I recently had one of those amazing moments in genealogy that reaffirmed my belief that I was meant to this work, called to do this work, by forces beyond my comprehension.
I posted awhile ago about breaking through a brick wall using black newspapers. I had been stuck trying to trace my ancestor James Holt. I am really trying to find all the branches of the Holt family that left the area of Hardin County, Tennessee, and there lots that left at various times & planted roots elsewhere.
Recently I was contacted by the granddaughter of that man, James Holt. She had been searching for her roots online and found me. We had a tearful & joyous conversation, as we shared stories about our lives and our historical paths. I had reclaimed another family member.
It gets even better. She shared wonderful photos of James M. Holt & his family. My heart leapt as I gazed upon this ancestor of mine who had left Tennessee, the son of an enslaved woman, and blazed a trail across the states (and I mean literally, in each census he is living in a different place) as a successful Methodist minister. Then he attended law school in Mississippi and practiced as a very successful lawyer in Indianapolis. One of the photos below shows him, I assume, in his law office surrounded by legal books.
James Holt & Family
The story didn’t end there. After talking more, I realized that one of my unidentified photos may have been her father. This is mainly because of her description of him as a police officer. And of course, yes–it turned out to be him! She was thrilled to have a photograph she had not seen before, and I couldn’t believe this obscure photograph I hadn’t looked at in years turned out to be him. Another unidentified kin–reclaimed. This experience just warmed by heart, and affirmed for me why I love genealogy so much.
Ferdinand Holt
Yeah! I just love it when we are able to help each other in that way. Getting names to faces of those unidentified photos is incredibly rewarding.
I love genealogy for many of the same reasons. And I just encountered a mystery that led me to stumble onto your blog. I was trying to find information on how former slaves got their surnames, and read the blog you wrote back in 2009 on that topic, because the mystery involves a woman I presume to be a former slave with our family’s surname. If you are willing to give me some suggestions, you can contact me at len_pellman (at) yahoo.com.
You are an inspiration to those of us who are just beginning our search to reclaim kin. Your suggestions and tips for finding information are immeasurable. Each time you report a new discovery in your search, it gives me hope.
Thank you. JRL -Maryland
Thank you for sharing, it encourages the rest of us!!! I love it when I find cousins that have puctures. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, I am the one with the pictures, and I do not have many.
Please share more often, I love reading your emails.
Carolyn
Wow, that’s terrific!
Amazing! How great for both of you to share this experience.
Simply amazing!