In Black and White: Cross-Cultural Genealogy

Well, it hardly seems possible that it's been one year today . . . on my Mom & Dad's (dec.) wedding anniversary . . . that I set out to chronicle my research explorations. I'd like to give a special thanks to Julie Bartlett, archivist of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum , and of the Hampshire Local History Room at Forbes Library in my former hometown of Northampton, MA. Following my relocation from Western MA to Western NC, I had shared with Julie my desire to one day become an archives tech, library tech, or public records clerk, and asked: So, the big question is: without going back to school for a Master's degree, how can I best prepare myself to be marketable from what you see in the field? This was her response: This is so perfect for you so I hope it works out! The best advice is to volunteer. Sign up for Genealogy Random Acts of Kindness. Find out if you can get on a researcher for hire list at public, academic, state libraries and his...

Following my last post, Ministers and preachers of Township 5: 1900 , a cousin asked about the disclaimer at the bottom of the page concerning a message board post RE: black Gaskills and Amanda Gaskill's bastardy bond for the birth of Sylvester (July 1829). Desiring to know how a person could conclude paternity from a bastardy bond, without the full transcription of the case (which this descendant claimed to possess), I searched for additional information on North Carolina bastardy bonds. In the book of transcriptions written by Betty & Edwin Camin they explain: The "Bastardy Bonds" of North Carolina contains bonds posted because of the birth or impending birth of a bastard child. These bonds were intended to protect the county or parish from the expense of raising the child. When the pregnancy of a woman or birth of a child was brought to the attention of the court, a warrant was issued and the woman brought into Court. She was examined under oath and asked to de...

Sylvester B. Gaskill; 1900; Township 5, Craven, NC; Roll: T623_1190; page 9A; Enumeration District 46. The 1900 Census for Township 5 produced two clergymen. While Sylvester B. Gaskill, a very light-skinned mulatto*, had been enumerated as a preacher in 1880, here he was recorded as "minister." One might think that the current enumerator, Edward D. Bangut, merely chose another title for the position, however . . . . . . . . Martin Davis, who was also enumerated by Mr. Bangut, was recorded as a preacher. Possibly there was just an inconsistency. Martin Davis: 1900; Township 5, Craven, NC; Roll: T623_1190; Page: 11B;  Enumeration District: 46. Looking at the progression of Gaskill's enumerations:  1800: Preacher; 1900: Minister, I began to wonder if perhaps some other clergyman had a progression of titles shown through consecutive enumerations.  *Disclaimer: While Sylvester Brown Gaskill had been enumerated as  "mulatto" (1850, 1870, 18...

In 1870 there were still no black ministers in the post-Emancipation churches of Township 5, Craven County, NC. That is not to say that there were no sermons delivered by black exhorters or preachers, but the occupations of the majority of men in the township were related to an agrarian society. In 1870, James Walker Hood was living with his wife and three children in Raleigh, NC. By 1880, however, one black preacher  emerges in Township 5:  Sylvester Brown Gaskill.  1880: Township 5, Craven, NC: Roll: 959; FHF: 1254959; Page 190B; Enumeration District 37; Image: 0548. In 1900 he was enumerated as a Minister in Township 5. By 1910 he was deceased, his family had moved to Beaufort (Carteret County), and his name sake -- the son of David E. and Lessie (Davis) Gaskill -- was born (about January 1910). One interesting note: after the 1860 Census, no more white Methodist Episcopal Ministers nor Free Baptist Ministers were enumerated in Township 5.

When I began my focus on the development of the rural religious community of North Harlowe,  North Carolina, I directed my attention to Bishop James Walker Hood . In August I had emailed Sandy Dwayne Martin, the author of the book, For God and Race , requesting guidance on accessing archival materials of the AME Zion in the light of the closure of the Walls Heritage Center at Livingstone College in Salisbury, NC. Since a bulk of Dr. Martin's research was conducted at the Walls Center, I had hoped that he might be able to share some of his gleanings related the Bishop Dr. Hood's missionary activities in the rural areas of Craven County. Just last week I received a reply from Dr. Martin, giving me several leads and contacts, for which I am greatly appreciative. However, his personal research ". . . did not focus very much on the communities and churches which Bishop Hood founded or in which he operated."  So, the three leads he recommended are on the top of my li...

In the 1860 Census for Goodings District, Craven County, NC, I was able to locate three white Methodist Episcopal Ministers residing within Township 5. One was living in the household of William Temple where my husband's great grandfather* was apprenticed with his siblings following their parents' death. William Thomas: 1860 Census; Goodings, Craven, NC; Roll: M653_894; Page 9; Image 18;  Family History Library Film: 803894. Since first locating this document some years ago, I have often wondered how much exposure Isaac*, Nancy, Annanias and Zaccheus (recorded here as Zachariah) had to the teachings of the Rev. William Thomas. Only ten years before, Mr. William Thomas was enumerated as a 46-year-old farmer, living with his wife Elizabeth (30), and his children: John (12), Susan (10), William (7), Eliza (2), and Benjamin (0). What happened during those years that his wife and four oldest children no longer lived with him, and that he and his youngest son no longer li...

As I began wading through page by page of each Census for Township 5 from 1850 to 1930, I discovered some interesting things...some of which may serve as subjects for the imagination more than sources of hard facts. Come along with me on this journey and you'll see what I mean... In 1850, the U.S. Federal Census for Craven County, NC was divided into two sections: New Bern, and Not Stated. Somewhere within "Not Stated" lies Township 5. Within the 145 pages of this enumeration, only two ministers surfaced, both white: 1850 United States Federal Census; Craven, NC; Roll: M432_626; Page: 321B.  The first enumeration was for Abraham Taylor, a 51 year old Free Baptist Minister, and his family: a wife and daughter and three sons. Abraham married Mary Civils in Craven County on 5 Aug 1829 (Craven County Marriage Record Index, Marriage Register 3, marriage bond) . In 1860 his wife is supposed deceased, and he is living with his children in Richardsons District, Craven Cou...

A cousin asked today. . . Question for you...I was raised in a White Methodist Church...A black Presbyterian Church...and in the Summers I would be at the AME Church with my Grandmother. I did visit the Black Baptist Churches and have visited at least 40 to 50 other churches through campaigning.I know they all have their own church histories. My question to you is...are you looking at all the various types of Black Churches in the Harlowe, Craven County area, and also looking at the Political make-up of each church?   Good questions! The purpose of my particular research is to reconstruct the greater religious and social atmosphere of the area where my husband's ancestors lived, which acts as a backdrop for the book I am writing. It also allows me to become more sympathetic with specific struggles and victories within the community. So, to answer the first part of this question: No, I do not plan to examine all the various types of Black churches in the area. I plan to focus o...

In 1867, Bishop Joseph Jackson Clinton offered missionary Hood a position to stay in New Bern; however, he addressed his desire to move on to the eastern and western portions of North Carolina. His short three-year stay  was not what I had expected when I went into this research. He accepted a pastorate at Fayetteville, NC where he he was positioned closer to Raleigh, allowing him greater opportunity for political advancement. So, after pinpointing his Craven County involvement to a period between 1864-1867, I turned my attention to Hood's sermons from that period. Was there anything evident in his messages to the Church that would hint of his political and social aspirations for his people in the way that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had presented? While waiting for two books of Hood sermons to arrive via InterLibrary Loan (ILL), I turned my attention to the Census between 1850 and 1930. . . Who were the men noted as ministers in Township 5? What were their affiliations? On ...

When I first began my search for histories of the local churches in eastern Craven County, North Carolina I had very little to go on.  Beginning with the Hezekiah Carter Timeline: 1874-1922 , I started filling in the gaps with bits of religious history I came across. According to the online history of Piney Grove AME Zion Church , Rev. James Walker Hood arrived in New Bern, NC on January 20, 1864. In order to learn more about this period, I first read the book, For God and Race: The Religious and Political Leadership of AMEZ Bishop James Walker Hood , by Sandy Dwayne Martin . The biography divides Hood's life into six parts, starting at 1831 and ending with 1918.  I focused my attention on Part II: Chapter Two: Hood's Religious Activities in the South, 1864-1872 . Martin's attention, however, is fixed on the first two AMEZ churches established in New Bern and Beaufort, NC. No mention is made of visits inland to the forested areas of North Harlowe and Havelock.  The qu...

My voice has remained silent for about a month now, but I have not been on a true hiatus. I've been searching microfilmed newspaper reels...    ...reading the sermons of James Walker Hood...                        ...searching out sources on WorldCat.org...                          ...ordering and now reading several books                                             via InterLibrary Loan.... You may also notice that I've tinkered with the pages at the top of the navigation bar.  I've decided that in order to thoroughly prepare for...