It was while recently writing about Mike Fendricks’ family that I made one of the biggest discoveries in 25 years. I recovered the identity of my 2nd great-grandmother, an enslaved woman named Salina Sherrod. It was my favorite gift this year! This discovery illustrated two concepts I often recommend. First, everyone should write up their […]
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Category: Probate Records
Examining Slaves in Inventories
Inventories are one of the key documents researchers use as evidence to support their assertion of slaveownership. Before 1865, a slaveholder’s estate inventory includes their enslaved property. They vary in the information that they provide, but remain an important source for those researching African Americans. What is an Inventory? The inventory is a report of […]
Never Rely On Just the Census
Ah, the census. The glorious census. It’s such an important document in genealogy, I would venture to say even a foundational document. But its flaws are many. Those who rely on only the census to reconstruct their ancestral families do so at the risk of recreating a family inaccurately. Take for example the case of my ancestor […]
Henry’s Slaves: One in a Million
There have been only a few times in the 18 years of my research that have truly taken my breath away. I just had another one. John Campbell Henry’s Inventory I was researching the possible owners of a group of former slaves from Dorchester County, Maryland. John Campbell Henry died in 1857. A former governor […]
Slave Distributions
One of the most important pieces of information those of us researching enslaved ancestors need to know is how the slaves are distributed after the owner’s death. If we’re lucky, there’s a will that tells us to whom each slave is bequeathed. Most of the time, there’s not. There are many wills that simply say […]
Probate Records: Petition for Letters
I have posted before about the need to search every step in the probate process. We shouldn’t be in the habit of only reviewing the will and the inventory. Steps in the Probate Process One of the first steps in the probate process is that someone petitions the court for the authority to probate the […]
Marriage Records: Look Out for Multiple ...
Marriage records are a foundational record for genealogists. I have discussed many times how finding a female ancestor’s new married name led to breakthroughs. Most of us automatically think of that when we suddenly “lose” woman. What hasn’t come naturally for me yet is anticipating multiple marriages. Maybe two marriages is the maximum my mind […]
Estate Inventories: Peek Into Their Live...
For those doing African-American research, antebellum estate inventories are commonly used to find enslaved ancestors. But all genealogists should make it a regular practice to examine all the items in an inventory. This practice will help us understand our ancestor’s day-to-day lives. Scrutinizing inventories can provide many interesting little details to make a written family […]
Tracking Mason Garrard Through Slavery
I have succeeded in extending Mason Garrard’s history back just a little further. Mason is my 4th great-grandfather. He was enslaved by William Garrard. I discussed that find in the previous post. Daniel Garrard Now I know that Daniel Garrard was the father of the slaveowner William Garrard. This is a classic case of enslaved […]
A White Father: Direct Evidence
My friend Aaron has made an incredible find that I wanted to share because it is such a rarity. Many people researching former slaves have encountered interracial children in their family trees. Enslaved women frequently had children with white men. Enslaved women did not own their own bodies and were commonly sexually abused. Sometimes the […]