In Black and White: Cross-Cultural Genealogy

The following document is an affidavit sworn by Sharper Williams of Company G, USCT 14th Heavy Artillery. I knew that our Isaac Carter had transferred from Company B to Company G; but, I began to wonder when this transpired. A careful examination of his service record revealed something interesting. May 2007: Isaac Carter's Great Grandson at Fort Macon March 12, 1864: Isaac enlisted in 1st North Carolina Heavy Artillery, later known as USCT 14th Heavy Artillery. Rank: Sergeant, Company B. He was present at company muster roll through June 1865: Sergeant. July & August 1865 Company B muster roll reveals he had been demoted to Private. Remarks: Transferred to Company G Res S.O. No. 78.... In the next page, also for July & August 1865, he appears in company muster roll for Company G as a Private with the following remarks: Free April 19, 1861. Transferred from Company "B", August 28, 1865 By S.O. No. 78 Hd Qrts 14 U.S. Promoted to Corpl (Sept. 1, 1865 By...

Below is a transcription of an affidavit sworn out by Theophilus George. This could either be Isaac's brother-in-law (b. 10 Jul 1850), or his father-in-law (b. abt. 1804). Upon completion, further analysis will determine the realtionship.  North Carolina Craven County Also personally appeared before  me a clerk of Superior Court a court of record in and  for the County & State aforesaid Theophilus George age 40 yrs.  well known unto be respectable and entitled to credit & who being duly declares: I have been acquainted with Isaac Carter the soldier all my Life. When he came home from the war Dec 1865 he appeared to be quite sick from Rheumatism and was stiff in his joints of feet &  Legs and he would be unable to walk and he also complains  of diarrhea & piles and asthma soreness of throat and heart. He has suffered to a great excess each and every year to the present that he has been down for...

The next affidavit was sworn by Silas Fenner, one of Isaac Carter's comrade in arms in the USCT Heavy Artillery 14th Regiment. As I read over this document, I became aware of some colloquialisms of the era. I am hoping that by studying enough records, a pattern will emerge which will be able to assist me in writing dialog. * * * * * Department of the Interior, BUREAU OF PENSIONS, Jan. 20, 1890 Respectfully requested of the ADJUTANT GENERAL U.S.A. a report from the records of his Office as to the presence or absence, on or about Winter of 1864 & 65 of Silas Fenner of Co. G. 14 U.S.C.H Art. and the station, at that date, of the Co Invalid Claim No. 662812 Isaac Carter Co. G. 14 U.S. C. H. Art. Green B. Raum, Commissioner. War Department, Record of Pension Division, Washington, JAN 21 1890 Respectfully returned to the Commissioner of Pensions With the information that the name Silas Fenner is not born on rolls Co. G 14 U.S.C. H Arty BY AUTHORITY...

Descendants Jubilee Project If you had been following this series at its inception in August 2011, you may discover that I have skipped over documents 4-7. Perhaps one day I'll go back and fill in the missing information. Currently I am most interested in documents which help us gain an understanding of this ancestor's character and experience which affected his quality of life. Document #8 is a three and one-half page affidavit which sheds a little more light on the incidents leading to Isaac's disability. I have chosen to transcribe this one at this time because the details proved interesting to the conditions leading to his disability. State of North Carolina) County of Craven         ) In matters of original Claim No. 662872 of Isaac Carter [--ot] 2 Sergeant of Co. G 14 Regt U.S.C.H. Arty on this 17 "Day of Oct-- A.D. 1888 Personally appeared before me a Clerk of Superior Court a Court of record in and for the County of Craven and State of Nort...

You may have noticed something new on the website...a new link to The Bizzy Bee's Family History Journal . Besides following genealogy and history blogs, I also follow writer's blogs, and Mary Carrol Moore's How to Plan, Write and Develop a Book is one of my favorites! In her post, Staying in the Room with the Writing--How to keep yourself from getting blocked, distracted or stopping altogether , was just the motivation I needed to start another dimension to this blog....the family history journal. My first post, Messaging Dominique: Debunking Family Myths , was the catalyst. The previous day I had been messaging our cousin whom I had just recently met online! It is rare that I come across a descendant of Elisha Carter, my husband's grandfather's oldest brother...and she is only the fourth I have met, although I have only ever met one in person! So, Hey Dominique! So glad you found us!!! I had read Mary's post and was mulling the idea over in my...

According to author/editor C. S. Lakin, your first paragraph needs three things to hook your readers into the story: Your protagonist (Isaac Carter), A catalyst or incident (the binding out of the four orphaned Carter children at the County Courthouse), and A hint of the protagonist's core need     (to keep his siblings together, to watch over and protect them). I have researched how they might have journeyed from North Harlowe to New Bern...the route they may have taken to get to the Courthouse once arriving to the city...what the Courthouse may have looked like... ...and now, I need to recreate the emotional responses the protagonist and subordinate characters in this first scene may have had to the incident. For this I rely on personal memories of a similar event.  Going to the Courthouse Hampshire County Courthouse, Northampton, MA On November 28, 1990, nearly one month after our youngest child's death in a vehicle/pedestrian accident, my h...