John Wilkeson's son, Sam Wilkerson

I had the opportunity this week to dig into the lives of some more ancestors. Eliza Palmer is causing me a headache so I temporarily jumped backed to my great-grandfather, William Wilkerson. I already knew Sam moved to Cincinnati and opened a hotel. I found out a few days ago that it was bought out by Holiday Inn.

Two new facts: He stayed in Mississippi until 1900. Sam Wilkerson's father's family--don't know if mother or father's side, which was white, helped him escape. I called the Cincy Museum Center (513-287-7043). A staffer checked and is sending me two pages of hotels on the 1910, 1915 City Directories.

The search continues...

Until the next tip.

Pat

Wyatt Palmer

Okay, I'm back to working on the Palmers again.

The only reason why I'm so determined with these wonderful ancestors of mine is I feature them in my 2009 release of Not Guilty of Love. Wouldn't it be great if I can go back one more generation before I write the last chapter?

On the 1870 census, Minerva Palmer (who seemed to live close to the Lamberts---possibly the last slaveholders) had 3 children before she married Spence(r) Lambert sometime before 1880: Charles,4, Wyat(t),3, and Sam, almost a year.

Wyatt Palmer was born October 1868. On the 1900 Cleburne Township, Monroe County, AR census, he was in his second marriage to Ollie. They had a daughter, Mary, 3, born in 1897. She did have a step-brother and step-sister.

In 1910, Wyatt was 42, Mary was 13, and my great-grandmother Minvera Brown, 17, and her younger brother who was a twin to Ellis, 14, Louis Brown, 14, lived with their uncle. That's Minerva and Louis.

I have not found Wyatt on the 1920 and 1930 censuses, but I'm checking. If he had held off dying until after 1912, I can request his birth certificate. Keep your fingers crossed.

African-American Workshop

One of the most exciting events I had the opportunity to attend recently was an African-American genealogy workshop. It was held at our Missouri Historical Society in Forest Park.
Whew! I watched a presentation on the debate surrounding the Cherokee Indian nation disenfranchise the Cherokee Freedman that were once their slaves.
They peaked my interest to re-examine the Dawes roll.
I would type more, but got to go...

Eliza Palmer

Well, the county clerk from Arkansas never called me back. There's always plan A,B,C and all the way to Z.

Evidence already shows Eliza in NC in 1851. Something or someone sent her to NC between 1851 and 1860.

It appears she inherited the slaves. So the big dig for me is to find a marriage certificate with Eliza about 20 years old and marrying a Palmer.

It's that Palmer I believe holds the key to who owned my people.

Who's a Genealogist?

What makes a bonafide genealogist...
#1. When you meet someone who shares the same last name of your ancestor, say 100 years ago, you want to ask, "Where are your people from?"
Of course, if you're talking to a guy, he'll probably think you're flirting. If it's a woman, she's probably praying that she isn't related to you!

..okay I need to stay on course. I'm continuing my Palmer search at the Library next week.

Minerva Palmer

Okay, this is where my investigation begins.

Minerva Palmer was my 3 great-grandma.

On the 1870 Arkansas census, she was 22 years old and had three children:

George Lambert, 4

Wyatt Lambert, 3

Sam Lambert, almost 1 year.

She lived between two Lambert families, G.W. Lambert and Mary Lambert. My 3 great-grandma went on to married Spencer Lambert.

So, who was her slaveholder on the 1860 census? At first, I thought it was the Atty. Jno Palmer because he owned slaves, but there wasn't any female slaves between 10-12 years old.

With the help of some of my Arkansas genealogy friends, we thought it could be 37-year old Eliza Palmer from SC. She wasn't in Arkansas in 1850, so.......who sent for her to take over the slaves?

Let's see if I can find out (hmmm)

There's no way I can know if you visited unless you leave a comment, please