Sophia Bishop searching for brother, Kinnett Claggett

The Christian Recorder (Philadelphia, PA)

August 9, 1888

Tuague Miller searching for his siblings, Sarah and Caroline

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

May 15, 1881

James W. Young receives a letter from a missing uncle

The Illinois Record (Springfield, IL)

November 6, 1897

John Jones reunites with his mother, Parthenia Jones, and brother

The Evening World (New York, NY)

February 23, 1894

Mrs. Skiperth reunites with her sister

Sunday Morning Call (Battle Creek, MI)

December 14, 1884

Diana Johnson searching for lost relatives

The Daily Journal (Freeport, IL)

January 18, 1900

Henry Saffold searching for fellow veterans from his U.S.C.T. regiment

The Savannah Tribune (Savannah, GA)

November 17 & 24, 1888

Jeff Frierson reuniting with his wife Mary Burt

The Tennessean (Nashville, TN)

September 25, 1903

Clara Williams searching for her husband

Records of the Field Offices for the State of Mississippi, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872 https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662425034168-2?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D49

January 5, 1868

Westville Miss Jan [[unknown symbol]] 1/68

Mr. Powel

I left Mr Flairchilds in Dec last with the expectation that my husband (Clark Williams who was also employed by Mr Fl. last year) would come for me and my children the ensuing week he told me that he was going right off to secure a home for us the result has been that I am now here in an…

Jack Hannibal to "Dear Mistress"

Jack Hannibal to “Mistress” (unnamed), August 9, 1878, Jack Hannibal Papers, 1878 (Sec. A Box 58 items1 c.1), David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library
at Duke University, https://find.library.duke.edu/catalog/DUKE002567178.

August 9, 1878

Tuskaloosa, Alabama
August 9th 1878

Dear Mistress,
I am glad to hear from you

Sarah ("Sally") Norral to "Miss Emma"

Sarah “Sally” Norral to Emma Mordecai (maiden name), November 23, 1867, Jacob Mordecai Papers, 1784-1936 (Volume/Box: Box 6, c.1), David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Duke University,
https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/mordecaijacob.

November 23, 1867

Fannie addresses a letter to her husband

Fannie to Norfleet Perry, December 28, 1862, Person Family Papers, 1754-1971 (Volume/Box: Box 1), David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Duke University, https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/personfamily.

December 28, 1862

Fanny writing to enslaver for her children

Fanny to “Sister” (unnamed), August 5, 1867, Slade Family Papers, 1751-1929 and undated (Volume/Box: Box 3), David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript
Library at Duke University,
https://archives.lib.duke.edu/catalog/sladefamily_aspace_b425eb8a8f1f965adbccfdd7
6a3dcb51.

August 5, 1867

Matilda Jones looking for her husband and children

Registers and Letters Received by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1872, Letters Received, Entered in Register 10, June-August 1867. NMAAHC.FB.M752

1st Image: https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662425796801-3?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D15

2nd Image: https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662425796801-4?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D15

August 26, 1867

1st Image:
J 42 RF&AL Vol 10. '67
Washington, Aug 24th 67.

Jones Matildia
(Cor of D & 9th Sts)

Asks for information concerning her husband Richard Jones, And her two sons John and Thomas, formerly the property of Burbin Jones, of Smithfield, near Isle of Wight C.H. Va

2nd Image:
0058

August 26. 1867
Gen. Howard

Sir-
Please…

Rody Jordan to Pearce Stephens

Rody Jordan to Pearce Stephens, March 26, 1860, Alexander H. Stephens Papers in
Correspondence, 1860 Jan-Aug, letter 52, Digital Collections of David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library at Duke University,
https://idn.duke.edu/ark:/87924/r3tb0z45g.

March 26, 1860

Vilet Lester writing to find her mother and family

Vilet Lester to Patsey Patterson, August 29, 1857, Joseph Allred Papers, The Digital Scriptorium of Duke University Special Collections Library, https://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/scriptorium/lester/lester.html.

August 1, 1857

Sarah Lyons trying to find her husband

Sarah Lyons to Major General C.R. Wood, letter, 1866, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Alabama, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1870, Letters Received, H – P, Subseries, 1866, NARA Publication Number M809.

1st Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426333274-1?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D5

2nd Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426333274-2?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D5

3rd Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426333275-0?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bhusband%2522%26page%3D5

June 1, 1866

1st Image:
Mobile Alabama
June 1st 1866
Major Genl. CR Woods U.S.A
Commanding
Dep.t Alabama—

General,
After your promise yesterday to immediately have my unfortunate case investigate, I have the honor to state that my Husband was Capt. Francis Lyons, late a commissioned officer in the U.S. service. His first commission was in the 86th…

Frances Johnson's trying to free her daughter from enslaver's son-in-law

Frances Johnson, Statement to J.M. Kelly (Notary Public), March 1865, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Tennessee, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and
Abandoned Lands, 1865–1869, Registered Letters Received, Entered in Register 1, E – L, Roll 7, 1865. NMAAHC.FB.M999.

1st Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426440430-0?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D1

2nd Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426440430-1?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D1

3rd Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426440430-2?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D1

4th Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426440430-3?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D1

March 10, 1865

1st Image:
Camp Nelson Ky
March 1865.

Personally appeared before me J. M. Kelly Notary Public in and for the County of Jessamine State of Kentucky Frances Johnson a woman of color who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say -

I am the wife of Nathan Johnson a soldier in Company F. 116th U.S.C. Infty. I have three children and…

George Gillem trying to get free his wife

George Gillem, Testimony to Michael Walsh, January 24, 1867, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Tennessee, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1869, Registered Letters Received, Entered in Register 2 and 3, T – W, 1867. NMAAHC.FB.M999.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426480461-4?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bwife%2522%26page%3D1

January 24, 1867

Personally appeared before on this 24th day of January 1867. George Gillem alias George Washington and having been duly sworn testifies as follows My name is George Gillem. I live on Neill Street in Nashville, Tenn. My wife's name is Betsy Ann. [Stringer?] About one week before christmas she went to Bucklin Station in Kentucky to spend christmas…

Lucy Ross writing to Freedmen's Bureau's O.O. Howard to get her children released from former enslaver

Lucy Ross to General O.O. Howard, letter, October 31, 1866, Registers and Letters Received by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1872, Letters Received, Entered in Register 8, R, Aug-Dec. 1866. NMAAHC.FB.M752.

1st Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662425788613-2?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D0

2nd Image:
https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662425788613-3?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D0

October 31, 1866

1st Image:
Wilmington N.C. Oct. 31. 1866 Gen. Howard Freedmens Bureau, General "I take the liberty of asking your help to recover possession of my two children who has been taken away from me. the circumstances are as follows. I was a slave of Mr. Daniel C. Russell of Robeson Co. & early in the month of September Mr. Russell's overseer came to my…

Martha Cooley trying to get her children released from John Nave

Martha Cooley, Testimony to J.M. Kelly, Notary Public, Records of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of Tennessee, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1869, Registered Letters Received, Entered in Register 1, E – L, 1865. NMAAHC.FB.M999.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662426440432-4?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bchildren%2522%26page%3D0

March 26, 1865

Camp Nelson Ky March 26 1865 Personally appeared before me J M Kelley Notary Public in and for the County of Jessamine state of Ky Martha Cooley a woman of color who being duly sworn according to law doth depose and say. I am a widow woman, my husband Simon Cooley was a Soldier in the 5th U.S.A. Calvalry and was killed at the Salt Works during Genl…

Frank Marten to former enslaver, Col. Joe Perkins, Esq

Frank Marten to Colonel Joseph Perkins, letter, 1874. Fluvanna Historical Society.

1874

John Jones finds his mother

The Evening World (New York, NY)

February 23, 1894

Wilson Holloway wants daughter released from indenture

Records of the Field Offices for the State of North Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865–1872, Subordinate Field Offices, Greensboro, North Carolina, (Subassistant Commissioner), Register of Complaints and Letters Sent Relating to Complaints, Volume 108, Roll 20, June 1867-Oct. 1868. NMAAHC.FB.M1909.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662424871079-1?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%2522my%2Bdaughter%2522%26page%3D3

53
Wilson Holloway - Complainant
Ruffin's Depot.
N.C.

My daughter Phillis Wilson was forcibly taken from me, and bound out to a Mr Jas. Thomas without my consent, and the wish of the child - I pray that the indenture may be cancelled and my child returned to me.
July 25th 1867.
Action Taken.

Mr Thos. Settle was written to state to the…

Violet Windly wants her 12 yr old daughter Virginia released from indenture

Isaac A. Rosenkranz to Lieutenant John M. Foot, letter, April 19, 1868, Records of the Field Offices for the State of North Carolina, Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1872, Subordinate Field Offices, Washington D.C., Letters Sent, Letters Sent, Volume 246, Roll 64, Jan. 1867-Oct. 1868. NMAAHC.FB.M1909.

https://nmaahc.si.edu/freedmens-bureau/record/fbs-1662423774659-1662424964359-3?destination=%2Fexplore%2Ffreedmens-bureau%2Fsearch%3Fedan_q%3D%25E2%2580%259Cmy%2Bdaughter%25E2%2580%259D%26page%3D4

68 Bu. Ref. Freedmen & A. L. Washington N.C. April 19. 1868 Foot Lt John M. Asst Sub. Asst Comr Plymouth N.C. Sir Violet Windly a colored woman represents that John Cherry living within a mile of Williamston has her daughter Virginia a girl of 10 years of age in his custody. Violet alleges that her daughter was apprenticed to Cherry while she…