WWI Papers Destroyed in Fire? The Christmas Gift

Merry Christmas to Me!
I have this newspaper photo of Great - Uncle George who served in WWI. He was the celebrated "colored man"from Rice County, Ks - George F. Strader "Our First Colored Hero of the World War."  I also found him listed in a picture with his troop Co D of the Pioneer Infantry 805 book .

I have information of his troop; and I have, in my arsenal of goodies, Great - Uncle George's WWI helmet that his mother turned into a chandelier. Yes, read about it at WWI Chandelier Helmet.   Who turns a WWI helmet into a chandelier?  Oh...I know! My Great-Grandmother.  The chandelier - helmet is a hit in my Sharing Your Ancestors presentation. But what more can I find about Great-Uncle George?

There's so much I don't know.  How was G-Uncle George injured in service?  When did he get promoted to Sargent.  By the end of his service years he was a Sargent as listed in the troop book, and in the Enrollment Book (V: 27, Reno Republic, Rice counties).

But, The Best Christmas Gift Ever!

Late Christmas Day, 2018,  I received an email from a man named Greg Stredder. Greg had obviously done his research and googled George Strader (not Stredder) and found me. So let's do this sequentially. 

1) Lesson one:  Expose Your Ancestors

I have blog posts and articles posted across the internet so other researchers can find me. I have written about G-Uncle George and his mother on this blog.

Back to Greg who found me and sent me an email.  Greg's message was short. " Thought this would be of interest to you." Greg had come across an article in the Lyons Republican paper, dated 14 Jan 1919, from Lyons, Rice County,  Kansas (the county seat) while researching his own "Stredder" family, I was delighted.  The editor titled the article A Letter From France and misspelled my great grandparents surnam as James Stredder, but the letter was clearly signed by George F. [Franklin] Strader. 

2) Lesson two: Prove kinship. Is this my George?

Stredder or Strader was proved by this write up:  "Corporal "George was the first colored boy from this county..." Yep, it's my Great-Uncle George. There were only two colored boys from Lyons Kansas, Uncle George and my grandfather (who did not serve due to a physical injury). Others from Sterling, who were also in Rice County "down the 2 lane highway a-piece," and from neighboring counties (Reno, Ellsworth, Stafford and Barton counties), worked at the Lyons salt mines or only lived in Lyons, KS temporarily for work. My "colored" Strader family arrived in Lyons Kansas in spring of 1897. My great-grandfather, James, a teamster in Kentucky was drafted to work in the salt mines. So, no question it was my Great-Uncle George. Oh, and by the way, Great-Grandma had told us about the letter, but we never found it in her belongings in 1968 when she passed away. Either way, in our family, and in Lyons, Uncle George was quite celebrated.  Plus the printed letter was signed by George F. Strader and addressed to his parents James Strader.

3) Lesson three: Collaborative Research

Be kind, when you find something this magnificent, this marvelous, in the paper about someone else's ancestor, be like Greg!  Share it.  I had experienced a bitter-sweet Christmas. Greg changed my negative narrative to a day of gratitude.  Thank you Greg! 

A Letter From France

The printed Lyons Republican letter of  14 Jan 1919 fills in quite a bit of detail about Uncle George's military service and his troop. The details take us to the place in time, the activities, and daily routines of Uncle George's WWI experience. It is a great replacement for his burned WWI personnel record that was not salvaged from the 1973 St Louis National Personal Record Center. (NPRC). 

10 New Details

1) Uncle George wrote the letter 10 Dec 1918, over a month before it was printed in the Lyons Republican. At the time he was a Corporal. By the time he came home he was a Sargent.  When was he promoted?

2) I need to review this newspaper one more time for the misspelling of the family surname of Strader.  Did it appear as Stredder in other articles?  

3) George was in Chatel France, surrounded by the Argonne Forest. 

4) George could read and write.  His mother was a school teacher during the Reconstruction era.  She was only fourteen when she started teaching, but we didn't know how well George wrote.  I did know all five of his sister were well educated.  One attended Emporia, Kansas State Normal School for teachers.  But it's good to know that George, the second child could also read and write. 

5) The family letters were reaching George while he was serving in France. 

6) George somehow got lost in the Argonne Forest alone. More information on this may be in the Morning Reports. 

7) George was in a quartet. He seemed quite proud of this.  Note:, my father was also a good singer. 

8) George saw up to 45,000 German prisoners at one time.  Was he at a POW camp?
9) George was involved in raids that included gas bombs.Yes, g-uncle George was injured in the war, but unlike the story G-Grandma like to tell, it was not from front line action!

10) The letter gave information about other local black soldiers.

• Daniel Baugh was from Barton County, KS.  He worked for the railroad when he came home from the war and lived in Geneseo, KS.  
• Arthur Stewart was from Sterling Kansas, and was a farm worker before and after the war. 
• And as stated, Booker was from Great Bend. I knew him.  

G-Uncle George came home, but soon after he went to St. John, Stafford County, and lived with his oldest sister. Like my grandfather, g-uncle George was a car mechanic. 

Again, special thanks to Greg Stredder! 

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy@gmail.com
Accurate, accessible answers.

4 Must Polish Research Collections

Archival Jurisdictions

At a3Genealogy we encourage our clients to research their family lines. So right now, as I'm writing this post, an Australian-based client is currently researching in Warsaw and forwarding to us his findings and documents. We work with our clients -"teamwork" - to get answers on their ancestral brickwalls. In this case, it is the client who is the document retriever, and a3Genealogy researchers will analyze documents, follow the Genealogical Proof Standards (GPS), and work toward proving kinship to meet the objective of "Who are the parents of Stephanus...? (Truncated for client privacy). 

Sources for Polish Research

Rudzinski Folder online:The Head Office of the State Archives 

Our Polish ancestral projects are broad in scope.  The last project was for an Israel-based American who wanted EU status, through his Polish ancestor.  That was a fun project!  We must note that many of our Polish ancestral projects require us to start right in America, so our top Polish resources include Poland research, online research, and American research.  Here are four of our favorites:

1. Central Archives of Historical Records Warsaw

Central Archives of Historical Records Warsaw

If you haven't visited the Central Archives of Historical Records Warsaw or one of the other national Poland archives, well, you are missing a treat. The Central Archives of Historical Records Warsaw or Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie, AGAD, holds a wealth of genealogical information (AGAD).  Visit the AGAD  link to read about it in Polish, or have your page translated (right click mouse and choose translate). 

2.  PIASA Archives

Although our current Polish ancestral research project does not include a Polish American component, we must sneak in an underutilized American collection. We love the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America PIASA Archives.  Yes, this collection can be a bit academic, but so worth the time.  Here's information based on their website: The archival manuscripts are included in seventy-five collections.

"The archival collections include manuscripts, 

correspondence, diaries, maps and sound recordings."

3. The Head Office of the State Archives and Databases

A quick look at The Head Office of the State Archives Sezam and Zosia Databases is a great place to begin your research.  We often use this as a finding aid, and send the "Nerd Team" to the site to ferret out information. Yes, we affectionately call a few of our researchers the "Nerd Team."  They consider it a a badge of honor. Here is information on the various databases and Poland Holdings of the Polish State Archives.   

3.  Poland Archives and Libraries at Family History Library

If your research lands you on needed State Archival collections, the a3Genealogy team relies on the Family History Library for their microfilmed/digitized Polish State Archives collection.  Since not all of the State Archives records were microfilm, you may need to make a written request for document retrieval.  Here's more information on the Poland State Archives records. 

Teaming with Document Retriever

The a3Genealogy researchers follow basic protocols, dare we say Standard Operating Procedures, to work with the document retrievers around the world. Our clients taking on this role also follow the basic procedures. We know when researchers are in a "genealogical research zone", there are two things often forgotten:  1) Giving distinguishing file names to each document; 2) Citing sources. Now that can be a problem, when we need to go back to the repository or archive for further research! So for anyone retrieving documents, here are things to consider as you pull those precious nuggets of ancestral leads: 

Shared Documents

Where will shared documents be stored?  At a3Genealogy we use Box.com, Dropbox, and Google Drive, based on the retriever's experience.  Our retrievers may send us documents in any legible form (scanned, phone cameras, by snail mail, email, messaging, etc).  We ask for full pages to include margins. Then we file the documents in the appropriate folders. 

Files Folders and Identification System

The biggest issue is that a project may have multiple "Stephanus" in each generation (cousins, direct line, uncles, etc).  So your files and folders must clearly determine which "Stephanus". Researchers want an at a glance filing system!  That's a major time saver. 

Citing Sources

So this is where we have broad guideline for clients, but professional document retrievers for hire should know to follow GPS standards for citations. Ok, our overseas retrievers often use a different citation format, but it usually meets our needs. Just remember to cite! For clients we have them jot down everything they can about the collection: name, folder number from archives, collection name, etc.  This can be given to the a3Genealogy team via handwritten notes, phone pics, etc. and we sort it out for proper citation. 

Just a few Polish  repository and research tips and tricks.  

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy@gmail.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Homes for Unwed and Troubled Women 1869 – 1950

Where Are the Records?

 Seattle Advertisement for Florence Crittenton Home

Usually we find out by accident that Grandma was born in a home for unwed mothers. Sometimes, we figure it out, by the surname throughout her historical records, where a father is not listed, or the maternal family surname is the only one used. Sometime, we just deduce it correctly, when the family lived in rural America, yet, Grandma was born in a woman friendly town like Kansas City. Who was Grandma’s father will always be a family secret, or, the gossip of the hometown, but perhaps more information can be found in the records of the place of birth, especially if it was a home for unwed mothers.

History of Homes for Unwed Mothers

Florence Crittenton Home, Kansas City

Homes for unwed mothers and “troubled” women were becoming a common place by the early 1890’s. As early as 1869 the sisters of St. Vincent opened The House of Providence, a program for unwed mothers and their children, as did many other cities.

Charles Nelson Crittenton

By 1893 Charles Nelson Crittenton, grieving the death of his four year old daughter Florence who suffered from scarlet fever in 1882, founded Florence Night Mission. This Mission was designed to assist the prostitutes, troubled “lost and fallen women and wayward girls” of New York City.

By 1895 Dr. Kate Waller Barrett, an Episcopalian minister’s wife and mother of six, joined forces with Dr. Crittenton. Dr. Barrett’s primary interest was to assist unwed mothers. After completing her nursing course in 1894 at the Florence Nightingale Training School in London and her medical degree at the Women’s College of Georgia, in Atlanta, she and Crittenton partnered to establish up to 73 homes for unwed expectant mothers across America.[1] The National Florence Crittenton Mission became a well known safe-haven for unwed, troubled girls. Most of the homes served between 8-15 girls, but then there were the larger Florence Crittenton homes, like that in Kansas City.

Willows Maternity Home, KCMO

Other private homes for unwed mothers, or troubled women like “The House of Another Chance” in Seattle which opened in 1926, assisted up to 150 women. And the The Willows Maternity Home, founded in 1905, in Kansas City was noted for its significant influence in adoptions. 

Homes for Colored Girls

Based on the times, the colored girls had their own homes for unwed mothers. In 1925 in Kansas City, there was the Florence Home for Colored Girls. Although named after the Critenton’s daughter, it was funded by the philanthropist William Volker. 

Kansas City – The Baby Hub of the US

According to statistics, Kansas City was the baby hub and a safe-place for unwed mothers. It was located in the middle of the US with convenient access to the railroad. A railroad map into Kansas City was featured on the “Interesting Willows’ Statistics” pamphlet printed in 1921 by Willows Maternity Home.

At that time, Kansas City also was the home of the Florence Crittenton Home, The St. Vincent’s Hospital, Eastside Maternity Hospital (often called the Kansas City Cradle due to its close association and history, but this relationship is a bit misleading) and the Florence Home for Colored Girls.

Where are the Records?

Some of the workers kept diaries that have been preserved for these homes as the chronicles of the Florence Crittenton Home in Montana. The records for the Florence Crittenton Mission in Kansas City are held at the Missorui Valley Special Collections. The Florence Crittenton Home of Norfolk records are held in the Old Dominion University Libraries, Special Collections: Manuscripts. However, some records were destroyed, as those at the Willows Maternity Home, in Kansas City. These records were supposedly “piled in the backyard and burned.” 

Be sure to check with State Historical Societies and manuscripts for these records. 

Note on Adoptions: Although the homes mentioned in this post historically encouraged the women to keep their child, the same homes were used as adoption agencies.

[1] The New York Times, 17 Nov. 1909, Page 9; http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F06E3DA1630E733A25754C1A9679D946897D6CF, online access 19 May 2010

Reprint of 19 May 2010, title of same name.

a3Genealogy

Accurate, Accessible Answers

a3genealogy@gmail.com

New Genealogy TV Show - "I Should Have Known"

PRESS RELEASE

I Should Have Known

The new TLC pilot, I Should Have Known, aired Monday, 26 Nov 2018.  "I Should Have Known," proves to be much more than a genealogy show. 

Kathleen Brandt, of a3Genealogy (KCMO), is an International Professional Genealogist, Licensed Private Investigator, and a host of the show. She has joined others to help "Lindsay" and Francisco wade through their "new life secrets."

I Should Have Known
(click here for full episode)

Here is what TLC says:

           I Should Have Known

Lindsey [sic] and Francisco's lives get turned upside down when they learn a life altering secret that makes them question who they even are?  Now struggling with the fact they were lied to their entire lives, they each embark on a mission to uncover the truth.  

Be sure to sign into your provider to access the online full episode of the show. We'd love your feedback on the show.

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy@gmail.com
Accurate, Accessible Answers
(original post, 25 Nov 2018, revised)

Genealogy Gift Certificate - Black Friday

10 Hours $750.00 USD

Offer Expires 6 Jan 2019  

It's too late to ask for an ancestry family tree by Christmas, but .... we have just what you need! Genealogy 

Need a Last Minute Gift Certificate? 

Every year we do it! We need a special gift for Mom, Dad, the Family and our brain goes blank. At a3Genealogy we recognize the panic in your voice, your emails and your facebook posts.  So again this year, we are offering our Holiday Special (code #88) off our 10 hour $80.00/hour packages. (A savings of $50.00.)

Special Holiday Promotion 

Code #88 extends a $50.00 discount on four of our most popular packages: 1) Basic Family Research Package  2) Consultant Package  3) Military Package 4) DNA Analysis Package. You must purchase research projects in 10 hour increments. Special Holiday Promotion Code #88 does not apply to other Packages to include Heirship Research Packages, Media Packages, Dual Citizenship Packages, or Adoption Packages. Promotion Code #88 expires 6 Jan 2019.  

Popular Packages Plus More

10 Hour Basic Family Research Package:  This family research package typically includes two surname lines. Know that our research is not just an ancestry.com or internet searches but may include researching for military, naturalization documents, court records, and records held at Federal, State and County repositories. USA only.

10 Hour Consultant Package:  This package is designed for the aspiring genealogist, but genealogy professionals often request it. Are you a family historian or genealogist and need help with your brickwall?  You do the research, but we will be your partner and guide you via conference calls, emails and local meetings.  We have experts across the USA and many overseas that can also coach you through local issues. We often assist in your document retrieval needs.  

10 Hour Military Package:  For your Revolutionary War soldier WWII veteran, and all those in between, we can design a research project to honor your ancestor.

10 Hour DNA Analysis Package: Your results are in, but what does this all mean?  We can use DNA Analysis Package, to assist in solving a brick wall, planning a trip overseas, or even connecting you to your biological family. This is not a comprehensive Adoption Package, but this might be just the package you need.

Notes:

• Be sure to visit our webiste: a3Genealogy.com
• a3Genealogy Gift Certificates can be applied to any research project. Gift certificates are activated upon payment.
• Contact us for more information, or make your holiday purchase here: Gift Certificate #88. Happy Holidays!
• Projects for Promotion Code #88 must be scheduled by 1 April 2019. 
• All gift certificates are activated upon payments. Clients will receive an expiration and ID code to confirm activation. 
• For phone purchase, contact Kathleen Brandt at 816-729-5995. 

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy 

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Which County in Ireland?

John Burns, Wisconsin, Milwaukee County, 1836 Probate Records

A Non-Stop Party

My older brother used to say “it ain’t nothing but a party.” While in college, his motto was "you don't go home until you are exhausted. Just because the party stopped, you don't stop. YOU are not exhausted. There were after parties, a friend’s house to play games, and meetups after the after-parties at IHOP. That was my brother Lance’s philosophy on life. I, on the other hand, am a genealogy nerd.

The Issue - Needle in a Haystack

The person I'm looking for is John Burns.  Well, at least that was his name in the USA - Wisconsin in 1836. I know he was born in Ireland, but without strong hints supported with solid research, finding the "correct" John Burns in Ireland is the proverbial looking for a needle in a haystack. He's there somewhere, but where? So I must exhaust my USA research. 

What’s Hidden in the Wills?

But, when we have projects like our Burns, Barnds, and Byrnes (yes, those are some of our B clients along with Britt, Burnett, and Brundage), we call it a party at a3Genealogy. We don’t stop until we’ve exhausted all of our party resources. Of course in this case, the party includes "all possible involved parties."  

Our researchers and clients are usually enrolled for the long haul.  We keep them informed of our progress, disappointments, and surprises along the way.  But sometimes they make us laugh. Like today, when a client asked, “why do you need to look at wills and probates to find the parents and origin of my John.” Here’s why!

Family Names

"...my sisters Catherine Burns, Bridget Burns and Aunty Burns and to Patrick Burns (a son of my brother John Burns by the widow Carrel...)

Year of Migration: 1831

..."when I left Ireland in the year A. D. 1831.

But, From Where In Ireland?

"That there may be no mistake I here give the Post Office address of my said sisters and brothers [sic] son when I left Ireland in the year A. D. 1831 as follows, to wit: Bonafair [?]* in the county of Kilkenny, Ireland, their residence prior to that time was at Lochland Bridge [Leighlinbridge?]in the county of Carlow, an adjoining county."

Worth it?

We have about a dozen more wills on the Burns of Wisconsin before coming to any conclusion. But did the client really want us to overlook this one?

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy.com
Accurate, accessible answers

Notes: *Bonafair as written has not been located in County Kilkenny.  Perhaps Ballyfoyle, but this has not been proven. 

Join Me 21 Aug - DNA Genetics & Medical Genealogy

Freshly home from a day at the Lincoln - Lancaster (NE) County Genealogical Society (LLCGS) Fall Annual Seminar! Now that was fun.  I presented 4 great topics to a wonderful group. I am sure to see you all again soon.

1) 10 Best Bets to Civil War Research
2) Finding Your Revolutionary War Soldier
3) Oral and Family History: sharing Our Ancestors
4) The Changing Surname - How to Trace It  (new offering). 

Thanks you LLCGS for hosting me, and a special thanks to Dennis Allen and Cris Nagla of Genealogical Treasures from Des Moines, IA for being so supportive.

DNA Series Genetic & Medical Genealogy

Now, to the upcoming excitement: DNA Series Genetic & Medical Genealogy hosted by the North Oak branch of Mid-Continent Public Library.

This is a class that will not disappoint! Genealogy test results have helped us find long lost relatives, assists investigators in uncovering criminals, and helps us identify medical risks, and genetic health ties to our ancestors.  Learn the tools, your medical risks,  and how to trace your genetic genealogy.  This is not a medical class. It's how to get the most out of your DNA test results and how to track more on your genealogy charts.  Yes, there's a standard for the charts.

Hope to see you Tues: 21 Aug 2018, 6:30 - 7:30.  Visit the Registration Link here.

Kathleen Brandt
a3Genealogy.com
Accurate, accessible answers

How to Trace the Changing Surname

The Lincoln - Lancaster Genealogical Society (Nebraska) specifically asked for this presentation.  It's an eyeopener. We click, and click and click and never find that elusive ancestor.  I suggest you pull away from the redundant clicking and attack this issue with a plan. 

Women and Surnames

We know that in 1866 there was an article on Keeping Their Maiden Names in Addition to the Husbands Surname. Wow! Our ancestors were progressive.  You did it, didn't you? You just googled what actresses in 1866?  Then you realized, oh....stage!  

Norwegian Surnames

Well, surnames have always been a pain. This early writer attempted to make sense of Norwegian Names. 

 

 So when someone says to you...the records just don't exist.   Think about it! Our ancestors even had their names legally changed through the courts, or in the military.  

1917, Inquirer, PA, Vol 176, Issue 25, pg. 10

I mean really how did: 

• Ber become Berkowicz (and many other variations)
• Banham became King
• Samuelsson became Tinberg
• Sadorkiewicz become Weinstock
• Whitaker became Bagshaw.  
• And, where did Cuplin even come from? All of the close DNA matches were Copelands.   Yes, we have to pull out all the stops, including DNA to solve this surname changing issue! 

So Where Are the Records?
In all the usual spots, repositories, historical collections. But, we must have a keen eye on the documents. Here are a few: 

• National Archives especially for 1) Native American Indian to Enrollee Names, 2) Prisoner aliases 3) Military Records
• Court Records for alias prisoners
• State Archives: especially for early Americans where name changes were noted in minutes
  

  

  1754, Pennsylvania Archives, fold3.com
• Prison Records: State prison records, and Attorney General Criminal Records (for some reason, duh, men and women criminals had lots of names). 
• Naturalization and Declaration of Intent Records (be sure to study them and pair with ship manifest. 
• Social Security Applications and Claims
• Marriage Records

That's where we start! Of course there are so many more resources we must scour to identify and verify!

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

accurate accessible answers 

Penitentiary Records

NY, Governor's Registers of Commitment to Prisons, 1842-1908 ancestry.com

12 State Prison  Research Treasures

From Alaska to Arkansas, California to Connecticut or Maine to Montana every state in the Union has state prisons, sometimes called the State Penitentiary. California has 33! As “black sheeps” and criminals sprinkle every family tree (if you look hard enough), prison records are a gem to family genealogists and historical researchers.

Find Your Blacksheep  

Liberty Tribune, 1857

Liberty Tribune, 1855

Although your black sheep may have visited the city jail, county jail, or Federal Penitentiary, be sure to check the following resources for those held in state prisons or penitentiaries. Although census records may enumerate your ancestor as “resident” of the penitentiary, remember newspaper articles provide accounts of not only the crimes, but often the trial, and witness statements.  In addition the details of your ancestor’s crime can be uncovered in a series of the following state held documents.

Top 12 Collections to Research

Many of the following records can be found at State Archives or the State Historical Society, but we have also noted collections that may be found in university collections.

1. Original court case. With a bit of legwork, researchers may find copies of an original court case in the county courthouse, the State courthouse or at the federal level.
2. Warden Papers. Most states have an extensive collection of Warden Papers. Maryland Historical Society Warden Papers date from 1797-1851.
3. Prison Escapes. Of course the newspapers announced escapees, but also official papers may be located in the Board of Inspectors Records. Excess escapes often led to investigations of the lessee’s management of the prison by the Penitentiary Board of Inspectors.
4. Penitentiary Board of Inspectors Records. It’s not always clear how collections cross the states, but the Missouri Board of Inspectors Records 1843-1854 can be located at the University of Michigan, William L. Clements Library: Finding Aid for Mo. Penitentiary Board of Inspectors Records 1843-1854.
5. Discipline Papers. Guards and Wardens recorded “official’ disciplinary actions and so did prisoner advocates. Researchers may find records, like the Journal of Prison Discipline and Philanthropy dated as early as 1845 from the Philadelphia Society for Alleviating the Miseries of Public Prisons.
6. Penitentiary Physician Collections. Physician reports can most likely be located at the State Archives.  The Texas State penitentiary from 1860 - 1880 is located at the Texas State Archives, 1846-1921.
7. Pardon Papers. Although Pardon Papers may be extensive with explanation of decision, or may be as scant as a Certificate of Pardon, these collections are useful. Often pardons were initiated by community petitions. 
   
8. Papers of Governors. As pardons were issued by the Governors, these papers are crucial in understanding a “missing” prisoner, a pardoned prison, or one note housed in the prison. Governor’s papers were often preserved and may be found at the State Archives as is the case for Missouri. Papers of Governor Meredith Miles Marmaduke have been salvaged from 9 Feb 1844 – 20 Nov 1944 and those of Governor Thomas Reynolds from 1840 to 19 Feb 1844 are available.
   
   
9. The Journal of the Senate. Names and events provided in the Senate Journal of the State provide delightful hints to prisoners and activities of the penitentiaries. A good example is the Journal of the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1841).
10. County Histories. County Histories are commonly found at local libraries, State Archives, and online. It’s a welcomed surprise to find one’s ancestors in these county history books.
11. State Historical Reviews. The Missouri Historical Review held a wonderful article on Strangers to Domestic Virtues: Nineteenth-Century Women in the Missouri Prison by Gary R. Kremer that proffered a wealth of knowledge.
12. Dissertations and Thesis. The study of Prisons and the culture of penitentiaries has long been a favorite for graduate studies. Be sure to read "A History of the Missouri State Penitentiary, 1833-1875" written by William Charles Nesheim, M. A. thesis, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 1971).

Other Tips & Hints to Prison Research

Researchers will find that some documents will separate inmates by race and gender. The New York, Prisoners Received at Newgate State prison, 1797-1810 enumerates Black Women, Black Men and Foreigners separately.  This annual account of prisoners in the State Prison lists includes the crime.

The following records have been digitized on ancestry.com:  

• New York, Prisoners Received at Newgate State Prison, 1797-1810
• New York, Governor's Registers of Commitments to Prisons, 1842-1908
• Alabama Convict Records (county and state), 1886-1952
• Louisiana, State Penitentiary Records, 1866-1963

Review Penitentiary Records: Part I Women in Prison

And your military veteran may have served a few months in a county jail for being a "slacker" and not reporting to draft office on time.  More to come on this one later. 

Kathleen Brandt

a3Genealogy.com

Accurate, accessible answers

Freedom, Rights, and Independence Day

The African American 4th of July

Today Americans of all colors, race and religion are free to join in the festivities of the 4th of July.  Not to dampen the spirit, but we can't forget that in 1776 slavery was a welcomed institution even while the words freedom and rights were widespread. Colonies fought against the British forces in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783 for such freedoms and rights that were not extended to slaves for another 80 plus years. 

African American Revolutionary Soldiers
In some states, like North Carolina,  free-coloreds, like my ancestor Ned Griffin, were allowed to serve as soldiers, others as laborers.  Slaves, too, served as substitutes for white men.  In exchange they were most often promised their freedom, as my ancestor, Ned Griffin.  But they had to fight in the field, and then upon their return to their home state, had to fight in court, for the freedom promised to them. 

Ned Griffin
An Act for Enfranchising Ned Griffin, Late the Property of William Kitchen.
[An Act for Enfranchising Ned Griffin, Late the Property of William Kitchen Colonial Records. Acts of the North Carolina General Assembly, 1784 April 19, 1784 - June 03, 1784; Volume 24, Pages 543 - 649.]

I. Whereas, Ned Griffin, late the property of William Kitchen, of Edgecomb county, was promised the full enjoyments of his liberty, on condition that he, the said Ned Griffin, should faithfully serve as a soldier in the continental line of this State for and during the term of twelve months; and whereas the said Ned Griffin did faithfully on his part perform the condition, and whereas it is just and reasonable that the said Ned Griffin should receive the reward promised for the services which he performed;
II. Be it therefore Enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby Enacted by the authority of the same, That the said Ned Griffin, late the property of William Kitchen, shall forever hereafter be in every respect declared to be a freeman; and he shall be, and he is hereby enfranchised and forever delivered and discharged from the yoke of slavery; any law, usage or custom to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding. 

As many as 10% of the Continental Army soldiers were African Americans. Ancestor Ned Griffin, served in The Battle of Guilford Courthouse, March 15, 1781. The following history is available on the History from the National Park Service, Guilford Courthouse website.

Ned Griffin, a “Man of mixed Blood,” served as William Kitchen’s substitute in the North Carolina Militia.  William Kitchen deserted the army prior to the battle of Guilford Courthouse and purchased Griffin to serve in his place.
Hiring a substitute was a common practice for those who could afford it. In this case, Kitchen promised Griffin his freedom upon return. Griffin fulfilled his service (it is believed to have been at the battle of Guilford Courthouse), but Kitchen instead sold him back again into slavery [upon his return].
In April 1784 Griffin petitioned the North Carolina General Assembly for his freedom based on Kitchen’s “promise.”  The assembly acted quickly and enacted legislation that freed and enfranchised Ned Griffin and declared him “forever delivered and discharged from the yoke of slavery.”

The Slave and the Fourth of July
If the 4th of July is a celebration of the birth of America's independence, and the works of the Continental Congress' adoption of the 1776 Declaration of Independence, filled with fireworks and cookouts, one must be reminded that it was not the birth of its citizens freedoms or independence.  

In July 1852 Frederick Douglass, a former slave and a leader in the Abolitionist Movement was invited by the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester, New York to speak at the Independence Day celebration. Millions of Americans of African descent were yet trapped in the tyranny of slavery decades after the Revolutionary War. Douglass delivered his Meaning of July Fourth for the Negrospeech as planned. First paying tribute to the United States, to Jefferson, to the Founders, to the Declaration of Independence, he then shared his "What, to the American slave, is your Fourth of July?" famous oration. This excerpt well explains not only what Ned Griffin endured for years after serving in the Revolutionary War, but the pains of his fellow plantation mates, not yet free. Douglass speaks on the limited celebration of Independence Day:

I say it with a sad sense of the disparity between us. I am not included within the pale of this glorious anniversary! Your high independence only reveals the immeasurable distance between us. The blessings in which you, this day, rejoice are not enjoyed in common. The rich inheritance of justice, liberty, prosperity, and independence bequeathed by your fathers is shared by you, not by me. The sunlight that brought light and healing to you has brought stripes and death to me. This Fourth of July is yours, not mine. You may rejoice, I must mourn. To drag a man in fetters into the grand illuminated temple of liberty, and call upon him to join you in joyous anthems, were inhuman mockery and sacrilegious irony.

Kathleen Brandt

a3genealogy@gmail.com