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Geneaology anyone?

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FloridaSunshine
AfrikanLatina
lacesonia
d.denise
tiashaunteé
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LilMsPuddles
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Post by LilMsPuddles 9th December 2009, 8:20 pm

I started doing my family genealogy in middle school and did pretty well until I stopped in HS. I just recently started again and it seems harder now lol.
Is anyone else doing their own search?
What have you found to be helpful?
How expensive has it been?

I'm still looking for a lot of information and I'm drowning in ways to find it.
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Post by traveljunkie08 11th December 2009, 8:46 pm

I don't know how I missed this post, as I've been tracing my family history off and on since high school (1993-ish). My search started with obtaining a copy of my great-great grandfather's death certificate. That gave me sooooo much information! His full name, date and place of birth, parent's name, last wife's name, employers name, the relative's name who provided all the info for the death certificate, where he was buried, what he died of, etc. I took that information and tracked down the owners of the land my family used to sharecrop on. The man was old, but he remembered my family very well and gave me even more info and told me stories about my great grandparents.

From there, I went to ancestry.com. I was able to find war records, census records, death records, etc. to help me piece things together. Once I started finding names and figuring out familial relationships, I did online searches to further look for obituaries, wedding announcements, etc. That led me to find more names (of people who were likely still alive), and I searched for names in the white pages and started calling folks. I was able to find two branches of my family tree, hear stories from them that I never heard before, and receive pictures.

Let's see what else...I conducted extensive interviews with older family members, made side-trip to Arkansas to search through records, called around to different towns, etc.

It hasn't been expensive at all. The only thing I paid for was the membership to Ancestry.com, and it was worth every penny. Oh, I guess long-distance calls too. It has been a labor of love, and I'm no where near done. I've hit a bit of a brick wall, so my next step is to do a ground search of records, so that will result in additional costs, but I'm sure that will be worth it too.

Good luck with your search! How far have you gotten?
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Post by tiashaunteé 11th December 2009, 9:03 pm

I'm blessed to have uncles on both sides of my family that did all the research already. I plan to keep it updated and pass it on to my kids. I am not sure how expensive it was to do the research but my uncle on my dad's side flew to Africa....I am sure that was expensive.

It was pretty cool to find out of the groups that have mixed to make up little old me.
Ghanaian-Irish-Cherokee Indian.....This explains all the different shades at the family reunions, lol
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Post by LilMsPuddles 11th December 2009, 9:09 pm

lol that sounds like my family. I'm a lil bit of everything and my baby cakes is Ghanaian and NA on his mothers side and NA and ? on his fathers side; were currently looking into that.
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Post by LilMsPuddles 11th December 2009, 9:14 pm

traveljunkie08 wrote:I don't know how I missed this post, as I've been tracing my family history off and on since high school (1993-ish). My search started with obtaining a copy of my great-great grandfather's death certificate. That gave me sooooo much information! His full name, date and place of birth, parent's name, last wife's name, employers name, the relative's name who provided all the info for the death certificate, where he was buried, what he died of, etc. I took that information and tracked down the owners of the land my family used to sharecrop on. The man was old, but he remembered my family very well and gave me even more info and told me stories about my great grandparents.

From there, I went to ancestry.com. I was able to find war records, census records, death records, etc. to help me piece things together. Once I started finding names and figuring out familial relationships, I did online searches to further look for obituaries, wedding announcements, etc. That led me to find more names (of people who were likely still alive), and I searched for names in the white pages and started calling folks. I was able to find two branches of my family tree, hear stories from them that I never heard before, and receive pictures.

Let's see what else...I conducted extensive interviews with older family members, made side-trip to Arkansas to search through records, called around to different towns, etc.

It hasn't been expensive at all. The only thing I paid for was the membership to Ancestry.com, and it was worth every penny. Oh, I guess long-distance calls too. It has been a labor of love, and I'm no where near done. I've hit a bit of a brick wall, so my next step is to do a ground search of records, so that will result in additional costs, but I'm sure that will be worth it too.

Good luck with your search! How far have you gotten?

My venture is actually quite similar. I think my interest started when I finally began to understand slavery and how it affected why Black come in so many shades. I got hooked after my father took a trip to do his own search and brought back a lot of information and we celebrated with pictures and stories. Since then I have just had to know more. I actually just found 5 of my ancestors yesterday and aunts and uncles I didn't know I had and like you it was through death certificates. It's such an addiction too!
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Post by traveljunkie08 11th December 2009, 10:04 pm

Yeah, it is addictive. My only regret is that I didn't document my conversations when I first started (outside of notes I took). I really wish I had some recorded history of the conservation with the land owners and older family members, as many of them have died since I started this. I've been able to go as far back as the first census after slavery, and that's as far as ancestry.com can take me. I have no proof of purported Choctaw ancestry, but it has been confirmed verbally multiple times, but multiple people. I just wish I had more info. So I need to get to Arkansas and Mississippi to look for more records.

Oh, something else we did was take a geneaology test to trace our African ancestry. Through that, I learned that our maternal ancestry is Yoruba. Really wish I could get more info about that!
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Post by LilMsPuddles 11th December 2009, 10:41 pm

I made the same mistake too. I also have the same problem with Cherokee ancestry on both sides of my mothers family. I need to go to a few places; Georgia, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama because my family moved around just that much between the 1860's and 1910's.
My biggest problem is with the women and colors. It's hard to find maiden names and the farther I go back the Whiter my family gets but figuring out who's White, Mulatto or Coloured/Black/Negro ect. is tricky
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Post by d.denise 13th December 2009, 3:51 am

This is such an interesting thread! my aunt has been really successful with my dad's side of the family. I haven't utilized it as much as I could have. I really want to do my mom's side of the family - we have a HUGE family and get a history lesson every family reunion but I want to go deeper if possible. The one thing I'm apprehensive about is that I think my mom has a different father from the rest of her 13 siblings (remarriages and deaths and a whole bunch of other stuff) but it's never talked about. It's kinda like everybody knows, but its something thats never spoken of mainly because my mom was so young when my grandmother married my grandfather that thats really all she's ever known. So it's like do I want to trace my actual bloodline which I think will be very difficult - or do I trace the bloodline of the family that I know as family. Which I'm sure will be very interesting, but it won't be "me". I am just going to take my time at home during the holidays and do some digging. Thanks for posting this to get me re-inspired!

Because my mom had my grandmothers maiden name (instead of her 'father's' last name), part of me was like what if she really is my grandfathers child but because he was married to his first wife still when she was born and my grandmother was not married they had to concoct some story to keep his reputation under wraps lol. He was a well-known activist in the city... oh well this sounds like some drama lol- good, interesting drama though! Maybe I'll write a book!
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Post by LilMsPuddles 13th December 2009, 2:57 pm

We have drama like that too! Every so often there will be someone who will track down my cousins and will be looking for one of my dead uncles because that is supposed to be their father.
That does sound like juicy book material, maybe you could right a fiction based somewhat around it!
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Post by traveljunkie08 13th December 2009, 8:37 pm

@d.denise: I'd go ahead and broach the subject, and try to get as much information as possible. People may not want to talk about it, but if you explain how important it is to you, maybe they will. Once people start passing away, that knowledge is forever lost. If you decide that's what you want to do, write down everything, even if it seems insignificant. Or better yet, record it. Good luck! And let us know if you write a book about it. Wink
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Post by d.denise 18th December 2009, 3:28 am

soooo I asked my mom about the situation. and just as I thought she didn't want to talk about it :-( however, she did tell me his name and that he was buried at OUR church which is SO weird because he was never a member of the church that I grew up in. She said she only met him once or twice and that he died when she was very young. maybe a teenager probably not even that old. she does know that she has sisters and brothers, and I asked her did she never want to know about them... she was like "I have enough! The ones I got already get on my nerves." lol trying to be funny. But true, she has 14 sisteres and brothers now.

I feel like talking about it made her upset, which made me upset and for some reason I was crying when we got off the phone. I still can't tell you why. I just can't understand why she wouldn't want to know, but I guess its the same as when some people get adopted. But what about for health issues or you never know who you are related too - what if you tried to talk to a 1st cousin one day??? lol. I was a little discouraged after talking to her because she is of the mindset that "I have a family" and just because they are blood doesn't make them "family" in the sense of the word that we generally use it. I can understand that so it makes me hesitant to do the research. It almost feels like I would have to 'go behind her back' because I wouldn't be able to talk about it with her. I know that she would probably be grateful after the fact but I just don't see that now... When I go home for Christmas, I am still going to go to his grave and find his D.O.B. and stuff... Just in case...

wish me luck ladies! and clarity...

(traveljunkie - beautiful avatar!)
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Post by d.denise 18th December 2009, 3:32 am

LilMsPuddles wrote:We have drama like that too! Every so often there will be someone who will track down my cousins and will be looking for one of my dead uncles because that is supposed to be their father.
That does sound like juicy book material, maybe you could right a fiction based somewhat around it!

lilmspuddles I may be tracking down one of your cousins girl you never know! lol.
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Post by LilMsPuddles 18th December 2009, 11:27 am

Thats why I do this, I feel like I have such a small family because I know hardly any of them. No part of my family has had a family reunion since I was born Evil or Very Mad What type of a family is that? Most of my family I have only heard about or met within the last 5 years!
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Post by traveljunkie08 18th December 2009, 2:26 pm

@d.denise: Thanks for the compliment! Smile

I know you're in a sticky situation, but try not to be discouraged. Tread lightly with your mother, as I'm sure it's painful for her. If you want to pursue this, I don't think you should feel guilty or like you're going behind her back.

Good luck and keep us posted! I think I'm going to get back to my search!
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Post by LilMsPuddles 18th December 2009, 4:36 pm

traveljunkie08 wrote:@d.denise: Thanks for the compliment! Smile

I know you're in a sticky situation, but try not to be discouraged. Tread lightly with your mother, as I'm sure it's painful for her. If you want to pursue this, I don't think you should feel guilty or like you're going behind her back.

Good luck and keep us posted! I think I'm going to get back to my search!

To add to that, genealogy is about where YOU come from not so much who your family is. Family can be anyone and you can have multiple families but knowing the stories of those that came before you is invaluable! In the end whatever you choose I hope you and maybe even your mother can receive closure and never regret the decision you make.
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Post by lacesonia 20th December 2009, 12:03 am

I've been researching my family tree for almost a year now. I wanted to start sooner but noone would give me much information. Last year my great grandmother promised me that when I came home for Thanksgiving she would sit down and tell me all that she knew. Unfortunately she passed away a couple days later. She did however, keep every obituary she had ever received from a funeral she attended and tons of photos. My grandmother gave me the bag she kept all of this in. My sister and I sat down the day before her funeral and wrote down all of the information we could gather from the obituaries and birth certificates in the photo albums.

As soon as I got back to Maryland I got the 14 day free trial on ancestry and went at it. In less than 2 days I had 3 phone numbers for my great great grandmothers nephew in Florida. Its been gravy ever since, lol.

I'm so excited by all of the information I've found. It just hurts sometimes because I wish my great grandmother was here to witness all of the people I've found. Recently my great uncle (her brother) was hospitalized with pneumonia and emphysema. I've decided to continue my search and signed up for an ancestry.com membership. I hope to complete my entire family tree one day but in the meantime, I'm going to try to get everyone together this year and attend a few family reunions.
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Post by LilMsPuddles 20th December 2009, 12:52 am

Your very lucky despite that your ggmother died. I too inherited some obituaries but I also never got the stories of the people behind the obituaries do have some knowledge but one of my passions is history so with what I have I'm not satisfied. I am thankful that I do have the obits and I have some original pictures of some of my gg's and copies of pictures of gg's and ggg's among others.

I too am on ancestry, maybe one day we will "member connect" lol
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Post by AfrikanLatina 20th December 2009, 12:37 pm

I started documenting our family history back in college and like you D.Denise it was hard getting information out of folks. My grandmother had quite a few documents, land deeds, etc. in an old briefcase under her bed and she went through it with me explaining who people were and where they lived. I found out that I had another uncle(he passed away at birth) that I had never heard about.

There's also some differences in stories as to paternity of certain people. While knowing who is related by blood to me is important I also want to know those that aren't blood related but still considered family because they could still probably help in my search.

I didn't grow up with my father but we have some form of a relationship now. On my fathers side I only know of the Panamanian and Jamaican blood that flows through me. My paternal grandmother came over from Panama in the 70s and has been living here ever since. She's such a sweetheart. I'm planning to make a trip to see her and my father(they live in VA) the early part of next year and I hope to be able to get some information from them.

My hubbys mother has already done all of the work for his side. The information she's been able to gather goes back to the 1800s if I'm not mistaken. Maybe I can get her to help me in my search. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I would love to be able to pass this along to my son and any other children that we may have in the future.
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Post by traveljunkie08 20th December 2009, 2:51 pm

@lacesonia: I'm glad that you've been able to find information about your family. Obits are so helpful. Thank goodness your great grandmother saved them even if she wasn't able to give you the info directly.

Where are your families from? We could have a connection right here on this thread and not even know it. Smile

My peeps are from Mississippi (Calhoun County) and Arkansas (mainly around Forrest City, Marianna and West Memphis).
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Post by LilMsPuddles 24th December 2009, 5:13 pm

Spelling is killing me right now!
How did Cassandra King get to be Cozza King or Scrivin get to be Scrueben?
I wish I could find more obits too!
I keep seeing all these people on ancestry that I'm related too but they aren't members anymore and I don't know how exactaly I'm related to them or where they got the info or why some of the names vary slightly...... I'm family tree frustrated right now....
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Post by LilMsPuddles 26th December 2009, 4:27 pm

I'm soooo happy I just got invited to my first family reunion in Louisiana next summer! I finally feel like all my hard work on ancestry is paying off!
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Post by lacesonia 30th December 2009, 2:36 pm

traveljunkie08 wrote:@lacesonia: I'm glad that you've been able to find information about your family. Obits are so helpful. Thank goodness your great grandmother saved them even if she wasn't able to give you the info directly.

Where are your families from? We could have a connection right here on this thread and not even know it. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

My peeps are from Mississippi (Calhoun County) and Arkansas (mainly around Forrest City, Marianna and West Memphis).


Sorry I'm so late replying. My family is from South Carolina (Orangeburg and Elloree) and Florida (mostly Jacksonville). Thats all I've found out so far. Right now everyone is spread out all over the place. On my great great great grandmothers side, I'm related to two retired NFL players and someone in California who invented the top on soda cans....lol. I haven't dug deep into that side just yet. I will be going to visit one of her great nephews on MLK weekend.

My great uncle asked me to locate his dads side of the family and I've had a little luck. The majority of them were located in Elloree, SC. Unfortunately he fell ill recently and I've been a little torn up about the fact that we haven't been able to meet anyone just yet. I'm not discouraged and I'm going to keep digging. As the family historian, I know him and my great grandmother are proud.
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Post by LilMsPuddles 30th December 2009, 5:49 pm

@lacesonia what names are you looking for? My fathers whole family is from and migrated around S.C., Fla and Ga.....
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Post by lacesonia 30th December 2009, 5:58 pm

Well, my family comes from the following last names...Foster,Huggins, Bonaparte, Abraham, and Kennedy.

John Foster was from Lancaster, SC and is my grandmothers father. I'm trying to find his family.

From what I've learned all of these families (Huggins, Bonaparte, Abraham, and Kennedy) at one time had family members who lived near one another on a couple street in Jacksonville, Fl. A ton of the Bonaparte family was located in Elloree, SC. The Huggins and Abraham family still have members in Orangeburg, SC today.

I haven't found much on the Kennedy side (my great great great grandmother married a George Kennedy). Still trying to get below the surface.
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Post by LilMsPuddles 30th December 2009, 7:01 pm

I haven't found any connections to those families yet. Mine are in that area are Bowden, Cooper, Dennis, King, Mathews, Murphy & Niles respectively..... but now all of my fathers family(that we know of) that we are close to live in Orlando but our distant family live in rural GA.
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