A Dream Fulfilled

 

 

Today is Resurrection Easter Sunday April 4, 2021.  It is also the day 53 years ago that Martin Luther King Jr. was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee. This year his dream was fulfilled by my family. 

After over 25 years, I was able to break through a brick wall.   I had been stymied and tried many techniques and research to overcome the brick wall in front of me. My success had come from an unlikely source that I had not previously known.  Let me start from my genesis the beginning to tell of my revelation.

Years ago I was inspired by Alex Haley and the television mini-series ROOTS.  In the television presentation, Alex Haley a Black African American  man traced his family tree from the enslavement of his ancestors in America to the kidnapping of his ancestor from Africa.  I believed  that my ancestors had  interesting lives and a story for me to tell.    I became my family’s  self-elected family historian. I attended many family reunions, genealogy conferences, archives and libraries in search of information about my ancestors. I created a blog an online journal of my family’s history in 2012.   During the Covid-19 pandemic, my cousins established a nightly family ZOOM  video conference meeting. Three nights a week we discuss our genealogy, family stories and make additions to the family tree using Ancestry.com and compared DNA analysis.

One of the major challenges in African American genealogy research is obtaining information prior to 1870. This date is particularly important because prior to that time enslaved black people were not included in the United States federal census. Identifying the former slave owner and information prior to 1870  is considered a brick wall.  Through the serendipity of fate a brick in my wall had fallen. My great discovery was a picture posted on Ancestry.com of my great-great-grandmother an enslaved woman born in 1825 with 3 other relatives.   I was ecstatic, thrilled and excited. After years of research, I could now associate a name with an image.

On the photo also was a picture of the male former slave owner.  The picture had been posted on Ancestry.com by a descendant of the former slave owner.  I wanted to learn more so I contacted the slave owner’s descendant a great-great granddaughter. Without hesitation, I asked her to write about her ancestor on my blog and join the family ZOOM for one night. She accepted my invitation.  Maybe she could share more information. Possibly my cousins had questions that I had not considered. My cousins should be excited.  At least I thought. Well, my cousins were suspicious and felt the safe space of the family ZOOM had been disrupted, invaded and violated by my invitation. From their discussion, I felt like my naked body had been dragged over hot coals. It was too late the date and time had been set for the ZOOM meeting. I had no intentions of rescinding the invitation.

The great-great-granddaughter and her daughter logged onto the ZOOM call. These 2 Caucasian women I knew would be facing an encounter with 10 Black people. There were introductions of family members including locations. The conversation was pleasant, informative and copacetic.  There were a few jokes and some laughter.  Our ZOOM guest however mentioned that one of her ancestors fathered a child with a black woman. There was more to the story of our ancestors than the picture. More information for a later day. I hoped to be able to continue our communication and maintain a relationship. I will be forever grateful that she posted what I have dubbed "The Ancestral Picture."   

Martin Luther King Jr. on August 28, 1963 in Washington D.C. said   I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.   Well, 58 years later my family members descendants of former enslaved were able to have an enjoyable ZOOM conversation with descendants of the former slave owners. A dream has been fulfilled.

 

----- The Tree Gardener

     

A Brick in the Wall Has Fallen Part 8 Henry Sims Brumfield Sr.

Henry Sims Brumfield Sr.

 

I have asked Laura Brumfield the great-great-granddaughter of Henry Sims  Brumfield Sr. to be my guest blogger. Laura Brumfield is a nurse midwife and retired in 2019 after 40 years of working in public health. She grew up all over the western United States as an Air Force brat. She has been exploring her family’s ancestors for 5 years, mostly her mother's Mexican heritage, until the last couple of years when receiving Brumfield family documents following her father's death in 2017. 

In her own words....

 

Enlargement

A Brick in the Wall Has Fallen Part 7 Henry Sims Brumfield Sr.

 

Henry Sims Brumfield Sr.

This is part 7 of a series identifying the individuals in the above photograph. Henry Sims Brumfield Sr. is identified in the above picture as the seated Caucasian man on the left. He has been identified as the former slave owner of Richard Brumfield in a newspaper article dated February 22, 1935. The ancestors and family of Henry Sims Brumfield Sr. have been chronicled by many of his descendants in detail which dates include the 1700s in the states of Virginia, North and South Carolina. They later also migrated to the future states of Mississippi and Louisiana. 

The Mississippi Territory was a land area that included present-day states of Mississippi and Louisiana. Spain had previously abandoned its' previous claim to this land in 1795. The state of Georgia also relinquished its claim after a major land scandal ( the Yazoo land scandal) perpetrated by the governor of Georgia in 1802.  The Territory of Mississippi was occupied at that time by the Natchez, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Biloxi, Pascagoula, Chocchuma, Tunica, Yazoo and other indigenous groups.  On April 7,1798,  the United States Congress organized the Territory of Mississippi and it was opened for settlement.      

With the patent of the cotton gin in 1794 and fertile farmland in the Mississippi Territory, there was a great migration to this area.  This migration pattern is now known as The Great Mississippi Migration of 1798 to 1819.  This land area offered better agricultural and economic opportunities for those who lived in the Carolinas, Virginia and Georgia.

The ancestors of Henry S. Brumfield were part of this migration. They resided in South Carolina in the late 1700s.  "On November 11, 1811 a passport was issued by the governor of Georgia to John Brumfield (Henry S. grandfather) with his wife 11 children and 3 Negroes from York District South Carolina to travel through to the Indian Nation to the Western Country. " *The John Brumfield family and adult children established settlements in Saint Tammany (later Washington) Parish, Louisiana and Pike County, Mississippi. 

Louisiana became a state on April 30, 1812. The western area of the Mississippi Territory on December 10, 1817 became the state of Mississippi.  The family of Henry Sims Brumfield Sr. was well established in Pike County, Mississippi and Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Ancestors of Henry Sims Brumfield Sr. history are intertwined with some of my former black enslaved ancestors.  The ancestral photograph with my black ancestors Richard Brumfield, Eli Brumfield, Liddie Brumfield Caston and Calvin Caston is the only known photograph of them. Our family is forever grateful to Laura Brumfield the great-great-granddaughter of Henry Sims Brumfield Sr. for making this photograph available. I have asked Laura Brumfield to be my guest blogger.  More to come.

References

*Brumfield Histories by Albert R. Brumfield and Alma Dell Clawson 

Fields of Broom John Brumfield and Margaret Kelly, Their Ancestors & Descendants: with Added Reference Correspondence and Notes Concerning Other Groups.

Source Records From Pike County, Mississippi 1703-1910 by Luke Ward Conerly 

Ancestry.com and Find A Grave 

-------The Tree Gardener

A Brick In The Wall has Fallen Part 6 Eli Brumfield

 

Eli Brumfield

This is Part 6 of a series identifying the individuals in the above photograph. Eli Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man standing on the right side in the picture. Eli has been identified to have lived his entire adult life in Pike County, Mississippi. He and his family are enumerated in the 1920 and 1930 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census. In the 1920 census, states Eli and Sally were able to read and write.  He continued to work on the farmland that he owned at age 66. They are enumerated with Eli's female cousin and children with the last name Thomas. Their given names written are probable transcription errors. I have been unable to identify them at this time. 

Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Leggett, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T625_891; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 100

Source Citation Year: 1920; Census Place: Leggett, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T625_891; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 100 transcribed Eli Brumfield 

In the 1930 census, Eli owned his farm but didn't own a radio. In this census Eli, Sallie and Dudley could not read or write.   

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9MQ-P8X : accessed 8 February 2021), Eli Brunfield, Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1, sheet 4B, line 55, family 84, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1162; FHL microfilm 2,340,897. 

 

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9MQ-P8X : accessed 8 February 2021), Eli Brunfield, Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1, sheet 4B, line 55, family 84, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1162; FHL microfilm 2,340,897. Transcribed Eli Brumfield family

Eli Brumfield died June 2, 1933 in Pike County, Mississippi. A list of births and deaths was reported in the local newspaper under "Colored" deaths. His name is listed near the end of the notice.

Semi-Weekly Journal (McComb, Mississippi) · 27 Jul 1933, Thu · Page 3

 

On Eli Brumfield's death certificate, Sally Brumfield was the informant. They were married for over 50 years.  His parent's names were Isom and Charlotte Brumfield and the etiology of his death was heart disease and "old age".  The interment of his remains is in the Pink Hill Cemetery. 
 

Sallie Brumfield 80 years old was enumerated in the 1940 Pike County census with her son Dudley. I have not located her date of death.  

------ The Tree Gardener

A Brick In The Wall Has Fallen Part 5 Eli Brumfield

Eli Brumfield

This is Part 5 of a series identifying the individuals in the above photograph. Eli Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man standing on the right side in the picture. In the 1900 Pike County, Mississippi Federal census, the enumerator recorded that none of Eli Brumfield's children could read or write. In 1900, 44.5 % of Black and other non-whites were literate or unable to read or write in any language.*    His children however did attend school. The Pike County, Mississippi school census was divided into colored and white. I was able to identify Eli's children.  In the 1885 Pike County school census, Kizzie Brumfield 6 years old is listed with her father Eli Brumfield. Their names are at the bottom of the page.

Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939F-PV9F-WD?cc=1856425&wc=M6NC-7P8%3A167436801%2C167437202 : 18 September 2015), Pike > 1885 > image 6 of 178; Government Records, Jackson.

Kizzie (Kizza) 11  and Lotty 6 years old are listed with Ely (Eli) Brumfield in the 1890 Pike County school census. 

Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1890 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation 

Lottie 10, Charles 8 and Maude 5  years old are listed with Eli Brumfield in the 1896 Pike County school census.

  

Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1896 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation 

Dudley 14 years old is listed with Eli Brumfield in the 1908 Pike County school census. 

The Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1908 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation 

The number of days that the children actually attended school a year is unknown. As the children became older, they were probably helping on the farm with their parents.  The quality of education in the segregated school at that time has been well documented in United States history. 

*SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970; and Current Population Reports, Series P-23, Ancestry and Language in the United States: November 1979. (This table was prepared in September 1992.)

------ The Tree Gardener

A Brick In The Wall Has Fallen Part 4 Eli Brumfield

Eli Brumfield

 

This is Part 4 of a series identifying the individuals in the above photograph. This photograph is significate because it is one of the few known pictures of my Black ancestors. It also shows a picture of the individual who subjugated them to slavery.   Eli Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man standing on the right side in the picture. Eli lived most of his life in the Pike County, Mississippi area.  I was first able to identify Eli Brumfield 14 years old in the Pike County, Mississippi 1870 census.  In this census, he is enumerated with his presumptive father Isham "Bromfield" Brumfield 49 and his siblings Hester 13  and Henrietta 10 years old.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 9 East, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 131B; Family History Library Film: 552244

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 9 East, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 131B; Family History Library Film: 552244  Transcribed  Isham Bromfield

Eli Brumfield 24 years old is enumerated in the 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census with a wife Sarah 17 years old and a daughter  Keziah 1 year old. Please note Isham and Henrietta Brumfield his daughter are enumerated in the household above them on the census page. Isham Brumfield's health is recorded as blind at home and not a farmer. It is reasonable to infer that Eli is the son of Isham Brumfield because they were enumerated in the 1870 census and lived near each other in the 1880 census

Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 353C; Enumeration District: 037

  

 

Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 353C; Enumeration District: 037 Transcribed Isham Brumfield and Eli Brumfield

Eli and Sally and their children are enumerated in the 1900 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census. This census is informative because month and year of birth information are given. There are some discrepancies noted from the prior census records. In the 1880 census, Eli's wife's name is Sarah and she and her parents were born in Louisiana. In the 1900 census, Eli's wife Sally and parents were born in Mississippi.  Sally is a nickname for Sarah and she is probably the same individual in both census records.  There are also name spelling discrepancies. Eli and Sarah couldn't read or write so the enumerator was responsible for the name spelling. Eli's occupation was a farmer and he rented the land which is designated on the census form. An individual who farmed rented land was considered a sharecropper. A sharecropper has a legal arraignment with a landowner which allowed him to use the land for a share of the crops which was grown on the land. 

Year: 1900; Census Place: Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0105; FHL microfilm: 1240825

Year: 1900; Census Place: Beat 1, Pike, Mississippi; Page: 11; Enumeration District: 0105; FHL microfilm: 1240825 Transcribed Eli Brumfield and family

There are major discrepancies in the information correlated with family in the family of Eli and Sarah (Sally) Brumfield. In the 1900 census, Sally is listed as having 5 children and 5 living. There are however  7 children listed as her children. 

More information to come.

-----The Tree Gardener

A Brick In The Wall Has Fallen Part 3 Richard Brumfield

 

Richard "Dick" Brumfield

Richard Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man on the left with his left hand on the shoulder of the seated Caucasian male  Henry S. Brumfield Sr.

Richard Brumfield was the son of Liddie Brumfield Caston and Louis Brumfield. Richard 69 and his wife Catherine 55 years old are enumerated in the 1910 Pike County, Mississippi Federal Census along with their son Jesse is 17.

Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 2, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T624_756; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0098; FHL microfilm: 1374769

Year: 1910; Census Place: Beat 2, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: T624_756; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 0098; FHL microfilm: 1374769 partial transcription Richard Brumfield

 

By the year 1920, Richard was a widow and was living with his son Dudley "Dud" and his wife Beulah in Walthall County,  Mississippi. 

Year: 1920; Census Place: Tylertown, Walthall, Mississippi; Roll: T625_896; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 117

Richard, Dudley and Beulah Brumfield continued to live together and enumerated in the 1930 Walthall County, Mississippi Federal Census.

Year: 1920; Census Place: Tylertown, Walthall, Mississippi; Roll: T625_896; Page: 12B; Enumeration District: 117 Partial transcription Dud Brumfield and Richard Brumfield 

Year: 1930; Census Place: Beat 5, Walthall, Mississippi; Page: 14A; Enumeration District: 0006; FHL microfilm: 2340904

 

Richard and his family continued to reside together in Walthall County, Mississippi  until his death in February 13, 1935. On the death certificate, Dudley Brumfield is the informant. Richard born in Pike County (c0) is a widower and Catherine Brumfield is identified as his wife, Louis Brumfield as father and Littie Brumfield mother.   He was buried February 14, 1935 in the Caston Cemetery. 

A major brick has fallen in the genealogy wall of this black African American family with the identification of the former slave owner. Richard  Brumfield's death is recognized in the local newspaper. It is this article which identifies the former slave owner Henry Brumfield with an additional identifier of his daughter Mrs. W. M. Lampton.   

Clarion-Ledger
Jackson, Mississippi
22 Feb 1935, Fri  •  Page 5

 -----The Tree Gardener

A Brick In The Wall Has Fallen Part 2 Richard Brumfield

Richard "Dick" Brumfield

 In the research of my family tree, one of the biggest challenges is to find information before 1870 in the United States concerning black African Americans. My family’s roots were planted in the southern portion of the United States.  Prior to 1865, most black African Americans were someone’s property as slaves. Formerly enslaved individuals were not enumerated in the United States Federal census until 1870.  In prior blogs, I have focused on the descendants of Liddie Brumfield Caston an enslaved woman who had two husbands with two sets of children in Mississippi. Louis Brumfield her first husband thought to be an enslaved man was sold or died.  Calvin Caston was Liddie’s second husband whom she helped established a homestead.  In my blog post "Six Degrees of Separation  Caston & Brumfield Families Part 4" information about Richard Brumfield was also given. 

Richard Brumfield was one of Liddie and Louis Brumfield's children. Richard Brumfield is identified in the above picture as the black man on the left with his left hand on the shoulder of the seated Caucasian male.   He was probably enslaved based on approximate birth years from federal census records, his death certificate and family oral history. Mississippi by law did not require birth or death certificates until November 1, 1912.

I was able to identify a Richard Brumfield in the Pike County, Mississippi 1870 census. It is documented he was 27 years old and enumerated on the third line.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Township 2 Range 9 East, Pike, Mississippi; Roll: M593_745; Page: 126B; Family History Library Film: 552244

1870 Federal Census Pike County Mississippi  transcribed copy of  entry for Richard Brumfield

Richard (Richard Bromfield) married Catherine Love August 19, 1875 in Hinds county, Mississippi.  The marriage was officiated by minister Robert Jones. The official marriage document was recorded August 26, 1875.

 Richard and Catherine are found in the 1880 Hinds County, Mississippi Federal Census in the geographic area of  Byram and Terry which is located near the city of Jackson, Mississippi. Richard and his parents were born in Mississippi. His occupation was farm labor.  Catherine was born in Louisiana and her parents were from " S C" which is the probable designation for South Carolina.  They are enumerated in the last family entry on the page. In later Federal census records, Catherine's enumeration states that she and her parents were born in Mississippi.

Year: 1880; Census Place: Byram and Terry, Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: 649; Page: 422D; Enumeration District: 014

1880 Federal Census Pike County Mississippi  transcribed copy of  entry for Richard Brumfield

School attendance was important to black African Americans following the Civil War. Prior to the war both enslaved and free black African Americans were prohibited by state law from receiving an education. Richard Brumfield was not an exception to the law. In the 1870 Pike County census it is documented that he could not read or write.  School census records have been an important source of information for me to document a family location. The schools were segregated into Black "colored" and Caucasian "white" at that time. The school census records reflect this segregation in the documented records. Several sources were available which enabled me to locate the information that is presented. The Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Jackson, Mississippi,  Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and  the website www.FamilySearch.org. 

 Richard and his family returned to Pike County, Mississippi by 1885 which is inferred by the school census. Richard and his children are identified and documented in the Tylertown Pike County 1885 school census. Edna age 9, Percy age 7, and Pearlie age 5 are listed. Tylertown was part of Pike County until 1912 when Walthall County was formed. 

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6W-568F: 17 December 2020), Richard Brumfield in entry for Percy, 1885; citing School enrollment, , Pike, Mississippi, United States, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson.

Richard "Dick"  Brumfield was identified and documented in the Tylertown Pike County 1890 school census. Edna age 17, Percy age 15, Fred 12 Pearlie 10 and Lizzie age 7 are listed.

Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1890 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation 

Richard Brumfield was identified and documented in the Tylertown Pike County 1896 school census. Percy , Fred 14 Pearlie 15 and Lizzie age 12, Dudley 9 and Jesse 7 are listed. I have enlarged the image. 

Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1896 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation 

Allen County Library Fort Wayne, Indiana  Pike County, Mississippi Records and Correspondence Black families1896 author Serena Abbess Haymon collation Richard Brumfield

Richard Brumfield had an identified second family with Ellen Walker and their children in Pike County, Mississippi. I was able to identify Ellen Walker in the 1880 Pike County, Mississippi Federal census. with children Thomas 11, Irvin 10, Lucius 6, Richard 3 and  Charley 1 years of age. She is the fourth household enumerated on the census page.

Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 374D; Enumeration District: 038

Year: 1880; Census Place: Pike, Mississippi; Roll: 662; Page: 374D; Enumeration District: 038 Ellen Walker transcribed

Ellen Walker and her children are identified and documented in the Tylertown Pike County 1885 school census. The children are Tom 18, Irvin 15, Lucius 12, Guy 10 and Caroline 8 years old.

"Mississippi Enumeration of Educable Children, 1850-1892; 1908-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK6W-58B9 : 17 December 2020), Ellen Walker in entry for Lucius, 1885; citing School enrollment, , Pike, Mississippi, United States, Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Jackson

Ellen Walker married George Lundy on July 15, 1886 in Pike County, Mississippi. This information was obtained from the Pike County, Mississippi marriage link website file number 0042260 book/page B/95 and Hunting For Bears, comp.. Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935. Mississippi marriage information taken from county courthouse records. Many of these records were extracted from copies of the original records in microfilm, microfiche, or book format, located at the Family History Library.

In the Pike County, Mississippi school census, Ellen Walker children are established with the surname Brumfield. In the census, Tom Brumfield 20, Ervin (Irvin) Brumfield 19, Lucius 15 Brumfield and the probable children of her husband George Lundy; George Lunda (Lundy) George Lunda (Lundy) 13, Charlie Lunda (Lundy) 12, Howell Lunda (Lundy) 9, Mary Lunda (Lundy) 8 and Martha Lunda (Lundy) 7 are identified. 

More information is to come in part 3.

------The Tree Gardener