Black Genealogy Archives – Access Genealogy

Slave Narrative of Walter Calloway

Walter Calloway was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1848. Calloway and his mother and brother were purchased by John Calloway, who owned a plantation ten miles south of Montgomery, Alabama. By the time he was ten years old, Walter Calloway was doing a grown man’s work. The white overseer used a black hand to administer the whippings; Calloway recalls seeing one thirteen-year-old girl whipped almost to death. Calloway also tells of worshipping in a brush arbor, the outbreak of the Civil War, and federal troops ransacking the plantation at war’s end. He is pictured sitting on the front steps of his home in Birmingham, Alabama, where he worked for the city street department for twenty-five years.

Slave Narrative of Charity Anderson

Charity Anderson, 101 years old, lived near Mobile, Alabama at the time she was interviewed. She was born at Belle’s Landing, in Monroe County, Alabama. Her master operated a wood yard that supplied fuel to river boats. Anderson was a house slave. She recalls that her master treated all his slaves well, but she also remembered seeing slaves torn up by dogs and whipped unmercifully.

Black Roots in Southeastern Connecticut, 1650 – 1900

*Black Roots in Southeastern Connecticut, 1650-1900* by Barbara W. Brown and James M. Rose is a significant contribution to the field of African American genealogical research. Focusing on the southeastern region of Connecticut, this volume compiles over eight years of research into the genealogies of Black individuals and families in the area. Using a variety of sources such as census records, church records, vital statistics, and war documents, the authors provide a comprehensive guide to tracing Black ancestry in a region that was once a significant center of slaveholding in New England. Their meticulous approach offers a framework that can be applied to genealogical research in other regions as well.

Slave Narrative of Lewis Mundy of Hannibal, Missouri

Mundy, Lewis West Center Street Hannibal, Missouri Marion County, Missouri Lewis Mundy, now living on West Center Street, Hannibal, Missouri, was born in slavery on the farm of John Wright, five miles north of La Belle, Lewis County, Missouri. He has lived there for over thirty years, and has a wide acquaintance among both white and colored people. The following is his story of his life: “Mr. Wright had eleven slaves, my mother and ten of us children. Mr. Wright had eight children. My father was owned by Billy Graves, whose farm was joined to master’s farm. I don’t know … Read more

Slave Narrative of Margaret Nickens of Hannibal, Missouri

Margaret Nickens, now living at 1644 Broadway, Hannibal, Missouri, was born in slavory on the farm of Pleasant McCann about six miles from Paris in Moares County, Miscouri. She was a daughter of Geerge Merrison and wife, slaves of Pleasant McCann. The following is her story as she told it.

Slave Narrative of Henry Dant of Hannibal, Missouri

Henry Dant, now living with his daughter on Davis Street in Hannibal, was born in slavery on the farm of Judge Daniel Kendrick, south of Monroe City in Ralls County. He is about one hundred and five years old, in possession of all his faculties and is able to move around the house. He seemed to have only hazy recollections, and it was difficult to keep him from wandering from the subject. The following is the story that he told.

Slave Narrative of Clay Smith of Hannibal, Missouri

Clay (Carrie) Smith, now living at 612 Butler Street, Hannibal, Missouri, was born in slavery shortly before the Civil War on the farm of Joe Maupin about five miles west of Hannibal. Her present residence on Butler Street is part of the way up the hill overlooking Mark Twain Avenue (formerly Palmyra Avenue) and facing Cardiff Hill. Her mother’s home was on Palmyra Avenue. Her mother’s name was Luckett. Following is Clay’s story as she told it: “I was borned right here in Marion County. Dere was ten of us children in de family. We belonged to Joe Maupin and … Read more

Slave Narrative of William Black of Hannibal, Missouri

Black, William919 South Arch StreetHannibal, MissouriMarion County, Missouri William Black of 919 South Arch Street, Hannibal, Missouri, is one of the few ex-slaves living in Marion County. He is now about eighty-five years old, and has lived his entire life in Marion, Monroe, and Ralls Counties. The following story is related by William Black: “My mother and father came from Virginia. I don’t know how old I am, but I have had one birthday and the rest aniversities. I think I am about eighty-five years old. I was born in slavery and when I was eight years old was bonded out … Read more

1860 Census West of Arkansas – Creek Nation

1860 Free Inhabitants Creek Nation Page 1

Free Inhabitants in “The Creek Nation” in the County “West of the” State of “Akansas” enumerated on the “16th” day of “August” 1860. While the census lists “free inhabitants” it is obvious that the list contains names of Native Americans, both of the Creek and Seminole tribes, and probably others. The “free inhabitants” is likely indicative that the family had given up their rights as Indians in treaties previous to 1860, drifted away from the tribe, or were never fully integrated. The black (B) and mulatto (M) status may indicate only the fact of the color of their skin, or whether one had a white ancestors, they may still be Native American.

Baltimore Maryland City Directories 1799-1946

Baltimore Maryland Directory for 1799 title page

This page lists 109 free digitized directories found online for the city of Baltimore Maryland covering the years of 1799-1946 (incomplete). Directories can provide such information on an individual such as their employment and address during the year issued. They may also indicate whether they were renting or residing with somebody else at the time.

Cleveland County North Carolina Colored Apprentices

A list of Colored Apprentices that have been indentured in the County Court of Cleveland County since May 1866 Underage children who were not or could not be supported by their parents or were orphans were apprenticed by Freedmen’s Bureau officials to persons who would be responsible for their upbringing and welfare. North CarolinaCleveland County I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true list contains the names of all colored children that have been indentured by the County Court for the County aforesaid.S. Williams, Clk.Per M. F. Williams, D. C. D. Whisnant Chm. County Court Source National Archives Microfilm … Read more

Cindy Henderson’s DNA Results

Split View of Cindy Henderson's Ancestry

My mother is of Irish/German and Italian ancestry. Her father is a 1st generation Italian, the family is from Abruzzo Italy. The colonial line, her mother who is partially Irish/German was from Roane, TN. Her (grandmother) father’s family is from Old Fort McDowell NC. They moved to the Tennessee area. My father’s maternal line, his mother was Black American and born NJ. Her father (my great grandfather), I don’t know his origins other than he was Black. Her mother (my great grandmother) was born in Washington DC and moved to NJ. My grandmother’s birth was the result of an extramarital … Read more

Autauga County Alabama Records at ADAH

This database contains records from local, county and municipal offices, such as the probate office, tax assessor, and orphan’s court. Most of the original records remain in the originating office. The following results reflect the records available at the Alabama Department of Archives and History Center (ADAH) specifically for Autauga County. In order to view any of the following Autauga County Alabama records the researcher would need to visit the ADAH in person, or hire a researcher to perform the task for them, or visit the specific originating office for the record.

Register Of Marriages In The Parish Of Michilimackinac

The marriage records from the register at Michilimackinac are here provided as they were translated by Edward O. Brown back in 1889. The records of this register reflect the history of Michilimackinac as a trading post town. They show the transition from French to British to American control of the area, as well as the command of the government by the Catholic Church during the French reign, military during the British reign, which was eventually turned over to the civil authorities when the America took control. There are not a lot of marriage records here, and unfortunately, the very early … Read more

Mackinac Marriage Records 1790-1799

January 21, 1792, I, the undervsigned Justice of the Peace, received the mutual Marriage Consent of Jean Baptiste La Borde dit Sans regret, and of marguerite Machar Chevalier, In the presence of the undersigned witnesses * * * Adhemar St Martin J. P. Alexis Laframboise; J. B. Barthe; C. Gaultier; Joseph Laframboise; J. B. la Borde Di Sanregret; Ezechiel Solomon; John Kirby; Louis Chevalier, + His Mark; Madme Gaultier, + Her Mark. March 19, 1792, I the Undersigned, Commandant of this Post, received the Mutual Marriage Consent of Alexis Laframboise, Esquire, and of Josette Adhemar, in the presence of the … Read more

Mackinac Marriage Records 1750-1759

February 1, 1750, I, the undersigned priest of the society of Jesus, performing the duties of parish priest, received the mutual marriage consent of Poncelet Batillo de Clermont, a soldier, son of the late Jean Batillo and of Marguerite Pierrot, of the parish of St Pierre de Mousar in Clarmontor, bishopric of Treves; and of Francois[e] Cardinal, widow of the late Pierre Hubert la Croix, of the parish of Lachine, and gave them the nuptial benediction * * * P. Du Jaunay, miss. of the society of Jesus. Poncelet Batillo et Clermont; Francois Cardinalle; Allexis Sejourne dit Sansragin [Sanschagrin]; Bourassa; … Read more

The Melungeons: The Resurrection of a Proud People

The year was 2005. It was a time when the internet for me was rapidly evolving from a new-fangled medium on which to send communications and find romance to a serious research tool. The Muscogee-Creek Nation had retained me to create an electronic book on the Native American history of the Southeast. This innovative book was an early experiment in web-based publishing. Google’s search engines were exploding the amount of knowledge on the internet. A world was opening up that had been formerly confined to the environs of university libraries and the Library of Congress. While working on the section … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Crispus Attucks

Attucks, Crispus, An Indian-negro half-blood of Framingham, Mass., near Boston, noted as the leader and first person slain in the Boston massacre of Mar. 5, 1770, the first hostile encounter between the Americans and the British troops, and therefore regarded by historians as the opening fight of the great Revolutionary struggle. In consequence of the resistance of the people of Boston to the enforcement of the recent tax laws a detachment of British troops had been stationed in the town, to the great irritation of the citizens. On Mar. 5 this feeling culminated in an attack on the troops in … Read more

Parsons and Abbott Roll

The Parsons and Abbott Roll, created in 1833, is a crucial document for genealogical research on the Creek Tribe. Following the 1832 treaty where the Creek Tribe ceded their land east of the Mississippi River to the United States, Benjamin S. Parsons and Thomas J. Abbott conducted a detailed census of Creek Indian heads of families. This census, organized by town and including the number of males, females, and slaves in each family, serves as the most comprehensive pre-removal record. It is a vital resource for identifying Creek ancestors and is foundational for numerous subsequent documents related to Creek claims through the 1960s. The roll also includes entries for some free blacks who gained freedom and citizenship within the Creek Tribe, making it an essential reference for diverse genealogical inquiries.

A Transplantation to the North – Black Migration

Just after the settlement of the question of holding the western posts by the British and the adjustment of the trouble arising from their capture of slaves during our second war with England, there started a movement of the blacks to this frontier territory. But, as there were few towns or cities in the Northwest during the first decades of the new republic, the flight of the Negro into that territory was like that of a fugitive taking his chances in the wilderness. Having lost their pioneering spirit in passing through the ordeal of slavery, not many of the bondmen … Read more