Freedmen
In black African American genealogy, family history prior to 1870 is hard to find. The lack of family surnames and documentation has been called one of the brick walls.
Just before the end of the Civil War in 1865, the Freedmen ’s Bureau (Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and
Abandoned Lands) was established to aid former slaves and whites in needed assistance for survival. Attempts were
made to provide food, clothing, educate, reunite families, legalize marriages,
provide employment, and aid the black military.
This was an ambitious undertaking to provide all these services. A paper trail however was established which lead
the road to finding some of my ancestors.
In the search, I looked
for the former slaves with the Brumfield surname in Washington Parish Louisiana, and Pike County Mississippi in Freedman Bureau records. There is voluminous
amount of information to review. I realize that my ancestors may have come from
other areas and possibly different surnames.
The homestead records however lead me to believe that these geographic areas
must have been considered home. Home
is defined as a place where a person has knowledge, history, and familiarity.
During my
investigation, I looked for names of ancestors in locations where they may have
lived. I looked at Freedman labor contracts. Labor contracts were established to assist in the employment of former slaves now Freemen. Terms of employment were established. In the contract, the name of the former slave
was given sometimes with a surname along with the name of the planter.
In records
of the Bureau of Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, Louisiana 1865-1872
I found the following:
Charlotte 48(infirm), Harriet
28(good hand), Margaret 16(daughter), Sarah 23, Mary 8 (child of Sarah) Ophelia
4, Sam 2 Grandchildren of Charlotte; Wade 10, Charlotte 8, Keziah 4 signed
September 18, 1865 with Wily G. Collins
These are my people! Charlotte was married to Isham Brumfield and Harriet
was married to Gale Brumfield. Sarah was married to Eli Brumfield (son of
Isham). I have been able locate their one of their children Keziah granddaughter of Charlotte.
-------- The Tree Gardener
