2023 WikiTree Challenge 4: The week has ended to research for Freedman Bureau Friday/Descendants of Enslaved Communities [closed]

Question

Hello WikiTreers!

Please join us for the current WikiTree Challenge. For each challenge, we partner with another group in the worldwide genealogy community. Together we research seven degrees of connections for seven starting people chosen by our partner.

For challenge #4 our partner was Freedmen Bureau Friday, a group associated with the Descendants of Enslaved Communities at the University of Virginia (DEC-UVA) and led by Dr. Shelley Murphy, lead Descendant Project Researcher at the University of Virginia. Their mission is to research and honor the legacies of enslaved and free Black communities and assist their descendants in the Virginia area. Dr. Shelley's group meets weekly to work on developing family trees, primarily with the Freedman's Bureau records.

Our week began Thursday, February 16th, at noon EST (5pm UTC) and ended February 23rd, at noon EST. You didn't need any particular skills to participate, so everyone was welcome to join us. If you did happen to have any experience with records for enslaved ancestors, then your experience was especially valuable for this one. 

We love to show our friends what genealogy collaboration can accomplish! 

This week has now ended. Please watch the G2G forum for the Highlights post. Any comments added to the top now will be hidden once read.

Comments

Join us in Discord: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Help:Discord

Answer 1

Ellen Barrett

Connection Bounty: Connection bounty claimed!!

Brick Wall Ancestor: Ellen (Barrett) Cornett

Comments

I have found a Jeff Barrett listed at FamilySearch as a Pvt in the 118 U>S> Col'd Infantry on the Union Side.  It appears that he enlisted in Troup Co, GA.  The record is not available; but the info comes from www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FSVQ-Q2N.  Fold3, which I do not subscribe to, also lists him as a Pvt. in Company D as having enlisted in 1864, being 19 years old, and being discharged as a Pvt.  It appeared there may be 18 pages.  I hope someone can review these documents, because he may be related to Ellen Barrett. Thanks!

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Thanks Elizabeth! We'll take a look.

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The Jeff Barrett listed with the 118th US Colored Infantry was born in Covington, Kentucky. He was a musician - a drummer.

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Thank you for checking.  I've spent a little time looking at Barretts in Troup Co, GA, which became a county in 1826 after Creek Indian removal; and in Covington, Kenton Co, KY, but have not found useful info so far.

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the connection of Ellen was a team effort. I noted the potential connection, Emma found/noted the final piece of evidence we needed, and Kate did the merge.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Barrett-14587

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Cornett-1511

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Meeks-2625

(see comments at bottom of the profile)

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Congrats - and thank you Emma, S, and Kate!

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Bravo!  This is very helpful.   Liz

Answer 2

Miles C. Haney

Connection Bounty:

Brick Wall Ancestor: Miles C. Haney

Answer 3

Dolly (Epps) Burn

Connection Bounty:

Brick Wall Ancestor: Janie (Spence) Brown Solved!!

Comments

trees at Ancestry show Spence as a married name to a Unknown Spence (marriage would be after 1900 and ends before 1903), and Ancestry trees say she is a daughter of Fannie Gray, who ends up marrying Calvin May. however Fannie has 3-4 children before that marriage (Janie being one), with a potential Abe Adams. in the 1880 these children are with their mother and maternal grandparents with the last name of Gray. in 1900, Janie (if it is actually this Janie) is using her stepfather’s name of May. It is clear as mud and no guarantee it is the same person thru all of this.

potential mother https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LBF3-VFQ

there are two Janie’s attached to Wash Brown at familysearch. one pre marriage and unsure if it is truly her (and not sure what the lnab should be), and one with the last name Spence with all records after marriage to Wash Brown.

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Hmm, sounds convoluted S! Have you had anyone in Discord take a look?

Answer 4

Alice Moorman

Connection Bounty: Bounty claimed on this line!!

Brick Wall Ancestor: Lilla Burch

Comments

I added a link to the main tree for the Moorman line by linking existing son Patterson-20316 to new mother profile Ellis-28187

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Nice work Donna!!

Answer 5

Ned Mason

Connection Bounty:

Brick Wall Ancestor: Annie Marie (Watson) Henley

Comments

Moving this comment here:

Rosalie (Martin-58790) — Today at 2:23 AM

I am connecting https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jackson-54550 to her father https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Jackson-48965 who has been on WT since 2022 based on the research note I have put on her profile (edited)

Answer 6

Turner Robert Malone

Connection Bounty:

Brick Wall Ancestor: Sherman Fielder Solved!!

Comments

I think I have the parents of Sherman Fielder https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fielder-1076 documented on his profile now.

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That looks good Ambar! Thanks for the detailed research notes!!

Answer 7

Louis McGill

Connection Bounty: Bounty claimed on this line!!

Brick Wall Ancestor: Francis White

Comments

I connected Worsley-953 to existing Worsley-891.

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Congratulations, and thank you Charles! I've awarded your bounty points.

Answer 8

Count me in!

Comments

Great, Kate! Welcome to the challenge. I hope you can join us in Discord for chat during the challenge week.

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I'm sure I will be there, with most of the USBH team! :)

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Hi Kate! I'm going to be there with ya!

Becky Elizabeth

Answer 9

I’m so excited for this! I’m captaining the week, I’m delighted to work together with y’all!

Comments

Yippee!

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Congratulations on becoming a Captain, Eileen - you are going to love it. I hope you have a very successful week!

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I'm not the captain, Cheryl. Elaine is the captain. Our names are similar. 

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Ohhh - I am so sorry - well I am glad that you are joining us anyway.

Answer 10

Count me in, too.

Comments

Thanks for joining us again, Karen.

Answer 11

Yes, I would like to contribute!

Comments

Hi Patty - Thank you for joining us. I hope you can join us in Discord for chat during the challenge week.

Answer 12

sign me up

Comments

Hey Tommy, thanks for joining us for another week.

Answer 13

i will help

Comments

Great to have you back again, S.

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Our connecting hero!!

Answer 14

Try and keep me out! ;)

Comments

I love your attitude, Ambar!

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I guess you are hooked - Great to have you for another week, Ambar.

Answer 15

I love working in the Freedmen's Bureau documents! Count me in!

Comments

Carole,  so wonderful to have you with us. I hope you can join us in Discord for chat during the challenge week.

Answer 16

Count me in, please!

Comments

Amy, thanks for joining us. I hope you can join us in Discord for chat during the challenge week.

Answer 17

I'll be happy to work on this week's challenge!

Comments

Hi Lucy - glad to have you back for another week.

Answer 18

Sign me up, please!

Comments

Hi Suzanne. Thank you for registering for next week's challenge. I hope you will be able to join us on Discord for chat during the challenge week.  Good luck.

Answer 19

Squeeeee!! I am so excited about this. I'll be taking that week off so we can rock their world

Comments

Fantastic, Emma!  I'm so excited about this challenge, too!  I have to work, but will be putting in as much time as I can.  <3

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Dear Emma,

    I am sorry that I will not be able to participate in the Freedman's Bureau research week. I will be away on a sailboat with no internet! I bet you guys will find a lot of great information.  Enjoy. -NGP

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We are excited to have you and your project Emma!

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Thanks for registering for another great challenge week, Emma.

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Hey Nanette- that sounds fabulous. Be safe and have fun! Happy sailing!

Answer 20

I'll so some too.

Comments

Carolyn, that is great - Thanks for registering. I hope you will be able to join us on Discord during the challenge week to chat with other team members.