Tag Archives: slavery
Happy Emancipation Day, 2013!
“On January 1, 1892, Miss Josephine Burton, Ocean Springs’ charming belle gave a very nice surprise party for her pastor, Rev. I. C. Rucker, assisted by Mrs. A.B. Stuart and Miss Violet Matthews. A collection of $6.05 was taken, after … Continue reading
Filed under Abraham Lincoln, African-American history, ancestry
Follow Friday: Stirling Family Register of Slaves
I wonder if Princeton University will give me some kind of honorary degree for all of the hours I’ve been logging in their microfilm library. In the past two weeks, I’ve been down there three times. (No easy feat with … Continue reading
Filed under ancestry
Treasure Chest Thursday: The man who met my enslaved ancestor
If ever I had a top 10 list of genealogy moments, speaking to Peter Monrose would be right up there along with finding the picture of my ancestors pictured in the header of this blog and the newspaper ad my … Continue reading
Filed under ancestry
Monumental Monday: Freedom’s Fortess National Park
Two weeks ago on November 1st, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation designating Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA. a National monument. Fort Monroe is the site where slavery had it’s beginning and ending here in the U.S. I learned about … Continue reading
Filed under ancestry, family history
Follow Friday: My Ancestors’ Civil War History
As our country continues to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I’ve been trying to learn more about this national conflict. So, I’ve been reading the New York Times’ Disunion blog as well as Adam Goodheart’s book, 1861 … Continue reading
Filed under ancestry
“The Whipping Man”: Civil War history on stage
Last night, I saw the powerful play, “The Whipping Man,” starring Andre Braugher, Andre Holland and Jay Wilkison at City Center in Manhattan. It’s the story of three Jewish men at the end of the Civil War. Two are newly … Continue reading
Filed under ancestry
Friend of Friend Friday: Slave Burial Ground in Virginia
While at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, I’ve had the chance to visit the slave burial grounds at nearby Sweet Briar College. Over the years that I’ve been coming to the VCCA to write, I became aware of … Continue reading
Filed under Uncategorized, VCCA
Friend of Friend Friday: Slaves of Alexander Stirling
I found the above will in the Lewis Stirling Family Papers, archived at the Louisiana State University. The Stirling family, wealthy Louisiana planters, owned my third great-grandmother, Eliza Burton. I’ve been scrolling through the microfilmed documents hoping that they will … Continue reading
Filed under African-American history, ancestry, geneology, slavery, Uncategorized
Wisdom Wednesday: Maya Angelou’s inspiration
This morning, I woke up feeling really blue and not just because of the weather. I spent several hours in the library yesterday with my cousin, Monique pouring through the Stirling Family Papers. The Stirlings owned my third great-grandmother, Eliza … Continue reading
