If this is your first time visiting my blog, check out what I believe are a representative sample of the type of posts that I do. I do alot of posts designed to illustrate use of specific records, I highlight books and websites occasionally, and I talk about methodology using my own research as examples. Many are focused on African-American and slavery research. These are my favorite posts and I hope you like them too:
Methodology and Analysis
Robyn’s 10 Key Genealogy Principles
Phillip Holt is Not Dead After All
Criminals in the Family: Joseph Harbour
Source Citation Tips and Taps
Collateral Research: Research All Siblings
How to Keep On Learning Genealogy
A Breakthrough! The Fendricks Family
Harris Family Breakthrough! Big City, Here I Come
Marriage Records: What Exactly Are You Looking At?
Using Charts in Your Genealogy Research
Untangling Matildas: Brick Wall Crashes Down
One Step Closer in Alabama: the Fendricks Family
Deconflicting “The Same Name”
Black Newspapers Break a Brick Wall
Slavery/Slave Research
What You Didn’t Know About Slavery
Slave Surnames: Where Are They From?
Slave Research: Search the Slaveowner’s Wife’s Family Too
Effie Fendricks and Building a Case for the Slaveowner
Journal Articles on Slave Research
A Strategy for Researching Freedmens Bureau Records
Beyond the Will and Inventory: Tracing Enslaved Ancestors Through Probate
Searching For Enslaved Fathers
Digital Library on American Slavery
Slave Ancestor Found in Southern Claims Commission Records
Runaway Slaves
Published Slave Narratives
A Genealogy “High”: More Slave Research
Slave Records in Washington, D.C.
More Confirmation of Slaves with Bible Records
Giles Holt, the Slaveowner
Slave Letters
Researching the Slaveowner in Online Books
Back to Court: Slaveowner Records
Slave Housing
Records and Resource Suggestions
University Theses and Dissertations
Alabama Convict Records
Historic Trust Inventories: Search the Land, Find the People
Prologue Magazine at NARA
Ancestor’s College Records
Records of Antebellum Slave Plantations
Extension Service Records
Have You Checked Published Family Histories?
The Joy of Probate
Ex-Slave Pension Records
Maps Lead the Way to Better Understanding
Newspaper Research
Divorce Records: A Great Genealogy Resource
About Me:
I’m an engineer by day, but genealogy is my not-so-hidden passion. The quest to uncover my past has been a rewarding adventure for me, more than just uncovering the names and stories of my ancestors, but also meeting cousins who have become new friends and forming relationships with my fellow genealogists, like Carole, Marion Alice and Aaron. When I first began in 1997, I had one grandparent still living and none of my family members knew very much beyond maybe the name of a great-grandparent or so. I’m proud that my research has taken back some of that lost memory–and I’m not even close to being done.
I enjoy helping others to uncover their heritage and I teach and write every opportunity I get. I believe strongly in encouraging all genealogists to write and record the wonderful untold stories of their families and the communities of which they were apart. We’ve got to tell more of our own stories. Too many elders are passing on and all of the wonderful gems of knowledge they have are being lost. We have an unparalleled opportunity today with the advent of technology to reclaim this lost past–to reclaim our kin.
The details of my current research can be found on the subpages here; if you think we may have a connection or you just have questions or comments, feel free to email me at msualumni33 [at] verizon [dot] net.
Robyn, You must send me this photo that includes Aunt Pauline. I think I recognize most of my cousins but is that Uncle Wellie on the left: Wow such a treasure, these photo’s. – chelle
Hi Robyn- I’m 60 yrs. old and been reseaching my surnames in La. and the Ms. delta since around 1997. our surnames are Braddocks, Samuels,Rileys. My brick wall is the braddocks of Ripley,Ms. Tippah Co. i now live in central MS. about 45 min from Vicksburg. But my place of birth is Clarksdale, Ms. Coahoma County. My daughter lives in Frederick and works in Rockville. she has lived there since 2007. I visited her this pass thanksgiving. I’m so delighted at the wk. you are doing on your tree. You will fine me on several genealogy sites trying to fine a connection with a lost granddad, he was my mother’s mother last husband. I’m the only one one in the Samuel/Braddock family that do research. The families just wait for me to fine thje answers. This relative’s grand children and great grand live in Albany,NY. My blessings to you. msrose601@comcast.net
You’ve done an excellent job Robyn–very impressive.
Gives me a little more inspiration to dig further in my own family’s history.
You are building a wonderful account here. What a beautiful honor for your ancestors! I particularly liked the piece on the cemetery. It reminded me of my own 25 year search, which ultimately led me to the historic Zion cemetery in Memphis. Check me out on Facebook — Our Black Ancestry (as well as my website).
Robyn this is a great blog. You are always full of information. I am glad to have you as my “genealogy buddy”. You are truly an inspiration.
I’ve just gotten through reading all of your blog posts and have enjoyed it tremendously. Your posts are always insightful and are well-written. Thank you for sharing and added you to my RSS reader.
Hello Robyn
It was by chance that I discovered your website. I felt as excited as you must feel when you have located another clue ! lol. I am a newbie at this. I just started searching in March of this year. I have longed to know my father and his family my entire life. ( I never met him). I signed up for Ancestry.com and my entire world has changed. I don’t know how you get any reading done or anything else. lol , I am hooked and can’t say away from the computer, I am on the computer for hours at a time. I feel like an addicted “junkie” lol, but I am loving this.
Anyway I was hoping you would give me a few pointers. Both my parents have passed as have all of my relatives of my mother’s generation and beyond. I am the oldest member of my family ( 60 years old) so there is no one to ask. So here is one of my “brick walls” my father was Rappahannock Indian. He and my mother were not married. I have been able to learn his date of birth and date of death in addition to his military information. I have learned of his father and his grandfather who was born in Bowling Green Virginia in 1865. However I have been unable to find out anything about the date of my gg father’s death.
I learned that mt father did get married the year of my birth and they have his name and his wife’s name in the records of the tribe, but they will not release the information to me because I am not Rappahannock.
I would love to know what my father looked like. I tried searching the internet for the name of his high school in 1935 , I even wrote to the historical society where he lived but nothing.
I am sorry I feel as if I am rambling. lol lol….
Could you give me some pointers , right now I just want to know what he looked like.
What should i do next ????
Thank You .
Valerie
Hi Robyn,
Thanks so much for your comments on my blog. Glad you enjoyed reading them, because I had a ball writing them. I have another blog: http://www.mynolaheritage.com/. This blog is dedicated to my maternal line. I am orginally from Chicago, IL but have lived in the MD/DC area for over 15 years. I love it here and the people are just awesome. You have my email and would love to keep in touch. Will be so nice to have a conversation with someone that understands what I am talking about(LOL). Would love to get together for coffee, tea, or just some genealogy!!
Felicia
Steve Skolochenko-
Recommended you to me and he raved about your passion for Geneaology. I was fortunate to have a maternal grandmother leave to 105 and I located her in the 1900 census. After that I’m lost so if you can give me a few pointers on how to continue my search it would be greatly appreciated. Regards, Kirvin
Kudos Robin! I stumbled onto your site while researching runaway slaves. Verrry nice. I am creating five sculptures for a sculpture garden in Yonkers, NY, to honor the enslaved Africans that resided at the Philipse Manor Hall–six of whom were among the first to be freed by law in the United States, 76 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. (Please visit the gallery page at http://www.EnslavedAfricansRainGarden.org to see them in progress and share.)
I am a Morgan alum as well (I just moved back to NY from Columbia, MD), and that experience made me aware of the need to honor the past, while building the future. I became interested in genealogy in the early 90s, just before my grandfather/my mother’s father died. I was inspired to create a book titled The Toone Family, and recently I posted the images from the book online at http://www.toones.ning.com. Then, I began researching my father’s family, those images are also posted at http://www.bagwell.ning.com.
Now, I, too, am intrigued by the ancestors experience as enslaved Africans. Keep spreading your enthusiasm, and keep up the good work.
VV
Hi Robyn,
I just awarded your blog, the Kreativ Blogger’s Award. I’ve always enjoyed reading your blog. You can check out the award on my blog.
Mavis
Mavis, you are so thoughtful! Thank you so much for this honor…I will try my best to continue to live up to it!;)
I appreciate it;)
Hello Robyn,
I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed reading your blog and your family stories.
Todd Rathkamp
Hi Beautiful Cousin! I am thankful that you took the journey I have been trying to take for a while. Any help I can be please, dont ask, just tell me! Love you
Robin Waters
I was wondering if you could tell me where you found the painting of the slaves fleeing on the underground railroad. I volunteer for a church history magazine, and we are looking for images for our next issue. Thanks.
Your blog looks great. Look forward to reading more.
Corey
Hello, I think it is wonderful that we are able to look up our families history and fine out where we came from. You have done a magnificent job with your family history. I am in the same process myself and I just had a question on where to begin once I have obtained the basic information? For instance, I have the birthdays of my great grand parents and the dates they went home to glory. But where do I go from there? Could you please offer me some guidance or advice? I would really appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Johnel Metcalf
)
I am just starting my search for info on my paternal grandfather’s family. I would appreciate any suggestions on where/how to research METCALF and DAY history in & around Clarksdale (& I’m told Fryesdale as well). So far all I’ve come up with is a slaveholders name Jonathan Day listed on the 1870 census. I see you are busy and am not nessecarily expecting a response- though would be pleasantly surprised by one!
@ Johnel Metcalf, I am researching my paternal grandfather’s kin with the surnames DAY & METCALF coming from the Clarksdale (Coahoma County) area of Mississippi. This may be a long shot, just wondering if ur METCALF family has any connections in the NW of Mississippi?
I meant to include my email: mdaytheartist@yahoo.com
I sent you an email but wanted to send a message here as well.I am currently working on a family tree online to leave to future relatives and discovered your wonderful website.Hope we can share our information and keep the family trees growing!
My great great grandfather’s second cousin’s great grandson is Haley, Alexander Murray Palmer, b 1921.
Looking forward to hearing from you or other relatives.
Relatively yours,
Angelina
Robyn,
I’ve nominated your blog for the Ancestor-Approved award! Thanks for continuing to share your work with the blogging community. Your posts are always thoughtful and well-written, and I enjoy following you!
Please visit my blog to “pick up” your award!
Renate
http://www.justthinking130.blogspot.com
Hello Robyn- Hadn’t seen you post anything to your site in a long time and missing you. Always, Rosemary Pleasent
Hello Robyn. My name is Lee Freeman and I’m the genealogist/historian at the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library in Florence, Alabama. Lauderdale County was where James Jackson, Sr. built his palatial mansion the Forks of Cypress, 5 mi NW of Florence. Florence hosted Alex Haley during the 1989 Alabama Reunion.
I just read your Alex Haley blog from last year.
We’ve been researching Queen Haley here for several years and would be interested in swapping information. For example, we have information that indicates Queen’s mother Esther/Ester/Easter was owned by at least two families (the Lesters and Martins) in Giles Co. Tennessee before the Jacksons of Lauderdale County, AL acquired her, and was living as late as 1870 (if memory serves the novel incorrectly has her dying during the Civil War. Haley apparently took some artistic license here). Esther also, according to an 1842 bill of sale, seems to have had at least two other children, Caroline and Jere.
Anyway, we’d gladly swap any information with you.
Lee.
Great Job!
Interesting information here. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve seen. Maybe you can suggest a website where I can post deeds of manumission or other slave records that I have found in my family research of 25 years. This information might be helpful to someone. I’m researching Hilton, Offutt, Hays, Howard among others in Montgomery and Frederick Counties. Families lived in the Barnesville/Poolesville area. Thanks much.
What wonderful work you do! I’m so glad I stumbled across your blog! Thanks for sharing!
PS: A snippet of my own family research http://stylesource01.wordpress.com/category/family-research/.
I have been doing my and my husbands genealogy. During research, I find\read wills where “slaves” by name listed. Is there a central website where I can submit the data? or has all of this been covered somewhere? If I read it, I might as well give it to someone instead of moving onto the next piece of research.