Tag: County Pasquotank

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Great Grandparents

I went to my dad’s house last week and we were looking thru the book my aunt made and I asked him, who is these people?

He looked at the picture and said this is a picture of your great grandfather, Aaron Edward Spence, and your great grandma, Bessie Lowry when they were younger. I would have never known that.

This is my great grandparents when they were older. I never got a chance to know my great grandfather. He died 6 years before I was born. However, I did come to know and love my great grandmother dearly!

She raised my father like a son. When ever I would see her she would tell me the same story. “I was the first one to hold you when you came home from the hospital.” Recently my dad told me the whole story.
My great grandmother (Bessie) worked for a white woman in Elizabeth City, NC cleaning her house. The woman would often travel and Bessie would travel with her. I suppose they had a pretty good working/friend relationship. This one trip, the woman happened to be coming down to FL and of course Bessie went along. She took it as an opportunity to see her grandson and his family. The day they arrived in our city, my mother was just discharged from the hospital from having me. When we arrived home, Bessie was waiting at the door for us. That’s when she scooped me up and the first one to hold me when I came home from the hospital. It was a matter of pure coincidence or divine intervention. My mother told me that it was a blessing having her there for almost a week because she took care of almost everything. Gave her time to rest and recover.
I miss hearing that from Bessie.
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Questions for the dead

I saw this on Jennifer’s blog, But Now I’m Found, and I thought it was a great idea. So, I borrowed it.

I would love to ask my great great grand father Aaron Edward Spence what his brothers and sisters’ name’s are. I know he had siblings, but I haven’t been able to locate them.

I wish I could as my great great grandfather William Lowry if that was really him living with his grandfather in 1880 and did he change his name from Barker to Lowry. Also, is he part Indian? Does he have any siblings? Who is Issaac Boykin and Alfred Ferebee that was living with him in 1880? How did he feel when his mom married and left him with his grandparents?

I wish I could ask my grandfather, Aaron Edward Spence, who George Washington Bolden is? What is the real story behind my dad living with them as a kid? How much land did he own?

Lastly, I would love to ask all the ancestors…….WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!?!?!?!?

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Tightlipped!

Sometimes the hardest part of your genealogy research is the living relatives. Searching for African American ancestors makes this increasing difficult as well. Over generations, African Americans did not talk about their ancestors. Sometimes stories were passed down, but not necessarily shared among everyone.

My family double related. You would think this would make it easier for me to get information. However, it’s not. It makes it more difficult. For whatever reason, my family, the Bessie Lowry/Aaron Spence side, isn’t that close with the other side, Rosa Lowry/Enoch Spence side.

My own perception of it is: The Rosa Lowry/Enoch Spence side MOVED. They didn’t stay in the small town and most moved on to MD or VA.

However, the Bessie Lowry/Aaron Spence side remained in Pasquotank (Elizabeth City/Newland area). Not many of them moved on. I guess from there, some members of the family seemed to have grown apart. I wonder if the Lowry sisters were close with each other. There was a 10+ year age difference between them, but it just makes you think. They married brothers, they should have been close.

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African American History in Albemarle

How interesting. Searching for Pasquotank in Google’s Blog search, I found this article.

The participation in this February’s National African-American History Month throughout the Albemarle has been phenomenal, and Wednesday night’s event at the Pasquotank-Camden Library was no exception. By 7 p.m. Wednesday night, the Community room of the Pasquotank-Camden Library was packed full with a diverse range people, all eagerly awaiting tales of the African-American history in their area.

The event that this group attended was the 2nd Annual Famous First Black History Month program, a tribute to all of the Albemarle area’s first African-American accomplishments. Beginning last year, the library decided to recognize all the new honors and job positions that African-Americans in the Albemarle achieved. I

n the program Wednesday night, many of the new firsts were honored, ranging from the first high school wrestling coach, to the first police officer to receive a silver star for bravery. The program started strong with a portrayal of the local legend, Moses Grandy, by City of Elizabeth City Councilman, Read more ……

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FRSNNC

If you are researching family in northeast North Carolina and haven’t joined Family Research Society of Northeastern NC (FRSNNC), you’re doing it all wrong!

I came upon FRSNNC early in 2007 when I was really getting into my family tree. I sent them an e-mail seeing if they could help me…and they did! They sent me documents helping with my search and guided me in the right direction to go forward.

The counties that they cover are Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank and Perquimans. They know the ins and outs of those counties. They can tell you about traditions and records. They are a non profit organization and everyone that works there is a volunteer.

Membership is only $20.00 and with that, you get a quarterly newsletter (more like a book), member directory, surname lists and endless help. The newsletter is full of useful information. It has stories, obituaries and plenty of information to help you with your genealogy research. Even if you’re only researching one of the counties listed above, I suggest you join the organization.

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More cousins?!?!

Every time I talk to my family, they give me more and more information.

On a conversation with my grandmother about a month ago, she was telling me about a funeral home in Elizabeth City. It was owned by Dennis Stallings. She said that he was a cousin of ours. But, of course, she didn’t know how. She knew that Dennis’s mother was Betty Spence and she married Dennis Sr. The current owner of the funeral home is the son. She also mentioned another name, Oscar Spence and he was related to Betty some kind of way.

So, as a genealogy freak, I was searching Ancestry.com as I was holding the phone w/my grandmother.

After about 20 minutes of searching, this is what I was able to find:

  • Betty Spence’s real name is Dorothy Elizabeth Spence.
  • She married Dennis Stallings in 1950.
  • Dennis was the son of Cader Stallings B: 1885 and Ella Bright B: 1892.
  • Betty was the daughter of James A. Spence B: 1891 and Bettie Temple B: 1896.
  • James and Betty also had a son named Oscar.

DING DING DING. There is my Oscar and Betty Spence connection. They’re siblings. But, how are they related to me? *happy dance subsided*

Well, I don’t know. I do know that James and Betty married in 1912. So, in 1910, James would be listed either alone or living with his parents. He would only be 19 at that time. DAGNABIT, there is no James Spence in 1910. Maybe he’s off working somewhere. But, in 1900, I did locate him. Living with his parents Moses Spence B: 1846 and Louisa Turner B: 1855.

This takes me back to the possible slave owner, Thomas B. Williams. He owned a male slave in 1860 that was age 12. Maybe Moses is a sibling of my ancestor Aaron Edward Spence.

But, what I will be doing to verify this is.

  • Order a copy of Betty Spence’s birth, marriage & death certificates
  • Order a copy of Moses Spence death certificate
  • Order a copy of Moses and Louisa’s marriage certificate
  • Order a copy of Oscar Spence’s birth, marriage & death certificates

Luckily Moses died after 1913, how morbid but we genealogy freaks love when ancestors die AFTER records are kept. Which in Pasquotank, it was after 1913.

Am I the only one that wished family kept records knowing we’re going to research this later?!?

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Family Profile: Aaron Edward Spence

Today’s family profile is of Aaron Edward Spence. Based on his death certificate, he was born 29 September 1853 in Pasquotank County, NC. I suspect he was born into slavery considering that his parents, Enoch Spence and Susan Williams are not listed on the 1860 census. Nor is he or his parents listed on the 1870 census. Black folk shied away from government people in those days.

I believe that Aaron and his parents were owned by slave owner named Thomas B. Williams. Now this is a guess based on the fact that Susan’s last name was Williams and Thomas’s wife, Ellen, was the neighboring white family in 1880 when Enoch and Susan finally showed up on the census. It’s possible that the family remained serving the Williams family even after emancipation. I know that Thomas owned slaves in 1860. Enoch would have been abt 53 in 1860 and Susan would have been abt 47. I’m ordering the estate records from NC state archives to verify this.

In 1877, Aaron had married Hester Riddick of Pasquotank County, NC (B: 1856), daughter of Edward and Sophia Riddick. Neither Aaron nor Hester shows up on the 1880 census. It’s possible that Hester died in childbirth because by 1888, Aaron had remarried. Dineppa (Dinah) Bogues/Boague of Pasquotank County, NC was his 2nd wife. They both were on their 2nd marriage. Dineppa was previously married to Oliver Foreman. I suspect that Oliver passed away and she remarried. However, she too also passed away. I haven’t been able to find record of that, but divorce was not something that was very common. In 1892, Aaron married for a 3rd time to Cora McCoy of Camden County, NC (B: 1871, D: 07 Oct 1922). That union yielded 9 children. Berna B: 1893, Enoch B: 1894, Herbert B: 1896, Clyde Lee B: 1898, Blariche/Blanche B: 1900, Pearl B: 1902, Mabel B: 1904, Aaron Edward B: 1906 and Charlie Mack B: 1909.

I believe Aaron to have been the youngest of his siblings or the youngest living. By 1900 census, his mother Susan was living with him. She’s listed as 86 years old at the time. She’s also listed on the census as having 6 children and 4 living.

These are possible siblings that I have to research further. Excuse the roughness of this, these are my notes.

  • Enoch Spence born abt 1825. Only shows on 1870 census married to Prissy. By 1880, Prissey is a widow.
  • Joseph Spence born abt 1830. Living near Enoch Spence on 1870. Married to Tilley.
  • John Spence born abt 1832. Living in Pasquotank 1870 married to Winney–oldest son Anderson. Living nearby is a Williams (white) family by 1880, John died and Winney/Vinney is a widow.
  • Jennie Spence. Married Edmund Sawyer 1873. Possible sister.
  • Martha Ann Spence married Jacob Moore 1880. Possible sister. There’s a Martha L. Moore living with Hardy Measels in 1880 listed as widow and sister in law. Meaning she’s Hardy’s wife (Fanney) sister. Fanny maiden name was Temple. Married Hardy in 1871. May not be the same.
  • Martha J Spence married Daniel Godfrey 1894.
  • Nancy Spence married Alfred Ferebee jr. 1902. Possible sister. –Side Note, this is also the same Alfred Ferebee that could be a possible half brother to William Lowry. CORRECTION 08/04/08-Her maiden name is Griffin. She married Moses Spence then married Alfred. Not a true Spence.
  • Sarah E. Spence married Henry Murden 1894. 1910 Henry Murden living in Pasquotank w/wife Anna. Then moved to PA.

Aaron died in 1920 and Cora died 2 years later in 1922 in Pasquotank, NC. Their death certificates state that they were buried at Hinton BG. However, I haven’t been able to locate that. My grandmother said that it’s located further down on Mill Pond Road. The same road my grandmother and great grandmother has lived for years.

Off to do more research.

Happy Sleuthing….

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Family Profile: William Lowry/Lowery/Laury/Lowrey

For the sake of blogging, I’m only going to use one variation of the last name.

William M. LOWRY was born abt 1871. When I was researching him in the beginning, I only found him on the 1900 Census living with his wife Harriett (BANKS) and their children, Annie P (B: 1892), Maggie (B: 1893), George T. (B: 1894), Rosa J. (B: 1895), Martha A (B: 1899). I knew he had to be on earlier census that listed William. So, I did what any good amateur genealogist would do. I searched Ancestry.com by soundex.

That’s when I came across a William LOWERY and his wife Ann in Newland, Pasquotank, NC on the 1880 Census. This LOWERY was born abt 1820 in VA and I knew he couldn’t be the LOWRY I was looking for. He was much too old. In their home were grandsons of Issaac BOYKIN (B: abt 1868), William BARKER (B: abt 1871) and Alfred FEREBEE (B: abt 1875).

I started researching this William LOWERY and his wife Ann. On the 1870 Census, he’s listed as Wm LOWRY (B: abt 1817). In his home is his wife Annie (B: abt 1816), daughter Martha (B: 1852) and son James L (B: 1854).

With help of FRSNNC, I was able to make some connections. William BARKER listed on the 1880 census with his grandfather William LOWERY, is probably my William LOWRY. They are the same age. Considering that the elder LOWERY had a daughter old enough to have a child of his age. I began to think of the term ‘throw away baby’ and maybe my ancestor was the product of that. It’s possible that by the time he married, he decided to take the last name of his grandparents.

What I have been able to confirm is:

  • My great aunt said that William Lowry (B: 1871) had a younger sister named Cora that married Jordan Thornton. Was able to find a marriage certificate for Cora Alphenia HOWARD age 69 and Jordan THORNTON age 71. Her parents are listed as James HOWELL and Martha LAURY Howell. (NOTE: I did the genealogical happy dance when I got this death certificate!)
  • My aunt also told me that Cora lived in Washington DC when she met her in the 40’s or 50’s.
  • Martha LOWRY married James HOWELL about 1877. I know this b/c in 1880 she’s living with her husband and children. The oldest being 3.

Cora is the link to help with this line of my family. Now, I’m looking for a death certificate.

Happy Sleuthing…..

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2 Sisters married 2 brothers…

I got this idea from another person blogging on their genealogy. I’m a blogger but I guess it never occurred to me to blog on my research til now. Thanks to Taneya for inspiring this even though you didn’t know it.

This is my great-grandmother Bessie Lowry (B: 12 Feb 1911, D: 3 May 1998). She passed away on May 3, 1998. Just 12 days before my daughter was born. Since then I have been interested in my family tree. However, I didn’t start researching it til 2006. Then I really got addicted in 2007 when I got a ‘picture’ book my great aunt did. The book didn’t have a family tree. Just pictures and names. I would ask my grandmother who they were and she had no clue. Just would say, ‘they’re your cousin, just don’t know how’.

My family is what you would call double related as I think most African American families are if you go back far enough. See, my Great Grandmother Bessie Lowry and her older sister Rosa Lowry (B: 1895, D: 1958) married bothers. Bessie married Aaron Edward Spence (B: 1906, D: 1972) and Rosa married Enoch Spence (B: 1894, D: 1935). This has always been the family story. 2 sisters married 2 brothers. But, no one knew past that story. No one knew anything else. The sad part is that this is what happens in black families, no one really talks about their ancestors.

This is my purpose of the blog. To talk, document and keep record of my family tree, even if no one else will. I’ve dubbed myself as family historian.