Hi Everyone! I'm pleased to be part of this group as you come highly recommended! I'm looking for my African-American great grandparents Jacob and Leanna Ramsey, I can trace them back to the 1870 census in Hurricane Creek, Lauderdale County, MS. Jacob was born abt 1838 and died in 1909 in Toomsuba. Different census records indicate his birth place of NC or VA. Leanna was born in AL 1850 and died in 1915 in Toomsuba. Her parents were from NC or VA, depending on the year of the census. Jacob had no birth/death certificate. Leanna's death certificate says "Don't Know" for parents. Jacob & Leanna had about 10 children, the youngest of which was my grandfather, William Ramsey, born in 1880. Jacob & Leanna homesteaded land in Toomsuba and bought/sold other parcels often, even though they could not read or write. I've hit a brick wall! Were they free prior to the civil war? Were they slaves? Who was their owner? Did they reside in MS, AL, NC or elsewhere prior to 1870? Any help or recommendations for where to search next would be greatly appreciated! I've been searching for over 10 years!