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.

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]

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]

Yesterday was my first trip to the Georgia State Archives since returning from Texas. Hard to believe it’s been well-over 10 months! When the Archives were located in Downtown Atlanta, I was there sometimes 2-3 days in a given week!

I was so excited to arrive! So excited to at least begin following-up on the dozens of leads & questions we’ve identified after a year of blogging & sharing.

However, after SEVERAL hours of scrutinizing CODY/WARREN County microfilm, I found that I was somewhat disappointed {and yes, irritated too} that I’d not discovered ANY information to either validate and/or negate my conclusions of late.

I read several AMAZING letters from the hand of politician Madison Derrell CODY {an Ancestor of Lori’s}. There was a beautiful love-letter to his future wife, Frances “Fannie” CARR. There were several letters to an acquaintance about the state of the Union & the impending war. There was a cheerful, brief correspondence to Fannie alerting her of Georgia’s Secession from the Union in 1861. Another note to Fannie, where M.D. appeared impatient with a slave, SIAB & offered to give him a pass to go join the Union forces — I thought that humorous!:-)

There were MANY CODY relations family bibles, including the family bible of Robert CODY & Catherine BRANTLEY — the Primitive Baptist who owned Pierce & could be the first owner my Catie — I still don’t know.

There were several CODY deeds from the Superior Court records, but all that I read involved the transfer of land, not slaves AND none mentioned Rev. James DICKEY.

I even eyed the Estate Inventory of Edmund CODY, complete with what was sold from his 1832 estate BUT absent of any slave names to connect who inherited the “Ailey” mentioned in his Will.

Yes — I researched MUCH family history yesterday, just not mine!

And while I take issue with the CODYS of past and their descendants for not including my Ancestors in their historical documentation, I am EQUALLY as disappointed in the African-American community, my family in particular, for NOT righting this wrong by stopping to share OUR stories.

Yes, I am well aware of our history & challenges but does that prevent us for preserving our Great Grandmother’s family bible? Does that prevent us from marking family images with names & dates? Does it prevent us from caring about the upcoming family reunion or making note of Cousin Mae’s funny cemetery story or your Mother’s version of family history? No, it doesn’t.

To take it a step further – what’s preventing my tech-savvy generation from launching a family blog [for FREE] or uploading their family images & documents to the Archives in their state? Is there something that stops us from working to build our family tree?

While I know that I am preaching to the choir here, I hope this encourages you to be relentless in sharing the sermon of Genealogy Preservation to those outside of the choir!:-)

This charge is for both black & white researchers alike — heck, shouldn’t the beautiful CODY history I read yesterday be available somewhere online?

Yesterday, we observed the tragedy of 9/11 by honoring its nearly 3,000 victims. People who unknowingly left for work or boarded a plane on a pretty normal morning, only to never return home again.

The future is uncertain & that said, the present should not be taken for granted.

So long as WE don’t work to preserve our family history TODAY, we have absolutely NO right to complain when we’re not captured in someone elses TOMORROW.

Okay, okay… Luckie has exited the soapbox!:-)

Luckie.

{Note: the posted image DOES NOT belong to my family. It is a mural created by Miguel Ramos, entitled Homage to the Ancestors. I discovered it online several years ago. It was one of the first visuals to inspire me to find my own family images & stories.}

Okay, here’s the skinny…

Since Lori, a descendant of Michael CODY of Warren Co. GA has come across OGR’s path, I am even more convinced that this year I will solve my #1 family mystery — who was Catie’s original CODY owner in Warren Co?

Now, although Lori & I had both ruled brothers Michael & Edmund out, due to their 1831 deaths, I think their wills bear witness that there could still be a Catie-connection because of how their estates were parsed out.

The approach? To post the wills of both CODYS & the questions each will raises.

My gut {or maybe it’s Catie!} tells me that I am on the right path… I just have to follow the clues. From the beginning, I’ve thought the answer was here, maybe now it’s time for it to be revealed?!

Fingers crossed!:-)

Edmund CODY. The line we’re following for now is Edmund’s Son – James {d. 1825 Warren Co.}. James had Sons – Edmond, Benjamin, Robert, Elias, Christopher, Albert & James. I want to rule-out Robert CODY first, before I look at the other sons. About the will:

• Who was his estate sold to in 1832, along with 16 negroes - James, Susan, Dicey, Julia, Rachel, Vincent, Alfred, Aily, Betty, Cloe, Ruby, Dolly, Rebecca, Martha, Matilda, & Tempy? Both his land & slaves went to this person. It doesn’t appear that any of the slaves were willed to his children — just real money & revenue yielded from the sale.
• I need to obtain the estate inventory, it will tell me more by identifying slave ages & purchaser. I will contact the Warren Co. Courthouse on Monday to see if a volunteer can pull it for me.
• The slave “Aily” could be Catie’s sister “Allie” in that right now, we don’t know how old she is. Catie was born in abt. 1850, & Allie could have been an older Sister. Also important, this is the only Aily/Allie slave I’ve come across to date.
• Curious, why Robert was called out apart from the other Grandchildren? Born abt. 1809, he would have been 23 yrs when Edmund passed — old enough to own a plantation.
• The book reference mentioned by Lori in re: to Edmund & Cathy living on what’s called the “Bob Cody Place” leads me to believe Edmund’s land & slaves could have gone to Robert. Need to confirm this through deeds.
• I see significance in Catie’s memory being of a “Master CODY”. For me this means we are looking for a CODY male descendant & not a son-in-law.
• Robert was a deeply religious Hardshell Baptist & traveling missionaries frequented the property according to Pierce CODY, former slave. This slave narrative by Pierce is KEY – Robert had missionaries visiting the plantation, Rev. James Madison was a traveling missionary. Pierce describes a “colored church”; Rev. DICKEY Pastored “colored missions”.

Michael CODY. Lori descends from this line of CODYS — there were #3. Michael #1 died 1831. Michael #2 moved to Barbour Co. AL {spooky, that’s where my other *roots* are!:-} in 1847. Michael #3 was born & died in Alabama. While I don’t believe Michael #1 owned Catie, I still believe he could have owned some of my CODY Ancestors, so I want to follow where his slaves went too. About the will:

• Michael willed what appears to be 1,335 acres of land to his Wife, Rebecca, along with 42 slaves – Armstead, George, Big Jack, Lewis, Jefferson, John, Rose, Anderson, Reddick, Daniell, Jerry, Elbert, Grace, Philly, Abram, Reuben, Stephen, Rosetta, Hannah, Richmond, Aggy, Eliza, Cynthia, Elias, Mary, Isham, Harry, Ailsey,
  Martha, Maria, Lavinia, Isabel, Anthony, Sarah, Henry, Bet, Bob, Little Jack, Garrison, Ellick, Emily, & Harrison John.
• Michael has a slave “Ailsey“! I want to see his estate inventory too to determine her age!:-)
• He specifically stipulated that the slaves & land were the ONLY parts of his estate not to be traded. Does that mean we should be able to trace the cluster {thanks Michael Hait!}?
• He gave his Grandson James Madison Gray 1 Negro girl – Liller w/her increase.
• He gave his Daughter Elizabeth 3 Negroes altogether — w/their increase Jane & Haste & a girl named Pats.
• To note, Michael’s land was adjoined to George HARDAWAY {Edmund’s son-in-law & estate executor} & Edmund’s.

I definitely have my work cut out for me but I believe 100% the answer is right here!:-)

What did I miss?

Luckie.

Warren County GaArchives Wills…..Edmund Cody August 15 1831
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Betty McLarry bjemcl@charter.net and Norma  Heron nje47@charter.net September 8, 2003, 3:36 pm

Source:  WarrenCo,Ga  1798-1852 admr est/wills
Written: August 15 1831
Recorded: March 9 1832

The Last Will & Testament of Edmund Cody Deceas’d

Georgia, Warren County} In the name of God Amen. I Edmund Cody of the county

aforesaid Do make & Ordain this my Last Will & Testament in manner & form
following: To God I commend my soul & my body to the Earth in decent Buried.

And as it respects my Earthly estate I wish first that all my just debts be
paid and

Second} It is my will & pleasure that all my estate both real and personal,
that I shou’d die in possession of be sold on a credit of twelve months the
purchaser giving small notes with approv’d security that is two hundred &
seventy eight acres of Land where I now live and sixteen negroes (to wit)
James Susan Dicey Julia Rachel Vincent Alfred Aily Betty Cloe Ruby Dolly
Rebecca Martha Matilda and Tempy Together with my horses & stock of every
kind. One wagon & gig working utensils together with my House & Kitchen
furniture and increase if any and

Third} I give my Daughter Sarah Hardaway seven hundred dollars to be paid out
of my Estate in eighteen months from the sale.

4th} I give my Grandson Robert Cody fifty Dollars in cash to be paid out of my
estate in eighteen monts from the sale.

5th} I give to the children of my son James Cody deceased to be equally
divided share & share alike (to wit) Edmund Cody, Benjamin, Robert, Celia,
Elias, Christopher C., Katherine, Eliza, Lucretia and James Cody Seven hundred
dollars to be paid out of my estate and furthermore it is my will and pleasure
that my Executors pay off those my above named Grandchildren that has or may
arrive to the age of twenty one years their full parts or shares in eighteen
months from the sale and the minors if any their shares be kept in my
Executors Hands by their paying the interest and payed of as the arrive at
twenty one years and

Sixth} I give my Grandson Albert L. Cody five hundred Dollars to be paid out
of my estate and to bear interest in the hands of his guardian in eighteen
months from the sale, but provided he should die before he is twenty one years
of age the whole shall be made a part of my Estate and subject to distribution
between my Daughter Sarah Hardeway and my Son Barnett Cody and aforesaid Grand
children Sons and Daughters of James Cody deceas’d.

7th} It is my will & pleasure that the surplus of my estate be equally divided
share & share alike between by Daughter Sarah Hardaway and my Son Barnett Cody
and aforesaid Grand Children Sons & Daughters of James Cody Deceas’d.

I nominate constitute & appoint my Son Barnett Cody and G W Hardaway my
Executors of this my Last Will & Testament hereby revoking all other wills by
me made August 15th 1831

Edmund Cody (His mark)

Signed in presences of us: Peter Cody, James Higginbotham, Drury A. McCullers

Georgia Warren County} You Drury A McCullers Swear that you saw Edmund Cody
the Testator sign seal publish & devise the within Instrument of writing as
his Last Will & Testament and that at the time of his so doing he was of sound
mind & Disposing memory (in your opiinion) & that he did it freely without
compulsion and that you farther swear that you saw Peter Cody & James
Higginbotham Sigtn their names as witnesses also. So Help you God. Drury A
McCullers

Test: T. Franklin Clk…..Order’d of record by the Court and Recorded 9th of
March 1832. T. Franklin Clerk C O W C

Warren County GaArchives Wills…..Michael Cody August 3 1831
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ga/gafiles.htm
************************************************
File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Betty McLarry bjemcl@charter.net and Norma Heron nje47@charter.net September 9, 2003, 4:06 pm

Source: # 0219573 WarrenCo,Ga; 1798-1852 admr est/wills
Written: August 3 1831
Recorded: May 25 1832

The Last Will and Testament of Michel Cody   deceased
Made 3rd Day of Augbust 1831

Georgia, Warren County}  In the name of God Amen.  I Michael Cody of this
county aforesaid being sick of body but of perfect mind and memory considering
the uncertainty of this life do make and ordain this my last will and
testament in manner and form following (viz)  To God I commend my soul and my
Body to the Earth in Decent burial.  And as regards my temporal estate or
matters I give will & bequeath in the following manner & form (to wit).

First}  I wish all my just debts paid.

Second}  I give my wife Rebecca during her life or widowhoon one thousand thru
hundred & thirty five & one half acres of land including the Prior tract on
Big Brier Creek the ballance on the waters of said Creek whereon I now live
adjoining lands of Washington Hardaway Edmund Cody & others with the profits
and improvements thereunto being or belonging Forty-two Negroes (to Wit)
Armstead, George, Big Jack, Lewis, Jefferson, John, Rose, Anderson, Reddick,
Daniell, Jerry, Elbert, Grace, Philly, Abram, Reuben, Stephen, Rosetta,
Hannah, Richmond, Aggy, Eliza, Cynthia, Elias, Mary, Isham, Harry, Ailsey,
Martha, Maria, Lavinia, Isabel, Anthony, Sarah, Henry, Bet, Bob, Little Jack,
Garrison, Ellick, Emily, and Harrison John , with all their future increase
all my stock of horses, cows, hogs and sheep household furniture & kitchen
furniture every kind of Plantation tools one wagon two carts & a Riding
Carriage the Crop on hand. Stock of provisions, clock, watch, debts & money
legasies herein after mentioned & specify’d  for her to pay and otherwise
execute this my will as far as in her power lies according to its true intent
and meaning.

Thirdly}  I give my Grandson James Madison Gray one Negro girl named Liller
with her increase and one hundred dollars in cash to be diliver’d and paid
when he arrives to the age of twenty one years by my wife but if he dies
before he is twenty one years old I wish the legacy divided one third to my
Son Peter Cody one third to the children of my son James Cody and the other to
the children of my Daughter Elizabeth Neal.

Fourthly}  I have already given my Daughter Elizabeth two Negroes with their
increase Jane & Haste and I now give her another Negro girl by the name of
Pats which is now in her possession also I give her four hundred & eighty nine
acres of land more or less on Big Brier Creek Adjoinging Lands of McMath Hodo
and others whereon he now lives with seven hundred dollars in cash to be paid
by my wife within two years after my Death, and after her death to her then
living children.

Fifthly}  I give my son Peter Cody in trust for my son Green Cody two thousand
dollars to be paid by my wife in two years after my Death provided my said son
Peter shall give Bond & good security for his faithfull management of said
Legacy and give myh son Green the interest, lawfull for his annual support and
in extreme necessity a small sum of the principal and provided the same shall
not go in payment for any debts now owed and which may hereafter be contracted
by him my said son Green.  Only in a moderate supposrt and if anything is left
of the principal or interest after the death of my said son Green Cody the
same shall be divided one third to my said son Peter Cody one third to the
children of my son James Cody and the ballance to my Daughter Elizabeth Neal
and provided also.  If my son Peter shall decline or refuse to accept the
above appointment then the Court of Ordinary may appoint some suitable person
in his stead.

Sixthly}  I give my son Michael M. Cody one fourth part of all the property
left my wife to be deliver’d when he is twenty one years of age as follows.  I
wish his mother to have him liberally Educated out of the proceeds of the
property and when he is of this age aforesaid I wish the Court of Ordinary to
appoint three or more suitable persons to go upon the Premises veiw the
property and whatever can be conveniently spar’d not to extend to one fourth
to be appraises and set over to him at the appraised vallue then after making
a like provision for my Daughter Louisa Amanda Cody when she marries or comes
of age and my son Jeptha M. Cody and Madison D. Cody and after the death of
their mother the whole ballance to be equally divided among myu four last
mentioned children and if either of them die before they marry or come of age
I wish the surviving child or children of the four last mentioned have their
legacy equally divided among them.  I wish the commissioners the Court may
appoint always to leave the undivided Property Sufficient to make losses good
of my wife marries or dies I wish Guardian appoint’d for any Children and the
property equally divided.  I wish my wife permitted to make such trade of any
thing except the Land & Negroes she may think to be beneficial to all concer’d
and for my wife to be at liverty to give my Oldest Set of Children or Grand
Children what she in her judgement may see fit to give.

Seventhly}  I likewise appoint my son Peter Cody with my wife Rebecca Codyn
Executor and Executrix to this my last will & testament revoking all other
wills by one made Pronouncing this and no other to be my last will & testament.
                                  Michael Cody  (his Mark)
Sign’d seal’d & acknowledge’d in presence of kus who in the presence of each
other had hereunto set our names this the third day of eighteen hundred &
thirty one.
Drury A. McCullers, Ezekiel Hillman, William Castleberry
                           Probate
Georgia Warren Count May 7th 1832}

You Drury A. McClullers, Ezekiel Hillman & William Castleberry do Swear that
you saw Michael Cody The testator sign (by making his mark) publish & declare
this Instrument of writing as his last will & testament that at the time of
his so doing he was (in your opinion) and  disposing memory that he did it
freely without compulsion.  So help you God.
William Castleberry, Ezekiel Hillman, Drukry A. McCullers
Test T. Franklin, Clerk  Recorded May 25th 1832 by T. Franklin Clerk C O W C
{Probate in all cases annex’d to the Original}

When I first began researching my Washington-Wilkes Genealogy in 1997 I had a [long] list of  “mysteries” I planned to solve.

Last August, I republished the list {OGR’s Top 10 Family Mysteries} because although my research has been VERY successful in flushing out a family history that was well on the path to disappearing, I’ve yet to solve our toughest mysteries!

Number #1 on my list – Which CODY from Warren County, GA owned Grandma Catie & her Sister “Allie”?

Yesterday, “Lori”, a descendant of Michael CODY of Warren Co. visited the blog & offered to assist with identifying Catie’s CODY owner. Thank God!:-)

Here’s what I know…

•  There is Oral History supporting that Grandma Catie spoke of  living on a Warren Co. Plantation & of being owned by “Master CODY”.
• Grandma Catie also spoke of leaving behind a Sister, “Allie”, when she was brought to Washington-Wilkes by Rev. James Madison DICKEY in 1859-60.  She would have been approx. 10 yrs. old.
• Minister Dickey was newly married {May 1859} to Ann Elizabeth {THOMAS} EVANS in Richmond Co. Prior to coming to Wilkes Co. to oversee the reconstruction of The Smyrna Church, he had been the first Pastor of Asbury Mission {a part of St. Johns Methodist Church} in Richmond Co.
• Ann DICKEY had been married previously, surname – EVANS; first name – I have no clue! She had a 2 yr. old Daughter, Caroline EVANS, when she married Rev. Dickey.
• 1850 Richmond Co. Census finds Ann living with her Father “Joseph” THOMAS & siblings.
• A Dickey descendant recently said he believed that Catie was a “wedding present” from the bride’s {Ann} side of the family. This post provides some context to that discussion – Rethinking My Catie’s Past.
• 1861 When Minister Dickey left Wilkes Co. he did not take Catie. She would have been 10-11 yrs. & most likely sold to someone else. For sure, there is nothing to support the claim that she was “manumitted” by the Minister.
• Catie’s death certificate lists Katie WILLIAMS as her Mother & Jim DICKERSON/DICKSON as her Father.

Early on in my research I was told by another Cody researcher, Paul WRIGHT {via Ancestry} that Catie would have most likely been owne by Michael and/or Edmund CODY.

Recently, because of the religious factor, I’ve also considered Robert CODY as a potential owner.

Minister Dickey, a traveling missionary with the  North Georgia Conference, was well known for his revivals in Richmond Co. & according to Pierce CODY, a former slave of Robert’s {a Hardshell Baptist}, there were often traveling bands of ministers visiting the plantation.

That’s pretty much where it ends. Logical next steps for me would be:

• Review the estate inventories, wills  & tax lists of Michael, Edmund & Robert CODY. What was there relationship to each other?
• Look for any church or bible records that would connect the CODYS to Rev. DICKEY.
• Check for Bills of Sale/Deeds reflecting a sale of Catie by her CODY owner to Rev. DICKEY.
• Identify any THOMAS and/or EVANS relationships to the CODYS
• Pray for Divine Intervention!:-)

What am I missing?

Luckie.

In 1860 Rev. James Madison DICKEY lived next door to Susan WINGFIELD, the owner of my 4th Grandfather James Wingfield. Minister Dickey owned 2 slaves, an older woman & my Catie, age 11 years. I know that he was only in Wilkes County from 1860-1861, as he was a missionary & moved around much.

I need to retrace his footsteps to see if I can uncover how he came to own Catie, which I hope will reveal her previous CODY owner in Warren County.

In the past my contact with the Dickey family has not proved successful. Given that James Madison’s son, James Edward, went on to become the 14th President of Emory University in Atlanta, I believe the family has had concerns about protecting their Genealogy.

I have been told there remain personal effects of the Minister (bibles, journal records, etc) but have never been privy to what they contain – I pray that someday, that will change.

For me, my only interest is Catie & how Minister Dickey acquired her.

Footsteps… James Madison Dickey

• 1850 – a 25 year old James Madison is found living at home with his Father, Mother & Siblings in WALKER County.
• 1859 – James is living in RICHMOND County {Augusta} at the St. Johns Parsonage. In May, he marries Ann Elizabeth THOMAS EVANS.
• 1860 – in June, Census records show James Madison living next door to Susan WINGFIELD (owner of my 4th Grandfather James WINGFIELD). He owns 2 slaves – Catie (age.11) & an older woman.
• 1860/61 – James oversees the reconstruction of The Smyrna Church in Wilkes County.
• 1862/63 – James is in OLGETHORPE County {Lexington}
• 1878 – James Madison dies in and/or near Augusta, GA.

Now, RICHMOND is a neighboring county to WARREN & WARREN to WILKES.

If James “passed through” Warren on his way to Wilkes, how did he acquire Catie from a CODY?

Now, that is THE question of century!

Cousin Mechie

The greatest challenge for me in researching my African ancestry is overcoming the gaping “holes” in history that leave my questions unanswered. It’s unending – the more questions I answer, the more that surface.

It’s frustrating & hurtful albeit necessary, to continue, again & again, to seek answers to the unanswerable.

That said, I am moved to focus my efforts on my GGGG Grandmother Catie WINGFIELD DORSEY before she arrived in Wilkes County, Georgia somewhere around the year of 1860.

From oral tradition we know that Grandma Catie was owned by a “Master CODY” in Warren County & lived on his plantation with her Sister Allie, who she left behind.

I also know that Catie’s death certificate lists, Katie WILLIAMS as her Mother – she would be my 5th Maternal Grandmother!

I’ve always centered, for whatever reason, on two Warrenton County brothers – Edmund & Michael CODY. Call it instincts or wishful thinking, they are the Cody’s I need to rule out and/or confirm before my search moves on to others.

Given that I’ve posted to all the genealogy message boards over the years, with little success, I think I need to look at what I have not done.

Next Steps:

• Historical Records. There are 2 Warren County historical books by Dan Crumpton. I need to contact Mr. Crumpton to inquire if any documents on my Warren County surnames are included in these volumes & if yes, purchase them ASAP.
• Archives or Courthouse Visit. When I travel home next month, I need to plan for a couple of days in Warren County and/or at the GA Archives. I’ve been to Warren’s Courthouse once before but I realize, I need more time & to focus solely on CODY records.
• Local Historian Support. Maybe there’s a local researcher who’s better versed in CODY ancestry that could point me in the right direction?
• Newspaper Ad. It’s a long shot, I know but what if I could find remaining African-American and/or White CODY descendants still in the Warren County area?

Well friends, it would appear that I’m rolling up my sleeves once again & starting on yet another genealogical journey!:-)

Cousin Mechie