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 about Slave Insurance?
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.