I Married a Viking, ARGH!

I guess the argh would only be appropriate if he were a Viking Pirate, but alas, no. Swash-bucking is not part of my husband's heritage (that I'm aware of). His paternal family line are scholars. Brilliant educators who love to learn and farmers who lived in Singsaas, Sor-Trondelag, Norway since the fifteen hundreds.

My interest in genealogy was reawakened in 2007 after I found a book my husband's grandfather, Gustov Sandro wrote about his family history. He actually wrote this in high school and it went back several generations. I went through and copied the names into Ancestry.com. to start the tree.

Yes, by now everyone who has read this blog knows that I love, love Ancestry.com.

The interesting thing about doing genealogical research on Norwegian genealogy is that the children are named after their fathers. For example, Berit Ellefsdatter Busethvold, is the daughter of Ellef Ellefson Buseth, and he's the son of Ellef Svendson Buseth. The surname is actually a place name. This is the town or farm they were raised in (I think). I just wish I spoke or read Norwegian. It would make researching a bit easier.

Honestly, it does get a little confusing, and I'm still learning. Norwegian records are excellent because most of the church records have been translated into a 'bygdebok'. I was lucky enough to find all my husband's family records online, and I traced his oldest male line through the fifteen hundreds to a Jartru and Oluf Knudson.

I plan on focusing my upcoming posts on his family tree since the main reason I spend so much time on genealogy is so my children know where their ancestors came from. I want them to see their place in history and how fate has placed them exactly where they are at this very moment. Throughout the course of history there have been disasters, famine, disease; yet, somehow these people met, married, raised children and continued the cycle which led to today.

I find it totally amazing.

FOR THE LOVE OF FAMILY- Show me your pictures

I like looking at old family photos, so I thought I'd share for my father's side of the family today. I also need to update some information I gave a couple of years ago.


Adam Perrodin (1911-1995)



Mathilda Antoine Perrodin (1920-1975), wife of Adam Perrodin



Italia Rees (1900-1925), daughter of Mathilde Narcisse and William Rees.
Wife of Henry Antoine.
Mother of Mathilda Antoine Perrodin.



Corrine Lorins Antoine (1867-), wife of Paul Antoine. Mother of Henry Antoine

 Corrine Lorins was the granddaughter of Hyppolite Lorins (born abt 1805, in France). I wrote an earlier blog post about my search for Hyppolite in To Be Or Not To Be A Slave. Since that time, I found additional information on Hyppolite from the genealogical genius, Christophe Vanderhogan-Landry. I had thought all the children I'd found in the census records were born of one woman. Instead, it turns out that Hyppolite had three mistresses of African heritage. These women were likely slaves given their children were born prior to the civil war.

Henriette Madison bore him four children that I'm aware of. Silesie Lorins, Leon Lorins (born abt 1845), Eugenie Lorins (born abt 1846), and Leontine Lorins (born abt 1850).

His second mistress was Zaire Noel. She also bore him four children. Hyppolite Lorins Jr. (abt 1842-1914) was the father of Corrine Antoine. He married Elizabeth Gordon (born abt 1845). Elizabeth's parents were Henry Gordon (born abt 1815) and Susan White (born abt 1815).

Zaire's other children were Clement Lorins (born abt 1844), Ulysses Poupon Lorins (born abt 1850), and Euzebe Lorins (born abt 1852).

These pictures are of Francois Wiltz, and his sister, Cecile Wiltz Narcisse. They are the children of Francois Wiltz Sr. and Leontine Lorins Wiltz. Leontine and HyppoliteLorins Jr. were half-siblings, which makes them  first cousins to Corinne Antoine.



Francois Wiltz Jr. (born abt 1877) son of Francois Wiltz and Leontine Lorins Wiltz.




Cecile Wiltz (born abt 1875), daughter of Leontine Lorins Wiltz and Francois Wiltz. Wife of Edwin Narcisse

 Cecile Wiltz was the wife of Edwin Narcisse (born abt 1870). Edwin's parents were Marceline Berard (born abt 1835) and Antoine Narcisse (born abt 1833). Edwin was the brother of Mathilde Narcisse and uncle to Italia Rees. Marceline Berard was the daughter of Isidore Berard (born abt 1810) and Constance Chretien.



Edwin Narcisse (born abt 1870), Son of Antoine Narcisse and Marceline Berard Narcisse



SLAVERY- A Roadblock in African American Genealogy Research

Slavery is a major roadblock for many African Americans researching their ancestors. Slaves were not listed in census records; therefore, you won’t find a census record for your slave ancestor prior to the 1870 census. If you happen to know who owned them during this period, you can check the U.S. Federal- Slave Schedules for 1840 and 1850. This lists the slave owner then lists the slaves by their race (Negro, Mulatto), their sex, and age. No names.

To possibly find their owner, check the 1870 census record for your ancestor. Sometimes they still reside on the property of their prior owner. However, it’s hard to know for sure. The best bet it to find marriage, death, and birth records. For Southern Louisiana this means using Father Hebert's Southwest Louisiana Records. P. Robinson, who helped me in my family history research, explained how to interpret them thusly :

QUOTE

Examples from Father Hebert SWLAR extractions:

SORREL, Henri (Toussaint & (Eugenie) m. 19 Jan 1869 Celestine DELAHOUSSAYE (d. Clarisse DELAHOUSSAYE) (SM Ch: V. 10, #123). My Note: I spelled SORREL as it was printed. As you can see, Aimee is not Celestine's mother. No father listed for Celestine.

1) The name of the father is omitted when it is the same as the child; ergo, Toussaint SORREL [sic] as the name is spelled in this extraction.

2) Most often when the mother's maiden name is omitted it indicates she was enslaved. Another rule regarding slaves is that they often took the given name of their father as a surname, e.g., Sophie Daniel is often seen in records as Sophie or Sophie Daniel. Also, before Emancipation, when the father was the white man (, his name is presented as middle name and last name.

3) When "d." or "dec" is shown before the name of a parent it means the parent is deceased, e.g., Clarisse was deceased at the time of Celestine's marriage. Therefore, Toussaint SORREL & Eugenie (a slave) are the parents of Henri and Clarisse DELAHOUSSAYE is Celestine's mother (a copy of their marriage certificate is in the Finding Jules Perrodin post).

END QUOTE

This is relevant in my research as you'll see as you continue to read.

The last post I focused on my grandfather Adam Perrodin’s paternal line. This time I’ll focus on his maternal. Adam’s parents were Ferdinand Perrodin and Alice Lee.

Alice Lee was born in November 1884, in Iberia, Louisiana. She died in 1973. She and Ferdinand married in 1908. They had eight children: Frederick Perrodin, Adam Perrodin (1911-1995), Antoine Perrodin (1914), Eva Perrodin La Salle (1916), Ferdinand Perrodin Jr. (1917-1996), Lloyd Perrodin (1919), Isabel Perrodin Orphy (1921-1994), Jules Perrodin (1923-1992).

Alice Lee’s parents were Alfred Lee and Irene Landry.


Marriage Certificate for Alfred Lee and Irene Landry- 23 February 1870 

Alfred Lee was born in 1830, in Baton Rouge Louisiana. The earliest record for him that I’ve found in his marriage certificate to Irene. He’s listed in the 1870 census with Irene and his mother, Sally Lee. Sally was also listed in the 1880 census, which is how I discovered her approximate birth date of 1781, since she was reported to be 100- years-old. His father was Lee.

Irene Landry was born in about 1851 to Sophie Daniel and Darcourt Landry. She died in 1931. I wrote about Darcourt Landry, son of Joseph Marie Firmin Landry (father of Charles Landry with Aimee Delahoussay, and uncle to Jules Perrodin Jr.) in the Finding Jules Perrodin post. This time I want to focus on her mother, Sophie Daniel, born about 1826- July 2, 1916, in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana.

I found Sophie in the 1880 census with the last name Daniel. In 1910, she is living with her son, Hyppolite Landry. I think she also married an Allen Johnson.

This is where researching became difficult--again.


Sophie was a slave. I thought my research had come to an end until I received the following email information on Ancestry.com.

My friend Art Thomas told me about your site and encouraged me to send this information to you. I am a descendant of Joseph Marie Landry. I am appending his succession inventory. It was originally written in French, but I had it translated. This inventory contains the names of about 40 slaves. I do hope that this will be of help to those seeking their ancestors.

SUCCESSION INVENTORY-Joseph Marie Firmin Landry

QUOTE
State of Louisiana
St. Martin Parish


In the year one thousand eight hundred fifty-two (1852), on Thursday the second day of the month of December, at eleven o'clock in the morning:


In accord with the order of the honorable court of the 14th Judiciary District of this State, sitting in and for St. Martin Parish, on the date of the twenty-seventh of last November, to render judgment in the petition
presented to said Court by Mrs. Modeste Artemise Lenormand, widow of Mr. Joseph Marie Landry, which petition was entered this year.


At the request of Mrs. Modeste Arthemise Lenormand, widow of Mr. Joseph Marie Landry, resident in this parish at this time here present, On behalf of herself, due to the joint tenancy of the goods that existed
between her and her husband, which caused the rights and belief that she held to exert against her husband's estate;
In the presence of:


1. Mr. Charles Landry resident in this parish, on his own personal behalf as well as in the name of and as ad hoc caretaker of Mr. Alexander Landry and of Mrs. Louise Delphine Landry, widow of Mr. Willis J. Powell; said Mr. Alexandre Victorin Landry and said Widow Powell resident in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, both absent.


2. Mr. Joseph Darcourt Landry resident in this parish;

3. and Mrs. Estelle Landry, wife of Mr. Amedee Gauthier, present and authorizing his wife, both resident in this parish.


The aforementioned Masters Charles Landry, Joseph Darcourt Landry, Alexandre Victorin Landry, and Mistresses Louise Delphine Landry, widow Powell, Estelle Landry, wife of Mr. Amédée Gauthier, as well as Mistress Marie Delzinde Landry, wife of Mr. Joseph Labarthe, residing in the city of New Orleans, absent, each claiming one sixth of the estate of the late Mr. Joseph Marie Landry, their father.

In order not to breach any parties rights or interests, and of others who may have claim to it, the inventory of the estate was done by Paul Briant Recorder, public notary for the parish of St. Martin, (undersigned), and in the presence of Masters Edouard Simon, sen(ator?) and Ursin Lenormand sen(ator?) , both competent witnesses (both undersigned), who proceeded to inventory and provide an exact description of all goods movable assets and real property, titles and documents of the estate of the late Mr. Joseph Marie Landry, as declared by the applicant who promised to identify all the goods (belonging to the deceased).

The seizure of any goods which may require it will be done by Masters Ursin Lenormand, son, and Pierre Lenormand, both residing in this parish, both present here, both estimators named by the recorder's office (undersigned) with the approval of all parties, who have taken an oath before the aforementioned recorder and promised to seize only the just value, taking into consideration the effects of time (?on the value of objects?) The above-mentioned parties, after reading of this document, have signed with the aforementioned recorder, the present document.


The original is signed:


Ursin Lenormand, son Modeste A. Lenormand, P. Lenormand, Charles Landry,Estelle Landry, Urs. Lenormand A. Gauthier,Edwd. Simon Darcourt Landry


P. Briant, Recorder

That finished, he did process the said inventory in the following manner:


1. One house situated in said Parish on the east bank of Bayou Teche, having nine arpents on the front of the bayou by forty arpents deep, adjoining at the top with the land of five arpents facing land bought for his daughter Victorin Landry by the deceased and in the back of the land of Mr. C. M. Olivier, with all the buildings and improvements that exist as well as the outbuildings, the woods in that part of the Grand Bois (Great Woods) belonging to Mr. M. Delahoussaye, all estimated at four thousand five hundred dollars
$4500.00


2. One parcel of land five arpents facing on Bayou Teche and 32 arpents deep having a straight line with the outbuilding into the same woods of Mr. M. Delahoussaye, bounded on one side by the home above and at the other by the land of Victorin Landry bought from the succession of Marin LeNormand, estimated at twelve hundred dollars $1200.00


3. Another parcel of land ten arpents facing Bayou Teche by forty arpents deep, bounded on top by the land of Mr. Charles Landry and on the bottom by that of Mr. Oneziphore Delahoussaye, estimated at three thousand dollars $3000.00

4. One negro named Daniel, age around 50 years, estimated at five hundred dollars $500.00

5. One negro named John, age 38 years, estimated at eight hundred dollars $800.00

6. One negro named Narcisse, age 44 years, estimated at four hundred dollars $400.00

7. One negro named Auguste, age 39 years, estimated at eight hundred dollars $800.00

8. One negro named Eugene, age 33 years (believed to be mulatto), nine hundred dollars $900.00

9. One negro named Aurelian, age 31 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00


10. One negro named Julien, age 29 years, estimated at eight hundred dollars $800.00


11. One negro named Derneville, age 22 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00

12. One negro named Alexandre, age 17 years, estimated at eight hundred dollars $800.00

13. One negro named Casimir, age 30 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00


14. One negro named Pierre, age 28 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00


15. One negro named Basile, age 22 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00


16. One negro named Edouard, age 16 years, estimated at six hundred dollars $600.00


17. One negro named Joe, age 23 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00

18. One negro named Allen, age 22 years, estimated at six hundred dollars $600.00

19. One negro named William, age 20 years, estimated at one thousand dollars $1000.00

20. One negro named Achille, age 16 years, estimated at eight hundred dollars $800.00

21. One negro named Zephirin, age 14 years, estimated at seven hundred dollars $700.00

22. One negro named Saurent, age 14 years, estimated at five hundred dollars $500.00

23. One negress named Uranie, age 24 years, and her three children named Oscar of 6 years, Edouard of 4 years and Julien of 2 years, estimated together at thirteen hundred dollars $1300.00

24. One negress named Sophie, age 21 years, with her child Hyppolite age 5 years, estimated together at nine hundred dollars $900.00

25. One negress named Enie, age 50 years, with her two children Madeliene age 7 years, and Josephine age 5 years, estimated together at seven hundred dollars $700.00

26. One negress named Caroline age 16 years, with her child of one month named Louise, estimated together at eight hundred dollars $800.00

27. One negress named Celestine, age 34 years, and her three children named Francois of 10 years, Jean of 3 years and Elise of 5 months, estimated together at fourteen hundred $1400.00

28. One negress named Victoire, age 23 years, and her three children named Fanchonette of 7 years, Francoise of 5 years and Eugenie of 5 months and another child who came from the mother and therefore no name, estimated together at fourteen hundred dollars $1400.00

29. One young negress named Louise, age 13 years, estimated at four hundred dollars $400.00

30. One negress named Agnes, age 55 years, estimated at one hundred dollars $100.00

31. One mulatresse named Charlotte, age 50 years estimated at 100 dollars $100.00

32. One lot of land situate in this parish, on the eastern branch of Bayou Teche, containing one hundred twenty eight feet in the front and one hundred and ninty-two feet deep, referred to on the plan as land of Chas. Henriot which he divided into lots as lot number 17 which is bordered on the east by number 24, and on the west by road number 3 and on the north by lot number 18, and on the south by the road ____, estimated at two hundred dollars $200.00

33. Another lot of land, situate in the same place, containing one hundred twenty eight feet in front and one hundred ninety two feet in back, referred to on the plan addition noted by the number 20, bordered on the
east by number 21, on the west by road number 3, and on the north by road____, and south by number 19, estimated at two hundred dollars $200.00

34. Six pairs of oxen estimated at one hundred and fifty dollars $150.00

35. Thirteen work horses estimated at twenty-five dollars each $325.00

36. Twenty head of sweet natured sheep, estimated at eight dollars each $160.00

37. Seventy-five head, more or less, of timid horned animals at $7 each $525.00

38. Twenty mares and young horses, more or less, estimated at one hundred and twenty dollars $120.00

39. One pair oxen cart wheels, estimated at twenty-five dollars $ 25.00

MEMORANDUM

Given that their mother looked after all of the household items and furniture that are in the house, the desire of the heirs is that all of the said objects will at their request remain uninventoried, in consideration of low value.

40. The amount of rent for the slaves harvesting is presented as it was agreed between the deceased and Charles Landry, the sum of fifteen hundred dollars $1500.00

41. A promissary note for the amount of sixteen hundred forty-one dollars and 25 cents, underwritten by Mr. Charles Landry, and payable on 1 April 1853 $1641.25

PASSIVE CLAIMS
The deceased assets, in a certain period of time, made a donation of money to his daughter Mrs. Powell, which has grown further to add up to or less than $2480, required subsequently that all the children equally have the same donation and, to that effect he executed and supplied in favor of the other children a promissary note for $2480 each on whose, assets before paying certain sums to three of his said inheritors, he left the diverse balance over two whole promissary notes as follows:

1. One promissary note acknowledges in favor of Mrs. Estelle Landry, wife of Mr. Amede Gauthier, and dated 6 November 1850, payable to the period of the death of the drawer from which his wife, the said acknowledgment comes to two thousand four hundred and eighty dollars which impacts the succession of the deceased as a debt $2480.00

2. The same acknowledgment is given to Alexander Victorin Landry, for the same objective of the succession $2480.00

3. The same acknowledgment is given to Mrs. Marie Delzinde Landry, wife of Mr. Joseph Labarthe, for the same objective and for the same sum here carried as debt of the succession, that is to say the balance due is around $1900.00

4. The same acknowledgment is given to Mr. Charles Landry for the same objective and for the same sum on which he remains due a balance of around $1780, here carried as debt of the succession $1780.00

5. The same acknowledgment is given to Mr. Jo. Darcourt Landry for the same objective and for the same sum, on which he carries due a balance of around $880, here carried as debt of the succession $880.00

MEMORANDUM

The succession does not have as assets the small debts such as counting the stores and others, those amounts are unknown; these debts are carried in the regulation of the succession as passive ones.

ACTIVE TOTAL $35846.25

LIABILITIES TOTAL $9520.00

Having found nothing else to inventory, the following declaration is presented to the parties present, the active inventory amount in the sum of thirty-five thousand eight hundred forty six dollars and twenty-five cents; the liabilities inventory amount at present, in the sum of nine thousand five hundred twenty dollars, approximately, and to close and conversely reserve to all the parties the rights of action.

Which parties after being briefed here signed with the said estimates,


Recorders testimony, with the Parish of St. Martin in the place of residence of the lady petitioner, this day and month I and the entitled head.

Original signed by: Ursin Lenormand, son, P. Lenormand, Modeste A.Lenormand, Charles Landry, Estelle Landry, A. Gauthier, Darcourt Landry,Mrs. Lenormand, Edw. Simon.

P. Briant, Recorder
Bureau of the Recorder
Parish of St. Martin


I certify that the preceding is a true copy conforming with the resident draft in the bureau of appeals.


St. Martinville 4 December 1852


P. Briant Recorder


UNQUOTE

Allen J. Rogers "Allen J. Rogers"
vkn


All Rights Reserved

Imagine my shock and surprise to see Sophie listed with her son Hyppolite (son of Alexandre Victorin Landry, son of Joseph Marie Fermin Landry). I cried the first time I read it. And reading it again as I write this post has me balling again. There is something about seeing my many greats grandmother listed as property...right above the disposition of the oxen and sheep,and seeing the dollar amount put on her. Wow, it hurts. A lot.

On the plus side, a Succession Inventory, unlike the slave census, has the slaves names listed. I used this to track down Sophie’s brothers, who had also used their father Daniel’s name as a surname, in the 1870 and 1880 census records.


Aurelian Daniel (1821), Derneville Daniel (1830), Alexandre Daniel (1835), Isaac Daniel (1835), Zephirin (Severin) Daniel (1838). I assume one of the women listed is Sophie’s mother, but I don’t know which woman it would be. But, Daniel is the first name listed which means he was born about 1802.



Sophie Daniel Johnson,- Death Certificate July 6, 1916



FINDING JULES PERRODIN, PART 2

The search for the father of Jules Perrodin Jr. was fairly difficult since all I had was a death certificate. I knew he had been named after his father and was born in St. Landry Parish. I turned to Ancestry.com and the census records. I located a Jules Perrodin who lived in St. Landry. He was the right age to be the father of my great, great, great grandfather. I think he is the one. However, since I can’t bring him on a daytime talk show for a baby-daddy DNA test, I have no concrete proof he is the biological father of my Jules.

Jules Perrodin Sr. was born in March 1820, in France. He immigrated to Louisiana in 1839 and settled in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. He was recorded in the October 14, 1850 census and listed his occupation as a storekeeper. At some point between 1850 and 1860, he would have met Celestine Delahoussaye. Jules Perrodin Jr. was born in 1856 in St. Landry Parish.

In the October 20, 1860 Census record, Jules was listed as a merchant in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. And in the 1870, census was the first record of his new wife, Nina Perrodin. The following are the marriage records detailing his marriages.

SOUTHWEST MARRIAGE RECORD
1822, Southern Louisiana Records- Father Hebert

PERRODIN, Jules a merchant from France m. 20 May 1862 Florentine PIORET (Opel. Ct. Hse: Donations v. 3, p. 13)

PERRODIN, Jules m. 8 Sept 1865 Nina LASTRAPES, wid. of Valery WILLS (WILTZ) (Opel. Ct. Hse: Mar. #2674)

PERRODIN, Jules widr. of Florentine PIORET (Desire & Rose CHAPUI) m. 11 Sept. 1865 Nina LASTRAPES, wid. of Valery WILTZ (Opel. Ch.: v 2, p 339)


Jules Perrodin was located in the 1870, 1880, and 1900 census records. He died in 1921 at the age of 101 years. Jules Perrodin and Nina Claire Lastrapes Perrodin had two children. Rose Perrodin was born in 1867. Jacques Jules Perrodin was born in 1870.

On Jules marriage records he listed his father as Desire Perrodin, born February 20, 1777 in Tarcia, France. His mother was Ann Rose Chapuis, born November 9, 1784 in Pouillat, Franche-Comte, France. They had another son known to me, Sebastian Perrodin, born in 1812.

Desire Perrodin’s father was François Perrodin, born March 24, 1749. His mother was Marie Jannin or Jeannon, born May 4, 1755, in Espy, France. His brother was Humbert Perrodin, born 1793-1855)

Desire’s father was Thaurin Perrodin, born in 1724. His mother was Agnes Counsanca, born in 1724 in Fleurantia, Espy, France. Her father was Joseph Counsanca and her mother was a Bailly. Thaurin and Agnes married on January 30, 1747.

Thaurin’s father was Denis Perrodin, unknown birth date. He married Marie Joufroy on February 6, 1719.

If anyone has any corrections or additional information, please leave a comment. And if you find this information helpful or entertaining, please follow the blog.

Finding Jules Perrodin

The above picture of Jules Perrodin was taken around 1915, and was in the local newspaper. If anyone happens to have a picture of him, I’d love to have a copy.

Jules was the oldest, known paternal progenitor of my family line in Louisiana. We refer to him thusly because we didn't know who his parents were. The story I'd heard as a little girl was that he was Caucasian, but his family didn't want him so he was raised by African Americans. When he was older, his family came to claim him, but he chose to remain with the family who raised him.

How much of this story is true. Who knows. The details have, for the most part, been lost in time. But, for those of my family members who are interested, I did find out quite a bit about our patriarch..

Jules Perrodin was born in 1856, in St. Landry Parish. His wife, Celimene Broussard was born in 1860. Her parents were Sosthene Broussard, born abt 1832 and Marie Jean-Louise Jason, born abt 1845. Jules and Celimene had seven children. Theresa, born abt 1879, Marie Rosa, born abt 1881, Gaston, born 1882, my great grandfather Ferdinand, born 1887, Oscar, born 1889, Leonel, born 1893, and Marie Eunice, born in 1895.

I started my search for Jule's parents by going through the census records. I was unable to find him prior to the Civil War. The first census record I found with him listed is in 1870. He is fourteen-years-old, listed as a mulatto, and living in the home of Charles Landry. Charles Landry, I later discover is the son of Aimee Delahoussaye, born in 1805 and Joseph Marie Firmin Landry, born in 1778. Aimee is a free person of color FPOC, and had her own household in the 1850 and 1860 census records.

I wondered why Jules would be living in the home of Charles Landry in 1870 rather than with his own parents. And I wondered if the story I'd heard as a child was true. That he'd been given up by his biological parents. Or, possibly he was related to Charles Landry. One clue happened to be Jule's son, Ferdinand who married a girl named Alice Lee, daughter of Albert Lee and Irene Landry. Irene Landry's father was Joseph Dalcour Landry. Joseph Dalcour Landry's father was Joseph Marie Firmin Landry (also father of Charles Landry).

My wonderful distant cousin, Christophe Vanderhogen Landry (check out his Facebook group: Louisiana and Colonial Louisiana Genealogy -Lower Mississippi, Alabama, Flo). He's a linguist, a genealogy wizard, and most patient person ever, taught me how to search for Louisiana records. I kept being told to search Father Ebare's records. I had no idea who he was or what records. Christophe explained that in actuality it was Father Hebert's records. Which if you live in Louisiana you can go to the library and find. Given I live in California, it wasn't so easy for me.

Father Herbert compiled dozens of Catholic Church records for southern Louisiana. I was able to get my grubby, little hands on Jules Perrodin's marriage record from the St. Martin of Tours Church. It listed his mother’s name as Celestine Delahoussaye. I also found that Louisiana has their death certificate records listed online. This service only issues certified copies of microfilmed death certificates for deaths that occurred in Louisiana between 1911–1960. I was able to order a copy of Jules’ death certificate, which listed his father as Jules Perrodin Sr.

I then started searching the census records again, and duh...there's Jules in 1880 with his wife. And on the bottom of the previous page is listed his mother, Celestine and her new husband, Henry Sorel. Yes, this was indeed a face palm moment. The reason I never noticed her was because I didn't check the previous page. Talk about months of frustration. I ordered Celestine's records from the St. Martin de Tours Church.

This is the translation from the back of the marriage certificate for Henri Sorel and Celestine De la Houssaye who were married in St. Martin of Tours Church, St. Martinville, St. Martin, Louisiana.

Translation:

The 19th January 1869 after one publication made in the chur of this ? Carvine without opposition or impediment known and having seem the license dated the 16th of this month, I, priest whose signature is below have celebrated the marriage of Henri Sorel, son of major age of Jos. Toussaint and of Eugenie, born in St. Mary Parish and living in this one of the first party, and of Celestine De la Houssaye daughter of major age of deceased Clarisse De La Houssaye, born living in this parish of the other party.

By the present act by the said spouses declaring their birth and wishing to legitimize the three children whose names follow: Julie, age 8; Jeanne, 7 and Horense, age 5.


Assisting as witnesses to the marriage: Mrs. Hilaire Rochon and Raphael Kerligant who sign with me.


A.M. Jan


(Signatures of Henri and Celestine are made with a X. Hilaire and Raphael wrote their own signatures.

If you read this translation carefully, you would also see the name of Celestine and Aimee's mother. Clarisse De La Houssaye, father not known.

In the next post, I will follow up with the continued search for Jules Perrodin’s father, Jules Perrodin Sr. and his family.

.

Jethro and Polly Bass- Estate/ Probate Records

The following was transcribed from Estate/Probate records from Vigo County, Terre Haute, Indiana. It is difficult to read and as been completed to the best of my ability. The original copies are located at the Vigo County Library-Special Collections, Title of Record: Probate Order Book, Vol 4, 15 August 1864- 13 May 1866. I obtained these records by calling the library. Their wonderful staff researched the books for me and emailed me with the results. All I had to so was send five dollars and copies of these documents were mailed to me in California. Thank you Vigo County Library.

Court Probate Vigo County, Indiana
Court Probate December 1864 22nd Day
Thursday, Jany 12/ 1860
Jethro Bass Estate
John J. Brake Admin Final Report

? said Administrator and moves to make report herein, which is ordred and he now files his report which upon motions is ordered ? of Record and is as follows to whit John J. Brake, Administrator of the Estate of Jethro Bass, makes the following report of the conditions of said Estate for the purpose of final settlement.

Jany 27/64 (1864) Amt collected of Cornelius Trevan - $7.45

Interst in the same Jany 15, 1865 - .43

Jany 2/64 -Received in Rent $2.00

Interest in the same to Jany 15, 1865 - .12

April 23/64 Received in Rent - $10.00

Interest in the same .40

Dec 10/64 Received in rent $2.00

June 18/64 Received from sale of ? Lot $124.47

? in the same to Jany 1, 1865 $3.75

Sept 2/ 64 Received in sale of lot balance $76.55

? on the same to Jany 1/65 $1.53

$228.68

Credits

By amount of Disbursement $209.60

By amount of Attorney Fees $5.00

By amount of my allowance $40.00 $254.60

Balance due me $259.25

John J. Brake, Admin of
Jethro Bass Estate

? and swore to before me this Jany 12, 1865. JH Blake, CLK,

and said report being examined by the Court, the same is so all ? approved and confirmed and in motion it ordered that said administrator be charged and credited in accordance with said report, and that this Estate be considered finally settled and said Admin be discharged from all further duties and trust herein.

And again ? said Administrator and reports as follows. John J. Brake, Administrator of Jethro Bass, deceased. Reports further in oath. That in order to settle said Estate as solo cut, he procured from different persons a receipt in ? to allow him to do so not claiming any part of the judgment is a ? they held ? said Estate

Samuel Melligom May 31/64

VIGO COMMON PLEAS

Thursday, Jany 12/65 22nd Day

Michael Bass Jany 3/65 $9.80

James Bell, Trustee “ 3/65 $1.75

Mahan Bell “ 3/65 $2.00

Nelson Bass Consent

John Burten 10/65

John Brake, Admin Jethro Bass.

He relieves also note of Early Wines (possibly Emily Minis), also note of Edward Minis, he was never charged with them and they were worthless.

John J. Brake, Admin Jethro Bass

? to before me this Jany 12, 1865. JH Blake, Clk. And in motion it is ordered that said report be in all things approved and confirmed.

Polly Bass Estate

John J. Brake, Admin- Final Report

? Becomes now said Administrator and arrives to make report herein which is ordered and he now ? his report which upon motion is ordered ? of Record, and is as follows, to and John J. Brake Administrator of the Estate of Polly Bass, makes the following report of the condition of said Estate of Final Settlement.

FAMILY HISTORY SEARCH 2 YEARS LATER

Permelia Minnis Roberts, daughter of Edward "Ned" Minnis and Duphena Bass Minnis, wife of William Doral Roberts. She was born in 1861, in Oakland, Illinois.
Charles Edward Minnis, born in 1869, and is the son of Edward Minnis and Duphena Bass Minnis. He married Francis McPherson and Capitola Taylor.

+ This is a picture of Edward and Duphena Bass Minnis's daughters. L- Jerusha Minnis Bowen-wife of Thompson James Bown, Permilia Minnis Roberts-wife of William Doral Roberts, Fannie Tyler- wife of Milton Tyler, and Jenette Minnis Walden-wife of Simeon Walden.

This is a picture of William Doral Roberts, born in 1852, in Linton, Vigo, IN.

Wow, it's been two years since I've updated this blog. A lot has happened in my quest to search out my family history. Many of the questions I posed in the beginning have been answered. I now have over 4,000 people in my Ancestry.com family tree. Hmm.

Edward Minnis, my 3 greats grandpa whose story absolutely drove me crazy. I never found his father, but I think the mystery of his mother has been solved. It came from that 1860 census, the one that at first I couldn't find because he was not only listed as being white, but he also not listed in the home of his wife, Duphena "Emily" Bass and their children. Instead, I found him in the household of Melissa Olmstead and Lucy Dupee. Also listed, were Melissa's children by her husband, William, and Lucy (Minnis) Manuel. Lucy, I had earlier determined was the sister of Edward. She'd married George Manuel, but why wasn't she listed in her husband's home with her children?

That's where help came in. Two fantastic women helped me find the answer. It turns out that Melissa Olmstead, born in 1810 in Kentucky was the daughter of Lucy Dupee, born in 1790 and Edward Dupee, born 1787. Melissa and her mother were listed in Edward Dupee's will. I think the reason Edward and Lucy Minnis were in Lucy Dupee's household was because they were the grandchildren of, and named after, Lucy and Edward Dupee. And Melissa was their mother or aunt. I wish I had a time machine and could go back and ask, but I can't. But given that these families remained together in Brushy Creek from the 1840's to 1879 when the emmigrated to Kansas, I believe they were tied by blood.

Another dead end that chewed on me for a long time was that of Archable Roberts (father of William Doral Roberts). I traced his wife Evaline to her father Joseph Artis. His father, Archibald Artis, who fought in the civil war and all the way back to Hester Artis, born in 1687. Her mother was Katherine Anderson, born in 1670. Katherine Anderson and her children were freed by John Fulcher. Archable, born in 1814, was descended from the Roberts family but who his parent were was a mystery until this year. Again, I had the help of a distant cousin. She found his parents free papers. His father was Benjamin Roberts and Sally Archer Roberts. Benjamin's dad was Ishmael Roberts, born in 1750, and his grandmother was Margaret Roberts, born in 1725. Sally Archer was the daughter of Keziah Corbin and Thomas Archer.

Many thanks go to Paul Heinegg for his research on these Free African American Families in Colonial North Carolina and Virgina.

To be or not to be a slave...is that's my question?

So I was feeling guilty about neglecting my father's side of the family, and frankly tired of mother's side. So I began searching around where I had been stuck before. My father's family is from Louisiana, and I have been able to get just to and maybe a little past the Civil War due to my uncle's past research.

I have not been able to locate my father's mother Etalia Reese prior to the 1920 census. She married Henry L. Antoine and dies prior to the 1930 census. I was mucking around trying to find her in the 1910 census but no luck... when I discover her husband Henry's parents Paul and Courine's Antoine's marriage record which listed his mother's maiden name as Lorence.

Now Courine Lorence was born in 1869 in Louisiana. So I began searching for one that matches the age of my ancestor. Turns out there were two. A Corinne Llorens from Natchitoches and a Corinne Lorinse from St. Martinville (which is the family hometown so I'm going with this one). Courine's father is listed as Hyppolite Lorinse, born 1842 (Lorins, Lorince, Lorence...yep, multiple spellings driving me crazy).

Also on the same census was his father, Hyppolite Sr. who was born in 1805 in France. I have not been able to find Courine's mother's name. Hyppolite Jr's mother's name, though may be Belzire. I have not been able to locate her or the children living with Hyppolite Sr. in previous census records and I imagined it was not ok until after the Civil war. I found Hyppolite sr living at a school in 1850. There is someone I think might be his brother by the name of So.B. Dest Laurent and his wife Rose, both born in France. There was a ship passenger record for a Hyppolite from France in 1839, who's last name is very difficult to read who was listed as a Professor of Music.

So this is where I was when I started searching this evening and this is what I discovered.

I followed up on the lead regarding the school. On the 1850 , Hyppolite is living next to the private school and his possible relation S.R.D.A. Laurant aka SO. B. Laurant. It does have that Mr. Laurant is a teacher at a private school, and I assume it is for a girls since there are three girls living there. In 1850 there were quite a bit more students than in 1860. In 1860 census, Hyppolite is living a few houses away and can be found on the following page.

At both these times there should be a record of his children but there is not. So then I began to look on the slave census and I found that Mr. Laurant owned 8 slaves in 1860. Then I looked to see how many he owned in 1850 and I found my Hypolite Lorins listed directly above Mr. Laurant. Hyppolite owned six slaves which match his wife, four sons and a daughter that are found in the 1880 census record. The ages seem to fit his children; however, he has them all listed as female. I did not find a record of him owning slaves in 1860 but it may be that he sold them to his brother (Laurant) or that I have just not been able to figure out which spelling of his name he is using. Anyway, that's all I have for now. Peace out

Bass Family verified

I received the probate records for Jethro Bass and he is the father of my Emily. Edward Minnis is also listed in the probate record for Jethro and Polly. I have not been able to locate Polly's family. She is a Mitchell. I think her mother may be Abigail, but I will need to get documentation for that. It seems the families intermarried quite a bit. The Anderson's married into the Bass family, so I have Kate Anderson as a double grandmother (I guess that is what it is called) on the Anderson and Artis side. I also have William and Catherine Lanier doubled since their sons William and John fathered children who were father and grandmother of Prudence Bass, Jethro's mother.

Confused yet? Yeh... so am I.

The most interesting thing that has happened occurred Friday. You see, I work in an office in a small town in California. I'm not from this area but have migrated here like a lot Californians. One of the women I work with is also working on her family tree. Now my friend and I have similar in interests. We are obviously in the same job field and enjoy our work. She's Caucasian and I'm African American and as we've researched our family history we have been able to learn about the cultures of our ancestors. We talk about her Mormon family ties and how difficult it was for one of her grandfathers who lost a secession of wives to death due to illness, some in the same Cholera outbreak that took Elizabeth Lee. I've talked about my difficulty in finding my ancestors who may have been slaves (like Edward Minnis who I'm still stuck on)

My friend and I were both were surprised and excited to discover the family history of Emily and Jethro Bass. And my friend shared her own excitement and frustration when she found an ancestor who may have been a slave, but hasn't been able to trace her back past the 1840 census. After speaking with the family, she learned that there may be African American and Native American ancestry in her family.

This has been the best part! Most people have no interest in genealogy. Even people in your own family have no interest in genealogy. My husband has absolutely NO INTEREST in genealogy, though he is kind to pretend that he does. So having a friend who shares and interest in genealogy and having someone to talk to about and blogging about this (ok, I admit it's an obsession) has been rewarding.

Every day my friend and I discuss the information we found the night before while working on our tree. We brainstorm when we are stuck, vent when we are frustrated and congratulate each other when we have found a broken link in our chain of ancestors. Friday was no different.
My friend mentioned she had found a new thread that she was following by the last name of Jordan. Which seemed familiar, but you know how it is when you do a tree that someone else has already researched. At times the names seemed to blend together until you loose track of who you are because it seems so removed. This was the way this name seemed to reverberate in my head. I knew it seemed familiar but I couldn't remember how.

So, I looked it up and sure enough I had Jordan's in my tree as well. The problem was that the spelling for the Jordan's changed... I had Jordaines and she had Jourdaines. Turns out it didn't really matter because the wife of my Robert Jordaine and her Robert Jourdaine was the same Jane Coker.

So to sum it up...

Robert and Jane Jordaine had two son's, John and Thomas. Each boy married and had a child, who married... and so on until five hundred years later you reach my friend and I who it turns out are not only co-workers...but we're also thirteenth cousins twice removed (I think). Cool huh?

The MYSTERY of Emily is solved!

Wow, it's been a while since I've updated this blog. Things have been spinning since this time. I was a littled burned out back in January and was stuck with no new information. I watched the PBS series "African American Lives II", and hearing the stories was so inspiring. One of my cousins did the DNA testing and it came back that her mother's, mother, so on was from Cameroon, Africa.

I contacted the Vigo County Library, in Indiana to get copies of some marriage certificates I had found. One request in particular, which at the time I thought nothing would come of it, was for a marriage between an Edward Minnie and Duphena E. Bass, in Vigo, Indiana.

Well, I recieved my copies, which only cost a dollar, and almost passed out!

The marriage record is for an Edward Minnis who married Duphena Emily Bass in 1856. Yep, for some reason he left Illinois and went to Harrison Twp, Vigo, IN and married Emily. Another coincidence is that there is a Wheeler Minnis that lived in Harrison, and was found in the 1850 census, but in the 1860 census his wife and only a few of the kids are in Norfolk, Virgina. Maybe related?

Anyway, to continue:
I began researching census records for Vigo, and come across an Emily who fits the age of my Emily. Her father is Jethro Bass. I was able to trace the Bass family back, I mean way...back in time....well, let's just say I'm now in 1001 AD, in Normandy, France. I thougth I was was overwhelmed before, but now I swimming in a sea of disbelief.

I've found that I may be related to an Earl, a Comte, and the family comes from England, France, Italy, Morrocco, Scotland. So far, I have yet to find my African ancestor, unless the Italian of Moorish/Jewish ancestry counts. He by the way was from a famous musician family.

Anyway, I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much. The problem with ancestry is that though there is a lot of information available, not all of it is accurate. I will be pretty busy trying to find sources for these possible ancestors and making sure birth dates match. I also am trying to find probate records or any documentation that confirms that my Duphena Emily Bass is the daughter of Jethro Bass, from whom all this information stems.

Wish me luck!

BURN OUT

After logging all the new information I had received on various sides of the family tree, I needed to take a break. I was totally burnt-out. Each time I contemplated sitting at the computer and entering more data, I swear, the thought of it filled me with nausea... or the reaction stemmed from the fact that I had contracted the stomach flu which has been going around. Either way no computer for me. So today, I finally logged on and weeded through the 256 messages in my email and have read some of the words of support from family members who appreciate that I'm working on our family history, and I feel rejuvenated.

But, still not ready to do data entry, yuck!. I had mentioned that my mother sent a huge packet of information on the family, well for some reason, I felt it necessary to scan all the pictures and log all the names. And after all that work, I'm still stuck! Same questions, very few answers on the puzzles of the past.

In the papers I received there were a couple of clues. There was a marriage certificate for one of the Dotson's that listed his mother's name as Elizabeth Buzzby. This is the "Blackfoot" grandmother, known only as Charlotte, who traveled by wagon train to Kansas. According to her son, my uncle she was unable to speak English. She was born in Louisiana and was found with her husband Jordan Dotson in Columbus, Lowndes, Mississippi in 1870. Prior to that there is no record that I have found. I learned from someone else researching the Dotson's that they were Creek, and that some were slave owners who after the war traveled with their slaves West. Some settled in Utah, and some stopped along the way. Jordan and Charlotte were listed as black on the 1970 census and were living in a predominantly African-American neighborhood during that time. So with the addition of her maiden name I began to search for Buzzby's or Busby's from Louisiana. So far, I'm still stuck.

Also listed in the papers was that Edward Minnis' wife's maiden name was Bass. I asked my mom and aunt where the maiden name came from but they could not remember. They had done their research ten or more years ago, and couldn't remember where they found the info. I decided to run the name Bass with Edward Minnis ancestries data base and found a marriage in Indiana for a Duphena E. Bass to an Edward Minnie (hopefully a typo).

This is the same town that the Roberts (who are related to William Roberts) moved to. I contacted the Vigo County Library and for a dollar they will send copies of all the marriage certificates that I found in Ancestry. So I'm getting that one as well as the marriage certificates for Archable Roberts and Eveline Artis. Hopefully, there will be some information listed on them that will help in the search. I found out from the librarian that Indiana did not keep birth or death certificates back in the 1840's. I also began searching in Indiana for an Emily Bass, and funny enough I found one. Even more interesting I was able to trace the family back the same way I did the Artis line using Mr. Heinegg's book. So now all I have to do is wait to see what the marriage certificate says to know whether I'm even on the right track. I could still be completely off base, and Elizabeth Ann Lee is Emily (doesn't it flow well).

I bought a book called "Southern Seed, Northern Soil" about the Roberts who came from North Carolina and settled in Indiana. It mentioned that they had to take their free-papers and provide them to the County Clerk when the left North Carolina and then when they settled in Indiana. I will see if I can track down Archable that way. I forgot to ask the librarian if they had those on record when I called her about the marriage certificate.

Roberts Family link to Archable Roberts

My mother sent a bunch of pictures and information that she and my Aunt Charlotte had located while doing their own research. I've been adding this information to the family tree on ancestry, as well. I've included some picture I had received.

The one below is of my great, great, grandmother William and Permelia Roberts' daughters Eva Roberts Tumbleson, her daughter Irene Tumbleson and Dollie Roberts Taylor.

This is the picture of Permelia (2nd woman) and her sisters. The second picture is of Permelia's children Ida, Norman, Carrie, and Jennie.

I also have started a second tree which details the Roberts family in Ancestry. Hopefully someone will see it and have additional information. I have sourced Paul Heinegg's "Free African American's in Colonial Virgina and North Carolina. I also had the Roberts Settlement family tree documents my mother had gotten from the Library of Congress. By putting the names in Ancestry, I have been able to narrow down Archable's family since he was living in Vigo, in 1850 with the Stewart family. Hezekiah Roberts was living there as well. It is slow going but making progress.

Asiatic Cholera devastates pioneers in Coles County, Indiana in 1851

In 1851, Asiatic Cholera devastated Coles County, Illinois. According to an article written in the Charleston Courier on July 31, 1851 , over 250 people were stricken with the disease, and according to physicians of the day, "In nearly every fatal case, if not all, the predisposing cause has been traced to imprudence in diet, and more especially the eating of young potatoes, beans, cucumbers and other like matter." This is as good a reason as any my five-year-old can come up with for not eating his vegetables. I have provided the link for the full article below.

The Cholera and its Ravages at genealogy trails

The Cholera epidemic does explain the absence of so many of the settlers found in the 1850 census, including Elizabeth Ann Minis and the two elder children. Since I have had such difficulty in tracking Edward and Emily, I decided to focus on the other African-American settlers within this small community of New Albany. It appears that the majority of the elders within the community were born in Virginia, the second generation born in Kentucky, and George Manuel and Elizabeth (unknown maiden) Peyton were born in North Carolina.

I focused today's search on George W. Manuel, since he appears to be a leader in the community and he is also married to Lucy Minnis. I was hoping to find some trace of her paternity; however, I made a interesting discovery. In the 1910 census, George W. had listed his mother as being born in Ireland. As stated before, family legend has Edward as being of Irish decent and I wondered if perhaps Edward and George were related.

That's when the ick factor kicked in. Since I had decided last night (no, sleep has not made me change my mind only hard evidence will do) that Lucy and Edward were siblings, I am emphatically hopeful the "kissin' cousins" scenario does not apply in this situation. Sure my reaction stems from modern day bias but admit it, kinda yucky right!

I have listed the names of some of the settlers for those of you who are interested: Lucy Dupree, Isom Briant (Bryant), George W. Manuel, Zachariah Bowen, Sophia and J. Fuller, Joseph and Sarah Martin, Lewis, Sophia, and Andrew James, Melissa Olmstead, Edward and Emily Minis (Minnis), William and Keziah Stern, H.B. Owens, and H. Brown.

Several of these surnames were listed in Paul Heinegg's book Free African Americans of Virginia and North Carolina. However, thus far I have been unable to trace these individuals to anyone listed in his online book. I have placed an order to buy his book, but it was out of print and they said they would notify me when it is in. I eagerly await the day.

So I was thinkin' about Emily?

I decided to search the other residence for an Emily or Permelia in the 1850 census. I found Elily Olmstead (pretty close to get one wondering, huh) who may be the daughter of Melissa and William Olmstead. I could not find her in later census. Problem is that she is ten in 1850, making her birth circ 1839/1840. This is a five to ten year age difference depending on which census you're looking at for Emily.

My mom got pretty excited and woke up at 7 a.m. this morning to copy a bunch of records she and her sister had located back in the early 90's, when the sole method of research meant getting into your car and driving to the source, ie Libraries, County records offices. Luckily she was living in Kansas at the time. I happened to call as she was getting ready to go to Post Office and she was pretty happy to be reminded that its Sunday. So, in about four days I should have scads of new material to play with, whoopee!

Ancestry dot-com rocks!

Alonzo Minnis, 102-years-old

Merry Christmas to me! My husband's Christmas present to me was Ancestry.com. I have now logged many data entry hours, and finally have time for some research.

My mother sent a bunch of information on the decendents of Edward and Emily. It's funny, but I've had it for over a month but my mom had been packed in a 2008 calender and since it will soon be the new year, I finally located it. I felt both excited and stupid!

Anyway, including the following article there was a four page linage chart detailing the births and deaths of the Minnis' children, children's children...did I say that right? And so on. This is why I was on Ancestry for the last ten hours, neglecting my poor children (bad mommy will have to make it up to them tomorrow by taking them to see a movie) I bet my husband now regrets getting this present, but I'll love him forever.

The following is a summary of an article written about Edward's son, Alonzo Minnis, when Alonzo was 102-years-old. It was published in the Daily Capital newspaper. The picture was taken by Bill Snead, about 1960. If anyone wants a copy of the full article let me know.

Alonzo explained that he came with his father, two brothers and four sisters to Kansas when he was about 12-years-old. He said, "My Daddy fetched a colony out from Illinois. There were about eight or ten wagons. And I walked almost all the way, killing game for the wagon train."


The colony settled near St. John. Alonzo recalled Kansas in it's early days of statehood. "Out near St. John there was nothing but snakes and coyotes." In 1893, Alonzo went to Oklahoma for the Cherokee Strip opening and homesteaded 160 acres. Alonzo summed up his life, "My long life comes from the Lord. And I've had a pretty good time. I try to live right so people will like me."


I have (I think) solved the 'who is Elizabeth Ann Lee' question.Mary Cogman is half-sister to the other children. I thinks she is the daughter of Elizabeth since she was born in 1852. There is a gap of about four years between her and Ruth. The most exciting moment was when I "found" Edward Minis in the 1860 census (hiding on the page before his family under the name Morris, pugh). He was working as a laborer in the neighboring farm.


I also have decided, with no contrary proof to deter me, and lack of sleep causing me not to question my deductive reasoning skills, that Lucy Minis is related to Edward (probably his sister). After all the coincidence of their proximity, surname, and closeness in age is too hard to ignore. I also found, much to my surprise that Lucy Minis Bryant remarried in 1858 to Charles Manuel. She was listed in the Indiana Marriages as a Mrs. Lucy Ann Briant. Isom was still alive in 1852 because he purchased 40 acres of property. Maybe he and Elizabeth Ann and the children caught something and died. Unfortunately, I learned that there are no gravestones in the Tuscola Negro Cemetery, and I have not learned whether there any death records.



I am still trying to find the connection between Lucy Dupree, born in 1790 and Melissa Olmstead, born in 1805. Olmstead is her married name. She married William Olmstead in 1838, in Coles, which means they were there prior to the 1840 census. I spent an hour searching 106 pages of the census for Coles County, Illinois. There were twenty-four "free persons of color" in the County, but Lewis James was the only African-American listed as head-of-household. The others were listed under whomever they were working for so there were no names.

WOW! New Information

For those who have looked at this blog, I have additional information I will be sharing. I admit I have become a bit obsessive in researching my genealogy. It is certainly addictive, as many know. I welcome any feedback that you have and welcome the opportunity to meet any distant cousins out there.

Minnis, Roberts, Dotson, Finley, Mounger Family-Douglas County, Illinois and Edmond, Sedan, St. John, Kansas

It's funny when legend becomes reality. Family legend speaks of our patriarch, Ned Minnis, a red haired Irish man who married a Cherokee woman. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate a Ned Minnis; however, I did find Edward Minnis from the following websites. I don't know how much of this information is accurate. Please help out with any information you can provide.

My ancestry goes something like this:

Edward (Ned) Minnis born about 1830 in Kentucky married Emily Minnis born about 1835 in Kentucky

I found an Edward Minis who married Elizabeth Ann Lee in Cole County, Illinois in 1848. Maybe this is them; however, they were listed in the 1850 census with two children William and Lucy Ann. There was also a Lucy Ann Minis who married Iram Bryant in Coles in 1849 who may be related to Edward. I need help with this connection (anybody?)

Edward and Emily's children were born in Oakland, Douglas County (Coles), Illinois as listed in the 1860 census where Edward was not listed and Emily was head of household. This was during the Civil War so perhaps Edward was at war; however, I have not found proof of enlistment. Both were in the 1870 census and in the 1880 census I believe both Emily and Edward were dead.
The children are:
Mary Minnis b:1852, Ruth Minnis b: 1857, Alonzo Minnis b:1859, Permelia Minnis b:1861(my ancestor who was not on the census due to marriage to William D. Roberts in 1875)
Fannie Minnis (unknown DOB), John Minnis b:1865, Jeanette Minnis b:1867, Charles Edward Minnis b: 1869, and Willie Minnis (unknown DOB)

William Roberts married Permelia A. Minniss (how spelled on record) on November 4,1875, in Douglas County, Illinois.

Now, this is where it gets interesting:

William Roberts parents were Archable, born in 1840, NC and Eveline Roberts, born in 1814, NC. They were married on February 5, 1852 in Linton, Vigo County, Indiana. Eveline and Archable had three children together Eveline, Levina, and William and raised the children from Eveline's first marriage.

Eveline (Artis) married her first husband, William B. Thomas on March 11, 1841, in Vigo County. William died January 2, 1850, and is buried in the Underwood Cemetary, in Linton, Vigo Co. Indiana. They had three children Francis, Sarah A., and John W. Thomas.

Also listed in the Underwood Cemetery were Joseph and Sarah Artis, both born in North Carolina. They settled in Prairie Creek, Indiana and can be found in the 1840 census.

So, at this point I was stymied. Then I located the website: http://www.freeafricanamericans.com/ by Paul Heinegg which details the colonial history of free African American families in Virginia and North Carolina. This is a wonderful source of information and I'm extremely grateful to Mr. Heinegg for all his work because without him I would not know my ancestors:

Kate Anderson, born 1670 who was a slave freed in the will of John Fulcher of Norfolk County, Virginia. Her daughter Hester Artis (aka Anderson), born 1687 was also freed in the will. Hester's son was John Artis, born 1723, married Sarah Artis. Their son Archibald Artis, born say 1753, died before November 1782 fought and possibly died in the Revolutionary War. His wife was Delilah Artis, and their son was Joseph Artis, born in 1782, father to Eveline Artis Roberts, mother of William Roberts.

William and Permelia Roberts

















William and Permelia Roberts had the following children:
Norman Roberts, Carrie Roberts, Jennie Roberts, Sadie Roberts, Maude Roberts, Eva Roberts
Edward Roberts, Dollie Roberts, Mary Belle Roberts, Chas Roberts and my great-grandmother, Ida Roberts Dotson, born 1890.

In the article about the Tuscola "Negro Cemetery", it mentions the great exodus of 1877, to Kansas. In the article it mentions that in 1876, Edward Minnis and others bought land to build the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1877, Edward Minnis and his second wife, Susan Minnis sold their land in Douglas County, Illinois. After leaving Illinois they first settled in Sterling, Rice County, Kansas. Then they moved to Saint John, Stafford, Kansas. By the 1880 census, in St. John, Stafford County, Kansas, Edward was deceased and his wife Susan was raising the children. Also in the 1880 census, it mentions Albert and Mary Cogman. Mary was the daughter of Edward and Emily Minnis. The Cogman's lived in an adjacent farm to Archable and Eveline Roberts.
Reseach by my mother in the early 1990's turned up a burial record for William and Archable who were buried together at the Fairview Park Cemetary in Stafford, County, Ks.

Ida Roberts, born in 1890 who married Thomas Dotson, born in 1883. Their child Drusilla (Dotson) Mounger b:1910 born in Edmond, Kansas.

These pictures are of my great grandparents Thomas and Ida Roberts Dotson.




















Thomas Dotson's father was
Jordan Dotson, born in 1843. His wife was Charlotte (Buzby?), born in 1853, who we were told was Blackfoot. I found a Jordan and Charlotte Dotson in Edmond, Ks. cemetery. They were in the 1885 census in Norton County, and may have lived in Solomon, Edmond Ks. Jordan was born in Columbus, Lowndes Co. Mississipi and Charlotte was living with him in the 1870 census. I have no record of them prior this.
Their children: 1910 census
William 1872, Della J, Eddie, James (married Idoline), Jersey, Jesse, Cora, Thomas, Shadrach (married Elizabeth), Eva, Robert, Arthur and my great, grandfather Thomas Dotson, father to my grandmother Drusilla Dotson Mounger.

Edward Mounger was born on February 22, 1884 and died October 25, 1960. His wife was Mary Finley who was born on June 15, 1888 and she died on August 6, 1955. Mary's father was Jackson Finley, born in 1865 and died March 10, 1932. His wife was Celia A. Finley (I found a Celia Sadler in 1870 census who lived with a John and Mary Nelson, and was listed as their daughter in Cairo, Alexander Co. Illinois. Legend has it she was Chocktaw. Jackson was supposed to be 7ft tall, very dark complexion. He was born in Kentucky. They lived in Sedan, Kansas, and had a son, William A. Finley and my great grandmother Mary Finley Mounger.

Drusilla Dotson, born in 1910 married Henry Mounger, born in 1907

Henry's father was listed as Edmond Mounger, born February 22, 1884. On his marriage certificate to Mary Finley; however, he went as Edward later in life. I can't find any further on his side of the family. He supposedly was born in Cairo, Illinois. Some of his children may still be living so I will not list them.

The picture on the right is Edward Mounger and on the left is his son, Henry Mounger.