The Southern Claims Commission was created after the Civil War to repay loyal Southerners who had had property taken or destroyed by the Union Army. Witnesses had to attest to the damages. In many cases, for former slaveowners, their former slaves served as witnesses. Some slaves themselves even filed claims. The testimony also had to show that […]
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Category: Slave Research
Slave Letters
Great things have been digitized by libraries, archives, and museums. As genealogists, we are primarily concerned with specific lives. However, it’s always worthwhile to look at some of the larger themes that affected your ancestors. For African-Americans, slavery always looms large. In this post I’m sharing some letters written by enslaved people. These letters offer […]
Published Slave Narratives
Lately I have been reading a lot of published slave narratives. These are not to be confused with the WPA slave interviews from the 1930s. I am referring to slave narratives that were written and published mostly in the 19th century. The authors were former slaves, many of whom who had fled slavery. These books […]
Records About the Enslaved in D.C.
I have been thinking about how many states have unique records that can assist those doing slave research. This is what I call records that are not nationwide, but specific to a particular state or locale. For example, slave births in Virginia are recorded from the year 1853. In Maryland, slave statistics (for a […]
Southern Claims Commission
I’ve been perusing the Southern Claims Commission records and rediscovering how incredible they are. The files includes many stories of the experiences of civilians during the Civil War.The website Fold3 has digitized many of these claims. Background Congress established the Southern Claims Commission in 1871. The Commission adjudicated claims by loyal Southerners for reimbursement of […]
Slavery: A Visual Record
I haven’t been posting because I’ve been enjoying family and friends over the Thanksgiving holiday. That’s at the heart of why we are all genealogists, right? I’m taking a short break to tell you all about a website I discovered. The website is called, “The Atlantic Slave Trade and Slave Life in the Americas: A […]
Journal Articles on Slave Research
One of the things that has contributed greatly to my growth as a genealogist has been regularly reading genealogy society journal articles. Researchers looking to grow in their skills would do well to begin exploring these, and let me tell you why. Why Read if I am Not a Professional? Beginning genealogists often believe that […]
Digital Library on American Slavery
The Digital Library on American Slavery is a web-based database that contains 18 years worth of research from the Race and Slavery Petitions Project. The site has been updated and anyone researching slaves and slavery should take some time to utilize this wonderful resource. Here’s a little background from the site: The Digital Library on […]
Runaway Slaves
I have been studying runaway slaves recently. One of my Prather ancestors ran away and was caught in DC in 1858. “Runaway Slaves: Rebels on the Plantation” by John Hope Franklin and Loren Schweninger, is probably one of the most complete published studies. This book provides genealogists with important background history. Recently I purchased “Blacks Who Stole […]
Effie Fendricks and Building a Case for ...
This is my great-grandmother, Effie Blanche Fendricks, who was born in Hardin County, TN, ca. 1891. She was one of 13 children (8 who survived). Effie married Walter Springer and birthed 9 children, 7 of whom survived to adulthood. When I interviewed my grandmother Mattie, she shared many fond memories of her mother. Effie’s husband […]