Whenever I introduce myself for Genealogical purposes, I always say "I am Luckie Daniels, a descendant of emancipated slaves from Washington-Wilkes Georgia".
It’s not spoken with any inkling of shame {to the contrary, great pride!}, nor is it intended to spur guilt. It is just who I am.
While I am not defined by Slavery, I would be remiss to ignore the impacts of the Chattel System upon myself personally, my Family and African-American Culture, as a whole.
Recently {for the record - not within this community} I was asked "why can't you just let it go Luckie and move on? Is knowing everything about your family's past really that important?".
Hmmm... there are MANY reasons but here are the two I'll offer today…
My 4th Maternal
Grandmother Catie DICKEY {born. 1850}
married my Grandfather James WINGFIELD in Wilkes Co. GA 1868. Grandma Catie had been owned by Methodist Minister, Rev. James Madison DICKEY.
From Family Oral History we know that Catie was brought to Wilkes Co. from neighboring Warren Co. and that she often reflected on the times she'd spent on the plantation of Master CODY with her Sister, Allie.
You see, Rev. Dickey arrived in Wilkes Co. by way of Richmond Co. {Augusta} in 1859-60 to oversee the reconstruction of The Smyrna Church and somewhere along the way, he acquired my Catie.
Catie's 1933 Death Certificate identifies Katie WILLIAMS as her Mother and Jim DICKSON/DICKINSON as her Father.
So what does this mean? That not only did my Catie leave behind her Sister, Allie but possibly a Mother and Father too. That somewhere in the world - heck possibly as near as Warren Co., there exists CODYS, WILLIAMS and DICKSON/DICKINSON descendants with whom I share blood. Not 15 or 10 generations removed –
just a mere 4!
Next is my 4th Paternal Grandfather, Phillip CARTER {b. 1826} also from Wilkes Co. He
married my 4th Grandmother Annie FAVER in 1869. However Grandma Annie was Phil's second Wife.
Family Oral History tells that while Phillip was a slave, out working the fields for the day, he returned to find that his Wife and Children had been sold. We're told that when Phil approached the owner to question him about his actions, he was "strongly encouraged" to forget about what had taken place and to "find a new wife and make more babies".
When I think about all the life circumstances my Catie and Phillip endured, as if these two were not enough, I am deeply, deeply saddened.
Imagine being a child at 10 yrs. taken away from your family by strangers and never seeing them again? Or, leaving out for work one day, only to return home and be told your family was gone. Forever.
This is why I can't let "it" go.
Because while I am incapable of changing and/or repairing the past, at the very least, I can devote a life's effort to do what I can to mend the shattered pieces it's left.
Luckie.
www.OurGeorgiaRoots.com
www.OurAlabamaRoots.com
You need to be a member of Genealogy Wise to add comments!
Join Genealogy Wise