Ancestor Approved Award

I am very honored to have received the Ancestor Approved Award from fellow GeneaBloggers Mavis Jones of Georgia Black Crackers and Southwest Arkie. My instructions are to list ten things I have learned about any of my ancestors that has surprised, humbled by, or enlightened me and to pass the award along to ten other bloggers who are doing their ancestors proud.

Pass It On

Before My Time

Be Not Forgot

Documenting The Details

Fact and Whimsey

I Never Knew My Father

Reflections From the Fence

The Armchair Genealogist

The Educated Genealogist

Into the Light

Life From The Roots

Surprised, Humbled by, or Enlightened

• That I found emancipation papers for Wiley Morris (Sr.) for 1855
• That ex-slaves could adopt any surname: 3 ancestors had surname changes during or after the Civil War: Mills became Cox; Strader became Mason, then back to Strader; Wair became Underwood: Civil War Surname Changes. Louisa Griffin’s children adopted Morris surname when father, Wiley Morris, was emancipated.
• That the Griffin line of free-coloreds owned land as early as 1817
• That ex-slave Wiley Morris provided private education for his children and grandchildren before 1860
• That the DNA results of the Morris line did not reveal an African tribe, or any trace of Africa, but an RB1 mixture of Irish, Wales, England, which may explain why two GGUncles (Horace and William) were able to conveniently pass for white.
• That many of the Morris ancestors by 1890’s and four grandparents (abt 1915) attended white schools (not-segregated) in Kansas: "Integrating Schools in 1890" 
• Great Grandma Ida (Martin) Morris was superintendent of schools in Cleo Springs, OK in 1890’s 
• Great Uncle George Strader served in Europe during WWI: 804 Pioneer Infantry
• That Franklin Kesler Bird, (Rev.) was vital in the AME Zion Church and edited the Star of Zion in order to assist with the African American struggle in 1890’s
• That Amnytus Earl (ex-slave, freed in 1841) has a plethora of descendants who want to know his life story. 

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