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Showing posts from August, 2011

Wordless Wednesday--The Bryant Brothers

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The 3 brothers Ray, Linwood, and Frank Bryant in 1960. I didn't realize that my Grandmother had any brothers until I think was about 8 or 9 years old. All three died before I was born and I don't recall seeing any pictures of them when I was a child. According to my Mom, Frank grew up in the house next door with his Grandmother Rosa while the other children lived with their parents at 1400 Fisher St.  Frank was the oldest so perhaps when he came along with both parents  working, his grandmother stepped in to become his primary caretaker. I do know that he referred to his grandmother as "Momma".

Strange Week, Crazy Weather, and Whitney Research

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First I'd like to say, I hope everyone out there who was in the path of Hurricane Irene is safe and sound and escaped with as little damage possible to property. Strange week, first earthquake and then hurricane, and I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. Things have a way of coming in threes. Anyway back to genealogy. I have been looking a bit further into my Portuguese connection. Just as a recap to those who may be new to my blog. Samuel Whitney born about 1775 and listed on the 1830 census for New Bern, I believe is my 4th great grandfather. According to family oral history, he was originally from Azores, Portugal and migrated to Bermuda first and eventually settled in America. The description I have from my Great Aunt of Samuel Whitney (b1856-d.1916), the elder Samuel Whitney's grandson, was that he was very fair skinned with light green eyes and reddish blond hair. Now this description of Samuel was a bit startling to me because I never thought fair skin, green e

Swan Quarter, Hyde, NC: Where Samuel Whitney Grew Up.

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Samuel Whitney (b.1856-1916) grew up with his brothers Charles and Augustus in the town of Swan Quarter, Hyde, NC. They are all shown here on the 1870 Census. They are also shown on the 1880 Census still living in Hyde . It's funny I haven't looked at these records in awhile and I am already kicking myself now that I am looking at them again, for why I didn't see something sooner. I noticed on the 1880 census that the Whitneys were living near some Merricks. My 3rd Grandmother Margaret Whitney's maiden name according to her son's death certificate was listed as Margaret Merritt. Perhaps it was Merrick. Often one finds records that are incorrect due to relatives incorrectly listing names because they have forgotten information or perhaps the person misheard their loved one long ago when they were talking about their family line. Maybe the record taker misheard what they were being told. I'll have to get back to you on this one after I do some more dig

Sunday's Obituary: Carrie Ethel Whitney Harrison (b.1897--d.1939)

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"Among The Colored" By Rev C. L. Stevens New Bern Tribune Saturday August 5, 1939 Mrs Carrie Harrison, wife of Sonny Harrison, died at Good Shepherd hospital Tuesday around 4 pm.  Funeral was held from St Peters A. M. E. Z. church Friday at 2pm. Rev. E. T. Melver, officiating.  She leaves to mourn their lost her husband, 10 sons and 3 daughters and a host of relatives and friends.

Samuel Whitney Makes a Puchase.

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Well, back to the Whitney line when it was in New Bern. Specifically, when my 2nd Great Grandfather, Samuel Whitney (1856--1916) made the jump to live in New Bern versus his childhood home in Swan Quarter, Hyde, NC. Samuel purchased the land that eventually was passed down to his daughter Carrie and his eldest son Samuel back in  July of 1883.  Interesting note: Apparently he made the purchase before he married my 2nd Great Grandmother Sarah J Harris. Also, my 3rd Great Grandmother is referred to in the deed as Annie Harris. Family Oral History has been that her name is Amy Harris and that was also, evidenced on her daughter Sarah's death certificate. Still it was interesting to learn that when he purchased the property, Amy (or Annie as referred to on the deed) was granted life tenancy. My 2nd Great Grandparents were married on August 8, 1883. Samuel was 23 and Sarah 22 at the time of their marriage. Back to the deed. It reads on it that the land that Samuel purcha

Thank Goodness For Internet Connections

Thank goodness for the Internet these days. I use Ancestry.com quite a bit and have made wonderful connections with people via message boards or who have viewed information on my tree. One of these connections was from a gentleman who is descended from an Augustus Whitney (b. abt 1840--date of death-before 1910) who just so happens to be the brother of my 2nd Great Grandfather, Samuel Whitney (b. 1856--d. 1916). When I received these messages from him I was so happy to have someone finally back up family oral history regarding Portuguese lineage. Here's the conversation: jgibman Dec 6 8:26 PM I am a decendant of margaret whitney she is my great, great, great grandmother. Her daughter Lillie had 4 daughters Sarah, Ellen, Julia, and Edna in that order I believe. My great grandmother Ellen had 3 sons with the last name of Whitney-- Edward, Charles Augustus, and Alvin Henry in that order. Charles (my maternal granddad) is the only one still alive. Maybe we can tie the loo

Wordless Wednesday: My Grandpa Lemuel Harrison and Unknown Friend

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My Grandpa Lemuel Harrison and Unknown Family Friend. Grandpa always liked to be styling! ***Update 2015 --I believe the unknown friend in this picture is actually my grandfather's younger sister, Carrie.

The Whitneys, The Azores and Me-- Part Two

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So the Whitney line of my family according to oral history is descended from people who came from the Azores Islands intially and later traveled to Bermuda and lastly arrived in the United States. On my last post, The Whitneys, The Azores and Me--Part One,  I shared possible reasons why my ancestor would have left his homeland to come to America. Now, his arrival is where I am focusing on for this post. The email from my Grand Aunt Carrie says that her grandfather's father's family came from the Azores.  Let me share how the family line branches back in time first. My mother--Lemuel Harrison--Carrie E Whitney Harrison. Now from my Great Grandmother Carrie we travel up the tree to my 2nd Great Grandparents Samuel and Sarah Harris Whitney. Samuel was my Grand Aunt's Grandfather she was referring to in her email. Now Samuel's father is where we start to tap into the beginning of my Portuguese lineage. This is my theory regarding my family line. I have only circums

The Whitneys, The Azores, and Me--Part one.

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So from my post My Great Grandmother--Carrie E Whitney Harrison, I shared an email I had received from my Grand Aunt Carrie, where she informs me that her grandfather's father's family came from the Azores Islands. Her grandfather was Samuel D Whitney (b.1856--d.1916).  Talk about dropping a bomb on someone. LOL. First things first, I had to look on a map to find out where the Azores were. I vaguely knew the islands were somewhere off the coast of Portugal but I had to see where exactly. Point A on Map is the location of the Azores. Point B is Bermuda. The next thing I had to do was see if this could in fact be possible. Why would someone leave the Azores to come to America. Courtesy of RootsWeb.Ancestry.com, I found a post which gave me a reason. The story of Portuguese Bermudians Portuguese immigrants to Bermuda began arriving in the 1840's and 50's. Between 1815 and 1850, economic change swept over the Islands as the era of shipbuilding a

Wordless Wednesday: Bryant Siblings In The Mid-1980's

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    Eloise, Loris, Ray, Mary (my grandmother), and Rosa Morehead City, NC They look like they are about to start some trouble, don't they? :)

My Great Grandmother--Carrie E. Whitney Harrison

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Here is where we are: My Mother---Grandfather Lemuel Harrison--Great Grandmother Carrie E Whitney. Carrie E Whitney Harrison was born October 11, 1897 in New Bern, NC. She was the youngest of six kids as seen on the 1900 Census. (click on image to enlarge) The family home was at 10 Brown's Alley which later was changed to 709 Brown's Ave. Parents: Samuel Whitney (October 1856--July 21, 1916) and Sarah Jane Harris Whitney (abt 1861--Sept 12, 1937) Children: Samuel David Whitney (November 2, 1885--March 12, 1957) John H Whitney (born abt 1888--date of death unknown) George W Whitney (born abt 1890--date of death unknown) Benjamin Whitney (November 20, 1895--February 1970) Annie L Whitney Brown (May 12, 1896--September 7, 1913) Carrie Ethel Whitney Harrison (October 11, 1897--August 1, 1939) The Whitney line for me was very interesting to follow. I was told as a child by my grandfather that on his side of the family, his heritage was African America

Could Simon Dove Be My 4th Great Grandfather?

So here is where we are at on my tree on my mother's side. Harrison family line: My mother---Lemuel Harrison--John Thomas Harrison--Thomas Duke Harrison--Simon D. Harrison. So who's next? I know from what I have been told by Grandfather Lemuel and my Grand Aunt, Carrie, that the original family name was Dove. So where do we go from here? Let's speculate that Simon D. Harrison was named after his own father. Perhaps he was the last one who went by the Dove surname. If you saw my last post Researching My 3rd great grandfather:  Simon D Harrison , you will see where I posted a page from the 1870 census showing a Samuel and Rosanna Harrison. I am currently working under the theory that Simon's name was taken down wrong by the census taker and that this is my Simon Harrison, which would make his year of birth around 1826. So let's say Simon Harrison's father was 20--50 years of age at the time he was born. That would make him born anywhere from 1776--1806. I c

Researching My 3rd Great Grandfather: Simon D Harrison,

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So what do I know about Simon D Harrison, my 3rd great grandfather?  Well it all begins with his son's death certificate which according to it he was born in Craven County, NC. I could not find a Simon Harrison on the 1870 or 1880 Census, so I said to myself try doing Google Search. When I did, I came up with an interesting result in the "North Carolina Freedman's Savings and Trust Company Records" Record for "Charitable Society." Date of Application October 15, 1873. Remarks: Simon Harrison, president; David Williams, secretary; Liffron Brown, treasurer, Wm. F. James, attorney; Moses T Brown, are on the committee with the other three to draw this money. So the first thing I said to myself was, Could this be my Simon Harrison? What is this "Charitable Society?" Next I was able to pull up the following in the "Laws and Resolutions of the State of North Carolina passed by the General Assembly." Chapter XLII An Act to Incorporate The