How I Found An Enslaved Ancestor in My Family Tree
TLDRIn this engaging webinar, Karen Strickland shares her methodical approach to African-American genealogy research, focusing on the challenges of tracing enslaved ancestors. She narrates her journey of discovering her husband's second great-grandfather, Aaron Anderson, and provides valuable tips such as utilizing family items, considering name variations, and consulting a variety of records. Strickland emphasizes the importance of perseverance and thorough research, including the use of maps, census records, and local archives, to uncover hidden details about one's ancestors.
Takeaways
- 🎉 The class celebrates Juneteenth and its significance in commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
- 🌟 Roots Tech and Family Search are committed to diversity, inclusion, and celebrating the strength and resilience of the African-American community.
- 🧩 The presenter, Karen Strickland, shares her journey of discovering an enslaved ancestor in her family tree, Aaron Anderson, and provides research tips.
- 🔍 African-American genealogy research can be challenging due to a lack of documentation and the absence of names in early census records.
- 📚 Utilizing a variety of resources such as state libraries, county libraries, courthouses, and online platforms like rootstech.org is essential for research.
- 👀 The importance of examining the entire census record, not just names and dates, for clues like marriage, voting rights, and age discrepancies.
- 🛣️ Genealogy road trips can provide valuable information not found online, such as local maps and historical records.
- 🔗 Mapping tools like the Thorndale and Dollar Hide atlas and the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries are useful for understanding jurisdictional changes.
- 📝 Maintaining a genealogy log or research plan is crucial for keeping track of findings, especially in complex family lines.
- 💡 The use of nicknames, variant spellings, and age ranges can aid in locating ancestors in historical documents.
- 🤝 Networking with local historians, librarians, and community members can open new avenues for genealogical research.
Q & A
What is the main theme of the virtual class discussed in the transcript?
-The main theme of the virtual class is the celebration of Juneteenth and the significance of commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States. The class also focuses on African-American genealogy research.
Who is the guest speaker in the virtual class and what is her expertise?
-The guest speaker is Karen Strickland, an experienced South Carolina genealogist and researcher. She is knowledgeable in African-American genealogy and has presented in various platforms, including the South Carolina State Library.
What are some of the challenges in researching African-American genealogy?
-Some challenges in researching African-American genealogy include the fact that enslaved Africans were not included in many documents, they were not allowed to have last names, marry, read or write, and their names were not included in the 1860 U.S federal census unless they were free persons.
What resources and tips does Karen Strickland recommend for those starting African-American genealogy research?
-Karen Strickland recommends using a variety of sources such as tax records, state libraries, county libraries, and courthouses. She also suggests looking for items at home that can connect with ancestors, searching with nicknames and variant spellings, considering an age range, and going on a genealogy road trip to find more information.
How did Karen Strickland break through her genealogy brick wall?
-Karen Strickland broke through her genealogy brick wall by thoroughly examining various records such as funeral memory bookmarks, obituaries, death certificates, census records, and voter registration records. She also used the concept of the FAN Club (Family and Friends and Associates and Neighbors) to broaden her research.
What is the significance of the 1870 U.S. federal census in African-American genealogy research?
-The 1870 U.S. federal census is significant in African-American genealogy research because it was the first census to include African Americans by name after the emancipation.
How did Karen Strickland use maps in her research?
-Karen Strickland used maps, specifically historical county boundary maps from the Library of Congress, to understand changes in county and township boundaries over time. This helped her pinpoint where her ancestors lived and the properties they owned.
What was the role of the Freedman's Bureau in Aaron Anderson's life?
-The Freedman's Bureau played a significant role in Aaron Anderson's life by providing him with contracts for work after the Civil War. These contracts offered him employment, pay, and living accommodations, which were crucial for freed slaves during the Reconstruction era.
How did Karen Strickland verify the burial place of Aaron Anderson?
-Karen Strickland verified Aaron Anderson's burial place by cross-referencing information from a deed and a centennial booklet from the church he was associated with. She also reached out to Find A Grave to request a change in the recorded burial location based on her findings.
What advice does Karen Strickland give to those who encounter 'don't know' on death certificates?
-Karen Strickland advises looking through family bibles, mortality schedules, and other collateral records. She also suggests using a variety of documents and sources to cross-check information and fill in the gaps where records may be incomplete.
What resources did Karen Strickland utilize to enhance her understanding of her family's history?
-Karen Strickland utilized resources such as the South Carolina State Library, South Carolina State Archives, local libraries, and the Library of Congress. She also used online resources like FamilySearch and participated in webinars to further her education in genealogy research.
Outlines
🎉 Introduction and Celebration of Juneteenth
The video begins with a warm welcome to the second of six virtual classes, celebrating Juneteenth. The host expresses excitement for the diverse audience, from the east coast of the United States to Africa. The class is part of a larger commitment to diversity and inclusion, honoring the history and triumphs of the African-American community. The Roots Tech and Family Search platforms are highlighted as resources for learning about African-American genealogy, DNA, and helpful resources. The host introduces Karen Strickland, a genealogist who will discuss her experience finding an enslaved ancestor in her family tree.
🔍 Genealogy Research Challenges and Strategies
Karen Strickland discusses the challenges of African-American genealogy research, attributing the difficulty to the historical enslavement of Africans and their exclusion from many documents. She emphasizes the importance of starting research with the most recent known ancestor and working backward through time. Karen shares tips for genealogists, such as searching using nicknames and variant spellings, considering age ranges, and looking through multiple pages of the same source for additional information. She also suggests going on a genealogy road trip to access documents not available online.
📜 Utilizing Family Artifacts and Documents
Karen shares her personal journey of discovering her husband's family history, emphasizing the value of family artifacts like yearbooks, family Bibles, photographs, and cookbooks. She describes finding a funeral memory bookmark and program that provided crucial information about her husband's ancestors, including names, relationships, and living situations. Karen also discusses the importance of examining census records thoroughly, as they contain valuable clues about marriages, births, and other life events.
🗺️ Exploring Census Records and Maps
Karen delves into the use of census records, providing insights on how to extract information from them. She talks about the evolution of census questions over time and how to use this knowledge to trace family histories. Karen also introduces the use of maps to understand historical county and township boundaries, which can significantly impact genealogical research. She shares her experience of using maps from the Library of Congress and local libraries to locate her ancestor's properties and understand the community context.
📝 Deed Searches and Property Records
In this section, Karen discusses the importance of deed searches in genealogy research. She shares her experience of finding deeds that revealed her ancestor Aaron Anderson's land ownership and transactions. Karen emphasizes the value of these records in understanding an ancestor's societal participation and status. She also talks about the process of correcting information on Find A Grave, a website for cemetery records, based on her research findings.
🏛️ Local Resources and Genealogy Road Trips
Karen highlights the importance of utilizing local resources like libraries and county archives in genealogy research. She shares her experience of visiting a church and uncovering a booklet with valuable historical photos and information about her husband's family. Karen also discusses the significance of genealogy road trips, which can provide access to physical records and firsthand experiences that enrich the research process.
🤝 Engaging with Community and Church Historians
Karen talks about the value of engaging with local community members and church historians during her genealogy road trip. She shares how her conversation with church members led her to the church historian, who provided a booklet with historical photos and information. This interaction allowed Karen to identify relatives and learn more about her husband's family history, demonstrating the importance of personal connections in genealogical research.
📚 Ongoing Research and Future Plans
Karen concludes her presentation by acknowledging that her research is far from complete, with many more records to explore. She shares a screenshot of her family tree, indicating the extensive work still to be done. Karen encourages viewers not to give up on their research and offers a hopeful message for success in genealogy. She also addresses audience questions, providing further tips and resources for research, and emphasizes the importance of a research plan and log to manage complex family histories.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Juneteenth
💡African-American Genealogy
💡Roots Tech
💡FamilySearch
💡Enslaved Ancestors
💡Genealogy Brick Wall
💡Census Records
💡Vital Records
💡Deed Records
💡Genealogy Road Trip
💡Family History Research
Highlights
The celebration of Juneteenth and its significance in commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States.
The collaboration between Roots Tech and Family Search in promoting diversity, inclusion, and the strength of the African-American community.
The importance of genealogy research in understanding the history and contributions of African-Americans.
The challenges faced in African-American genealogy research due to the lack of documentation and restrictions on enslaved individuals.
The use of various resources such as state libraries, county libraries, courthouses, and online platforms like rootstech.org for genealogy research.
The presentation by Karen Strickland on finding an enslaved ancestor in her family tree and the methods used to break through genealogy barriers.
The value of personal items like family Bibles, photographs, and cookbooks in providing clues for genealogy research.
The strategy of searching using nicknames and variant spellings to find records of ancestors with limited documentation.
The importance of considering an age range when searching for ancestors in historical records.
The concept of a genealogy road trip, emphasizing the value of physical visits to repositories and locations associated with ancestors.
The discovery of a funeral memory bookmark and program that provided crucial information about the family tree and connections.
The use of census records and the detailed analysis of each column to gather as much information as possible about ancestors.
The process of tracing back through historical census records to find the ancestors and their living situations.
The utilization of voter registration records and militia records to understand the societal participation of ancestors.
The exploration of land deeds and property transfers to uncover the economic status and land ownership of ancestors.
The use of historical maps and atlases to understand the geographical context and movements of ancestors.
The importance of keeping a genealogy log or research plan to organize and track the extensive research process.
Transcripts
Browse More Related Video
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)
Thanks for rating: