Why did women change their names after marriage? Let’s examine this!
The Name Change
Long story short, last names became important in European society in the Middle Ages, because of social hierachy. Because their society was based on patriarchal practices, women had no rights and fell under the rules of coverture. Coverture is the legal status in which a married women are under the authority and protection of their husbands. Authority and protection meant that their husbands handled all of their affairs – they could not own property, sign a contract or make decisions on their own. Women had no legal identity. Since they were under the authority of their husband, they were identified with him and required to have his surname.
Fixing the Problem and Finding Your Relatives
My maiden name is included in my legal name (not hyphenated). Of course, I did this – I’m a genealogist and want my descendants to find me 100 years from now. My problem is that I am researching women who lived over 125 years ago. So how can you find them? Here are a few hints to help you:
A marriage bond was an official legal document that stated the engagement of a couple. The groom went to the courthouse with a bondsman who would guarantee payment if the wedding didn’t occur. The bondsman was either the father or brother of the bride, which would give you the maiden name of the bride.
Marriage banns were church announcements similar to a marriage bond. The banns were recorded by the church and read three consecutive Sundays during service until the wedding occurred. The banns had the name of the bride, groom and their parents.
Married women used a middle initial when signing their name. Most often, that middle initial was from their maiden name, not their official middle name.
If you know who the siblings of the female ancestors were, use the surname of her brother, especially the one closest to her in age (in case their mother remarried and had more children).
For African American ancestors, look for cohabitation records after Emancipation. The enslaved had to officially marry after 1865 in order to make their unions legitimate, even though many were living as husband and wife before that. Cohabitation records (vary from state to state) will often state the original date when the couple officially started living together as husband and wife and the legal date they married. These records will often include the maiden name of the wife.
Church record books list marriages and will have the full name of the bride and groom and their parents’ names as well as witnesses and the officiant’s name.
Many countries do not require women to legally change their names after marriage – this includes Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Korea and Malaysia. Thankfully, the times have changed and women have options now more than before.
Ask Me Anything!
Familial Relationships
Q: I saw my cousin at a funeral but don’t know how we are related. How can I find out?
A: Good question! It’s either one of two things – you are actually related by blood or your families were so close that they “made” you cousins. You can figure it out either one of two ways. The first and fastest way to find out is to take a DNA test from the same company. If you are DNA relatives, you will “match” each other and your degree of relation will be known (1st cousin, 3rd cousin, etc.). The second way is to create your family trees and find the common ancestor – the person that you both share as a relative. If you find you’re not DNA relatives, most likely your ancestors were neighbors, connected through marriage or worked together and were the best of friends. Review the census records of your grandparents and great grandparents. Look to see if they were neighbors. If so, you’re “play cousins.”
Hide and Seek
Q: I’ve scoured the censuses and cannot find my grandmother on any census records. What am I doing wrong?
A: You’re not doing anything wrong! It might be as simple as not having the correct name. If you looked under your grandmother’s first, try using her middle name (sometimes children were called by their middle names because there’s someone else in the family with the same name). Still can’t find it? Look under a nickname. My aunt was nicknamed Jolly and for years I didn’t know her given name was Betty! Still can’t find it? Enumerators (census takers) weren’t always well educated and might not have known the correct spelling so check every variation of your ancestor’s name. Also, look under your ancestor’s first and middle initials. Oftentimes, men were listed by their initials, especially when they were a ‘junior’ or ‘third’ in the family.
Editor’s Note – Make Sure the Legacy Continues
Hello My Peoples! The spring brings many things, including get togethers. Since we are officially out of COVID restrictions, families are starting to plan their reunions again. Make sure you include some genealogical information in your reunion book. What…you say you don’t have a reunion book? CREATE ONE!!! Include a family chart, stories about your ancestors, and a family directory. Make sure family keeps in touch – social media, family group texts and Facebook family groups. Throw some family recipes in your reunion book! Stop with the secret ingredient in the sweet potato pie or the names of cheeses in the Mac & Cheese! Share, share, share!! Why are we holding these precious things a secret? Pass them down so that the legacy continues. Love, Peace and Genealogy.
