Browse Items · Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery

Hannah Butler searching for her mother Louisa Wallis, father Jacob Wallis, and her siblings

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

September 9, 1880

MR. EDITOR-- I wish to inquire for my kin people whom I left near Hampton, Va. Mother's name was Louisa Wallis; father's, Jacob Wallis, Sr; sisters', Mary, Martha, Betsy and Hannah Wallis; brothers', Ned and Jacob Wallis, Jr. Mother's mother was named Mollie, and father's father was named Ned Johnson. Our owner's name was Tom Parker. At his death…

Transcription Completei

E. Smith searching for their brother

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

October 28, 1880

MR. EDITOR— I desire to inquire for my brother, who left Macon, Miss., during the war. He was sold to one Algood, a speculator. We belonged to Albert Cox, a preacher of the M. E. Church, South. Mother belonged to old Boby Cox, and at his death she fell to A. Smith. Mother had four children James, Elias, Isabella and Levi. Bro. Jame's wife was named…

Transcription Completei

Ben Bates searching for his father Ben Boters and sister Nettie Humphries

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

July 15, 1880

MR. EDITOR— I desire to inquire for my father and sister. We were owned by the Lorbors, of East Gibson, La. Father's name was Ben Boters, sister's was Nettie Humphries. She and husband belonged to Mad. Ribbson, of East Gibson. At the death of the Horbors father and I fell to I. B. Hanes, near Jackson, La. I left home August 3, 1862. Any information…

Transcription Completei

Ralph Amos searching for his sister Maria, mother Rose, and father Amos

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

November 21, 1880

MR. EDITOR--I desire to inquire for my people. My sister's name is Maria; mother's, Rose; father's, Amos. They belonged to Col. Thos. Gray, of Henry county, Tenn. His place was at the mouth of the Big Sandy. They were sold to T. Cunny and James Edmund. Sister was sold to John Brown, a negro trader who died in the South and left Maria with his…

Transcription Completei

Jessie Mitchell searching for their father Ben Mitchell (or Ben Dotson), step-mother Patience Burton, and siblings Nancy, Tom Burton and Howard Burton

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

May 2, 1888

MR. EDITOR: I want to find my people: Father's name was Ben Mitchell or Ben Dotson, used to belong to Mr. Adam Richmond My mother died when I was so young that I don't remember her. Father then married again; his wife's name was Patience. She belonged to one Frank Burton. There were two children by my mother, myself (Jesse) and Sister Nancy and two…

Transcription Completei

Mrs. Mary Jane Randolph searching for her mother Mary Ann McMullen, father Rich, and siblings

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

June 28, 1888

MR. EDITOR—My father's name was Rich, but was called Bob. He was a free colored man. My mother's name was Mary Ann McMailen. There were seven children of us: Mary Jane, General, Louisa, Millie, Andrew, Lucinda and Sammie. I think we were separated from mother and father at Alexandria, La., bought by a man named Dempsey, who was killed shortly…

Transcription Completei

Bettie Lee seeking her siblings Harriet, Eliza, Bob, Sidney, Aaron, and Sarah Jane

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

February 7, 1889

Mr. Editor: Please allow me to inquire for my people whom I left in Tennessee when I was four years old. My mother's name was Peggie Weir; she belonged to a man by the name of Jimmy Weir. She had seven children, two boys and five girls; Bob and Aaron. My oldest sister's name was Harriet; my name is Bettie; I am next to my oldest sister. There is…

Transcription Completei

J. H. Holden (formerly Joseph Waddle) seeking his father Holder Waddle

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

June 23, 1881

DEAR EDITOR-- I wish to inquire for my father. I have not seen or heard from him since 1852. I left him eighteen miles from Shreveport, La. His name was Holder Waddle, and my mother Tener Waddle. I am his oldest son and my name is Joseph Waddle. By marriage I fell to Ann Scoot, who married David Hester. David Hester was killed in Shreveport ;…

Transcription Completei

Scott Petty (formerly Scott Moore) seeking his mother Beckley Moore, father Ben Payne, and brother Moses Moore

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

February 9, 1888

MR. EDITOR—I wish to inquire for my relatives. My mother's name was Beckley Moore; my father's Ben Payne, my brother's Moses Moore. I left them in Smith Co., Tenn., in a town called Rome. After the death of my mistress I came to Texas with Billy Moore, and lived with Dr. Gordon. My name was Scott Moore, but now I am known as Scott Petty. Please…

Transcription Completei

Lucinda Renfro seeking her aunts Mary and Martha, and uncles Green, Carrol, and Grundy Stubfield

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

May 19, 1887

I desire to find my mother's people. My mother is named Manda Stubfield; she has three brothers and two sisters; her brothers names are Green, Carrol and Grundy Stubfield; sisters are Mary and Martha. They all belonged to Mr. Woodruf Stubfield, who lived in Sumner county, Tenn. When Mr. Woodruf Stubfield died the proper to was divided; mother and…

Transcription Completei

Pilmit Whitfield searching for his wife's sisters

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

October 13, 1887

MR. EDITOR-- I wish to inquire for my wife's sisters. She left them in Virginia before the war started. Her oldest sister was Eliza Wade, the youngest was Martha Wade. Her mother was Matilda Wade, and her father Ben Sanders. Her old master was Jack Wade. After his death her sister Eliza was sold to James Canada, who lived near Floyd court house…

Transcription Completei

S. L. Griffitts searching for his oldest sister Hetty and youngest brother George Washington Griffitts

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

July 7, 1887

MR. EDITOR--I wish to inquire for my oldest sister and my youngest brother. Sister was named Hetty, father was Solomon McGhee and belonged to old John McGhee; mother was named June, though everybody called her Aunt Jenny; she and six children belonged to old John Black; after Mr. Black died my mother and her children were divided out among his…

Transcription Completei

Kitty Hanley searching for her children Esther and Sam

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

March 25, 1880

DEAR EDITOR-- I am in search of my children. My name is Kitty Hanley. I belonged to a gentleman by the name of Patten, was separated from my children in Harrison county, Texas, several years before the late war. The oldest a girl named Esther, the other a boy named Sam. In a division of Mr. Patten's estate myself and children fell to Mr. Hanley,…

Transcription Completei

Robert F. Sturdivant (formerly Robert Freer) searching for his aunt Henrietta Eaton

Southwestern Christian Advocate (New Orleans, LA)

April 8, 1880

MR. EDITOR-- I wish to inquire for my aunt. Her name was Henrietta Eaton when she came from Granville county, North Carolina, and her husband was David Eaton. He belonged to John Eaton in North Carolina, and her baby at that time was a boy named Granderson, but other children were born afterward, and she has not seen me since she left North…

Transcription Completei

Mrs. Julian Clark (Julia A. Clark) searching for her brothers Reubin and William Gibbins

The St. Louis Republican (St. Louis, MO)

July 14, 1876

MRS. JULIAN CLARK WISHES TO FIND THE
whereabouts of her brothers, Reubin and William
Gibbins: there was four children, Reubin,
Julian, William and America: they were raised in
Hopkins county, Tennessee, by a man named John
Gibbins; the last heard of them John Gibbins had
died and set them free, and Reubin went to Centralia,
Illinois. Any…

Transcription Completei

Two sons find their father after decades-long separation

The Southern Standard (Arkadelphia, AR)

November 3, 1883

A Romance of Slavery.

Columbus (Ohio) Journal.

A very pretty story is told of the restoration
to his children of an old colored
man who was a slave before the late war.
He belonged to one master, while his
wife and two children, one of whom is
now a minister and the other a Columbus
coachman, were owned by another
man, who…

Transcription Completei

Mrs. Ann Hampton searching for her mother Nellie Beecham

The Twice-a-Week Independent (Coffeyville, KS)

March 20, 1896

Information Wanted.

A small fortune is in store for Nellie
Beecham, colored, who lived during
the war near Richmond Va., and
whose daughter Augusta Ann was
sold when about 12 years old to Bert
Leatherwood and Robert Golikely
slave speculators of Richmond, on
the death of her master, Sam Beecham,
by his brother Ike, in 62, 63, or…

Transcription Completei

Mary Rakes searching for her mother and her mother's grandchildren Sammy, George, and Betsy

Richmond Daily Dispatch (Richmond, VA)

July 20, 1871

RICHMOND, VA., July 19, 1871.
PERSONAL.—My name is MARY
RAKES. I am here in search of my mother,
as I have heard that she is in the city. She for-
merly [formerly] belonged to Henry Rakes; after his death
to Mr. John Howell, of Patrick county, Va. She
has three grandchildren with her. Their names are
Sammy, George, and Betsy. George is…

Transcription Completei