documenting my very southern genealogy from the plantation to the frontier
Last week, family business took us to Blacksburg, Virginia. We had time for a little sightseeing, and decided Smithfield Plantation would be a good option in these COVID times, since the tour is mostly outside. Once I arrived, I realized that this plantation could be comparable to those of the Virginia ancestors I've recently been … Continue reading Smithfield Plantation
William Hamner, my 7th great-grandfather, lived in Albemarle County, Virginia for most, if not all, of his life. On the one hand, it's kind of fun to read a tax list and see Thomas Jefferson's name on it. Yes, that Thomas Jefferson. But on the other hand, perhaps because of this proximity to notable Americans, … Continue reading William Hamner of Albemarle County, Virginia: Fact and Fiction
I was recently delighted to find the Bible of my 6th great-grandmother, Susanna Hamner Turner, wife of Stephen Reuben Turner, at the North Carolina Digital Archives. In it, she had recorded the births of all her 12 children, along with marriages and deaths. After Susanna's death, her Bible was inherited by her son, Henley Turner, … Continue reading List of Slave Births, Stephen Turner Bible, Warren County, North Carolina, 1835-1864
On the one hand, I hit the mother lode when I started researching my paternal Rives line. These folks, unlike most others in my tree, had money and left a substantial paper trail. They were also from Virginia, which has better-preserved records than some other states. I can see I'm going to be working on … Continue reading Will of William Hamner, Albemarle County, Virginia, 25 December 1787
Stephen Reuben Turner was my 6th great-grandfather, son of Terisha Turner and father of Mary Catherine Turner Rives. There are two copies of his will out there: this transcription is from a copy found in North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998 at Ancestry.com. I believe this version to be the more accurate because it … Continue reading Will of Stephen Reuben Turner, Warren County, North Carolina, 14 October 1799
A Long Way to Tennessee 