Recently in Observations Category

Back home again and I believe I can safely say that the trip was productive.  I spent most of Friday at the State Archives building in Raleigh and I spent most of Saturday in Halifax, the morning at the local genealogy society's monthly meeting and the rest of the day touring historic Halifax.

 

Pressed for time I can only throw up som tidbits  but:

 

While digitally recording the family information pages from the Fenner Family bible, we found that  There were THREE children. siblings of Major Fenner that had not been accounted for  at least we had no names for them, although there was mention made of  additional children born in the 1880 census for the fenner household (10 born 7 living)

 

Found the name of the mother of Lula Pittman - which extensive research had not turned up. I actually found her listed in the marriage index - with Charles Pittman - who is listed as Lula Pittman's Father on her death certificate.

What is compelling about this is that from the 1880 census, we find Lula almost 2 years old in the household of her grandmother Anne Wilkins, The marriage index listing names her as Roxanna Wilkins.

While I have been warned about the "dearth" of marriage license copies in Halifax, This is one record we are going to definitely be looking to see if we can obtain a copy.

 

Addition to this find we found the Military service records for several members of the Fenner Family and what was significant or profound I guess if you will about this is the awards and honors bestowed upon each and every one of them.

 

I will blog about each and every find and even more about this trip later on. But for now work/duty calls.

 

Until

Thursday I will be traveling down to North Carolina for my first actual research trip. The average person may be nonplussed to learn that it will primarily consist of time spent in research and library rooms poring through old documents.  However those of you non-initates where genealogy and research is concerned take heart.  There willbe some field work which will probably be done mostly en route from one research spot to another.

 

Yes its a short trip and its pretty full but its still one that I am looking forward to. While in North Carolina I will be visiting a local registrar of deeds office in Halifax and I will be visiting the  North Carolina State Archives Office. I am  at this point primarily focusing on locating Marriage records.  the majority of the family members are accounted for with several instances usually of records including for most birth and death records.  After doing some extensive data entry and moving most of my files into a new genealogy software program I found that the thing mainly missing were marriage dates and documentation to support them. so I decided that this mini research trip should focus on that.

 

Additionally on this trip I will be  digitally photographing the family bible. This is the only instance in several cases of any dates with regards to family members.  There are a few that fall in between the timeline that documentation was required for births and or deaths and so if not for the bible we might never have found out some of that information. It is not I am told in all that great a shape so its imperative that the information be put into a digital format as soon as possible. So I and tripod and camera will attempt to do just that.

 

When I get back I will work on transcribing and placing the information on the internet for others that might find it of use.

 

After having spoken to the family as well as the director of the department at state archives that oversees family records and archives it has been agreed all the way around that this information will be shared/provided to state archives and that they would make sure it would be available to any researcher.

 

I dont know that I will get a chance to blog while I am away although I shall try to do that if not I know that I will have a lot to speak about when I get back.

 

Until then - Namaste'

I was in the process of and actually did post a message on Afrigeneas message boards asking about how one goes about obtaining Military Service Records for WW1 when I figured it out (found it  more likely) on my own.

 

Apparently there's privacy issues with those documents and most of  that information is only available to next of kin. The gov't defines next of kin as mother or father, brother or sister, spouse, or a child or legal guardian.

If none of those applies to you, as a genealogical researcher, you have to send in an SF-180 form requesting information. Since there are several family members that served during WW1 and WW2 I will be needless to say, sending in a few of those forms soon. I am including also a link to the information regarding how to apply which can be found at this link: Military Personnel Records

 

 

I was hoping to get some information before I go back down to Halifax  but not sure what the time frame will be on this but it won't hurt to cross my fingers and say a few prayers :-)

Not meant to be a thorough review of both software but more an observation on functionality based on my own needs. In addition to being able to record the information I also tend to like a program that has extended functionality and options with regards to building a website or internet pages based on the genealogy information. While I can say that  I like the RootsMagic citation wizard, I definitely prefer the website builder that comes with Legacy. I currently have Legacy ver6  but plan to upgrade to 7 in the not too distant future.

 

I will try to do a more thorough review of both at some point.

 

Just to add - Legacy comes with a built in map generator that builds up a map based on the names and locations in your database and the map can be viewed as a conventional map or as a hybrid with a regular map overlay or it can actually show you the actual landscape(similar to that google map thing)  and flags locations where ancestors lived that you can click on and get information on the ancestor.

 

Looking forward to playing around with it over the weekend

 

 

Haven't had much opportunity to write  - been busy with work  and am still waiting on the pictures to start coming in so I can begin to connect the faces with the names.  In the meantime I have connected with the head of the genealogy society in Halifax and have invited her and the members of the society to visit/view this blog(which is still in its infancy). However I felt that since the bulk of my research is centered around the Halifax area that it would be a welcome resource for other researchers.

 

I actually have two family trees going one on Ancestry.com, and one in my family research software - RootsMagic. I plan on uploading that tree online hopefully by this weekend and will link to it from this blog. I have to say that having the software has made  the research process go much more smoothly in that it is tons easier to document and track sources as well as compile  family trees and miscellaneous reports.

 

it will be linked from this portion of my site which  i know needs to be updated but there are only still 24 hours in a day

Beattitudes - Genealogy

 

Have to install the software for updating those pages and im going to aim for doing that tonight but again its more likely to be done between now and this weekend.

 

 

someone sent me a link to a collection of the wills for Halifax County, NC from about 1758 to 1854 and so I printed this out so I could go through them to see if any of my names are in there.
When I tell you this is hard reading that is an understatement.

I think you really have to have a serious committment to research in order to read through this stuff and not go insane. Slaves  were divied up amongst family  members like furniture and or livestock.
Here is an excerpt that actually made me go take a break:

p.55, I David Clark...appoint my brother William M. Clark my friends James C. Johnston & Gavin Hogg and my nephew Colin Clark executors and guardians of my children...not to sell the rest of my real Estate and Slaves unless some important change in the affairs or trade of the Country or the Laws of the state...my daughters...each of them five slaves, said slaves to be selected...by my executors to be of an average value with the slaves undivided at the time of the selections...my executors to see that my slaves be treated with Kindness and indulgence that they may have an ample allowance of provisions, clothing and bedding that they may have comfortable Houses to live in and when sick all needfull Medicine and nurseing: that each labouring slave may have ground laid off to him or her to Cultivate for his or her use and that half of every Saturday be allowed such slave for Cultivation. I also request my executors to restrain those in immediate authority over my slaves from all wanton unnecessary or severe punishments, and I direct that all disorderly slaves who will not do without punishment be sold. I direct that old Ned for his Honesty and fidelity be discharged from all Labour but what he may choose to do and that his comfortable support be provided for out of my Estate by a yearly allowance of Provisions, clothing, &c...10 May 1828...(signed). November Court 1829.

so far I have found only one reference to the "Fenner" family:

pp.74-5, I Mary Fenner of the Town & County of Halifax...to my grandson Robert Fenner my negroe Slave Joe...Grandson John H. Fenner my negro Slave Henry...to my sons John & Dixie C. Fenner...one third part of my negroes not heretofore bequeathed in trust for my son Robert Fenner of the state of Tennessee...the remaining two thirds of my negroes to be divided among them...20 February 1830. (signed). May 1831 Court.

I wanted to get this post up and actually it will most  likely be a multi part entry in that there's so much to say about this that I don't think I will do it all in one setting.

When I first started researching one of the places I ran into was AFRIGENEAS.  I was at the time looking for resources for those searching in particularly for african american ancestors and found a storehouse of information as well as a community that is a must stop for anyone doing research that involves people of color especially.

 

There are forums on the site that cover a myriad of topics - Slave Research, Surnames, Indian Rolls, - and I could fill a whole paragraph with the topics they  cover. It's best to just stop by and take a look. Then once there you will realize that it is more than just a forum its a thriving community where one can go for help during the search process as well as support when you run into the proverbial brick wall - which anyone who has done this kind of research will tell you you most certainly will. It helps tremendously to have a place to vent and the people are so friendly that you might even wind up finding your way past the brick wall due to the helpful hands that frequent the site.

There is chat on the site as well - you can find a listing of scheduled chats on the site and there are databases of information pertaining to african american genealogy. In short this site is a major center of information for anyone doing any kind of searching.

 

 

There are with the advent of the internet numerous sources for information regarding the histories of various cities and townships. I have included here those that I found were most informative. I should note that the sciway.net website is a portal with a wealth of information on south Carolina and is a good place to start when looking for information.

 

History of the community

 

Orangeburg, SC - sciway.net

 

Orangeburg SC Genealogy resources

 

this is a more detailed history  - Bryansite - History of Orangeburg County, SC

 

You can additionally find more information on rootsweb.ancestry.com and of course you can if you are especially researching african american ancestors stop over at Afrigeneas.com

Historic Halifax, North Carolina


This article does  a fairly good job of discussing the origins of Halifax, North Carolina. It is interesting to note it also refers to current archaeological excavations going on "Lot 52" and the significance of the work being done there.

What started as a remedy to random curiosity with regards to members of his family wound up as a genealogy project that has taken on a life of its own.

Five generations deep and information still turning up fairly regularly, are the ingredients that go into the research I have been doing with regards to the Fenner family which according to the information that I have come across thus far, primarily came from the Halifax, North Carolina area.  Present day family members notwithstanding, as it is with most families in the country, many members, especially the younger ones, move away for various and sundry reasons.

I should start by saying that most of the information that I have uncovered has been via census records, birth and death certificates, and actually there is still in existence a family bible which has helped me past many a  brick wall.  While the information is not all encompassing, it does show the proof of  the existence of the family members and in some instances solves long held mysteries.

What begins here is a telling of their lives and connections as best can be told with the limited information available. It is the beginnings of a community project as it were, as  this blog is published and updated there may be out there some who have information and or additional clues to some of the names and people mentioned. They are welcomed to post and contribute to this blog, In fact mean for this to be a gathering place not only for the family but for those also involved in the research process those trying to figure out this madness called Genealogy .
But before i start  weaving those ends together,  a n explanation of sorts is needed. for those of you who are not familiar with Swahili, Vyanzo  is translated to mean  Beginnings, Origins, Source,  or root causes - for a blog about familiy history research in two specific families I couldn't think of a better or more meaningful name.

and so  indeed this is Vyanzo by way of the Wazee (elders)

"If you understand the beginning well, the end will not trouble you." - Ashanti Proverb