Ellecia L. Gant found Elsie, her first cousin, five times removed
Finding Elsie
I discovered from the advertisement that was placed in the Christian Recorder in 1866 that my 4th Great Granduncle, Duff Green, had a daughter named Elsie who was sold away in 1864. Elsie was my 1st cousin, 5 times removed. This was a heartbreaking discovery!
In this 1825 probate record, Duff Green is grouped together with his father and siblings. I now know that Duff Green likely named his own daughter, Elsie, after his sister, Elsy.
William Dunbar Plantation Probate, Adams County, Mississippi, January 26, 1825.
In this 1848 probate record for William Dunbar, Adams County, MS, Duff Green is a 37 year old blacksmith worth $1,200.00 in a family group with his wife Hetty, and their 5 children, Suzan, Louisa, Rachel, Cornelia and Lewis. Elsie is not included in the 1848 or 1849 probate records, indicating that she was born afterwards. Therefore she could not have been older than 14 when she was sold to Mr. Garret.
William Dunbar Probate, Adams County, MS, February 28, 1848.
If it wasn’t for the Information Wanted database and the Last Seen Project, I would not know that Elsie existed.
Duff Green was enslaved by a Scotsman named William Dunbar Sr. (1749-1810). Dunbar settled near Natchez, Mississippi where he amassed over 1,000 acres that he named The Forest Plantation.
After Dunbar's death, members of my family--Bob Duff (my 5th great grandfather, b. 1784), Sancho (my 4th great grandfather, b. 1806), and Sancho’s siblings, Duff (b. 1812), Manuel (b. 1814), and Elsey (b. 1804)--were given to Dunbar’s eldest son, William Dunbar Jr. This information comes from the 1825 probate record in which Bob appears with the surname Duff.
When William Dunbar Jr. died in 1847, my family was separated through inheritance and then sale.
Duff, his wife, and children were given to Charlotte Dunbar. Duff’s father Bob and Duff’s sister Elsey were given to Field Dunbar. Duff's brother Sancho (my 4thGreat Grandfather) was given to Mary Dunbar. Sancho’s son Bob (my 3rd Great Grandfather) along with his wife Charlotte Ann and their 2 children, Sancho (my 2nd Great Grandfather) and Charlotte were given to Mary F Dunbar, the matriarch of the family.
My oral history begins with Sancho, my 2nd Great Grandfather, who was born around 1845.
Duff’s brother, Sancho died around 1853. His family is listed in the 1870 census with the surname Lloyd. Robert Lloyd and his son Sancho Lloyd joined the USCT in 1863.
Duff and Hetty Green--their chosen surname--are listed in the 1870 census for Natchez, MS, with their son Fredrick who was born around 1851. Their daughters, Louisa Samuel and Cornelia Dobbins, along with his great nephew Sancho Lloyd, live nearby.
At this time, I do not know if Elsie was ever reunited with her family.
Ellecia L. Gant's 4th great grand uncle placed this ad in The Christian Recorder in September 22, 1866 looking for his daughter Elsie.
Ellecia Gant
Member, African American Genealogy Group, Philadelphia
Member, African American Genealogy Society, Cleveland
aagsocelegant1@gmail.com