Recently I was a guest on RESEARCH AT THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES & BEYOND, a podcast on Blog Talk Radio with professional genealogist and author, Bernice Bennett. I’ve long been a fan of her genealogy podcast, and have frequently worked with Bernice to conduct research in the National Archives. In our brief discussion, I shared my 4x great-grandmother Harriet Riggs’ story. I explained how traditional and genetic genealogy led to a deeper understanding of my enslaved ancestor in Bulloch County, Georgia. I discussed how research into county records revealed Harriet and her family had five enslavers, all in the same town of Statesboro, GA, and their transition to freedom from clues within two key documents, an estate sale in 1847, and a labor contract with the Freedmen’s Bureau in 1866. You can read Harriet’s story here.
Awesome Cousin! Harriet Riggs was also my 4x Great Grandmother, and Isaac Riggs, my 3x Great Grandfather! Can you inform who those persons are in the photo at the top of this page?
Hello cousin – those folks in the top picture are Mays family on my maternal side.
Hello Cousin,
I am a descendant of Harriet Lanier(1854), via my grandmother’s mom, affectionately known to me as Nana (Eunice Williams). Nana was born in Statesboro in the 1920’s. Harriet Lanier ‘s mother was Hannah Parrish, and her mother was Isabella Donaldson. I have learned of the school that was founded during reconstruction our kin in Bulloch, and so every now and then I will do a google search to see what else comes up. This time your blog did. What a blessing. I’m excited to read and explore the content that you have here. And would love to talk sometime.
-Ashe
Ronald Lewis.