Monday, July 22, 2013

Martha is On The Haunt Again

These past few weeks I have been thrown some reminders about my 2xgreat grandmother. So I think she is pushing her presence again. Whether it is talk about the Holloway's or some unexpected research Martha is on the Haunt again.

As long as I have been researching this family there is always something new to learn. A couple of days ago I was told about a different type of census record. Those records are called State census. They were taken in years between the Federal Census and were designed to collect specific data. Dependent upon the state data could include needs of communities; tallies of school-age children; censuses of military strength, cavalry horse resources, and even monitor African Americans moving into the northern cities.

A fellow historian and newly found out family member via DNA spoke to me about the 1869 South Carolina State Census Record. While conducting some research for her own family she found what we think is my grandfather Jefferson Yeldell Grandmother and a possible Aunt. This census does not list everyone in the household by name but only those 21 and older. The census list Martha Brooks (my 2x great grandmother) with two women and five men (I believe that is the number she gave me). This is possible because by 1869 Martha had a daughter and five boys. It goes into more detail by giving approximate ages listed like 6 and under and so on. Now as important as this is there was something else even more important and that was the finding of two more Black Brooks.

The first one was a Becky Brooks. Becky had young girls in her household but I am not sure of the number. At first I thought she was Martha's daughter Rebecca but I realized that she would not be old enough to be listed so I realized this could be a sister or maybe even a mother to Martha Brooks. Exciting Right! Well there is more.

There was also a male found who was old enough to be mentioned. Natonne may have shared with me the amount of people in his household whether they were boys or girls or men or women. But it all went away when she told me his name. You see his name was Jefferson Davis Brooks....When I heard that name she kept talking but I really didn't hear her. All I could do was wonder is this my grandfather's grandfather or maybe his father's peter's uncle either way I knew that this was where my grandfather got his name.

So now that I have learned of other types of census records I will be making my way to Columbia, SC when I go to Edgefield in September. It is there that I have to find the state census records where I will look for all of our ancestors born before 1850. Going to SC is definitely going to be an emotional time for me. I only wish someone would be able to go with me.


Until next time...