Photos are important to genealogists and family historians. We work long hours organizing, researching, and archiving family stories, documents and pictures for future generations to enjoy. We keep the printed and digital photos for our future family members will know who we were. September is dedicated to teaching families to organize, preserve, share and celebrate their photo & video memories.
Preserving Photos – There’s a Month for That!
Save your Photos Month is really a THING and it was first observed in 2014 by the Association of Personal Photos Organizers, now known as The Photo Managers. Every September, photo retailers and organizers come together online or through social media to raise awareness and inform people of the advantages of keeping their pictures.
This year’s theme is “Do You Know?” which made me think…do I know the proper way to save my pictures? I have scrapbooked for years and have MANY photo boxes stored in the top of my closet. As a Generarion X-er, I got my rolls of film developed at the local Kmart or supermarket. Sometimes, I got free duplicates which should have inspired me to share with family and friends. However, I usually did not because I forgot (in hindsight, that was a bad idea). Putting theory into practice, I decided to make a game plan. I knew I had 30 days.
Taking all the boxes off the shelf of my closet, I put them in the center of the room. I opened up the first box – pictures of my daughters. They were so cute and so small! These pictures were at least 17 years old! SQUIRREL! I had to focus! Lawd…this was not going to be easy!
Started from the bottom now we’re here!
September 1st was my start date. Each photo box was organized by date and event/occasion. The file cards that came in the photo boxes were helpful – I didn’t have to write on the back of each picture. I separate out all the duplicates (there were lots) and grabbed a box of envelopes to mail the duplicates to the people. I’m sure they will appreciate the pictures, the accompanying note and the trip down memory lane. After organizing each box, I labeled each box with a date range and put the corresponding dated pictures in each box.
Just to make sure I was doing this all correctly, I did some online research and registered for a few free classes from The Photo Managers to get me through this process. Expert instructors will share their expertise in mini-classes, tutorials, and live discussions. They have a Facebook group too (I love a community)! Classes include tips on preserving your family history, choosing the best scanner, insider tips on Apple Photos, and more! I’m looking forward to my first class. I’ll keep you posted.
I featured information about The Negro Motorist Green Book or the Green Book in my June 2022 newsletter. Many people don’t know that the Green Book was more than a 2018 movie with the same title. The movie, Green Book, starred Mahershala Ali as an African American pianist who hired a white New Yorker, Viggo Mortensen, to be his driver and bodyguard. The pianist was touring the Deep South. His record label gave a copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book to the driver prior to the road trip. They recognized that the pianist could not patronize certain establishments because of racism and segregation. I loved the movie however, I knew that many did not understand the significance of the movie title and what that little book meant to a whole race of people.
Driving While Black
When I was a kid, we visited my family in Cape Cod, Massachusetts for summer vacation. My dad was BIG on education (he was an electrical engineer) so a road trip consisted of visiting educational places like museums and points of interest on the 5+ hour drive north. My dad and I would go to the Triple A store (American Automobile Association) to pick up pamphlets and maps for our summer adventure. The pre-Google/GPS days meant maps and atlases were the only navigational tools. I would study those maps, plotting interesting points along the way.
I was intrigued with driving and couldn’t wait until I turned 17 to get my license. It always bothered me that my grandmother never learned to drive. When I asked her why, she explained that it was “too much trouble.” Duke (my grandfather Jonas Davis) would drive her anywhere she wanted to go. She said driving in the South was difficult for Black people. She never explained why and I didn’t dig deeper, which I regret. I could tell she experienced something that she didn’t want to talk about.
Southern Hostility
Fast forward to 2014. I planned to drive to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, fulfilling a bucket list item for my 45th birthday. I told a teacher friend of my plans to drive. She was born and raised in the South so she had legitimate concerns for my solo trip. Her specific instructions included warning me about driving through Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi. She told me to be off the roads and in secure locations before the sun went down (she referenced “sundown town”). She told me which cities were safe and where to gas up along my route. It was through her that I got my history lesson of “driving while black.”
I have personally experienced racism. As a history major, I know about African American history. As a Northerner, I did not know about sundown towns or The Green Book. I asked my dad about them after I returned from my trip. He told me about his experience in Valdosta, Georgia when he was in the Air Force. He and some other airmen went out on liberty on a Saturday might and they had a guide book that told them the safe places they could go, free from harassment by whites. Jim Crow laws were in effect, enforcing racial segregation, unfair treatment and restrictions of Blacks. My dad never said the words, “Green Book,” but I believe that is what he had to guide him.
The Green Book – Created Out of Necessity
Exhibit at African American Museum in Philadelphia PA
It’s a shame that The Green Book existed for the reasons it did. The truth of the matter is that African Americans weren’t safe anywhere – North, South, East or West – from slavery to the Civil Rights Movement. Sometimes I wonder if we are safe now. The Green Book provided spaces for Blacks to feel safe – restaurants, hotels, barber shops, beauty parlors, nightclubs, entertainment.
As cars became affordable, African Americans began to travel more. Cars provided a sense of freedom to African Americans. They didn’t have to sit or stand in the back of buses or trains. There was no fear of being run off the run while walking on the sidewalk or dirt road. They could visit family “down South” and feel protected inside an automobile. But once they stepped out the car, they would be exposed again, unless they were in a place that welcomed them. The Green Book provided that security, to be welcomed to places with people that looked like them, were happy to see them, and didn’t judge or harass them.
Green Book pages at African American Museum in Philadelphia PA
If you are interested in researching your family’s history, there are several packages that could help you determine the information you’re looking for. Contact me at any time!
“It Ain’t What They Call You, It’s What You Answer To.” – W.C. Fields
Common Surnames in the United States in 1990
W.C. Fields understood the complexity of names. My April newsletter touched on the importance of names. Your name links you to your ancestors. My grandfather told us the story that when he left the Cape Verde Islands in the 1920s, the intake clerk changed his surname because he couldn’t spell his actual surname (Sequiera). He asked my grandfather what his mother’s last name was; he stated “Fernandes” and so my grandfather became Henrique Fernandes. Although many immigrants Americanized their names or were illiterate and could not spell their own names (see Family Matters Newsletter – May 2022), the intake clerks did the best they could, spelling it phonetically.
Names are important in genealogy because it is how we find our ancestors. Some ways are easier than others. Unique first and last names are easier to find in records than common names like Mary, Ann, Smith, or Jones. Look for uncommons names when tracing your direct line ancestors on your family tree.
Surnames
After Emancipation, the formerly enslaved chose their surnames. There was no rhyme nor reason for their selection – it depended on what they felt at the time. They might have taken the surname of their last enslaver or their first enslaver or the enslaver that treated them the kindest (see what I mean)? They might have chosen someone they admired (like Presidents “Lincoln” or “Washington”). It could have been their occupation (Cooper, Smith, or Baker) or chosen randomly to express their newfound freedom (the surname “Freeman” was popular for this reason).
Not knowing where to start in your research, make the assumption that the surname IS the enslaver’s name (I know the phrase about assuming…). Now, look for your ancestors on the 1870 census and see if there are any white people within the same area with the same surname. If you find this to be true, research the oldest male member of the household. Go back in the census records to find their father and see if they died before Emancipation. If so, search wills, probate and business records. You should look for your ancestors being willed or given to family members. Also check Freedman’s Bureau Records for employment contracts. Many formerly enslaved continued to work for former enslavers! I know this sounds like a lot but keep at ot, the information is there.
First names and Nicknames
During slavery, it was common for names to be repeated frequently within a family. Parents named their children after themselves or their grandparents; this also included daughters! First born daughters shared their mother’s name, their mother’s sister’s name or a grandmother’s first name. Parents did not use suffixes like “Junior, Senior and III” (a genealogist’s nightmare), instead nicknames like Sonny, Big John, Little John and JoJo were popular. Big families had several members with the same names. Nicknames distinguished family members between each other. Sometimes, families shortened names like Babs, Pandy and Morty from Barbara, Pandora and Mordecai. These nicknames were sometimes listed on census records. When searching, always look for various spellings of first names, nicknames and misspellings if you hit a brick wall.
Middle names
African Americans are famous for naming their children one name and calling them by their middle name! Parents named their children after a family member out of respect but sometimes didn’t like the name. There were several aunts, uncles, and/or cousins with the same first name and had to distinguish between other family members. Some parents preferred a child’s middle name over their first name. Historian Herbert G. Gutman suggested that slaves selected the names of their children so that they would know their familial ties in case of separation.
Perfect example, a client was trying to trace the steps of her great great grandmother – let’s call her Zeta Jones – but we could only find her and her granddaughter (Phi Beta Smith) on one census record in 1940 but then the tracks went cold. We did all kinds of searches in the entire state…NOTHING. After looking through all the records and talking to my client, there was an obvious pattern in the naming of the children in her family. The granddaughter had an unusual middle name so I decided to search Beta Jones instead of Zeta Jones and wonders never cease…she popped up! Zeta wasn’t her first name but no one in the family knew this. We were able to go further back in the family tree knowing this info.
Maiden names
The hardest people to track in genealogy are women! Why? Because we take the last names of our husbands when we get married. In earlier times, women lost their identity after marriage and therefore their family history. They became “Mrs. James X” or Mrs. Ann X.” However, women from wealthy families kept their maiden names because it was their status symbol for recognition in high society. Often, they gave their daughters their maiden name as their middle name.
So, if you’re looking for your female ancestor and don’t know her maiden name, look for her marriage license under her husband’s name or look for the death certificate of one of her children – these documents will have her maiden name listed. You can also track her brother because they would have had the same surname. The most important lesson in this – HYPHENATE YOUR NAME, LADIES!!! Try to make it easier on future generations trying to find you.
This is the last installment in my series of randomness and researching local history. From the last post, we discovered an African American farmer named John Grice buried in the Caucasian Huggins Family Cemetery. I tried to dive in to find his connection to the Huggins family.
John E. Grice the Farmer
John was born between 1883 and 1888. His year of birth is questionable due to different censuses that listed him with different birth years. However, his death certificate stated his birth year as 1888. He was born in Craven County, North Carolina to Moses Grice and Ella Harris Grice, both born in Onslow County. He died 21 Nov 1935 of chronic nephritis. His death certificate stated that he was buried the next day at “Huggins Place by friends.” In order for John Grice to be buried in the Huggins family cemetery plot, there must be some connection to the Huggins/Canaday family. So let’s work this backwards…
Death Certificate of John Grice
Census Records
Since John died in 1935 and we’ve viewed his death certificate, the next document reviewed was the 1930 census. In 1930, John lived on a farm he rented with his wife Lula McLamb Grice and children on Highway 24 (no cross street listed). His children were Susie (b. 1912), Donzie (b. 30 May 1913), Marvin Woodrow (b. 26 Nov 1914), Viola (b. 1918), Daisy Bell (b. 24 Sep 1921) and Eula (b. 1924). From maps viewed, this area was still within the downtown Jacksonville area near Railroad, Ann, New Bridge and Old Bridge Streets.
In 1920, John Grice lived on New Bridge Street in a rented home with his wife and four children – Charlie (b. 1904), Beatrice (b. 17 Feb 1909), Susie (b. 1912) and Donzie (b. 30 May 1913). John worked as a laborer. Old Bridge and Railroad Streets are within the radius of the Huggins Family Cemetery. Were they friends or neighbors? Did John Grice work for the Huggins/Canaday families? Inquiring minds want to know!
Unfortunately, John and his family could not be located on the 1910 census. John was married by 1910 because his son Charlie was born in 1904; however, no record for Lula Grice could be located either. I found a death certificate for their daughter Beatrice who died 29 July 1923 and is also buried at the Huggins Farm (that was a surprise).
In 1900, John lived in the household with his parents Moses Grice and Ella Harris Grice and siblings David (b. 1883), Hannah (b. 1890), and Moses Jr. (1893). His parents got married in 1884. Moses worked as a farm laborer who rented a house eight homes away from the families of John Huggins and Tina Huggins, the African American Huggins! The plot thickens!
Death Certificate of Beatrice Grice
Death Certificates Can Tell A Story
A total of four African American Grices had Huggins Farm listed as their cemetery:
Moses Grice, Jr. (1921-1924)
John Grice (1888-1935)
Beatrice Grice (1909-1923)
Lelly Grice (1900-1923)
This information led me to one conclusion – the Grice family had to be enslaved by the Huggins family (death certificates weren’t required in North Carolina until 1913 so there might have been more Grices buried on the Huggins Farm). We knew from Part 1 that Owen Huggins, inferred uncle of Augustus Cicero Huggins, owned slaves so this should not be a surprise. Because so many African Americans were buried on land that they did not own, this is one reasonable possibility. Another possibility is that the Grice family were sharecroppers on Huggins land. Either way, it is comforting to know that the Huggins family showed kindness by allowing them space to bury their dead.
The Conclusion
Now, do you remember the original question I posed in Part 1 of my randomness (It’s ok if you don’t remember – after all it was 25 March 2022)? My question pertained to wondering if the current resting place for Augustus Huggins in the middle of Downtown Jacksonville in an obscure plot was the family land of the Huggins Family? Well, after reviewing the North Carolina Land Grant Files, 1693-1960 for Onslow County on Ancestry, I found that Owen Huggins owned 370 acres of land in Onslow County, most of it near the New River Inlet and Downtown Jacksonville area. That acreage would be the same area where those gravestones are now. So yes! It was family land. Whew…mystery solved!
Sidebar
Thank you for indulging me with my 4-part series! I encourage everyone to start researching local history in their hometown, either by going to your county/state museum (mine is Onslow County Museum) or your local library which usually has a local history and genealogy section. This goes to show you how far I am willing to research a genealogical question. If you are interested in knowing more about your family history and would like me to do the research for you, click here for more information.
We continue the genealogical research from the last time with two broken headstones left (https://familymattersgenealogy.com/?p=352). This was going to be a challenge. The third headstone, the broken headstone, only had the death date showing. This was a true mystery. However, I know enough about detective work with my extensive training through Law & Orders episodes to be a super sleuth! By inputting the death year and location on www.findagrave.com, I was able to narrow down 5 possible records. Fortunately, only one exact match coincided to the death date. Canelum David Canaday died 10 Sep 1879 – this date matched the broken tombstone. His family buried him in the Huggins Cemetery We know from Part 2 that:
Canelum was the son of Richard Canaday.
Richard Canaday was the father of Laura D. Canaday Huggins, the 2nd wife of Augustus Huggins.
Therefore, Canelum is the brother of Laura Canaday Huggins!
The Brother
Canelum Canaday was born 28 Oct 1849 to Richard and Harriet Burns Canaday in Carteret County, North Carolina. He appeared on the 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses living in the household with his parents and siblings. There is no military record for Canelum who died 10 Sep 1879 at the age of 30-years-old of consumption (tuberculosis) as recorded on the Federal Census Mortality Schedules 1850-1885. However, he was listed as a seaman who resided in Wilmington, NC at the time of his death. He filed his last will and testament in Onslow County where his parents and siblings lived. He left his estate to his mother Harriet who could share the inheritance with his siblings Henry, Catherine, David and Alexander.
Surprise Discovery
The fourth headstone broke below where the date would have been. I had absolutely no information to go by, therefore I went back to Findagrave.com. When I conducted a search of the Huggins Cemetery, I did not expect to find much…I was wrong! According to Findagrave.com, six people are interred in this little cemetery! Of course, it is possible that headstones were removed from either disrepair or vandalism. Of course, I returned to the site! I looked closely at the area – I did not see any indentations in the earth to suspect the removal of any headstones. This was an amazing discovery. So I had to dig deeper (no pun intended). The broken headstone could be one of three people:
Harriet Canaday, the wife of Richard Canaday, born 28 Feb 1827 – makes sense.
Laura Devane Canaday Huggins, the 2nd wife of Augustus Huggins, born 18 Sep 1851 – makes sense.
John Grice, an African American farmer, was born between 1883 and 1888. Now this does NOT make sense!
Who is John Grice???
Genealogical Research for the Unknown
Million dollar question of the day! Harriet and Laura buried in the Huggins Cemetery makes sense. But why John Grice? How was he connected to the Huggins/Canaday family? Time to do more genealogical research. It will be the final post in this series.
