DNA Path on the Journey

Read many articles and followed genealogy posts on DNA testing and how it assisted people with their ethnic make up as well as with their research.  I'm still on the path to figuring so much out with the testing results.  The DNA path started with asking my mother to do the test in 2006.  I was at a brick wall with her maternal side.  Her mother died when she was four years old and she had eleven children.  It appeared at the time my maternal grandmother may have been adopted or raised by a relative known to my mother and her sibling as grandmother (Matilda Harris Freeman 1877-1954). Matilda raised my grandmother, Susie Mae Young (1897-1937) in Alabama.  Matilda married George Freeman a coalminers in Jefferson County.  Susie Mae Young married John Henry Woodard (1889-1932) a coal miner in 1913.  Analyzing some records opened the possibility that Matilda may have been Susie Mae's biologic mother yet is not a sure thing.  Matilda had a previous marriage to a Marc Young in Elmore County, Alabama that ended up in what appears to be a divorce.  Susie Mae's death certificate stated her parens were unknown and the informant was her husband's first cousin, Charlie McClendon.  Charlie was in Alabama with John Henry and migrated to West Virginia with Susie and John as well as Matilda and George.  One would think he would have a good idea about Susie's family.  He also knew Matilda and her husband George.  These are a few of the fact that led to asking my mother to take FTDNA testing.

My mother's results were a bit surprising to me.  Her paternal side based on features appeared to be strongly African and during early generation there appears to be no mixed marriages.  Her results were 80% African (expected) and 20% Portuguese (surprising part).  This led me to research the role Portugal played during the slave trade.  Clearly, I had a lot to learn.  The migration of the maternal line went back to Ethiopia.  It was a surprising history yet no documentation.  I did the happy dance for my Mother for she always wanted to know more about her mother's side.  It was also disappointing that we couldn't come up with any additional information.

Mom transition in 2010 and while I delighted that we did the test, it left me a bit hollow.  By the time I learned more about DNA testing and decided to upgrade her test with the Y branch, the sample had deteriorated and didn't work.  The matches she has very few matches with two possible Africans ma that I've not contacted.  Not sure where I will go from here on her test.  My brother has been tested and I've been tested so who know where the path will lead.

Julius Copeland 1847-1934

Julius Copeland is my second great grandfather.  He was born in Hanover, VA and brought to NW Alabama settling in Lawrence County, Alabama enslaved by  Dr. John Copeland.  He stated that he was a waiter for Dr. Copeland. Believe he waited on his enslaver and while in today's world we would think he was a waiter, most of us would think of him as a waiter in a restaurant.  I don't believe that is the case.  He joined the USCT in Chattanooga, TN at the age of 17.  Did he escape to join the USCT on September 11, 1864 or did his enslaver leave his plantation for the Confederate Army and they parted ways? This is a question that might never have an answer.  We know Julius joined as a private and in the couple of years that he participated as  part of Corp. Co. E. 42 Regiment  became a Corporal.  His name appears on the USCT Memorial in Washington, D.C. He was discharged on 31 Jan 1866 in Huntsville, AL.

Julius settles on Frank Joe's Plantation in Courtland after his discharge, moved on to Mack Graham Plantation in 1867.  During 1868-1870, he worked on Dr. F. W. Sykes plantation.  On September 8, 1871 he married Pearline Burt at the W.C. Sherrod Plantation in Lawrence County.  Previously, Pearline Burt was found in the 1870 US Census in Lawrence County with a young son name George that was two years old.  Was this Julius' son prior to their marriage in 1871? Years later, Julius and Pearline would have a daughter, Sallie that married John Carroll/Cal (my great grandparents).  Their youngest son was named George Alvin Carroll/Cal.  Each of their four children were named after family members.

Although many documents have been found to support Julius' life so many questions are left unanswered.  His military records secured from the NARA in St. Louis has over fifty pages.  What stands out are the many times he applied for his pension.  Details of his physical illness including the details of how he suffered from piles.  His parents not name told him he was born on December 26, 1846 according to the record.  So he must have known who they were.  He did return to Town Creek after his Civil War Service, married and began a family with Pearline Burt.  They had two surviving children before her death in 1919.  His son, Richard became a coalminers while living in Birmingham and migrated to Pennsylvania.  Julius and his grandsons; Richard, Howard and George Alvin would follow by 1924.  Richard's wife died in Creighton, PA due to female problems in 1924.   Richard died of a heart attack in 1929.  The time in Pennsylvania would lead to the joining of Lois Watkins and Henry Howard Carroll/Cal's marriage.  Before 1934, the Copeland/Carroll-Cal family returned to Alabama.  Julius died February 1934 of old age.

While many questions are answered many questions still exist.  Was he sold to someone that lived in northwest, Alabama?  Did Dr. John Copeland inherit him through a Will?  No others with the Copeland surname has been connected with Julius.  He was about 5'3" to 5'6" inches tall, yellow in complexion and medium built.  There were a few people named Copeland in the Hanover, VA.  Will these details reveal the story as the journey continues?

New Day

Inconsistent times, thoughts, events, people, places and things.  One thing known for sure is we are not in control of what's going on.  I think of those things now and wonder how our ancestors accepted those things.  Word of mouth may have been the source of what they learned on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.  Today, we are flooded with news on a minute by minute basis.  My second great grandfather knew most white land owners would not sell their land to him, a black man even if they needed the money.  He and a white "boss" that became a friend avoided conflict.  How?  The friend purchased the land for him and later turned it over to Henry Carroll/Cal in northeast Alabama.  They accomplished this by working together around the system.  Henry ended up with one thousand plus acres of land that is now known as the Cal Bottom.  I'm sure people that work together are still doing things to work around systems that are not working for all of us.

Branches of my family gained by working with those of other races.  How could at least two relatives own land when they were enslaved by their owner, Colonel Benjamin Sherrod in northwest Alabama?  The laws didn't allowed enslaved people the right to own land, yet they came out of the enslaved period owning land and passing it on to their family after death.  So surely, what we hear or see about this turbulent period today didn't fit everyone.  Bottom line is while there is a great deal of negatively coming forward, people regardless of race helped each other move forward.  Not everyone was a part of this move forward, yet there were enough people that quietly did their part to help each other.  No coverage was given in the news in the form of a sound bit.  It happened and we cannot let anyone else tap into the insecurities we have within.

There are obstacles that each of us face and at times brings out our doubts about each other based on race.  We must keep our eyes open for those that are genuine interested in each other based on common ground.  During my twenty plus years of genealogy research, I've connected with some real people that helped me based on our interest.  Those people that taught me how to move forward or encouraged me along the road are priceless.  Let's not let these negative forces impact our purpose.

The Pause along the Journ

There are times during the various paths along our research that information is discovered.  Sometimes it is documented or verbal and it makes you pause so you can digest what you learn. After thinking about it for a period, you then decide what path to take.  If the information is positive, like you are related to someone famous or you find an ancestor that accomplished something that society admires, it is easy to know the path to take.

The challenge comes when the information doesn't sit well based on your beliefs.  Digging into what you learn will at times teach you what or why the ancestor did whatever they did.  For example, I had a woman in my family that own and ran a jute joint in a small town.  This was based on verbal history shared with me by her sisters.  This joint was a place where locals partied and musicians would stay while on tour and traveling in the area.   Many years ago, she sent me a picture of a musician that wrote and played a song he wrote that became pretty famous in the jazz arena.  Researching the times, I learned about how African Americans were not welcomed to stay at hotels whether they were  famous or ordinary people.  Word of mouth was how these traveling people learn where they could spend the night safely, have a drink of alcohol, purchase time with a woman and party if desired.  This jute joint own by my family member was during prohibition.  So was this ancestor a tainted woman or a woman that met demands of some clients?  In other circles she may have been considered an entrepreneur in ways.  Rather than criticize choosing to accept what was based on the limited information or lack of documentation, we keep moving along the path.

The experience of this journey consistently leads me in places of learning the real history of the ancestry and learning.   Continuing to follow the paths and moving my modern day beliefs out of the way so their stories can be told is challenging yet it is the real deal.

Happy Hunting.

Series Opening The Mind.

I'm a watcher of most  TV series, shows or movies that are about history, genealogy and travel.  Finding Your Roots  and Who Do You Think You Are, are just a couple of them.  Recently, I've been watching Underground and it is one of the most thought provoking shows that has been on TV or even in the movies ever.  This series is truly about U.S. History.  I had no idea that it would be so in depth and cover so much more than enslaved groups escaping through the underground seeking freedom.

The creators have done an outstanding job on covering so many angles and the impacts of this period of time before the Civil War.  All individuals were affected in one way or another. Age, color, free or enslaved did not go untouched.  This week's episode was so emotional yet surprising not in the way one would think.  The children were changed by the lifestyle of the time and places they found themselves.  A little girl "Boo" was thrown in the hands of an enslaved man that was running to freedom.  Her mother made that decision for her daughter and paid the ultimate price of death.  During the run in her protectors arms, she faced many frightening experiences including death of the man that was designated to take her to freedom.  She runs and hides on her own, finding herself saved by her owner's sister-in-law who becomes her new protector that paid a high price to protect the runaway child.

Another young enslaved boy, James had the freedom to play and become the master's son playmate.  Time changes things and the boys are separated by status yet in reality they are half brothers.  James is sent to the cotton fields and quickly learns it a new period in his life while the master's son begins his training for future duties as a master.  The boys are separated by life status that has been past down.  Both are hurt and handle things differently.

This is simply a sample of the depth of the Underground series for this week.  This period of time is painful in many ways, specifically because I'm a black individual that has a Family History rooted in the enslaved period of this country.  I remember minimum teaching of the slavery period while in elementary and high school.  Mostly, it left me feeling ashamed and angry of how weak and helpless enslaved blacks were projected to be during this time.  It was years later that I learned there was much more to the story.  I learned of abolitionist yet didn't always place the value and cost of what was being done based on their beliefs.  Each role of various individuals in this series brings it home full circle.  

So the biggest take away for me is finally the real story is being told in a way that none of us should miss.  The second most important thing is why it is so important for us as genealogist or family historians to look around areas and time periods to make sure we include as much as possible of our "real family stories" beyond the names, dates and places. Where possible we must include the verbal history that has been passed down and not necessary proven (a real challenge without fantasy).  The other take away for me is that we must include those teachings from our ancestors, parents and others that taught us how to act or what to do in certain situations.

I remember a couple like a black person should never wear red yet that was my Dad's favorite color and I still have a red cape he gave me as a gift.  Alway felt uncomfortable wearing red yet alway received compliments when I did.  Learned from another aunt that was lighter than her other darker siblings to put clorox in my bath water (guess it was to lighten). Guess what I'm still brown.

Oh my, the journey of a Family Historian is ongoing.

Memories of "The Bridge", Dr. Dorothy Cal (aka Carroll) Hardy

THE LAST STORM

The  dark sky is  split by  jagged streaks of lightening

Stars have long since fled in fright

As the first sounds of angry thunder

fractures the cold  black night:

A wind, born of fury grasps the trees and holds them fast

While my soul's boundless spirit rises to meet nature's 

Creator at last.

When the storm subsides - all is quiet

Once more stars cast their age old light

The night is calm-

The storm has passed-

My eyes are closed - my body lies

still at last

from "Pebbles in The Pond" poems by Dorothy C. Hardy (aka Dr. Dorothy "Carroll" Cal Hardy")

Dr. Dorothy Cal (Carroll) Hardy, my "Bridge" now walks among the ancestors.  On our last visit in October 2015, she told me she didn't know how to talk about death.  Fortunately, she left me many of her writings and finding the above poem revealed to me that she already spoke on the subject.

Dorothy is my bridge for during the last four years, she shared so very much that allowed us to bridge the Carroll/Cal family.  Most of all the connection of love between us was unconditional and went deeper than I could have ever imagine.

Our story together amazes me especially whenever I think about how we bonded.  I met her at the young age of twelve in Creighton, Pennsylvania at our Uncle Robert Carroll's home.  She was about twenty-two years older than me and she mostly interacted with other adult family members yet this young girl was totally impressed by her presence.  Yes, she was a beauty and a cousin not previously seen before yet there was something very special about Dorothy.  I overheard her speaking of being divorced, planning to marry again and living in Cincinnati.  It would be many years later before I would try to find her and realized that her surname had changed creating a challenge.  Of course, this was before the Internet was available to us common folk.  Four years ago via Ancestry.com we reconnected through a student, Cheryl Morris, that was helping her with family research.  I never thought of how we were related as a young girl but as my family research journey moved towards our Carroll line, she was remembered.

We communicated and shared our information.  Dorothy had first hand information of her grandfather, Henry Carroll/Cal aka Pa Cal for she was his last known living grandchild.   He is my 2nd great grandfather and her father, Otis Cal and my great grandfather, John Cal are brothers.  Dorothy had much information documented on the Carroll/Cal family and knew the geographic area of Northwest Alabama.  She became my bridge by sharing information with me in writings, communication and showing me the area. Dorothy was healthy, energetic and a very intelligent eight-four year old woman that was still teaching a Creative Writing Class.  I loved every minute of being with her and she quickly became my sister, mentor, teacher and challenger.  The only difficulty was when she would say "you need to know how to get to the old place when I'm not here".  She meant how to get to the family cemetery, Cal Family Cemetery, Town Creek, Leighton and other areas that our family have ties.

Salutes to a very special ancestor that will never be forgotten.

Dorothy C. Hardy 1927-2015
Born to Odis and Lorean (Harris) Cal near Town Creek, AL
Graduate of Alabama State University, migrated to Cincinnati, Ohio
Married John Mootry Jr. in Nashville, TN  then William E. Hardy
Founder of Intergeneration Writers Guild
Held many job titles: Assistant Dean of Student Groups & University Programs,
Cincinnati, Administrator of student services, Director of Counseling Services at Central
State, Director of Specialized Student Services at Southeast Missouri State University
Recognitions; 1986 World of Poetry's Golden Poet Award, published in numerous journals
and magazines.

"Leaning back I think of what lies ahead: my bright rainbow--my tomorrow". Line taken from On A Greyhound Bus from Promises: Bright and Broken, Poems by Dorothy Hardy.

Journey of a Family Historian.



 

A Peek Into Coal Mining From Alabama to Pennsylvania

My recent journey took me into the history of coal mining from Alabama to Southern Pennsylvania where I was born. Natrona, Brackenridge and New Kensington has deep roots in the mining industry. Past research did not yield the details found this time.  New Kensington 1927 Directory listed where family members worked. Taking a look at Allegheny Steel Company and their history opened doors to situations that no doubt impacted some of my family.  This taught me the value of City and Town online Directories.

Robert Carroll is my great great paternal uncle that left his father's farm in north west Alabama and became a coal miner in Jefferson County.  Verbal history is that he had a disagreement with his father and left the farm.  Not sure how or why he pursued the mining industry for research revealed that often black men arrested were often leased out to these companies in Alabama.  No record has been found to indicate Robert had any problem with the law.  Robert was born in 1891 and was the fifth son of Henry Carroll/Cal and Celia Sherrod.  It is possible that he was seeking an adventure to find his own way and landed in the mining industry.  In 1920, he lived in Pratt City, Jefferson County, Alabama and was married to Rosa who was born in Tennessee.  Robert's brother, John had a brother in law Richard Copeland that was also living close to Robert in Pratt City and working in the mine.

By 1927, Robert and his wife as well as Richard were all living in New Kensington, Pennsylvania working at Allegheny Steel as laborers.  Robert's nephews, Richard and Howard were also living in New Kensington working at the same place as laborers.  A quick research of Allegheny Steel opened unexpected doors into the mining operations.  That is what research does.

Allegheny Steel was founded by Alfred Hicks, a Welsh immigrant before 1900.  His son, Lewis Hicks ran the coal operation and they had many mines around the country.  My focus was on the Allegheny-Kiskimineta Valley aka Alle-Kiski.  The United Mine Workers Association (UMWA) targeted the operations pursuing improved working wages and conditions.  Appears that originally English, Scots-Irish and German ancestry individuals left the farms for work in the mines.  The conditions were not acceptable and they began organizing a union to improve conditions.  The mine owners/operators resisted and one method used was to import people from outside of the region.  They were known as scabs and were of other nationalities.  The scabs were used as strikebreakers and the climate was not a good one.  Violence in strikes took place from 1916 to 1919.

Many African American were imported from Alabama with some knowing they were strikebreakers and other tricked into believing they had an opportunity for a better life.  This time period was very unstable in the mining industry and I wonder how my one great great uncle Robert made it working for Allegheny Steel to retirement.  Other family members left the company and returned to Alabama in the early 1930's.  I knew my Uncle Robert and now wish we could have a chat about his work and the work atmosphere.  

One woman I found interesting was Fannie Sellins (1872-1919) who was an activist for the union in the area. She was born in Louisiana, married and widowed in St. Louis.  Fannie was left with four children and worked in the garment industry.  She became an organizer for unionizing  the Garment industry then moved on to West Virginia where she was arrested then relocated to New Kensington actively involved in the UMWA.  Had no idea that a woman was so active in an industry that was male dominated.  She was killed while participating in a strike in August 1919. Some believe it was a conspiracy.

The journey of genealogy may take you where you have no idea you are going and you just keep following the path until a treasure is revealed.

Lost In Sherrod Research

Haven't written a blog since August.  Unbelievable how fast time passes while life continues outside of this genealogy journey that I love so much.  Not to say I didn't fit a piece in here and there. Passion will always rule if you go with the flow.

The Sherrod branch of my family has dominated a piece here, an hour there and a minute of thought here and there.  Colonel Benjamin Sherrod was recorded in my third great grandfather, Silas Sherrod's US Claim to the United States requesting payment for blacksmith services provided to the Union Troops that came through Town Creek, Alabama during the Civil War needing repairs for their horses.  Having limited material he was creative in meeting their needs according to his account in the claim.  In addition to the services needed, they took supplies from an enslaved family for provisions as a hog, cattle and flour.  Obviously, the troops told Silas Sherrod that the US government would reimburse him.  He followed the process but it was his word only with the support of his previous owner, Walter Sherrod.  Silas' claim was denied since he could not afford to send witnesses to Washington, DC to testify for him.  So oh well he moved on and dealt with life.

The key information on this part of my journey was Silas naming in the claim that he was own by Benjamin Sherrod then Walter Sherrod before freedom.  It was exciting to finally find the owning family on this journey that might move the research back in time.  Hunting around finding that Col. Benjamin Sherrod own in some records 300 and in other 700 slaves scattered around five plantations. Oh my, this blew my mind but I proceeded to find some record of these human enslaved peoples' names and sure enough in his Will of 1846, he named about 300.  It was challenging reading the copy of the will acquired from the Lawrence County Archives in Moulton, Alabama.  The task was more involved than originally thought for first you record the names of slaves, then you determine who in Col. Benjamin Sherrod's family inherited them.  Last you try to determine which plantation they lived on and go from there.  Emotionally, the process was deeper than expected and the progress was slowed by trying to read writing from 167 years ago.  The deed is done along with tracking the descendants of Col. Benjamin Sherrod.  Sure enough his son, Samuel Watkins Sherrod inherited the plantation in Town Creek, Alabama in 1847 upon Benjamin's death.  However, Samuel died in 1848 and his son Walter inherited the plantation along with the enslaved people.  This is what my third great grandfather stated in in US Claim of 1871.  I have at least two more steps to take 1) Sharing the slaves that I've pulled from the records with other Sherrod researchers.  2) Securing a copy of Samuel's will for it my also list slave names.

Oh, what a journey and what a help others could be if they would consider the impact of slavery in their family that affected  other families.

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 28 Saunders/Sanders Part I

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 28 – Saunders Part I

The 1850 Lawrence County, Alabama Slave Census, 8^th District enumerated by J. B. Speaks, Assistant Marshal recorded James E. Saunders as owning forty-one slaves.  The question challenge for my research journey is whether a branch of my family was own by the Saunders family in Lawrence or Colbert Counties in northwest Alabama.  Interesting enough is that most of my family branches that lived in that area carried the surnames of slave owners in the area.

The challenge of the journey is to reconstruct the African-American family with the Saunders/Sanders surname that is connected to our known family. 

1.     First there is Alex Saunders, known by a cousin that lived in Cincinnati, Ohio for years.  Alex and my living cousin were both born in Lawrence/Colbert county Alabama, recognized that they were cousins and yet didn’t know how they were related. 

2.     The first step was to learn as much about Alex Saunders as possible.  Alex Saunders died according Ohio Death Records, 1938-2007, on 15 Aug 1972 in Daniel Drake Memorial Hospital in Cincinnati at the age of 80.  WWII draft registration card 1942 recorded his birthdate as 20 April 1893 in Courtland, Alabama, his work place as Cincinnati Milling Machine Co.  Person who will know your address is his sister, Alice Bullock, 250 St. Peters Street, Cincinnati.

a.     Result in reconstructing the Alex Saunders’s family:

                                                                 i.     Alex Saunders and Alice Bullock are siblings

                                                                ii.     Alex was born in Lawrence Co., AL in 1893.  Note: Making progress.

                                                              iii.     1935, 1936, US City Directory 1821-1989, Alex Saunders is living at 2738 Hoff St. Cincinnati.  Later in 1942 WWII Draft Record, his address was 3096 Gilbert Ave. same city.  Nick Saunders had the same address prior to 1938 when he is living with his wife, Ruth.  No relationship defined for Nick although he is working at the same company as Alex.

                                                              iv.     In the 1958 City Directory, Alex is living at 530 W. Liberty with a spouse, Mattie.

                                                                v.     24 May 1923 one Alex Saunders married Mattie Lee in Jefferson County, AL.

                                                              vi.     1942 Draft Register Card stated his race was Negro, Height 5’ 9””, weight 163, eyes Brown, hair Black, complexion Dark Brown, Wears glasses.

Note:  Records found revealed a fair amount of information about Alex.  Sometimes the name was Saunders while other times it was Sanders.  Other than marriage records in Jefferson County, most linked back to Lawrence County Alabama. 

3.     Second steps led me to his younger years and here are some of the results.

a.     1929 Atlanta City Directory, Alex and Mattie are listed living at 65 Richmond St. SE and he is listed as a labor.  Not definite yet could be my Alex.

b.     1910 US Census Courtland Lawrence County, on 15 April lived Alic Sanders, age 49 with his wife Jennie, age 49 and their children: Ilmer 20, George 14, Alice 12 and a nephew, Emett Johnson 16.  Jennie had 9 children living of 10 she gave birth.

c.      Next to these Sanders was Ellen Bynum 38 a widower.  Interesting for we have a Bynum family connection.

d.      1900 US Census Town Creek, Lawrence Co., Township 4, Range 8.  Bingo – definitely the area where my family lived during that period.  Father: Alexander Sanders, born 1853 AL Mother: Virginia

Children:  Willie, son, 18; Laura, daughter 16; Salinah, daughter, 11; Alexander, son, 10; Ilmer, son, 8; Allace (?Alice), daughter 8; George, son 8 and Harris Saunders 32 Boarder.  Living next door was Elles Bynum and Eliza.

Summary: Jennie/Virginia Sherrod married Alex Saunders (1) in Lawrence County, AL on 17 Dec 1879.  Virginia is a sister of my second great grandmother that married Henry Carroll/Cal in 1882.  Now I know the Alex Saunders connection to our family and have another path of the journey to explore.  I’ve accounted for eight of the nine children living in 1900 and now need to see how Nicolas Saunders fit in with Alex.

Oh, what an ongoing journey and loving every bit of it.

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 27 - Henry Carroll/Cal Jr.

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 27 – Henry Carroll/Cal Jr.

Henry Carroll was born on the 24 September 1894 in Town Creek, Alabama and appears to be the seventh son of Henry Carroll/Cal and Celia Sherrod.  The date of birth changes depending on the documents found.  I’ve decided to use the military records for his birth.  The Carroll/Cal line is designated like this for in the early records, the last name is recorded as Carroll and evolves to Cal. 

Henry, along with his brothers, Dallas, Charles, John, Robert and Earnest worked on their father, Henry Carroll/Cal Sr.’s farm and registered for the World War I draft as required by the government around June 1917.  Henry Jr. appears to be the only brother the records show enlisted in the army on 12 December 1917.  The army was still segregated under the command of President Wilson.  Henry became a Private in Company A, Unit 308 SV, BN in the military and served throughout the war receiving an Honorable discharge on 25 July 1919.  Verbal history from his niece, Dorothy is that he peeled potatoes and performed prepping work for the cook and was stationed in France.  I’m still looking for records that would support  Co. A, Unit 308.

Henry Jr. had a child named Henry Jr. that was born in 1913 before he entered the military.  The Alabama Death Index shows that child died 13 June 1914 at 18 months old in Lawrence County, Alabama.  The record also lists the child’s mother as unknown, which is rather puzzling.  On 5 June 1917, when Henry Jr. registered for World War I draft he is listed as farming and being single living in Colbert County, Alabama.  This was on land his father, Henry Carroll/Cal Sr. own.

Henry Jr. married Georgia Bell Hampton on 6 April 1924 in Lawrence County, Alabama.  The US Census records for Town Creek, Lawrence County, Alabama show he lived in Town Creek in 1930 and 1940 with his wife, Georgia Belle Hampton. Georgia Belle’s nickname was “Sugarbabe”.  Henry Jr. and Sugarbabe had one son, Lennis (1903-2003).  This appears to be before they married in 1924.  Lennis Cal had a son, Lennis Cal Jr., born 17 March 1955 and died 21 Nov 1976 at about twenty-one years old.

Georgia Belle applied for the application for a military headstone and received it after his death in 1959.    Henry Jr. died on the 11 June 1985 and is buried in the Cal Family Cemetery in Colbert County, Alabama.  So while I’ve never known my great uncle, Henry Carroll/Cal Jr., he participated in World War I and made a contribution to World War I.  He also had what my cousin calls an “outside child” Emmett Cal.  Emmitt was born in December 1913 in Alabama and I’ve yet to find out his mother’s name.  Emmitt married in 1938 and lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee most of his life.  He had at less one son, Emmitt Jr.  Following Henry Jr.’s descendants open doors to the Cal Family in Chattanooga, specifically John Henry Cal and his wife, Hannah Napier both born in Town Creek, Alabama that relocated to Chattanooga.  Always, wondered if there is a connection.  They lived with Emmitt according to the Chattanooga Directory so who knows.  Hopefully, it will lead to solving the mystery.

There is much to be discovered about family on this family journey.

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 26 - Wiley Woodard (1)

52 Ancestors 52 Weeks Week 26 – Wiley Woodard (1)

Wiley Woodard (I) was born about 1784 in Brunswick County, Virginia.  He was a black man, perhaps a slave or born as a free man of color.  The story of finding him was amazing to me.  Back in the day, the only way to research was writing down what was known based on interviews of family members about various branches. Knowing about my grandfather, John Henry Woodard, led me to finding his father, Wiley Woodard (2) and mother, Josephine Martin.  They married in Meriwether County, Georgia on 18 July 1868.  Documentation was found in John Henry Woodard’s West Virginia’s death certificate for 15 January 1932 and in the 1900 US Census for Meriwether County in the small town of Odessadale Georgia, leading me to Wiley Woodard (2) was born in Virginia about April 1825. 

The challenge was moving back in time to Wiley Woodard’s (2) parents.  The trial was finding information without “proper documentation” for Georgia didn’t begin recording deaths until later than what was needed.  You see it appeared Wiley (2) died about 1905-09 for he was not found in the 1910 census and his wife; Josephine was listed as a widow in that record.  While researching at the Georgia Archives standing in line to make copies, a red book was on a shelf above the copier.  It caught my attention and was titled 1860 Georgia Census Index.  I moved with the strong feeling that it needed to be check out while my thought was why do you need to look at that book, blacks where slaves then and weren’t listed until the 1870 Census.  Going with the flow, I reach for the book and while still standing in line, looked for any Woodard listings.  Sure enough, I found one listing for “Wiley Woodard” and quickly left the line and to pull the film for review on the microfiche machine.  I found Wiley Woodard (I) listed as a black man and the path of my journey changed.  He lived in Milledgeville, Georgia and additional records showed he was a free person of color born in Brunswick County, Virginia that worked as a brick mason and his sponsor (required at that time for any free person of color) was Thomas Crowder, also born in Brunswick County, Virginia.  Wiley (1) was listed 1837-1845 in the Baldwin County Free Persons of Color Registers and in the 1850-1860 US Census.

Further research found that James Woodward, 1793-1839 of Norfolk, Virginia, a cabinetmaker emancipated his slaves.  The question became was Wiley (1) one of the emancipated slaves?   Thomas Crowder, Wiley I’s sponsor owned slaves and included Lucy with children, Wilson, Milton, Sally and Wiley among them.  When Thomas died his friend H. J. Malone managed Thomas’ estate and purchased these slaves.  H. J. died within a couple of years of the purchase and had a son, Chris Malone and Amanda Malone.  Amanda was married to man named Gilbert and they lived in Meriwether County.  Perhaps it is all a coincidence or mayhap it tells a story.

There are additional hints that lead me to claiming Wiley Woodard (I) and while I don’t tie him to Wiley Woodard 2, I do believe the ancestors speak on the journey.