I have a lot of LIFE occurring today & really, REALLY had not intended to post about the recent email exchange I’ve been having with a descendant from one of the lines that owned my ARNETT Ancestors.

Initially I’d contacted him {via email} because by happenstance, I’d discovered an online information resource that answered a few existing lineage questions & I felt, had the ability to answer several more.

Although cordial, the descendant expressed his desire not to “connect” the lines of research, citing previous issues with copyright & online resources yielding a profit from submitted historical content, the lack of his data being formally verified & his desire not to duplicate information already online.

He asked that I not publish the contents of a VERY informative email & out of respect to his request, I will not.

However, I cannot shake the dialogue nor the outcome — certainly the information he shared with me could be VITAL to a Genealogist researching Slave Ancestry from this Wilkes Co. line. Information that researcher may never come to know.

What I WILL publish is my emailed response to him.

I think it speaks clearly to my position {and certainly that of other African Ancestored Genealogists} & the challenges we face when encountering the descendants of our Ancestors slave owners.

My goal is not to embarrass him – to the contrary, I actually understand his position. My hope is that this a “teachable moment” that will better prepare us for future interactions of this sort & give us a broader view on how our personal histories can impact others.

My prayer – that we can all find a common ground around the issue of Slavery, because all of us – black, white, red or brown DESERVE to know our Ancestry & truth is, we need each other to aid us in this effort…

Luckie.

08.03.09

___________ – I do appreciate your taking time to explain in greater detail your views. I work in the Internet world and clearly understand the issues faced when posting historical family information online.

However, the issues you cite below are far broader than those faced by African Ancestored researchers.

First let me be clear – I yield no profit from any information published to my blog. My efforts are to assist other Wilkes County genealogists with moving their efforts forward. Publishing information is an Act of Kindness due to my understanding of the difficulties with pursuing this line of research.

Furthermore, I choose not to fight a loosing battle of restricting public access to online data. It’s the nature of the Internet, so I accept that if I choose to put material online, it very well may be borrowed. And honestly, in terms of my research, I have bigger fish to fry – I have an entire family history to recapture that was obliterated as a result of the US Chattel System.

For those of us researching slave ancestry, we don’t have the luxury of researching a plethora of data and then determining which pieces apply to our direct and/or indirect family lines.

We have challenges finding even a 3rd Grandparent and any effort to research further back than 1865 requires a willingness and openness to share on the part of the slave holders descendants.

If a descendant chooses not to be forthcoming with information, however minimal, then our progress is halted.

The information you hold on to, could make a HUGE difference in discovering who our Ancestors were and how they lived.

For __________, ___________ and myself, the interest is the ARNETT clan of Washington-Wilkes. I know there was an 1817 Petition re: the estate of John QUERNS that affected our family line greatly. We are merely attempting to determine how.

As I said in my previous email, it is certainly your right not to share your email with others and I will respect your request.

However, I am grateful that not all researchers feel the way you do because if they did, my lost family history would not stand a chance of being recovered, even in part.

Best,

Luckie.

This is the transcribed Will of Samuel ARNETT, Wilkes Co. 1834. It was originally posted to GenForum by Walter L. CULLARS on Jan. 23, 2001.

I have taken the liberty to “bold” all mentions of respective ARNETT slaves.

It’s been established that our Wilkes Co. ARNETT Ancestors “adopted” the surname COHEN in the late 1890’s. Another new discovery – in 1817, John QUERNS willed slaves to his nephews Samuel & William Arnett as a part of his estate.

That said, I think for posterity sake, it’s important to document all findings of ARNETT slaves.

LD.

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

Georgia, Wilkes Co.: In the name of God Amen. I Samuel Arnett of the county and state of aforesaid being of sound mind and disposing memory calling to mind that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament revoking all others. First, I commend my soul to God who gave it and my body to be decently buried. As to my earthly property I wish to make the following disposition of it.

Item 1st: I give and bequeath to my son Henry W. Arnett’s children the following property, Sunthia Eady and her three children James, Green, Caroline, and three hundred dollars in cash he has heretofore received and receipted for; and I give and bequeath unto said children one negro boy, John, at my death and I also give unto my son Henry W. Arnett fifty dollars for his__________use.

Item 2nd: I give and bequeath unto my son Seaborn Arnett the following property, Sally a woman, Peter a boy, and five hundred and fourteen dollars and seventy cents in cash, three negroes, Stephan a man, Lucinda a girl, Liza a girl, which property and money he has heretofore receipted and receipted for. Also I give three negroes at my death, March and Ned, boys and Clarisa, a girl.

Item 3rd: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Nancy the following property, Patience a girl, Clark a boy, Betty a woman, Evaline her child, Nancy a woman and her child Dianne, cash one hundred dollars which she has
heretofore received and receipted for by William Glaze her husband. Also I give her one negro boy named Wilkes at my death.

Item 4: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Polly Newman the following property, Sarah a woman, Bob a boy, Jane a woman, Isham a boy, Marion a woman and child, Jefferson, cash one hundred dollars thirty seven and one half cents which she has heretofore received and receipted for by William Newman; also at my death Joe and Jimmy.

Item 5th: I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife the following property during her natural life and widowhood, one negro woman Nancy, my interest that I bought of Thomas M.M. (W.W.?) Hud (?), also one man Len and Feruby his wife, Mary and her child Caty-also supposed to be one hundred and fifty acres of land, taking the dwelling house and
kitchen beginning at a persimmon in the lane and running due east to my east line adjoining Mr. Florence, thence with said line to Little River, thence up the river to the mouth of Upton’s creek, thence up said creek to the mouth of the Spring branch, thence up said branch to a bridge, thence up the east side of the lane to the beginning coming into the lane sixty yards north of the dwelling house, also two beds and furniture. The above land I wish to give to my son Oliver C. Arnett at my wife’s death or intermarriage, also the rest of the property left her to my children.

Item 6th: I give and bequeath the balance of my estate both real and personal to my son Oliver C. Arnett.

Item 7th: It is my will at my death that the crops on hand is for the support of the plantation and that the property is all to be kept together and an overseer employed by my executors to attend to both farms and at the end of each year the net produce of all the crops to be equally divided according to their_______.

Item 8th: It is my will that my son Oliver C. Arnett’s money be kept out at interest by my executors and that my wife and son be equal in all expenses in proportionate to their property. It is my will that my wife attend to the clothing of the family as usual______.

Item I will and bequeath to Mildred Hud (?) And Patience Paschal one hundred dollars at my death to each. I hereby nominate and constitute my beloved wife Ann Arnett my whole executor of this my last will and testament___________

given by my hand and seal this 27th day of March 1834.

Samuel Arnett
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the
presence of
R. Booker
J.J. West
Job (?) Coleman
R.J. Holiway, J.P.