Ever wonder how to locate historical county land. It’s not precise but for research purposes, it’s a start. For the purposes of this example, I’m researching land once owned by Mark Mitchell High, 1805 – 1870. Step 1: Go to Bureau of Land Management >search Patents. Enter the following information State = Mississippi County = Oktibbeha […]
Do You Know My Name?
After the Civil War, thousands of formerly enslaved men applied for noncombatant, confederate pensions. From Virginia to Texas, they served the Calvary, the Infantry, and the Light Artillery regiments of the Confederate States of America (C.S.A.). Without these noncombatants, the C.S.A. would have ceased to exist long before April 9th, 1865. In Mississippi alone, black […]
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Defender
ProQuest Historical Newspapers is a must read for all serious researchers. Ask your local college or local university to request a trial for Black History Month (February) or Family History Month (October). For more information, click here. *** Prompted by Evelyn, a follow member of my local genealogical society, I decided to jumpstart my research. With two and a half weeks left of free […]
Serendipity, Meet Find A Grave!
Genealogy is a communal effort. Monday night, I returned a phone call to Elyse, genealogy friend (and cousin). During our conversation, I learned about her great-great grandmother, Greenella McNichols: she was born in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi; she died in Okmulgee County, Oklahoma, and, she was in buried in Centralia, Illinois—cemetery unknown. Wait…What? I found it odd that her body would have been transported to Illinois—instead of […]