What Successes Have You Had?

[Mae]

I think I have found the oldest traceable ancestor....who happens to be an Englishman...I actually am not sure if he was related to my great great grandfather, or if he just took him in as his son...my great great grandfather, Charles Watson, was listed as the man in question, Stephen Watson's son....with no race given, but as an adult, he is listed as black (or negro)...I am 90% sure the boy listed as Stephen's is my relative, I am not sure if Stephen and Charles were actually related...Stephen had slaves listed (perhaps I should go back and see if any young women were listed, for one may be Charles' mother...I am a little conflicted about finding this white man in my family tree...he did after all own slaves, but he also raised my great great grandfather as his son (or at least set him free- I am not aware of him geting any great fortune or anything)....I found all of this in one evening on Ancestry.com...I did have my grandmom's obiturary as a starting point (lots of info can be found in those, and my family has a tradition of keeping them)...

so what info have you all found about your families....

[kurliehead]

I’ve had some luck in that I think I’ve found my oldest traceable relatives on my dad’s side; however, I’m still not sure.

The earliest mention of my g-g-grandfather is the 1870 census. He is listed as single, mulatto approximately 25 years old. According to the census he was not living with any family so I wonder if he even had family nearby or was he alone. Now, his last name was Thibeaux and I found a white man by the same name in the 1850 census. This man was an overseer on a plantation in St. Mary, Louisiana and he would’ve been around 20 at the time of my g-g-grandfather’s birth. I think there is a connection because my g-g-grandfather was a slave in Louisiana, and the only other Thibeauxs listed on the census were in New Orleans and I don’t remember my grandfather mentioning that my g-g-grandfather was from NO. He did say that the man was mixed with Black, French, Indian and Portuguese and wore two long braids and a porkpie hat like the Indian men used to. I doubt what I found because I was always under the belief that former slaves took the last names of the plantation owners and not the overseer. Unfortunately, the trial period was up before I could do some more digging. I was in the midst of searching the slave schedules to see if I could find a listing that was a probable match for my g-g-grandfather.

Now, I found my paternal grandmother’s g-grandfather, who would be my g-g-g-grandfather. His name was John B. Square, born approximately 1822. His wife was Julia (my grandmother’s name). Their son Liva Square married Victoria (one of my aunt’s name) and had Louvenia (my sister’s name) my grandmother’s mother.

I need to go ahead and sign up for the 14-day trial period though, because we have a family reunion coming up and I would love to be able to present the family with what I have found.

[noodles727]

I've found civil war documents for my great great grandfather. He was born aroun 1843. It's quite interesting.

[napturallyme]

I was able to trace a great-great-great grandfather born in 1855 from the 1870 census and 1880 census on my paternal side with my last name. One census record said he was white and another said mulatto. Don't know what he really was. He was born in South Carolina and moved to Alabama (which is where I always thought my family came from)

[lsubabiedee]

i've found people born in the 1810's...thats the farthest i've gone..

[NappyMiami]

I was able to trace back to the great great's on both sides. I was also able to validate the stories told by my grandmother from her mother. On my grandmother's side, her mother's mother married two brothers. When one died she wed the other. I was able to find both census records with her name but two different Simmons brothers and the second household had some of the same kids listed with new additions. So I know that is them. Plus My great granmother was in both households and my grandmother actually remembered some names. On my grandmother's father side I was able to validate the story her mother told her about the murder of my great great grandmother (an indian woman). She said, for some reason these white men were looking for her grandfather. They came to the house but he had hid himself and the boys, one of which my great grandfather in the loft. Well, when she answered the door and said they were not there they shot and killed her. (couldn't find a press clip though) They then went down by the Wetompka river and hid out there until they felt it was safe to cross which was actually years later. (She said they looked like very harry rough looking men when they emerged). They then settled in Macon, Alabama where my great grandmother resided, thus one of the sons hooked up with my great grandmother and the rest is history.

[treneece]

My greatest success thus far has to be finding the last slave owners for several family members. Seeing in actual print that these ancestors were REALLY slaves blew me away. I always heard and thought so, but confirming it made me happy.

[newnappydew]

My greatest success thus far has to be finding the last slave owners for several family members. Seeing in actual print that these ancestors were REALLY slaves blew me away. I always heard and thought so, but confirming it made me happy.
[/b]

How did you go about doing the research? I don't know where and how to start..??

[kitaboo_44]

I started by asking my great aunt (the oldest living family member) to tell me everything should could remember about my family (my maternal grandmother's side). I wrote down every name, every place, etc that she mentioned, and made copies of every obituary she had, then I went and signed up for ancestry.com and made a couple post in the genforum at genealogy.com. From there i just printed out everything that looked like it may be useful and began to make a huge family tree.

I have done everything I possibly can from another state.. I've called and harrassed Vitals at Health Departments and Court Clerks for birth and death certificates and other records... begged volunteer researchers for help and I must say I got further than I expected.

I have records from 1969 back to 1880's.

As you go thru it you will get the hang of it, there are many sources out there. Give it try.. i must warn you it can be addictive

How did you go about doing the research? I don't know where and how to start..??
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[charise]

I've found some interesting information on my maternal side. I've traced back to my great-great-great grand parents (b. 1830 and 1835 respectively). Their names were Ralph Donnell and Hannah Close Donnell of Guliford County, NC...Unfortunately, I've found the man who owned my g-g-g-grandfather too (I believe)...He was the only man by the name of Donnell during the census (1850) who owned a 20 year old male slave (my g-g-g grand father's age at that time) in Guliford County, NC...I'm making the assumption that that was Ralph Donnell...a fair assumption I think...