Looking Back At 2009

As I look back over this year, I feel as I have accomplished a lot through my research on the family tree. It took some time to do. It was nice to find out more things.

I came across three relatives on the Internet. Two of them are searching on ancestry.com. I added more of relatives by using ancestry.com.

It's fun to find out more on the family lineage. I brings some accomplishment on the journey. I have been compiling things as I am on this journey.

I hope that this year was OK for you. Hope that you will have a Wonderful 2010. 2010 is a census year.

May we be counted. Our future generation will be looking back on the records. May they find wonderful finding.

While On The Journey
Looking Back At 2009

Now may we look forward.
There are many good things out there.
May we find them.

Blessings for the New Year.
Susan

The Life Of Isaac Blakey

Written on 9 Aug 2007

Private Isaac BLAKER Civil War U.S.C.H.A. 6th, 5th, and 2nd

* Accepted birth on 30 June 1847 (1845) in Roanoke MO (1845-1849)

* Howard County MO
* Slave owners: Frances (WHITE) BLAKEY John May BLAKEY and (?) others
* Isaac was a slave to the BLAKEY's since he was a small child
* Frances and her son, Y.C. BLAKEY helped raise him up to Isaac being sold and/or ran away 1857 cira -1861

* Civil War Time
* Isaac age 16, 5'3' tall join the MS Union Army on 1 November 1863 as Private Isaac BLAKER
* Served in United States Colored Heavy Artillery Company H. Regiments: 6,5 and 2
* Stationed Natchez MS and Vidalia LA
* Injured in April of 1864 by a bayonet to his left leg
* Honorably discharged on 13 May 1866

* MS Residence
* Married first wife: Martha SCOTT around 1870 cira
* Martha possible died after giving birth to twin sons on 21 June 1871
* Married second wife: Rachel LEFEW/LAFAYETTE (1859-1916)
* MS Natchez and Woodvill MS areas near or on Hew Davis and Woodlong Plantations

* MO Residence
* Chariton County MO around 1880
* Isaac lived in Salisbury area
* By 1890 he was 5'10" tall and was 180 pounds

* According to an Ed WHITE, Isaac was an AFRICAN born in MO
* Isaac was a farmer at age 72
* Died on 23 December 1917 in Salisbury, MO

* Isaac's mother was Julia WHITE
* Isaac's father was Andrew WHITE
* Isaac was buried in Forest Green, MO on Christmas Day 1917

Additional Information on Isaac BLAKEY:
Pensioner: Isaac BLAKEY
Purchased 1983-1984 complete file through the archives.
Solider: Isaac BLAKER
Pension/ Military/ Medical Rank Private
81 pgs 5pgs 1 page

United States
Colored Heavy Artillery Company H 6,5, and 2
Station: Natchez, MS
MS Artillery Mustard out Vidalia, LA 1 November 1863 - 13 may 1866

Information about this story
Description Compiled information on Isaac Blakey, the ex slave from MO.
Date 20 Feb 1993 and 25 March 2000
Location
Attached to Isaac Blakey (1847 - 1917)

A Photo

This was written on 15 Nov 2007
Family History--Yankton Visit----The Photo

"This is the day The LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it". New Living Translation
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Entry September 11, 1985 ...The photo of Great Grandpa and his wife....
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[My] Great Aunt [Mary] talked to us for about ten minutes while we were there, we got a chance to see pictures of our ancestors. The one that I [took] special attention to was a black and white picture of my Great Grandpa Isaac and his wife Rachael.

They were standing posting for a picture. The background was fizzy...[there was] a cow at the left of the picture. My Great Grandpa [Isaac] was wearing a hat. He looked like and elderly old man because he had a cane in his right hand.

His, [Great Grandpa's] suit was dark and [he] had a white shirt on. Also his overall appearance he was slightly bent over. [His skin was] dark complexion with high cheekbones.

My Great Grandpa's wife was called Rachael. She was also [had] dark complexion. Her appearance was somewhat over looking then [Great Grandpa] Isaac's.
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Entry September 13, 1985
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She looked like an over worked woman. There was no expression on her face. She was dressed in a long dress [which was] very decorative.

After I [looked] at that photograph for about a minute, I felt that this [photo represented a key to my family's past and showed me a piece of history...this] was my Great Grandpa. Isaac. I could only image what he looked like. I saw proof of my Great Grandparents existent by a photograph. I never thought that I could actually find a picture of any older generation.

These movements that I was in this house of my Great Aunt [Mary] were unbelievable. Everything she told us was new to us. We didn't know very much about our family's past. She filled us in on what she knew.

She told us that our Grandpa John came to Yankton...very sick. She could not recall the year, but it was around 1913 -1915. She recalled that her husband, Spencer helped [Grandpa] John settle down.

About two weeks past she receives a letter from Jennie, John's wife. [Grandpa] John had died up in Yankton, but [Grandma] Jennie couldn't come and live in Yankton. [I believe that Great Aunt Mary already knew Grandpa John had passed. It is my assumption that Grandma Jennie sent this letter in return of what her plans were.]
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Here is more of what I wrote on September 30, 1985...some is a repeat.
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After I had visited my Great Aunt Mary it was time to go [start back] home. What I have learned would be treasured for a lifetime. Great Aunt Mary was a very friendly old woman. When I visited her, and her granddaughter, Mary told me that she, Great Aunt Mary was not feeling to good but she wanted to see us any way.

What I remember most about my ten minutes visit with Great Aunt [Mary] will be the feedback she gave us as we talked to her. She was a very sharp woman for her 89 years. She told us about her Irish father and her full blood American Indian mother. They, her parents seldom talked in front of her about problems. Yet she reflected on this... trying to show [us "young folks"] about her past...

This visit in Yankton is about to end...But A New Beginning In the Midst To Continue. I will stop here and fill you in on some things.
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As I read over my notes, I noticed a change in how I see "people of age". Now I try not to say "old" man or "elderly" woman nor use a "disability" as a "sign of a cane" for age. I see people with "age" as people who have knowledge and who have wisdom through the years that they have lived. They also experience life on their journey.

As I look back on this visit, in this gathering there were many nationalities represented in the room. Great Aunt Mary's father was Irish, New Guinean and her mother was full blooded American Cherokee Indian... adding with Mary Jane father's bloodline.... African, Spanish, and in her mother's side...French and Sioux / Cherokee American Indian.

We were told that we have some Indian blood through all our Grandparents---Indians Crow, Blackfoot and Cherokee along with African blood and other races in us. We are at least 1/8 Nigerian African from Great Grandpa Isaac. There were at least 9+ races represented in that one visit....I though about a small tribe of God.

I have many other relatives from different nationalities. There are some Mexicans, Whites, and Indian blood relatives in my family. I am not ashame to call them a member of my family.

I would not be surprise if I come across a cousin with blond hair and blue eyes. My mother told me that she heard that her father was born with "sandy color" looking hair and his eyes were somewhat blue. Some of my siblings have hazel eyes.

What am I thankful for ? I thank God for the covenant blessings of HELP, STRENGTH and JOY that God has upon my life. God gives me strength for each day. What joy that I have in the Lord. The joy of the LORD is my strength. I am thankful that I have today.
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Whatever day that you are reading this entry, Have A GREAT Day!
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New Day Dawning! The family history quest continues...~Susie~
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"Faith is not belief without proof but trust without reservation." -- D. Elton Trueblood

Additional information about this story
Description Describing a photo
Date 1981
Location
Attached to Isaac Blakey (1847 - 1917)

Prove: What's In A Name

Written on 15 Nov 2007

Prove--What's In A Name

"This is the day that the LORD has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it." Hebrew Name Version
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It's the 50th day of this year. We have a warm up. It a beautiful day. Enjoy the warm weather.
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What's in a name?
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As I researched my father's lineage, I came up with different surnames. I was thankful that I had a lot of HELP from some of my cousins and other researchers along the journey.

Last week I was in bed reading my Great Grandpa Isaac Blakey's pension records. He had to prove who he was because he was disable due to what happened to him during the Civil War. [I even found one spellings of Great Grandpa Isaac's name as Blakely as well]

Around 1890 Great Grandpa Isaac applied for disability. On a statement dated May 7, 1894 Isaac explained how he was wounded..." that while drilling at camp at Natchez Mississippi in the year of 1864. In the Spring- date not remembered. He was accidentally wounded in the left leg below the knee by a bayonet in the hand of a comrad, name of comrad now forgotten.

Company was at this time (? --ing) drilled by Capt Kelsa Commanding company that said wound has never healed and is now and ever since there was continued a running sore permanently disabling him..." Isaac had trouble finding witnesses to when he was in the war.

The following are three witness that testified for Great Grandpa Isaac. Witness # 1 knew Isaac all of Isaac's life. Witness # 2 knew Isaac when he was a small child. Witness # 3 knew Isaac when they served in the Civil War together. So here are the witnesses to back up Isaac's claim that he, Isaac Blakey and Alais Isaac "Blaker" were one of the same.
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Witness #1 W.C. Harvey, 73 here are his very words dated on February 17, 1899. This statement was handwritten. Who was W.C. Harvey ? The man who advertised Isaac's family up for a sell in 1857 - 1861.

I have known Isaac Blakey all of his life and well just before the Civil War in 1861-1865- that he was sober and orderly and no bad habits that I knew of and so far as I know since he [is] living about 10 miles from me."
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Witness # 2...Y.C.Blakey, 63 Here are his very words ....dated February 15, 1899. This statement was handwritten.

...that he was acquainted with Isaac Blakey from the time that he was a small boy, up to the time of the breaking out of the war of rebellion from 1861 -1865 and knowledge of him was on the wise said Isaac Blakey the above name applicant belonged to his father's family and lived with them up to the time above spoken of when he last saw him, he was at his (Y.C. Blakey's) mother's house in Fayette, MO about the years 1857 to 1861 at which place he was staying at that time.

Affiant further states that Isaac Blakey had previously borne a good reputation as a slave he had no bad or vicious habits that he knew of and as far as he knows he still bears a good reputation affiant states what the fore going statements are made from personal knowledge of the facts stated.

Y.C. Blakey statement on November 18, 1899 in his own handwriting

I have know Isaac Blakey the claimant since he was a child. He belonged as a slave to my mother Francis Blakey and was raised in Howard County until he left home about the breaking out of the war in 1861. She sold him and his (? spelling) mother about that time and they went south. I lost sight of him there and did not again meet him until within the last year but I am satisfied he is the some boy His name is Blakey as that was the "family" name.

Another statement that was by Y.C. Blakey that was typed...dated April 7, 1913.

In relation to the above entitled cause; personally came before me a Notary Public in and for the County of Chariton and State of Missouri; Y.C. Blakey, who's post office address is Salisbury Chariton County, Missouri, a person well known to me to be reputable and entitled to credit, and who by me being duely sworn declare in relation to the aforesaid cause as follows: what he is 78 years old having been born in the year 1835; that he is well acquainted with Isaac Blakey, that he and his mother raised him; and to the best of his knowledge and belief, the said Isaac Blakey was born in the year 1845, that no records now exist showing the state on which the said Isaac Blakey was born. Witness my hand and Seal this the 7th, day of April 1913. (I could not read the notary of public's name.)

Who was Y.C. Blakey? Y.C. Blakey was W.C. Harvey's brother in law and son of Frances White Blakey and W. C. Harvey was the Guardian of the heirs of John Blakey's estate. I just had a thought...1/8 of the slaves were to be sold in 1857 - 1861 each of the children of Frances were to received 1/8 of the sell. Y.C. never acknowledge that he owned Isaac.

Y.C. stated that he and his mother helped raised Isaac. There were only two slaves to Francis....believed to have been a 55 year old woman and a 12 year old male on the 1860 census for the Blakeys.

On one of Great Grandpa's statement he said..." on April 5, 1913 "that he is unable to furnish either public , church or family record showing the date of his birth; the he was raised by the Blakey's, who's early family record has been destroyed; that his young master( several years his senior) Y.C. Blakey, is still living and that he will furnish an affidavit from him."
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Witness # 3 Thomas Napper 53. He is his very own words dated November 8, 1899.
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I was a member of Co "D" 6th Miss and knew claimant Isaac Blakey in the Army in 1864. We were their in Louisiana under Commander of Col Fair and Maj Reynolds The claimant was known as Isaac Blakey and I never know a man in that regiment know as Isaac Blaker.
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I am a minister of the gospel and have been for (? forty or four years) forty years and travel in the State of MO as an evangelist.

Deposition of Thomas Napper by Elais Shafer wrote on April 6, 1900... [ I liked what this man said... even thought it's not spoken,....I believed that Isaac knew about Jesus. If you can read between the lines of what the other witnesses...what they said and what Isaac Blakey said ...there was more to what they saying.]

I am a minister of the Gospel. I served during the Civil War in Co [Company] D 6 U.S.C.H.A. I enlisted in 1864 and served and was discharged 1865 from hospital. I first met this claimant at Natchez, Miss. after enlistment. He was in another co [company] The whole Regt was there in the Fort. I am not now certain what co [company] he was in.

I knew him will. We played marbles together and wrestled with each other. He is the only man I knew of this name or similar name in the Regt. I met him just after the war in Nov last. I was preaching at Forest Green MO. Some 6 miles from where he lived. I recognized him as quick as I saw him as the man I had know in the Regt.

He attended my meetings. He is one of the Deacons of the church. I was then doing special work. I am not quit certain as of the spelling of his name. I think he went b the name of Blakey in the army. I would not say as a fact whether he spell it as Blakey or Blaker. I know he is the same man.

We talked over our Army experiences the recalled events that occurred then so there can be no possible doubt that he is the man I knew in service. I think then is some difference in the spelling of his name. I think it was Blaker - - Blakey but just how he spells it now or how he spelled it then I would not want to say as a fact. I can be positive that he is the same man.

I made a statement for him in Nov last. That statement was correct as you have read it to me. I am not related or interested ..I have understood the question and my answers have been correctly recorded. The words "and was discharged" (? what the three were are ?) 3 were added before witness signed his statement...written by Elais Shafer, Special Examiner.
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I have been thinking about why Great Grandpa Isaac kept the Blakey name. He even used it while he was serving in the Civil War. The Blakey name must have meant something to him. I could only imagine. Indeed Isaac surname was White. His family knew this. I thought how did this come about ?

Francis Blakey's father was John WHITE who was a wealthy man from VA. He left in his will provision for one of his slaves for the rest of her life. That stated something. Also John White (most likely) gave Francis and her husband JOHN BLAKEY land and slaves for a wedding gift. A researcher thought may be Isaac was owned by the Blakey's. His parents were owned by the Whites. I notice that in 1850 census, Francis had her own slaves as well as her husband John.

John Blakey died 25 August 1844. John's estate was in probate court. The slaves Andrew, Julia(n), Mary, Lydia, Linda, Isaac, Spencer, Andrew, and Ben were to be sold. In 1861 Isaac and his mother were the last to be sold. As a researcher share some information with me.... It was most likely that Isaac and his mother were sold to relatives of the Blakey's family in MS.

I believe that Isaac was too young to have ran away to join the army. He had to have had HELP. Isaac was said to have been 14 or 16 when he ran away. Isaac enlisted in Natchez MS. Union Army as occupation , a farmer at age 18... on Nov 1, 1863, He served until May 13, 1866.

Isaac's name at enlisting was Private Isaac BLAKER. He had to prove that he was the same person. Some how that name reminds a mystery. Isaac declared that his name was Isaac BLAKEY.... Alais Isaac Blaker may have been his freedom name that the army gave him. He was believed to have been much younger at enlistment time... He grew 6 inches in about 3 years. His accepted birth was June 30, 1847.

Isaac's family choose the WHITE surname. I can only suppose that Isaac was raised by the BLAKEYs and he liked them so much that he kept their name. When the slave owner John Blakey died his estate was in the court probate.

Isaac knew who his parents and siblings were. I believe that Isaac knew where they were in MS. That's why he found his family so easily. He knew the area. Isaac convinced his family to move to MO. The brother John White was living.

As for the article "Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion" in the early 1970's, some of the early history is a mystery. Isaac was born in Roanoak, MO not in Africa. But however on Isaac's death record...the person who gave the information about Isaac had some knowledge of him. Isaac BLAKEY was an African.

I received a revelation on that one day about a month or so before I was saved. I was listening to radio program. The topic was on Black American or African American which is the "label" for who? I thought to myself...my Great Grandpa Isaac was born in American how can he say that he was an African. You might think that this is weird but, I voice came and said that "his parents were African." I never thought about that.

Isaac's father was Andrew WHITE from VA. His mother was unknown---I believe that her name was Julia(n) born in VA. She had at least 12 children. I believe that Isaac's parents' parents were African's making them stating that they were Africans. [ Isaac had a daughter named Julia and a son named Andrew. Isaac had a total of 20 children with two marriages. There were many same name relatives.]

My cousins stated that what they had been told [by one of Isaac's children] that the family came off the coast of Nigeria. As for the mother and her three sons and daughter ...(?) they could have been another generation. Isaac's mother's or father's parents. There are a lot of same name ancestors.

As for my Grandpa John BLAKEY, Alais John BLAKLEY Sr, he changed his name at some point on the journey from MS to Buchanan County MO. He was hard to trace. All I have on what he done was found through city directories, birth and death records and the US census records.

Somehow someone keep in contact with the different name changes over the years. As my cousin Willie said when she was growing up that "Uncle" John BLAKE would come over to their house to talk with her father.

In a December 25, 1984 letter cousin Willie wrote " I stayed up until 3 o'clock Christmas Eve night. I was trying to find out just who John [Blakley's] Blakey's father and mother was. We know that he always came to our house about every week.

We knew that he was our first cousin, but just lately we have been trying to make out just where he lived, and was he ever married and or have any children. We all loved him. When he came to our house, we didn't ask him any questions. We just called him "Uncle John Blake" in those days. We kids just called everyone that was older than we kids, were. We always called them Uncle and Aunt, men or women..."

Someone must have not forgotten "Uncle" John Blake...there was still some connections. It was during the 1970's First Reunion that the Blakey's and the White's first here of us Blakleys. Someone had to had came in contact with someone. Information was told to someone. Someone knew and told someone about what they knew about the Blakleys.

In conclusion I would like to somewhat end my sharing on this journey on my father's side. At one point in my search I had a thought what if I came across one of the slave holders descendants? I thought... that would be something.

Back during the Spring and Summer of 1993, I came across two other researchers on the BLAKEY side. They were not related to us. However they had information on the slave holders that owned my ancestors. To make a long story short. I came across one of the Great Grand daughter of Y.C. Blakey. She lived in the Kansas City, MO area.

Yeah, I found out her address. I wrote her and tried to explain to her who I was. She deny that she was related to Y.C. Blakey. Something inside me did not give up to share with her about her Great Grandpa Y.C. So I copied some of my Great Grandpa Isaac's pension records of Y.C. Blakey's handwriting. I mailed that information to her long with the other researchers that I have come across over the years.

Not too long after I mailed the package, I received a phone call from this woman. Her name was Mary Ann S. She welcome me...stating yes, she is a descendant of Y.C. Blakey. I never knew whatever happened to Mary Ann. I assume that she is in heaven. She was born in the mid 1920's. We corresponded with Christmas Cards for about 5 years.

Through this journey or my quest on my family history, I came to a point about in 1993 or 1994 asking God for forgiveness and mercy for what went on during the time of slavery. I ask God for forgiveness for my ancestors as well as slaveholders forgiveness for the sake of their descendants' forgiveness. I use to pray everyday for my family bloodline a little while after I came to Jesus in 1993. Now I am back at it. "God save my family bloodline."

I know that I did not come across researching my family history and finding out what I did by accident. I believe that God was there all the way. Where were times when I was about to give up when something "new" on my family lineage would emerge.
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What am I thankful for ? I thank God for the covenant blessings of HELP and LIFE that he has upon my life and my family's lives. I am thankful that I have a family. I was not born by accident. I thank God that I have a life that He has ordained since the being of the foundation of the world.

I thank God that I have a purpose to live for. God is guiding my steps. I thank God for the connection that He has placed in my life. Jesus is on this journey of life with me. I thank God that I can share some of my life with others. I am still on this journey... this journey called life. I thank God that He has giving my LIFE. Life in Jesus Christ.
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It's A New Day Dawning! The quest continues...~Susie~
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Whatever day that you're reading this entry, Have A Fun Day!
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"Obey Him with glad reckless joy." --Oswald Chambers"

Thanksgivng Day Memories

Happy Thanksgiving! Remember, Thanksgiving is not just one day out of a year. Let's have the attitude that thanksgiving is everyday. Amen!

I am thankful that I can gather together with some of my siblings and a few of their children. I believe that this Thanksgiving will be very very special. Be Thankful. God Bless.

Shalom,
Journaling_Susan

P.S.
Praying for the nation of India...
Indians,Westerners, and Israelites.
God protection...

On My Journey Of Transformation: Thanksgiving Day Memories
I've been thinking about some of our family gatherings on Thanksgiving Day. I remember during mid 1970's -1980s when would gather at our family home. I call it "the house that my father built."

We girls would go to the store to buy the food. We had to find the biggest 2 turkeys we could find. It think they were about 25- 30 pound turkeys. We had a lot to family members. The oldest sister did most of the cooking. I can't remember when she started. I always remember her cooking.

We would have a lot to eat. Turkey was not the only meat there. There's ham. (Through the years, chicken, smoked turkey with tasted like ham were served along with other foods.) Here is what I can recall on the list.

There was the usual, stuffing, real mash potatoes and some times gravy, sweet potatoes, yams, macaroni and cheese casserole, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, salad, corn, green beans, peas, spinach with mustard greens, celery sticks, cornbread, dinner rolls, a lot of pumpkin pies, apple pies, other kinds of pies, jelled cranberries, whip cream, cookies, candy canes, misc sweets, a lot of soda pop, water and some egg nog.

We would all gather together to pray, give thanks and bless the meal.
I remember one day a friend ask me this question. How did we eat? It may sound like a silly question. But I did respond with an answer. Just like everyone else, with a fork. When it came time to eat, I ate.

I knew where my friend was coming from. I came from a large family. We all couldn't sat at the table together. When we ate we had to eat in different rooms. We would get our plates. Then found some where to eat.

Some of us would stay at the dinning room table. Others would plant themselves around the T.V. to watch the games in the front room or family room. Some of us would start to gather around 2 PM or 3 PM and some would leave around 5 PM or 6 PM. There the years we would watch a the news when we gather together.

By the 1980's - 1990's we started to have our Thanksgiving Day gatherings at one of our brothers. He lived just down the street from the family home. Our brother's place was much better for us to gather.

There were games to play. I tried to play pool. There's a music to listen to. There was even a dance floor. We had fun. There were even people who would stopped by. Yes, we had a lot of food. There were people taking some food home with them.

I have fond memories of Thanksgiving Day as well as other family gatherings. Now days those who can gather come together. This gatherings are special too.

Some of many siblings have their own families or go to their in laws. Some live out of town. But for those who gather together have kept the tradition. The ones who can't make it call.

We are blessed to have a place to gather each year. There's still a lot of foods. But at times there are a lot less people. I try to record our little gatherings. Each year is different but we have a lot of fun.

Thanksgiving Day Memories:
I hope that this Thanksgiving you will have lots of memories.
May all the trimming be there for you.
Give thanks to God always.

Words From A Psalms:
You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah NKJV Psalm 32:7

Words From Wisdom:
Be diligent to know the state of your flocks. And attend to your herds; NKJV Proverbs 27:23

P.S.
The Gathering... Thanksgiving Dinner
I had a wonderful time. We had a lot of food. It was a special gathering. It has been about 5 years since one of my nephews was here with us on Thanksgiving. There was a lot of laughing going on. We watched football.

This is the Year of New Beginnings. There's about 32 more days left in this year. The door of Hope is still open.

With a thankful heart,
Journaling_Susan

How I Can Across Isaac Blakey's Military Records

Written Feb 2007

The Search Continues On...
" This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. "New Revised Standard
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Entry date October 3, 1985...
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I wanted to find out who was my Great Grandmother [on my father's side.] I could not understand. No one knew who she was. Everyone knew [Great Grandpa] Isaac BLAKEY had a son named John. However the mother's name was lost through the long years of confusion. There were dozens of Blakeys. Many of them had the very same names.

I was very much confused... but I did not give up. I thought to myself that there has to be some kind of document. I checked out genealogy books from the library. I came across information containing persons severing during the Civil War.

The National Archives in the Nation's Capital has information on them. I was certainly over joy and wrote the Archives. A week had passed...I received a yellow piece of paper. It was an application to contain copies on a veteran severing his or her country. I quickly filled it out. There was sample question. Some I could not answer.

Simple questions such as full name of Veteran, war in which state did the Veteran served, place where Veteran lived and so on. I know only that Isaac Blakey severed in the Civil War. [1861 -1865] I guessed how long he was there about 3 years.

I sent the application for military records with five dollars for searching fee. I was excited. Now I will know something more about my ancestors. About a month had past [by] I was wondering when I would receive my information.

I got no reply and then another month past by. Still there was no response. I began to wonder if I had that right address. I knew [that] I did. (It had been a year since I seen Mary Jane [my cousin from Yankton, S.D.]

It was on one cold Fall Saturday afternoon, I was bored. I turned on the radio. My mother came into my room. She wanted me to get the mail. I slowly put my shoes on [and] then put my coat [on]. I walked toward the door not knowing what was next.

I slowly opened the mail box. I pulled out a whole bunch of mail. The big brown package was for me. It was from the National Archives. I was very happy. I ran in the house to open my mailed. I gave my mother her mail. I raced by into my room. I nervously opened the package.

There was several pages inside. The front cover page of the document was about my Great Grandpa Isaac. However it was not Isaac Blakey's military records. It was his pension records.This was not the pension records that confused me. It was what was on this pages. The name was Isaac "BLAKER".

At first I though [that] I had the wrong record. I began to read on. Everything began to come in perspective. The first names that were the same, but the last names were not. I read the list of children that Isaac had. There was a JOHN, a MARY, an ISAAC and so on listing at least 17 others. [This is a total of 20 children]
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Entry date October 4, 1985...The Documents on Great Grandpa Isaac.
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I was very nervous when I received the pension records on my Grandpa. I could not think straight. The writing on the records were hard to read. I had to read and re read to [ make some sense out of] the meaning [ of what was written.] The writer wrote creatively, however it was not illegible.

The adventure... to read past events about my Great Grandpa was unbelievable. I study the episodes of my Great Grandpa's Civil War times. [Private] Isaac Blaker was his name. He was once a slave to a Francis Blakey.
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I will stop here and share some things. I have had these documents of my Great Grand pa Isaac BLAKEY-BLAKER for about 25 years. As the years pass by I re read these documents and get more out of them.

In my journey entry from October 4 - 8, 1985. I wrote about The Documents of Great Grandpa Isaac, Where did Isaac Blakey go ?, What Isaac looked like at age 16 ?, The Spring of 1864, Isaac's Years After The Civil War, Isaac's Married Life--His First Wife and Isaac's Second Marriage. I went on with a Personal Analysis, The Attitudes / Emotions Etc...

Some of what I wrote about in the entries on October 4 -9, 1985 was from the information that I read in my Great Grandpa's Isaac's documents. I used my imagination to tell the story.

I want to fill you in on some of what I came across. I did a lot of research on my father's side and came up with a lot of things that I did not know. If you recall, I told you that I did not know much about my parents' family history. Now I can say, on my father's side. My Great Grandma name was Martha SCOTT.

What little I know of my Great Grandma Martha...she gave birth to twin sons on June 21, 1871 on a Plantation in Woodville, MS. Her first son was named John and the second one was named Andrew. Martha and Andrew died....I am not for sure when but most likely within the time after birth.

I still continued to go deeper in searching with the HELP of others who came across my path on my quest for my family history ...I discovered more about my Great Grandpa Isaac's family.

This information came from a news paper in February 1858 in MO. A worker at a library in MO was thoughtful enough to share this information with me. I will share a little more on Thursday.
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What am I thankful for ? I am thankful for the covenant blessings of HELP, WISDOM and PROTECTION that God has upon my life.

I thank God for allowing me to find out about my family history through the help of others along my journey. I thank God for His protection that He has placed upon my life. I thank God for His wisdom to do what I need to do.
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Whatever day you are reading this entry, Have A Blessed Day!
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New Day Dawning! The search continues....~Susie~
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"Whether I think of it or not, there God is the whole day---near me, with me." ---Andrew Murray

Making Connections When Things Appear Lost

I had this idea come to me on August 6, 2009. I was thinking how certain things are know by people. How some seem to know things lost by others.

I continue to search for my family history. I remember that article about "Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion." That article and reunion was in 1970 in Iowa.

It was then someone came to the reunion and added some things that those there don't know. There were some of us that spelled the surname another way. Most of the relatives didn't know about "the missing link."

My Grandpa John spelled the family name different than his cousins. I can assume that Grandpa John made the change after he married Jennie, my grandpa Bartlett. So that was between or around 1902 - 1910.

John kept in touch with his sibling while he was in Missouri and when he moved to South Dakota. I heard that John would come over to his siblings homes. The younger cousins called John, Uncle even though he was their cousin. It was a custom to call older members Uncle or Aunt...

Also I wonder how in the family reunions no one knew the name of the slave mother or slave father. It was lost in the years. I thought some one could have known.

It wasn't until 1980's. I came across my Great Grandpa Isaac's pension, military, death and other records that I made some discoveries about the family tree. The father's and mother's names where Andrew and Julia WHITE.

No one knew who the slave parents where. I thought that was odd. Many had the opportunity to hear from those who were alive. The early ones who lived when the ex slaves where around.

Perhaps ancestors didn't talk about who there parents were. Or perhaps they may not have known. But many people tend to name their children after their parents.

Any how, have you ever thought that some one may have to link to some one else's family history. This information may have been handed down and lost. But some one knows things the others have lost and are seeking.

May we keep in touch with what we know. May we connect with the correct link. May God bless us on the search for clues.

On The Journey
Making Connections When Things Appear Lost

Some one has the clues.
The connections are there.
I hope.

Blessings,
Susan

Family History Material

I got this blog idea while I was looking over family history information. I have accumulated a lot of material. It was something to go through.

By know you know that I have been searching my family history. I was re reading some things. I came across some things that I forgotten about. It's like I over looked things in the transferring information to other things.

Since there are a lot more records made public now. I can find some more of my ancestors. The search requests are checking what I have.

I'm have been putting things into notebooks. I'm seeing how I'm discovering new things. As I go back over some of what I have compiled, I see some similar things. There are names that can be confusing.

I come across family reunion information. I was reading to see who is who? Who belong to which side of the family.

May the LORD grant us idea as we go about our days. May we see the good in ideas. May the LORD bless us and keep us in His watchful care.

On The Journey
Family History Material

Blessings,
Susan

A Family Discovery

Back on this date in 1981, I made the discover that made me more interested in my family history. I heard that Great Grandpa was a different person. Our family surname was spelled differently. Also I learned that Great Grandfather, Isaac who fought during the Civil War.

I got to met my Grandpa John's sister in law, Mary for the first and only time. She was part American Indian and Irish. This trip was the start of my journey. I began to search more on my family history.

On that Saturday evening on October 31, 1981, it was a time to remember. I was so excited to learn more about my family history. It made me wonder about what I heard.

My Great Grandpa Isaac fought in the Civil War. He was an ex slave. My Grandpa John died in a covered wagon. Yankton South Dakota is along way from St. Joseph Mo. That was a long ride up North

I still search for more family history. I'm discovering more. The leads seem little but my imagination is growing. I want to discover more about my family history.

On My Journey....
A Family Discovery

As I keep searching, things come up.
May I discover more.

Thank You, Jesus for the leads.
Susan

Longevity On The Family Lineage

I was noticing some of the lives of my ancestors.
I mean their ages and how long they lived.
Some had long lives.
While many had lives too short.

My father, David lived to be 76 in 1989.
My mother, Lula lived to be almost 80 in 2000.

My father's father, John lived to be about 47 in 1918.
My father's mother, Jennie lived to be about 42 in 1926.
My mother's father, Leo lived to be about 70 in 1954.
My mother's mother, Mary lived to be about 86 in 1975.

My mother's mother's mother, Anna Laura lived to be about 80 in 1947.

These Ancestors Were Former Slaves:
My father's father's father, Isaac lived to be about 72 in 1917.
My father's father's mother, Martha lived to be about 24 in 1871.
My mother's father's father, Robert lived to be about 67 in 1919
My mother's father's mother, Charlotta lived to be about 72 in 1924.

My father's mother's mother, Harriette lived to be about 60 in 1909.

There were a wide range of ages.
My ancestors had longevity in their blood.
The following ones were former slaves:

I came across my 2nd Great Grandma Juila at 60, my 3rd Great Grandma Lillie at 93, and my 4th Great Grandma Hannah at 115 on 1880 Census. Than there was my 2nd Great Grandma Frances at 100 on the 1900 census. I don't know how long these women lived.

Thank God for good health and longevity.
May the LORD bless each generation.
May we live long and healthy.

On The Journey: Longevity On The Family Lineage

Julia was my father's father's father's mother.
Lillie was my mother's mother's mother's mother's Grandma.
Hannah was my father's mother's Grandma.
Frances was my mother's father's mother's mother.

Abiding Memories

I was trying to find more names to add to the family tree on August 13, 2009. I thought to look at my parents funeral record booklets. As I was looking for names, I noticed some things.

I didn't find some names to add to our family tree. I got to see who signed the books. I saw some of our relatives signature. Especially my siblings and their children and so forth.

I notice how we write our last names. Some of us printed well, others actually signed the book. I notice how we make our K's. Some of us made our k's big. The l's were different too. It was like one line with out the loop.

It was interesting to see who came and paid their respect when my parents passed on. There were many who signed both books. There were names of people I didn't know.

In all I got to see who came and how people signed their names. Our signatures do speak of some things. It's nice to see how others write their names.

On The Journey...
Abiding Memories

Memories can bring things into the light.
Thank God for those who care enough to sign their names to guest books.

Blessings,
Susan

Family History Update: Mystery

I find this very strange. I've been searching for my mother's parents' Leo and Mary, my mother grand parents Robert and Charlotta and Great grandparents William and Susan on the 1900 census. I can't locate them any where.

I believe that they all lived in St. Joseph, Mo. They were listed on the 1880, 1910 and 1920 census in St. Joseph, MO. I don't see why they would have moved.

I am thinking that their surnames were spell incorrectly. I don't know what else it could be. Well, they could all have been not been counted on the census. But I find that odd too.

I will continue to search the census. I won't give up on the search. I can't want for the 1940 census to come out in April 1, 2012.

May this journey of family history search continue. May new lead follow. May those who search for information don't grow weary during the search.

On The Journey: Family History Update: Mystery

I believe that there is more out there.
But where?

What Month Was My Father Born?

Was it in November or September 1913? I came across some solution to that question. Some time during the 1980's my father, David told me that he wasn't born in November. I can't recall how we got on this subject. He just shared that with me.

Than I came across this discovery in the 1990's. Some one sent me a copy of the 1920 census record. According to that census my father was 6 years and 4 months old. The census was dated January 11, 1920.

So that's September not November. So Uncle Ike was right. Uncle Ike was my father's brother, Isaac. Uncle Ike was the one who told my father he wasn't born in November of 1913. It wasn't cold and there wasn't any snow on the ground.

My father was told that his birthday was on November 13, 1913. His father John passed away when my father was about 5. My father's mother Jennie passed when my father was about 13. My father was raised by his brothers and sisters. My father did have a step father.

However, my father celebrated his birthday on November 13. We did too. My father passed on October 7, 1989. That would have made him 76. Not 75 at his passing.

It's nice to come across information that others share with us. It's something to see what they share turns out to be the truth in some cases. So may we remember those small things that others share with us. Each little clue helps out when we are searching for things.

On The Journey ....
What Month Was My Father Born?

I believe that it was in September not November.

Peace,
Susan

Correct Name Spelling Matters

Yes, it does when searching for family history. I have come across that during my research. The surnames are spelled differently.

I have been trying to find my mother's mother and my mother's mother's mother marriage records and on the 1900 census. I have some breakthrough on my grandma's marriage records. It was a name thing.

My Grandma was born Mary ALLEN according to her birth record. Her mother was Anna Laura WASHINGTON. She with by Laura in some records.

What a mystery that I came across on May 27, 2009. I discovered that marriage records for Missouri were online on ancestry.com. So I started searching for my ancestors.

I typed in their names. I had no luck. So I typed in the name Mary WALTERS. Walters was Grandma Anna Laura's last surname. She had a step daughter named Mary WALTERS. Yeah, two Mary's. There other an ALLEN.

After I made the discovery that my Grandma Mary ALLEN was believed married with the name Mary WALTERS. I notice when I saw her husband Leo's sure name was spelled incorrectly. It appeared to be LAUKFORD. As for the actually record, I saw it as LANKFORD.

Things matched up as I did some more searching. I asked my aunt who is my Grandma Mary's daughter. She said that WALTERS was a name. My mother told me that her mother went by WALTERS as times. My mother did not know way.

Here is what I assume through the research that I have been doing.

Mary ALLEN aka Mary WALTERS was born on 21 December 1889 in St. Joseph, MO to a William ALLEN of Georgetown MO and an Anna Laura WASHINGTON of St. Joseph MO.

Mary's father is unknown. There is no record of his death. Not much was spoken about him. I assume that he died when Mary was young.

I found a marriage record of a Mary WALTERS married to a Leo LAUFORD on 16th April 1909. That's about the year that they were married according to the 1910 census.

It's the record on the top right hand corner.

I found their surname as LANGFORD. It's them. Mary's mother's name was Leona Nathan with children Mary, and Joseph Nathan. It was a miss print on the records behalf in typing.

As for Anna Laura WASHINGTON ALLEN WALTERS is was remarried between 1890 - 1900. Her second husband was Thornton WALTERS. He later drowned in August of 1903.

I can assume that Anna help raised Thornton's children because they were on the 1910 census. Mary WALTER was a widowed. Joseph WALTER died in 1937. He was listed as Anna's son.

So I can assume that between 1901 - 1909 my Grandma Mary was raised as an WALTERS. Her mother carried the WALTERS surname.

At the time of Anna Laura WALTERS' death, she was listed with one child Mary who later passed in November of 1975. Anna had a step brother Townsend WYNN and a step sister Ella BUCKNER.

There was no mention of other children nor first marriage. Only the marriage of Thornton WALTERS was mentioned.

I am still searching for my Grandma Mary and her mother Laura Anna  on the 1900 census. It could be that their names were misspelled. Perhaps they could in another State.

Correct name spelling matter. What names we use does make a different. I notice in my research that some of my ancestors used their middle names.

May we learn to correct people when they spell our name wrong. It will help in the long ran. Future generations will appreciate the correct spelling. Besides they can locate what they are searching easier.

On The Journey...
Correct Name Spelling Matters

It brings a lot of stress when searching for ancestors.
But when things click, things are better.

The Chronicles of Susan

Enjoying The Season Search Family History

I have been enjoying the time that we are in. I have been compiling family group sheets into a notebook. I finding out who's who so to speak.

It has been a chore to do. But I think that it's worth it. I can have on hand what I am looking for.

Also it's beginning to be more like fall weather. Some of the leaves have been changing. It's been a wonderful Summer. Time has slip by.

I'm still on the quest for more things on the family lineage. I hope to find out more. Where to search next? I don't know.

On The Journey
Enjoying The Season Searching Family History

Peace to you,
Susan

Family History Review

It was on June 28, 2008 that I discovered that my Great Grand Mother Julia White
was on the 1880 census. Something on the inside of me jumped for joy
when I saw her name on my computer screen. I said out loud, "Thank You, Jesus!"

I started singing and praising God. I keep looking at the screen.
I have located my ancestors. What an accomplishment.

I looked at the names that followed after my Great Grandmother.
Her son, my Great Grandpa Isaac with the White surname.
The other names were familiar too. I thought yes, I have found my ancestors.

I noticed some things about my ancestors lives by reading this census.
There were three generations living in one household. The family stayed together.

I had my heart's desire to find out who my ancestors were.
I am thankful for the leading of the Holy Spirit.
I had thought that my Great Grandmother had passed by 1880.
There were not family record of who my Great Grandfather's name was.
I thought the day was on August 7 , 2007. Mystery Solved.

I thank God for putting the desire in me to search for my family history
May I continue on this search for information by the grace of God.

P.S
I'm still making new discoveries. This past week I was searching.
I came across more information through death records and census returns.
My mind is wondering. I'm finding more pieces to the puzzle. My quest continues.

New Found Discoveries

When I was searching for my ancestors this summer, I came across things that I wasn't aware of. It brought amazement to me. There were some things that were recorded incorrectly.

Oral history states one things while the records state another. Mattie Mae White was one of my Great Grandpa Isaac Blakey's sister. There was little know about her.

She was stated to have never married. She has a daughter named. Bob Ella Bentley Carr 1882 -1923. She was married to Plez Willam Carr. They had a son Williard Carr. That's what I got from family reunion information.

As I began to search for Bob Ella, I had no luck. So I searched for her mother Mattie White. I had trouble locating her too. But something come to me.

On the 1910 Census there is a Mattie White born 1856 in MO. She had two daughters. One was ELLA White born 1886. The other daughter was Oressia born about 1902 in Mo.

There was another think That I didn't check when I first found this census record. Mattie was a widow. She had 5 children and 4 were living in 1910.

I assume that Mattie married a man with the surname of WHITE or she keep her maiden name. I have been searching for ELLA White who married Plez / William Carr. The surname BENTLEY is there too. Perhaps Ella married twice.

It's a mystery. How oral history can be changed as time comes along. I did find a Martha White listed on the 1880 census. She was listed with her mother, Julia WHITE.

Martha was listed with her siblings and some of their children. This Martha was born in 1862. She was a widow. Wonder if this was Mattie?

On The Journey: New Found Discoveries

Questions

Let us say 20 years from 1989 - 2009;

All the information written, photographs, video, tapes, etc...
about the BLAKEY /WHITE Family is in hands of some curious descendant.

The information that has been compiled may be questioned by the next generation(s).
They may notice some things that we did not see or take notes on...

1.) Where does so and so fit on the BLAKEY/WHITE lineage?

2.) Which John, Spencer, Isaac etc with the same names?

3.) What about some family resembles?

4.) What about the mulatto descendants? Half Blacks? Indian? Whites? and Etc?

5.) What about the BLAKEY/WHTIE descendants residences?

6.) Why BLAKEY? WHITE? and BLAKLEY?

7.) Why does the WHITE surname stand out?

8.) Where did each family member resided after being separated as slaves?

9.) When was the first "Reunion" of the BLAKEYs and WHITEs? Who decided to have such a gathering?

10.) How was Forest Green, MO the "HOME GROUND" for the earlier BLAKEY's and WHITE'?

11.) Who were the BLAKEY/WHITE children's: Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents and etc?

12.) When did the family reunite after slavery?

13.) How could Isaac(at age 12-16) run away in the Middle of MO to half way down to MS?

14.) Why did Isaac and maybe others keep the BLAKEY surname? And the others...the WHITE surname?

15.) How could Isaac not realize that his mother and family where in Natchez, MS around 1860 -1865? He was there in the area.

16.) What is the BLAKEY/WHITE Family History?

17.) What happened to the lost BLAKEYs/WHITEs that were forgotten? Spencer#1 , Mary and etc...

18.) What photographyy exit? Any of the Slaves? Their children etc?

19.) What about the reunions? Who held them? When? Where? Who attened? What's recorded/written from the reunions?

20.) Any famous relatives? Who made history?

21.) Where there any relatives that remained you of some another relative?

22.) Did Andrew WHITE have siblings with surname WHITE? Isaac, Spencer, Ben, Lydia, Linda, Mary or John?

23.) If the Mother was born 1819 -1823,could she have had other children before 1841?

My Father's Father

John R. Blakey born in MS on June 21, 1871.
His life came to an end 90 years ago on July 10, 1918 at age 47.
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As I have been on my ancestral journey, I have learned more about my Grandpa John. Grandpa John left behind a wife, my Grandma Jennie who was 34 or 35 and their 7 children. One child was my father who was almost 5.

Grandpa John was born on Hew Davis Plantation in Woodville, MS on June 21, 1871. He had a twin brother named Andrew who later died with their mother, my Great Grandma Martha Scott ( 1847-1871)

Grandpa John's father, Isaac Blakey a.k.a. Isaac White was left to care for him. Isaac was an Ex-slave and Civil War MS Union Veteran' Private Isaac Blaker.

Great Grandpa Isaac later remarried and fathered Mary, Andrew, Charity, Isaac, Jordan, Julia, Frances, Henry, Beecher, Spencer, Lillie, Martha, Joe, Rosa , Edna, Ollie, Lawhorn, Annie and Archie. Their mother was Rachel Leftridge / Lew (1855 - 1916).

There were 18 or 19 children were born to this union of Great Grandpa Isaac and his 2nd wife Rachel between 1874 - 1906. Oral history states that Rachel had 18 children. Even the census records states 18 children.

I have come across at least one more child in 1880. If the census record is correct Great Grand pa had two sons named Andrew; one by each wife. The sons could have been named after Andrew White Isaac's father.

I found about 6 other names through the census records. I can assume that the names were nick names. Here are some examples. Susie = Lillie. Isaiah = Isaac Jr.

As I can see things from the material that I have gathered. I cannot find Grandpa John on the 1900 Census. I cannot locate Great Grandpa Isaac in 1870.

Both could have a different surname. Grandpa John had at least 6 surnames. Two of those names were John Ada and John White. The Blakey surname has at least 4 different spelling in Grandpa John's life time.

There was some point when my Grandpa John changed his last name. Oral history has it that there were many John Blakeys. That brought confusion.

I have not found a MO marriage record on my Grandparents. I assume that they married around 1902. I came across a record of one of their children who was still born child in November 10, 1902.

Grandma Jennie had relatives living in St. Joseph. Perhaps that is way they moved to St. Joseph. Grandpa John worked as a grader and perhaps other jobs to support his family. I have located him in city directors and census records.

I heard the story of Grandpa John having T.B. He was very sick. He moved to S.D. where some of his siblings resided.

Some time during the mid teens, Grandpa made the journey to Yankton S.D. Story has it, that he was trying to find a house here his family could live. He couldn't find a house.

Grandpa John didn't get to make that trip back to MO. His journey had ended. It was on July 10, 1918 when he passed away.

I thought about about this journey. I made the trip to Yanton, S.D. in October 1981 and July of 1995. I imagined how this journey could have been during the time of my Grandpa John.

I got the honor to learn some things about Grandpa John while in Yanton. There were some relatives who passed down the story to me. It was in 1981 when I met my 2nd Great Aunt Mary, the wife of Spencer.

Great Aunt Mary was my Grandpa John's sister in law. By the way Grandpa John had 3 sister in laws with the same first and last names.

There was a Mary, the wife of Grandpa's brothers Isaac, Henry and Spencer. Yes, that would be confusing. Two lived in the same city.

I noticed some thing unique as I was thinking about the time spand. My Grandpa John passed away 45 years before I was born. I met my 2nd Great Aunt Mary 63 years after my Grandpa's death. I thought that's some thing to know.

Back to the story:
This is what I have learn happened. Grandpa John was getting ready to make the journey back to MO. But he died in a covered wagon. He was buried in Yanton, SD with the Blakey surname. As for my Grandma Jennie. She was told of his death through a letter.

Grandma Jennie was ask to come to SD. She stayed with her family in MO. Grandma Jennie had siblings and friends in St. Joseph.

It was not until last month I made a new discovery. Three months before Grandpa John passed, one child died. at 11 months old. So he was the father of about 12 children. Seven children were living at the time of his death.

I'm amazed by what I have gathered over the years. I have been going back over information. I am rediscovering things that I have over looked. I am finding more to the puzzle on my family saga.

I am thankful that I can search for information on my family history. I pray that what I have come across will be preserved. Who knows, there might be a curious descendant looking for information. They may find it

My Father's Mother

Jennie (Bartlett) Lyles (1883 -1926.)
She lived to about 41 or 42 years.
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I have been doing some thinking about the life of my Grandma Jennie. After compiling information, I have come across some things that I have not seen before.

I can make the assumption of what may have happened in her life.

I have been searching birth and death records. I have come across some last month.
I have heard the story that my mother told me. My mother got this from her mother.

Both my father's mother Jennie and my mother's mother Mary were friends. They did not live to far from each other. Their kids knew each other. Grandmother Jennie was said to have had 19 children. I have come across 8 or 9 of her children's death records who died as infants.

On my exploration through the vital records,
I have discovered 12 children from my Grandma Jennie's first marriage with Grandpa John Blakey.

There were about 4 or 5 in her second marriage with Grandpa Chelton Lyles.

Grandma Jennie was born perhaps in May of 1883 in Carrollton, Mo to Elais W. Bartlett Sr.(born ca 1822 - ? ) and Harriett Hooper (1949-1909.)

Grandma Jennie came from a large family. Great Grandpa Elais was the father of about 9 children:

William, Warren, John, Fanny, Lena, Harriet, Sally, Charles and Lucy
during his first marriage to Rachel (1859 - ?). I believe that there could have been more children born between 1870 - 1878.

There were 5 other children Elais W. Jr, Sam, Jennie , Paul and Juanita by my Great Grandma Harriett Hooper ( 1854 - 1909 ). I believe that there could have been other children 1880 -1892.

I have not come across my Grandparents' marriage record. I can assume that Grandma Jennie and Grandpa John met in Carrollton, MO around the turn of the century. Grandpa John's father, Isaac Blakey came for Howard and Chariton County in MO.

The first record that I have come across my Grandparents together is on a death record. There was a still born female child recorded on November 10, 1902 in St. Joseph Mo. I have located records of 12 children born between 1902 - 1917.

Still born female, Edna, John R Jr., Isaac, Paul, Cecil, Juanita, Mary Jane,
(Rev) Olbery Pierson, David W., Hazel, and Baby BLakley. Only 7 lived to be adults.

I have been trying to piece together the puzzle. On June 27, I came across a death record. I looked at an unknown baby death with our family surname. The parents names of this child were my Grandparents.

I found this to be so interesting.
This baby died three months before my Grandpa John died in July of 1918.
This child was 11 months old without a name. I thought that that was odd.
Grandpa John was the informant.

I am still wondering about the story that my mother told me.
Grandpa John was said to have left his wife and moved north.
I can assume that Grandpa's sickness was so bad that he could not live in his area.
Nor did he want to get his family sick. The air up north may have been better for him.

This meant that Grandma Jennie was raised her 7 children. She had family in town.
Grandma Jennie was about 34 or 35 when she became a widow.

Grandma Jennie later remarried to Grandpa Chelton F. Lyles. I cannot locate their marriage record in MO. I have search if they had children. They had about 4 or 5 children.

Dorothy, Davis, F. Chelton, Geniva, and Edgar. Only 2 lived to be adults. This children were born between 1920 - 1925.

What I mean by 4 or 5 children. I came across two death records with two different names, Davis and Dorothy. Two different death dates July 3, 1920 and July 5, 1920.

Could Dorothy and Davis have been twins? Davis was listed as a female. Grandma Jennie was said to have had twins. This is the only records that could have been.

Grandma Jennie gave birth to a baby boy Edgar in 1925. He died April 16, 1926. It would be 8 months later Grandma Jennie passed on December 29, 1926.

What my mother told me according to my mother's mother Grandma Jennie was a hard worker. Grandma Jennie died of a heart attack. She passed leaving a husband and 9 children.

I have wondered about the stories that my parent shared with me. It's what my parents knew about their ancestors that got me to thinking. I still wonder. Is there more that I can find out?

I was fascinated by what my parents shared with me. Now, as I have been searching,
I have been seeing some of what they said. The clues to the puzzle is being put into place.

I am thankful that I have a family history.
I am thankful that I am in the family of God.
I am thankful that I have a family bloodline.

I am thankful for the goodness of God.
I am thankful for good treasures.
I am thankful that God grants me understanding.

John & Jennie

I believe that the mystery has been solved. I've been wondering when and where my grandparents were married. It was on this date back in 1902 that my father's parents John and Jennie tied the knot.

It wasn't until late May when I came across this information. This news made me so happy! I've been searching for both my parents' parents' marriage records for so long. I had no luck.

On May 27, 2009, I discovered that the MO marriages 1805 -2002 were online on ancestry.com. So, I started my search. I found other ancestors. But when I can to my mother's parents and father's parents it took a while for me to make those discovers.

I kept on searching. I found my mother's parents. There names were spelled different. As for my father's parents their names were spelled different too. I believe that I have found what I've been looking for.

I typed in my Grandpa John's last name. It came up with the BLAKEY as BLAKYE. As for Grandma Jennie, her surname was spelled BARTEL. Still I believe that I have the right people.

John and Jennie were married on July 28, 1902 in Clay County in MO. I was so happy that I came across this information I started praising God.

So, I can assume that John married under the Blakey name. But the mystery reminds. Why did John change his name to BLAKLEY?

Search the birth of the BLAKLEY or BLAKEY children born in St. Joseph MO. Out of all the children listed there were two with the BLAKEY name the others were BLAKLEY.

The story goes that there were a lot of John BLAKEYs. Perhaps that was one of the reason why he changed his name. John's offsprings carried the surname of BLAKLEY.

Whatever the case may have been, the name was changed. My father and his siblings were taught to spell our surname the way I spell mine. My name has been established. I have no reason to change the spelling now.

On My Journey Of Transformation
John & Jennie,

My Grandparents,
John (1871 - 1918)
Jennie (1883 - 1926)
They had about 12 children.

Jennie remarried to Chelton LYLE.
They had about 5 or 6 children.
All of Jennie's children have passed.

The Chronicles of Susan

Thoughts On Searching

There is so much to do when searching for ancestors. What I have found out, there are a lot of same name people in the searching. It's weird to see.

Names are similar but in the wrong year and places. It's hard to determine who's who when don't know the right information.

But there the process of time, things can come clearer. There come a break through in the searching.

I like knowing more about my family lineage. There are so many of us. I can't understand how some things have been lost.

Information about things wasn't passed down. Or maybe it was forgotten. I think that there are some things that's still around that can give clues to our past.

History

I need to work on July's entry. I am still think on how to do this blog. I have been thinking about things. I have been looking at records on for the month of July. What happened?

Here are some historial events in the family.

3 July 1873
Rachael Lewfew/ Leftphege married Isaac BLAKEY at Woodlong Plantation in MS.

10 July 1918
John BLAKEY/ BLAKLEY died in a covered wagon in Yankton, SD.

14 July 1910
Juanita BLAKEY died at about 3 months old.
She wss the daughter of John and Jennie BLAKEY / BLAKLEY

28 July 1902
Jennie BARTLETT married John BLAKEY.
On the marriage record their names
were Jennie BARTEL and John BLAKYE

31 July 1911
Mary Jane BLAKLEY born to John and Jennie BLAKLEY

In The Beginning...

I thought to start a blog on my family history. I have been searching for over 30years. But where do I go from here in sharing what I have discovered? What will I share?

When I first started out I knew very little about my ancestors. I only knew my father, David, mother, Lula and my mother's mother, Mary. There was little data that I knew of them too.

It wasn't until a little after my Grandma Mary Allen Lankford passing when I became interested in my family tree. I thought when my Grandma Mary died all the information about the family was gone too.

I was so wrong on that. Through the process of time, I came across data and records. I am so thankful to God for the lead. I discovered so much over the years.

Where do I go from here in sharing what I have discovered.
What will I share?

Family History for the Month of JUNE:

Anna Laura WASHINGTON was born on 13 June 1867 to Susan LEACH and William WASHINGTON in St. Joseph, MO. Anna Laura was the mother of Mary ALLEN LANKFORD.

John BLAKEY BLAKLEY was born on 21 June 1871 to Martha SCOTT and Isaac BLAKEY in Woodville MS on Hew Davis Plantation. John had a twin brother named Andrew BLAKEY. Andrew passed along with their mother Martha.

Isaac BLAKEY was stated to be born on 30 June 1847 or 1845 to Julia and Andrew WHITE in Roanoak, MO.

1st Entry:
S.A.B