An event worth attending...

 

It began with a simple idea...Gardens at Bayonne

Jules Bayonne, a young, former domestic servant, a free person of color, in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, had a friend, also a former employee of the Parlange Family in 1872, when the two, ambitious men, embarked on a partnership purchase of approximately sixty-six acres of farmland.

Shortly afterwards, François Francis, also in the employ of the Parlange Family, decided to sell his one-half ownership interest to his friend, Jules, brining the entire purchase price at $600.00 to Jules Bayonne.

The details of our ancestry history as it relates to Jules Bayonne, my maternal second great-grandfather, is well summarized by my cousin, Patricia at:  https://africanroots-pbj.blogspot.com/2013/02/jules-bayonne-revisited.html

At twenty-six years-old, in 1870, five years after the Civil War, and in the early years of Reconstruction, Jules, then a single, free man of color, was still not a common occurrence in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, a place less than 125 miles from where one of the most horrific events occurred during Reconstruction in a town called Colfax, Louisiana (see Note 1 below) a few years after he purchased his property. 

In 2006, in an effort to fund the legal struggle to retain this historically relevant property to the legitimate heirs of Estate of Jules and Victorine Bayonne, the family members collectively agreed to create a Heritage Garden on the twenty-nine acres of land, pictured on our website at:  https://gardensatbayonne.com/, where we have established a 'virtual' representation of our family's vision in 2006.

It is our hope to realize a 'material' memorial garden, in the near future, as a tribute to Jules and Victorine Bayonne and their descendants, from the efforts of projects like these with the support of our  sponsors, garden members and contributors.

Thanks to all of our supporters, past, current, and future!

"Enjoy the Journey!'

Note 1:  https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/colfax-massacre-louisiana

 

Bishop Edwards, ‘A scrap of paper’

Bishop Edward's evidence of existence rests with a 'scrap of paper,' written by a man named Jonathan E. Cox, dated July, 7th, 1867 in a town called New Garden, North Carolina. Cox, a soldier in the Union Army, is assigned to a duty in the Freedman's Bureau, under the command of a "Major Bolenia," There are no other known references to Bishop Edwards, relating to his birth, origin, family ties, former owner, etc. Without this information, there is no Bishop Edwards.  His sole existence rests with a scrap of paper, referencing his wife, Nancy, and her two children.

            

United States Freedmen's Bureau Miscellaneous Records,1865-1872", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGPV-89GT : Mon Oct 23 21:39:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Bishop Edwards, 23 May 1867.

"...This will certify that Bishop Edwards a poor man has been sick with typhoid fever and confined to his bed for four weeks, and no prospect of his being able to work soon, he has a wife and two children the oldest a boy about 8 the youngest a girl not two they are destitute and need help, if you can make arrangements for them to get some coffee, sugar & flour it would be acceptable to him in his weak condition                                                 

                                                                   Respectfully,

                                                                   Jonathan E. Cox"

Nancy Edwards, the mother of a son, (Jerry) referenced in this July 7th 1867 note, is later documented in the 1870 U.S. Census.  Then, residing in Madison Parish, Louisiana (Ward 3) with her 20-year-old son, Nancy, 56 years-old, is reported to have been born in Mississippi, around 1814.

Just two years earlier, the four subjects referred to in this note, were rejoicing their new status of 'freed slaves.' 

By 1900, Jerry Handy Edwards, son of Bishop and Nancy Edwards is widowed, residing in New Orleans, Louisiana, less than 2.5  miles from the residences of many of his fourth generation descendants.

This and more Stories from the Journey will feature in the upcoming Discover Your Roots free seminar:

 Saturday, March 9, 2024

The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints
157 Bob Smith Rd.
Sharpsburg, GA 30277

https://discoveryourrootsga.org/

Planning to attend the Discover Your Roots Event in March 2024?

Enter your story for a chance to win a valuable door prize, collectable only if  in attendance.  Never Remove the Cornerstone and J. B. Randall, Inc., in connection with Stories From the Journey, are selecting four stories from attendants at the March 9th 2024 event, participating in the "You and Two," segment at the event.

Your story should be based on an individual identified in your pedigree chart (family tree), which begins with you, includes your parents, and your maternal and paternal grandparents.  This is an example of a You and Two pedigree chart:

Tell your story in a compelling way...

Sharon Leslie Morgan, co-author of Gather at the Table with Thomas Norman  DeWolf writes:

"...I have spent a lifetime looking for my ancestral connections. These records are sacred to me. They are the only link I will ever have...Every find in African American research is a precious miracle."

In this story, B. B. Staggers (maternal grandfather of the participating 'storyteller'), presents a photograph of his father and a newspaper article of his grandmother as the central characters.

We hope to have Mr. Young, a descendant of George and Millie, present their remarkable story, in person on March 9th 2024 at the Discover Your Roots Free Family Research Seminar. 

Between now and Saturday, February 24th we will be reviewing stories submitted by attendees, for presentation at the March 9th Discover Your Roots Free Family Research Seminar, in Sharpsburg, Georgia.  Four qualifying (You must be present to qualify for prize and to present your story) entries will be selected for presentation on the day of the event.

Submissions should be no more than 2,000 words, in text or pdf format and should include visual support, along with your "You and Two," pedigree chart (photos, dated notes, news articles, artwork, etc.) to:

byron.m.coleman@gmail.com

Please include: Two and You, in the subject of the email.   

Discover Your Roots Family History Event

'The Keepers'

"The 'keeper of the tree,' the one who knows about everyone else in the family, knows 'where the skeletons in the closet are,' has the scoop on all the scandals, has all the death certificates, knows when they were born, when they married, the towns they moved to, kept all the documents, knows the secrets, etc."  

                                                                                                                        J. B. Randall                                                 

There is no better starting point if you are embarking on a journey to learn about yourself and your family than with those who were responsible for getting you here.  Those individuals who were 'there' when you arrived and all too often, we are too late to inquire from those relatives.  Today, it is possible to get answers about those ancestors from records, documents, audio, visuals and DNA.    Without regard to your circumstances, poor, disadvantaged, well-to-do, or little known, the most likely recourses you'll want to tap into include, search databases, particularly those that do not require you to dig into your pockets.  

FamilySearch is an invaluable beginning point!  If you check their website at: www.familysearch.org, and follow the links to the "About" tab, what you'll find is:            

  

"We inspire people everywhere to connect with their family--across generations.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides FamilySearch free of charge to everyone, regardless of tradition, culture, or religious affiliation.  Family Search resources helps millions of people around the world discover their heritage and connect with family members." 

That's right, "Free!" What's more, Discover Your Roots (https://discoveryourrootsga.org/), a free genealogy seminar which teaches family history research for all levels.  Co-hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints metro Atlanta congregations and the Afro American Historical & Genealogical Society (AAHGS) is hosting an Atlanta, Georgia event on Saturday, September 9th at 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at: 

1450 Ponce De Leon Ave., NE, Atlanta, GA 30307

https://goo.gl/maps/jSoPynXCahxx3iSw9 

This seminar promises to cover from beginner level, to more advanced level genealogical topics, including DNA advancements.  The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society (AAHGS) Atlanta Metro is co-host to this event, and brings additional expertise to the event.

We invite individuals from the Atlanta Community, particularly those yearning to seek knowledge of personal family history, family historians, civic-minded groups, fraternities, sororities, and many others.  

Misattributed Parentage Experience, also referred to as MPE or NPE (Non Paternal Event), is one of the most controversial topics in genealogical DNA occurrences, due to the varied options if home-DNA testing and increase in interest over the past decade. Come learn more about the growing world of 'how many of us find out,' and share a story or two as well.

We look forward to seeing you there!

 

 What is an NPE?

In genetics, a non-paternity event (also known as misattributed paternity, not parent expected, or NPE) is the situation in which someone who is presumed to be an individual's father is not in fact the biological father.

https://npefellowship.org/#NPEAwareness

Discover Your Roots GA is a free genealogy seminar which teaches family history research for all levels. Co-hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints metro Atlanta congregations and the Afro-American Historical & Genealogy Society (AAHGS), we help participants find their ancestors, interpret DNA tests, and navigate online tools through group workshops and personal instruction.

The next Discover Your Roots seminar is scheduled for September 9, 2023 at:    

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 

1450 Ponce De Leon Ave NE                                                 

Atlanta, GA 30307                                                                   

Register at:  https://discoveryourrootsga.org/

It's not too early to register! Expectations are very high for this event and all of the topics are interesting and should prove exciting, informative and entertaining.  

By the way, I'll be there! 

Come and share our world of genealogy and family history at this awesome event.  Also, check out our Facebook page at:

https://www.facebook.com/DiscoverYourRootsGA