What a day, huh?! If you follow me on Twitter (@OurGeorgiaRoots) you know today I received an AWESOME surprise — an email from the Great, Great Granddaughter of Madison Derrelle CODY, the 1st owner of my Catie and other members of my CODY family from Warren Co.

So for the newbies, any search on OGR for the surname CODY produces a TON of genea-history, but here are the milestones:

• 1998. I knew this about my Warren Co. lineage  — Catie left a Sister Allie in 1859-60 when she was sold and she spoke of being on the plantation with Master CODY. Really — that’s it! See my Top 10 Mysteries list from 2008.
• Sept 2009. Discovered Catie’s owner was Madison Derrelle CODY
• Sept 2009. Discovered the Claude Cody Collection (Madison’s Son) at Southwestern University, only to learn later that the extensive collection contains no references to the family’s earlier slave holdings, which were considerable.
• Feb 2010. Identified our Allie! She’d been hidden by a blemish on the 1870 census AND a surname change to DORSEY by 1880.
• March 2010. Confirmed Allie and family! I gained their parents Elbert (uncovering the mystery behind the long standing family name) and Allie – my 5th Grands, Rachael CODY – my 6th Grand AND a 1/2 Brother to Catie, Pierce CODY from the WPA Slave Narratives!

So literally the email from Alexis blew me away and speaks to the many reasons why it’s important to be online with your genealogy research and the necessity of PATIENCE. You did see my time line right?!:-)

It also reflects how descendants on both sides of slavery’s history can and do heal the present.

With permission, I am posting the communication from Alexis. I pray it serves as motivation to take the leap of faith and connect when a connection is possible. It can be life changing!

******************

05 June 2010

Dear Luckie,

First, I congratulate you on your discovery of your many greats-aunt Allie’s eventual whereabouts.  I can imagine how very exciting that must be to know, at last. Also, I am sending a copy of this letter to William B. Jones as he so kindly prompted me to communicate with you after I first made contact with him a few days ago.  I wouldn’t have known about him if it had not been for your blog.  I have meant to communicate with both of you for a very long time.  I was so excited to read about you.  I hope that I have something to offer you.

I am the great-granddaughter of Claude Carr Cody,  son of the Madison Derrell Cody who “owned” your four-greats-grandmother, Catie.  First, I wish to apologize to you for taking so very long to correspond when I knew of your quest as of 10/15/09.  My 20 year old daughter, Anna Cody Dell, happened upon your blog while idly researching the Cody’s.  My excuse is that I’m a full-time physician, mother and medical director of my group.  Finding the free time to do anything personal has been and is very challenging.

If I had found any thing that would have assisted you in your search, you can be guaranteed that I would have gotten in touch , long ago.  Also, be assured that if, in the future, anything emerges that would be of interest to you, I will share it, immediately.

I did diligently search for all I could find about your family.  Claude Carr Cody  created a family journal for his 3 sons in 1916, long after he moved to Texas.  He described many of his childhood experiences growing up in Covington and in Warren county.  He listed only a few slave names.  The ones I have are Reddick and Aunt Alice. He recalls several slaves fondly but they do not have the same prominence in how he writes as others do.  However, there is some glimmer in his expressed thoughts that ” the Negroes” have importance, outside of financial commodities.  His thoughts were probably no different from most white people in his position.  I’d like to believe that had he developed in a different era, his attention and perception to the issue of believing that one can own other humans would be quite different.  Of course, after he was 10 years old, the Emancipation Proclamation was enacted. He was not a slave-holder.  He describes his father informing all the slaves on the plantation of the Emancipation – Juneteenth.  You must remember that his memories are the memories of a child ,  recalled in adulthood.  He was 4 years younger than your many greats-grandmother.  They must have known each other.

If you would like me to make a copy of what he wrote and send it to you, I will.  Frankly, my instinct is to hide parts of it and to expurgate everything that could vaguely be hurtful to you or to anyone else.  Yet I know that honesty is more important than anything, no matter what the consequences.  I understand him in the context of the times in which he lived. I hope that you do.  I believe that he was a man of huge character.  Like all of us, he was limited by the times that he lived in.  His parents were even more limited.  Yet I like to believe that they were wonderful people.  I have his parents’ portraits, painted in the 1850’s.  My mother has his portrait, painted as a 4 year old at the same time.  What a possession!  I know that you would like to have portraits of your own ancestors.  Who wouldn’t?

By reading your blog, so long ago, you led me to even more information about my ancestors.  I am the same as you.  They call me and direct me, serendipitously.  I have my own epiphanies.  Maybe one day, I can share them with you, if you’re interested.  I thank you for the role that you’ve played in my own search.  I wish that I had more to give you.

I feel for your struggles to know your origins more fully.  Oddly enough, I have been interested in the search of the descendants of slaves for their ancestors for at least 10 years.  I went to an exhibition in Drayton Hall in Charleston around that time.  On the floor was an attempt at tracing the lineage of the slaves that had lived on that plantation.  It really touched me for reasons that I did not fully understand.  I then discovered a book by Edward Ball, Slaves in The Family.  You must be aware of the myth that is alive in all southern families descended of plantation owners.  That myth is that “we were good to our slaves.”  Edward Ball was from an old Charleston family.  He set out to determine whether there was any truth to that family creed of “goodness”.  He got quite the education.  He also wrote a book, The Sweet Hell Inside:The Rise of an Elite Black Family in the Segregated South.  I love it.  If you have not read these books, I would enjoy sending them to you,as gifts, from across the centuries.

I’ve been a little wary of contacting you.  I understand some of your anger and frustrations.  I’m cowardly enough to not want them applied to me.  I suspect that you’re growing deeper than that.

I’m very interested in your developing Buddhism and where it’s leading you.

I would love to hear from you.  I know that you’re retiring from your blog as of Juneteeth.  I hope that you might feel like writing me back.

If you would like to receive those books, please send me an address that I could use and I’ll send them right away.

Sincerely,

Alexis Dell

*******************

As I said to Alexis earlier, when the Ancestors have something to say, they will open the path. This tells me, the CODYS are not finished talking. They have more of their story I need to tell and I am listening.

Thanks for sharing the joy with me today family!:-)

Luckie.

Two days ago I posted research I’d discovered on Rachael DORSEY DICKERSON (not related) and prayed/wished that my Rachael Dorsey would find her way to me.

Today, I squealed, skipped and cried my way out of the office of Georgia Vital Statistics, when a 1930 Death Certificate confirmed that Ailey CODY DORSEY of Warren County is in fact my Ailey, Grandma Catie’s older Sister!

And along with my Ailey, came her Mother and Father, Elbert and Ailey CODY — my 5th Grandparents (identified on the DC) — a Brother, Pierce CODY from the WPA Slave Narratives AND my 6th Grandmother, Rachael CODY born  abt. 1780!

Catie never forgot her family — in fact, we have 4 more Elberts, starting with her Son, Elbert Wingfield born in 1885.

What a day! What a moment! Hold up — it gets BETTER! Two days ago, I wrote:

Based on family oral history, I have no reason to believe that my Catie ever saw Allie again after she was sold away in 1859-60, at the age of 10 yrs, to Rev. James Madision Dickey. The Minister was traveling through Warren to Wilkes County to oversee the reconstruction of the Smyrna Church.

Today after my squealing calmed down, I realized that the street address listed by the informant on Ailey’s certificate, J. T. Dorsey, was what appeared to be 388 Felton Drive, Atlanta, GA.

In 1933 when Grandma Catie passed, her informant was my Great Aunt Daisy (remember from this week’s Wordless Wednesday?!:-), and Daisy listed her address as 333 Felton Drive, Atlanta, GA!

My God! Could it be that Grandma Catie and her big Sister Ailey DID see each other after Emancipation?! Could it be that their children and/or grandchildren were living within doors of one another in Atlanta’s 4th Ward?

I have some more snooping to do, but wow, it’s looking promising and my spirit is uplifted!

Thanks to the Rachaels and Great Aunt Daisy for bringing me this gift today — I so needed it!:-)

Luckie.

For well over a month now, I’ve been hoping that the beautiful image I’d discovered on Ancestry.com of Rachael DORSEY DICKERSON (pictured), was the Daughter of Catie’s long lost Sister, Allie CODY DORSEY.

Based on family oral history, I have no reason to believe that my Catie ever saw Allie again after she was sold away in 1859-60, at the age of 10 yrs, to Rev. James Madision Dickey. The Minister was traveling through Warren to Wilkes County to oversee the reconstruction of the Smyrna Church.

So since finally discovering Allie (after 12 years of research), I’ve been following the descendants trail… praying for a glimpse of my lost Ancestor through the face of a daughter, son or grandchild.

I can’t tell you what I was hoping to see. Maybe a family resemblance that would confirm — 100% — this is our family? Maybe the dream of a living descendant out there doing research just like me, except she/he is searching for Allie’s, long lost Catie?

But after having the [validation] questions I posed to the family answered, I believe I have my answer.

1. Where was Rachael from?
2. Did she have a nickname? Ever heard of her being called Babe?
3. Any siblings for Rachael?
4. Did Rachael & Lewis give their children any family names that repeated?
5. Was Lewis’ family always in Spalding?
6. Do we know who owned Lewis Father?

Rachael “Babe” DORSEY DICKERSON is indeed beautiful, but I don’t believe she is my Ancestor. I am so disappointed too. I was really excited to *eMeet* her descendant, “R”, on Ancestry and more than ready to adopt her large clan as my new-found cousins!

Although disappointed I still felt the need to post the information I’ve discovered on Rachael and her husband, Lewis DICKERSON in the hope it will be of future benefit to her family’s research. Granted, it’s not much but as I know with tracing slave ancestry, every little bit helps…

MARRIAGE LICENSE:
Lewis DICKERSON to Babe DORSEY ~ 17 JUL 1883,  Pike, Georgia
Batch No.: M713512 | Dates: 1873 – 1883 | Source Call No.: 0325802
Source: www.FamilySearch.org

CENSUS DATA:

1920 Spalding Co., Georgia

Louis Dickerson – 60
Rachael Dickerson – 52
Matthew Dickerson – 24
Ophelia Dickerson – 21
Emma Dickerson – 19
James Dickerson – 16
George W Dickerson – 14
Eugene Dickerson – 12
Marie Dickerson – 10
Ben Franklin Dickerson – 8
Thomas Dickerson – 6

1910 Spalding Co., Georgia

Lewis Dickerson – 56
Rachael Dickerson – 45
Wilbur Dickerson – 19
John L Dickerson – 17
Matthew Dickerson – 4
Okhelia Dickerson – 13
Emma E Dickerson – 10
James C Dickerson – 8
George W Dickerson – 6
Eugene E Dickerson – 4
Hattie A Dickerson  – 1

1880 Monroe Co., Georgia (Rachael “Babe” Dorsey with family)

Susan A. Blanton – 50 (Rachael’s Mother)
John W. Blanton – 26
Harriet Dorsey – 18 (Rachael’s confirmed Sister)
Babe Dorsey – 15
Lucy Blanton – 12

1870 Madison/Morgan Co., Georgia (Lewis with family; confirmed Lewis migrated & settled in Spalding)

Matthew – 45 (mulatto)
Christina – 30
Laura – 15
Lewis – 11
Mary – 8
John – 5
James – 3
Phebe Pennington – 70

[Note: Aunt Christine got it right -- Lewis & Rachael did repeat family names; he named his Children after several siblings and his Dad, Matthew. Just curious, is Aunt Christine named after anyone? Lewis' Mom was, Christina!:-]

Georgia County Map: http://www.georgiacountymap.com/ (note the close proximity the respective counties are. There’s a much better chance these are “R’s” Ancestors & not mine)

That’s it! Hope it helps… hope it brings both our Rachael’s a little closer home.

Luckie.

[Image Source: Rachael Dorsey Dickerson, courtesy of the DICKERSON Family, year unknown]

10+ years ago, I worked with an UBER-cool design agency that created a beautiful, historic website for Greene County Heritage. I loved it then — I love it still!

So how surprised was I on a recent visit to the site, to discover in the Portrait Gallery of the Media Archives, several images of HILLMANS taken at the famous Rensler’s Photography Studio in Cincinnati, Ohio? The very same studio where several of my Ancestors posed for pictures in the early to late 1930s!

Now I am familiar with HILLMANS being in Warren County. Matter of fact, many former CODY and DAWSON slaves lived/worked on Hillman’s Farm after Emancipation. But I’d never known of HILLMANS being in neighboring Greene Co. until I saw these images!

How have I missed them for all these years?!

Just makes me wonder how Ike, Anne May and the other HILLMANS ended up in Cincinnati’s Rensler’s Studio and if I could be looking in the face of more of my unknown East Georgia kin.

Hmmm… we shall see how this mystery unfolds!:-)

Luckie.

[Image Source: www.GreeneCountyHeritage.org | Ike & Anne May - relatives of Mamie Hillman]

It took me a minute but *something* told me I was missing the obvious and then BAM — there it was — Allie DAWSON in 1870 became Allie DORSEY in 1880! The family changed their Surname from DAWSON to DORSEY! Wooooo-hoooo!:-)

My God, I was right to claim them both because they are both MY Ailey/Ally, Catie’s Sister!:-) Look:

1880 English, Warren County, GA
Elbert Dorsey      35
Ally Dorsey     28
Isaac Dorsey     15
Sarah Dorsey     13
Rachael Dorsey     11
Thomas Dorsey     6
Candidate Dorsey 1

1870 Hillmans Farm, Warren County, GA
Elbert Dawson      27
Aly Dawson     22
Ike Dawson     6
Sarah A Dawson     4
Rachel Dawson     3

What else? Allie’s Father, a 5th Grandfather Elbert CODY was also the Father of Pierce CODY from the WPA Slave Narratives. This would make Pierce my Catie’s [most likely] unknown Brother!:-)

More? In 1870 Elbert Cody’s Mother, Rachel CODY is living with him — she is 90 years old! My 6th Grandmother born abt. 1780! Can you believe that?

The most amazing part of this is that I compiled all this information last August using Michael Hait’s cluster approach and just didn’t realize that this was my ENTIRE Family!

Now I know how to approach the next steps:

• Obtain estate information for both Edmund and Michael 1832-33. I’ve looked quickly before — gotta dig deeper!
• Locate bills of sale/deeds for Robert and Madison CODY from Edmund’s estate sale. This might explain how Pierce came to be owned by Robert and Catie to be sold by Madison to James Dickey.
• Copy all of the Madison Cody historical docs at the Archives. I have new names to search for!

Supporting Posts:

• Magical Monday: Lord Have I Found Catie’s Sister, Allie?!
• 08.30.09 CODY Notes {Freedmen}
• 3 Parts = 1 Mystery: Who Was My Catie’s CODY Owner?

An entire family, a host of descendants and unlimited channels to research! It just doesn’t get any sweeter than this!:-)

#IdiditCatie

Luckie.

Anyone who is a follower of Our Georgia Roots knows that my #1 genealogy goal for the past 12 years has been to find Ailey, the Sister my [4th] Grandmother Catie [DICKEY] WINGFIELD DORSEY was sold away from in Warren County some time in 1859-60 by Madison CODY.

Last August, I thought for sure I’d found Ailey in 1870 Hillman’s Farm Warren County Census — born abt. 1848, married to Elbert DAWSON and living just a few dwellings down from Marion M. CODY – Madison’s oldest Brother.

But this week, for some odd reason my thoughts returned to the search and the Ally I’d discovered long ago, in the 1880 Factory Warren County Census  –  born abt. 1848, married to Arthur DANLEY.

For years I searched for clues that would yield Ally Danley’s maiden name and/or some other connection to my Catie. When I found none, and she seemingly disappeared after 1880, I moved on, eventually finding Aly DAWSON.

So not surprising, my recheck of Ally DANLEY produced nothing new BUT,  a 1930 Georgia death certificate surfaces {how did I miss this before?!} for an Ailey DORSEY! This is new — Ailey Dorsey? Here’s what it lists:

Name: Ailey Dorsey
Titles & terms (original):
Titles & terms (standardized):
Death date: 11 Feb 1930
Estimated death year: 1930
Death place: Warrenton, Warren, Georgia, United States
Gender: Female
Race or color (on document): Negro
Race or color (expanded): Negro
Age at death: 75 years
Estimated birth year: 1855
Birth date:
Birthplace: Warren, Georgia
Marital status: Married
Spouse’s name: E B Dorsey
Spouse’s titles & terms (original):
Spouse’s titles & terms (standardized):
Father’s name: Elbert Cody
Father’s titles & terms (original):
Father’s titles & terms (standardized):
Mother’s name: Ailey Cody
Mother’s titles & terms (original):
Mother’s titles & terms (standardized):
Film number: 4122608
Record number: 333
Collection: Georgia Deaths, 1930

Of course as soon as the ice thaws I’m running over to GA Vital Records to obtain a copy of Ailey’s death certificate but what the heck — which Ailey/Ally is OUR Ailey/Ally?!

Questions…

1. Could the Elbert and Ailey CODY listed on her certificate be my 5th Grandparents?! Hard not to get excited about this possibility!:-)
2. Was it a complete coincidence that Catie married Joe DORSEY following the death of my Grandfather James WINGFIELD in 1885 and that he does not appear to have been from Wilkes Co?
3. Another coincidence that BOTH Aileys/Allys married an Elbert and both have the abbreviated initials of E.B.?
4. Could that be where the family name Elbert descended from — Catie’s Father?
5. Since the CODYS lived beyond 1865, what other living documents should I search that might identify slave names. Maybe the Freedmen Labor Contracts will shed some light?
6. Ailey/Ally Dorsey lived until 1930 in Warren Co! Am I positive that my Catie, who lived until 1933, never saw her sister after 1859?
7. Who was the informant?

So all this is to say, I am back to the Point A — except this time I have TWO Aileys/Allys! One [Aly Dawson] appearing to live on the property Catie’s former owner inherited and the other [Aly Dorsey] appearing to have originally been a Cody — with Cody parents!

Ugh, so frustrating! Guess, until the question is answered I’ll embrace them both as mine!

Luckie.

Not too long ago I had a chat with San Taliaferro aka I Never Knew My Father about the challenges inherent with researching Slave Ancestry and we contemplated the question — when do you reach a point where you just stop searching?

San was wondering if at some point, we just accept the fact that we’ve done all we can do and that no more information or leads to information exist.

She couldn’t answer the question and either could I because truthfully, neither of us has reached that point yet!

I think we’re both holding out hope that we’ll have a stroke of “Sharondipity” and from out of some unexpected place, comes the answers that we spend COUNTLESS hours seeking.

When I began my genea-journey 12 years ago, my #1 goal was to find Allie/Aly, the Sister my 4th Grandma Catie was sold away from in Warren County, Georgia sometime around 1859-60.

Last August, I found Allie {Magical Monday: Lord Have I Found Catie’s Sister Allie?!}, tucked away in the 1870 Warren County Census and overlooked due to an ill-placed tape mark and negligent transcription error!:-)

How do I know this is my Allie? Aside from the fact that she is living just a few dwellings from Marion M. CODY {oldest brother of Catie’s former owner), my heart tells me so and sometimes, this is all the proof we have.

But yet {of course}, I am still not satisfied. I want to know more…

What happened to Elbert and Aly DAWSON of Warren County, Georgia? What became of their descendants – Ike, Sarah and Rachel? My God, could the 27 year old Allen CODY, living next door to the Dawsons in 1870 be an older brother to my Catie and Allie?

There is more to learn. I believe Catie and Allie are guiding the way… all I have to do is listen. I do believe it’s time to pull my rogue root-diggin’ tactics off the shelf and get back on the trail of digging up lost Ancestors!

For every question there is an answer… and I am still intent on finding them all!:-)

Luckie.

I have admitted that I easily attach myself to every Ancestor whose name makes me ponder a family connection, or whose story pricks my heart.

Do I believe EVERY Ancestor from Warren County with the surname CODY is my blood relation? Nope – I do not. Truth is, I don’t know which Ancestor is attached to my line or not, but because I know that for the most part they remain unnamed and unknown, I claim them as my family — if not by blood by spirit.

But when I happened upon the Warren County Freedman’s Outrage Record for Joe CODY, something inside me said this is your family:

Victim: JOE CODY. Injuries: whipped. Cause: political. Attacker: LEWIS JOHNSON, DAWSON JOHNSON, supposed SEABORN ADAMS & JOHN TODD (all white). Remarks: no arrest. JOE is a good old man living at widow SEABORN JOHNSON’S. He would not vote the Democratic ticket, he was taken out and whipped in a most shameful manner, his hair pulled out of his head.

How was Mr. Joe related? I don’t know – wish I did!

But I can tell you that prior to 1870, my CODYS were next-farm neighbors to the very JOHNSONS and accomplices named in this awful incident. I can also tell you that after being emancipated many of my CODYS continued to live and work on the same JOHNSON Farm where the attackers also lived and worked.

Blood relative or not — it’s the cruelty and suffering that gets me every time. The absence of justice and fairness on ANY level that makes me cringe.

Joe CODY’S hair was pulled from his scalp?! He was an old man, beaten for a Democratic ticket that he was forced to register for and in light of pseudo-liberties he better not consider exercising! 

No arrest? Pure MADNESS!

By way of Angela Walton-Raji I received an email tonight from Miriam, a descendant of Warren County Ancestors Henry & Frances DAWSON, who’s searching for information on the JOHNSON Farm.

Interestingly enough, the 1870 Warren Co Census identify her Ancestors as living next door to one of the accused attackers — Seaborn ADAMS.

Coincidence? I think not… maybe Joe CODY and/or Aly DAWSON {Catie’s Sister} have something more they’d like to say? Lord, I sure hope so!

Madness Monday in the name of my Ancestor, Joe CODY.

Lest we forget…

Luckie.

James Lawrence SHAW {b. abt 1838-1900} of Warren County Georgia, was the Husband of Amelia “Millie” CODY SHAW {b. abt 1852-1942}. I hope to meet James’ living descendants to explore a possible family connection between Millie & my Catie.

Please visit their family site – The Official Shaw Family Site & checkout the CODY-SHAW research notes where I attempt to connect the GeneaDots!:-)

Luckie.

[Image Source: The Official SHAW Family Website]

Madison Derrelle CODY & Fannie CARR CODY, the last CODY owners of Catie DICKEY WINGFIELD {abt. 1850-1933}

Luckie.

[Image Source: Find A Grave, Southview Cemetery, Newton County, GA]