Sharon Batiste Gillins a descendant of enslaved ancestors and Cheri Hudson Passey a descendant of enslavers share how to overcome emotions and other obstacles to work together to connect families.
Cheri Hudson Passey is a Professional Genealogist, Instructor, Writer, and Speaker and the owner of Carolina Girl Genealogy, LLC. Cheri is the host of the genealog
Sharon Batiste Gillins is a native of Galveston, Texas with paternal ancestral roots in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana and maternal roots in Fort Bend County, Texas. She is a passionate family history researcher who has been actively involved in genea
One point of clarification. I was aware of the Mary Moody Northen Endowment through a footnote in the book Bound Away by David Hackett Fischer and James C. Kelly about 10 years before the article on Uncle Bacchus was published. At the time I was seeking more information on how and where the Moody Family acquired my enslave Ransom ancestors. I reached out to the Endowment regarding access to their archives. However I wasn’t sure if traveling there to conduct research would be productive.
After the publishing of the article, I reached out to the endowment to share the research I had on Bacchus Robertson (Uncle Bacchus). I’m talking Sharon Batiste Gillins about Bacchus, she asked if I was related to the Ransom Family. She then shared a document with me and strongly encourage me to come to Galveston, Texas.
There are some people who are descended from both, whose families were already blended by marriage prior to the Civil War, and who still identify with both ancestries. Where do we fit in this discussion if we do not choose a side?
Why choose? Why not both? As Walt Whitman wrote: I contain multitudes. I have about 2% sub-Saharan African DNA but I don’t know where it came from, so I can only help from the perspective of a descendant of enslavers. If I had more info on where that DNA came from, I could do both, But I can and will help anyone any way I can.
I have learned so much today! I watched a couple of webinars that I thought I might not relate to but found fascinating and useful information. I love the family history work and am grateful to have gathered seriously valuable. Thank you so much for providing these for us.
This was very helpful in giving me suggestions as to where to go next in trying to further research who my Virginia ancestor’s (Akers) family slaves were and what happened to them after both the Akers (husband and wife) died just before the Civil War broke out. My great grandfater was 15 when the war began and he ended up in the Union Prison in Boston (which may have saved his life) and then joined the US Army after the war ended and then came to San Francisco.
After researching my family history for almost 50 years and as a descendant of an enslaver, this webinar has been a door opener for future research gathering and new family associations …. thank you Sharon and Cheri for a great webinar.
Applying the Genealogical Proof Standard to Researching Enslaved Families (a 2024 Reisinger Lecture)
Using several families that were enslaved on the same plantation as case studies, this presentation will demonstrate research that meets the Genealogical Proof Standard. Examples of reasonably exhaustive research, evidence analysis, correlation, and resolving conflicts will be presented.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Using several families that were enslaved on the same plantation as case studies, this presentation will demonstrate research that meets the Genealogical Proof Standard. Examples of reasonably exhaustive research, evidence analysis, correlation, and resolving conflicts will be presented.
This class is presented live at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City as part of the Joy Reisinger Memorial Lecture Series and is being broadcasted by Legacy Family Tree Webinars.
Collecting and Compiling Plantation Records: Thomas Terrell Case Study
Thomas Terrell was a lawyer born in Louisa County, Virginia in 1761. His plantation in Greene County, Georgia and the people he enslaved there have connections to a Civil War battlefield, the University of Georgia, Wells Fargo, a United States Congressman, and northern enslavers from Connecticut and New Jersey. Thomas’ death in 1822 created the only comprehensive list of his enslaved population, requiring the use of unconventional sources to gather more information about them. Many were separated due to devastating slave sales, but 200 years later, their descendants have been reunited by DNA testing.
Thomas Terrell was a lawyer born in Louisa County, Virginia in 1761. His plantation in Greene County, Georgia and the people he enslaved there have connections to a Civil War battlefield, the University of Georgia, Wells Fargo, a United States Congressman, and northern enslavers from Connecticut and New Jersey. Thomas’ death in 1822 created the only comprehensive list of his enslaved population, requiring the use of unconventional sources to gather more information about them. Many were separated due to devastating slave sales, but 200 years later, their descendants have been reunited by DNA testing.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
In the summer of 2023 American Ancestors/New England Historic Genealogical Society announced the collaborative 10 Million Names project, an undertaking to recover the names of people of African descent who were enslaved in the area of the United States. This monumental task of centralizing datasets about African Americans is likely to take years to accomplish; in the interim, this webinar provides a useful survey of the many existing databases that serve a similar purpose though limited in scope.
Learn how DNA reconnected a family living on two continents (North America and Australia), and how the Underground Railroad, the Freedmen’s Bureau, a legal battle within the slaveholding family, and Broadway musicals became central threads to their dynamic story.
Learn how DNA reconnected a family living on two continents (North America and Australia), and how the Underground Railroad, the Freedmen’s Bureau, a legal battle within the slaveholding family, and Broadway musicals became central threads to their dynamic story.
African American Research 101 – Antebellum Era (Part 3 of 3)
This lecture will discuss how to get started in African American research. The objective of this presentation will be to research African Americans before the Civil War – either as an enslaved or free person. It will introduce Antebellum Era records such as: newspapers, slave schedules, church records, tax records, free people of color registers, plantation records, and probate records. It will also cover methodology for enslaved research.
This lecture will discuss how to get started in African American research. The objective of this presentation will be to research African Americans before the Civil War – either as an enslaved or free person. It will introduce Antebellum Era records such as: newspapers, slave schedules, church records, tax records, free people of color registers, plantation records, and probate records. It will also cover methodology for enslaved research.
Juneteenth–How Emancipation Came to Texas and How We Celebrate
This lecture details the true story of how freedom finally came to Texas more than 2 years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. Common myths will be replaced with the truth of the events that occurred and the atmosphere of the surrounding Galveston community, including the presence of United States Colored Troops among the Union soldiers who arrived to enforce emancipation for over 300,000 enslaved people of Texas. Finally, it follows the evolution of celebrations of emancipation beginning with spontaneous celebrations that occurred in 1865 on the docks of the Galveston Wharf, to the first documented citywide celebration in Galveston, to today’s recognition of Juneteenth as an important historical event celebrated throughout the nation and even the world.
This lecture details the true story of how freedom finally came to Texas more than 2 years after the effective date of the Emancipation Proclamation. Common myths will be replaced with the truth of the events that occurred and the atmosphere of the surrounding Galveston community, including the presence of United States Colored Troops among the Union soldiers who arrived to enforce emancipation for over 300,000 enslaved people of Texas. Finally, it follows the evolution of celebrations of emancipation beginning with spontaneous celebrations that occurred in 1865 on the docks of the Galveston Wharf, to the first documented citywide celebration in Galveston, to today’s recognition of Juneteenth as an important historical event celebrated throughout the nation and even the world.
African American Research 101 – Reconstruction Era (Part 2 of 3)
This lecture will discuss how to get started in African American research. The objective of this presentation will be to research either a free person of color or a formerly enslaved African American and identify the last enslaver. It will introduce Reconstruction Era records such as: The Freedmen’s Bureau records, Freedmen’s Bank Records, Southern Claims Commission records, military records, census records, voter’s registration, newspapers, and vital records. It will also cover methodology for 1870 African American brick wall problems.
This lecture will discuss how to get started in African American research. The objective of this presentation will be to research either a free person of color or a formerly enslaved African American and identify the last enslaver. It will introduce Reconstruction Era records such as: The Freedmen’s Bureau records, Freedmen’s Bank Records, Southern Claims Commission records, military records, census records, voter’s registration, newspapers, and vital records. It will also cover methodology for 1870 African American brick wall problems.
From This Day Forward – Documenting Marital Unions of Enslaved and Emancipated Persons
Despite the fact that their marriages were not legally recognized before 1865, enslaved couples were uniting in "quasi-marital" relationships, and were cohabitating as husband and wife, as evidenced by many extant documents created during and after the end of America’s Civil War. In this presentation, we explore examples of documents that provide evidence of these relationships, and sources for finding them.
Despite the fact that their marriages were not legally recognized before 1865, enslaved couples were uniting in "quasi-marital" relationships, and were cohabitating as husband and wife, as evidenced by many extant documents created during and after the end of America’s Civil War. In this presentation, we explore examples of documents that provide evidence of these relationships, and sources for finding them.
Following the Civil War, when nearly 200,000 African American men served, the U.S. Army established 4 African American infantry (later modified to 2) and 2 cavalry regiments in 1868. They initially served in the West but fought in the Spanish American War and the two World Wars in segregated units. It was not until 1948 that Executive Order 9981 integrated the military. What was life like for these soldiers? Where do you find service and pension records?
Following the Civil War, when nearly 200,000 African American men served, the U.S. Army established 4 African American infantry (later modified to 2) and 2 cavalry regiments in 1868. They initially served in the West but fought in the Spanish American War and the two World Wars in segregated units. It was not until 1948 that Executive Order 9981 integrated the military. What was life like for these soldiers? Where do you find service and pension records?
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Well done, Sharon and Cheri, you are a model for others to follow! Two other resources people may be interested in: Linked Descendants Group of Coming to the Table: https://comingtothetable.org/linked-descendants-working-group/ and the WikiTree US Black Heritage Project which has over 140,000 profiles of people and includes categories by county to aid searches: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Project:US_Black_Heritage
One point of clarification. I was aware of the Mary Moody Northen Endowment through a footnote in the book Bound Away by David Hackett Fischer and James C. Kelly about 10 years before the article on Uncle Bacchus was published. At the time I was seeking more information on how and where the Moody Family acquired my enslave Ransom ancestors. I reached out to the Endowment regarding access to their archives. However I wasn’t sure if traveling there to conduct research would be productive.
After the publishing of the article, I reached out to the endowment to share the research I had on Bacchus Robertson (Uncle Bacchus). I’m talking Sharon Batiste Gillins about Bacchus, she asked if I was related to the Ransom Family. She then shared a document with me and strongly encourage me to come to Galveston, Texas.
There are some people who are descended from both, whose families were already blended by marriage prior to the Civil War, and who still identify with both ancestries. Where do we fit in this discussion if we do not choose a side?
Why choose? Why not both? As Walt Whitman wrote: I contain multitudes. I have about 2% sub-Saharan African DNA but I don’t know where it came from, so I can only help from the perspective of a descendant of enslavers. If I had more info on where that DNA came from, I could do both, But I can and will help anyone any way I can.
great
I have learned so much today! I watched a couple of webinars that I thought I might not relate to but found fascinating and useful information. I love the family history work and am grateful to have gathered seriously valuable. Thank you so much for providing these for us.
This was very helpful in giving me suggestions as to where to go next in trying to further research who my Virginia ancestor’s (Akers) family slaves were and what happened to them after both the Akers (husband and wife) died just before the Civil War broke out. My great grandfater was 15 when the war began and he ended up in the Union Prison in Boston (which may have saved his life) and then joined the US Army after the war ended and then came to San Francisco.
Excellent webinar by Cheri Hudson Passey and Sharon Batiste Gillins I hope it gets a lot of views because it was very informative.
After researching my family history for almost 50 years and as a descendant of an enslaver, this webinar has been a door opener for future research gathering and new family associations …. thank you Sharon and Cheri for a great webinar.