Below are a list of my ancestors who were born enslaved but lived past the end of the Civil War to live free. I wonder how many never made it over with them or how many they lost never to find along the way.
Garland Arnold (1851, Georgia) m. Fannie Gray (1855, Georgia) – 2nd Great Grandparents
1880 Census – Clayton County, Georgia, 12 June 1880
Robert Arnold (1830, Virginia) m. Patsy (1825, Virginia) – 3rd Great Grandparents – parents of Garland Arnold
1880 Census – Clayton County, Georgia, 14 June 1880
Boston Mattox (30 Jun 1849, Georgia – 29 Jun 1928, West Virginia) – 2nd Great Grandfather
1880 Census – Wilkes County, Georgia, 13 January 1920
Ester Mattox (1836, Georgia) – 3rd Great Grandmother – Mother of Boston Mattox
1880 Census – Wilkes County, Georgia, 4 June 1880
Benjamin Faver (1825, Georgia) – 3rd Great Grandfather
1880 Census – Wilkes County, Georgia, 4 June 1880
Sabry Turner Walton Wright (1835, Georgia) – 3rd Great Grandmother
1900 Census – Wilkes County, Georgia, 7 June 1900
Winnie Faver (1798, Virginia) – 4th Great Grandmother – Mother of Benjamin Faver
1880 Census – Oglethorpe County, Georgia, 4 June 1880
George Banks (1830, Virginia) m. Fannie Bowles (1849, Virginia) – 3rd Great Grandparents
1880 Census – Henrico County, Virginia, 4th June 1880
Thomas Williamson (1841, North Carolina) m. Ella Gunn (1859, North Carolina) – 3rd Great Grandparents
1910 Census – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 16 April 1910
Squire Gunn (1810, North Carolina) – 4th Great Grandfather – Father of Ella Gun
1870 Census – Person County, North Carolina, 7 October 1870
Peter West (1848, Mississippi) m. Dorcus Brown (1851, Alabama) – 2nd Great Grandparents
1870 Census – Hinds County, Mississippi, 15 July, 1870
Simon Durr (4 September 1845, Simpson County, Mississippi – 13 March 1839, Copiah County, Mississippi) m. Sarah Griffith (Jun 1852, Mississippi) – 2nd Great Grandfather
1900 Census – Simpson County, Mississippi, 25 June 1900
Robert Durr (1820, South Carolina) – 3rd Great Grandfather – Father of Simon Durr
1900 Census – Simpson County, Mississippi, 14 June 1900
Henry F. Griffith (Aug 1838, Mississippi) m. Agnis Dear (1849, Mississippi) – 3rd Great Grandparents – Parents of Sarah Griffith
1900 Census – Lawrence County, Mississippi, 27 June 1900
Mahala Dear (1800, North Carolina) – 4th Great Grandmother – Mother of Agnis Dear
1880 Census – Lawrence County, Mississippi, 19 June 1880
Raymond Smith (1835, Louisiana) m. Caroline Iles (1850, Mississippi) – 2nd Great Grandparents
1880 Census – Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, 16 June 1880
Jane Iles (1830, Virginia) – 3rd Great Grandmother – Mother of Caroline Iles
Horris Church (1858, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana) – 2nd Great Grandfather
Tom Griffin (1852, Virginia) m. Mary (1835, Louisiana) – 3rd Great Grandparents
Emma was born in 1869. Logical conclusion would be that her parents lived until that date. Family lore says Emma was raised by her father Tom
In many cases, these ancestors place me three generations FROM being enslaved. Homage paid to those known and unknown. As James Baldwin said, these ancestors bought and paid for my passage as a citizen to the United States. I owe my country no me!
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