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Christine's Archive
Genealogy Help and Advice |
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Christine will choose questions to answer on this page, and will provide helpful advice for sticky research problems. Christine has had incredible success at brick-wall busting: she recently reunited a family that had been separated for 126 years! If you would like to submit your brick wall question to Christine, you can send her an email message at askchristine@africanaheritage.com! Kay Smith asked: My maternal line begins with a long lasting and fruitful relationship between a white woman, Nancy Lindsey, and a mulatto man (whatever that means in this instance) whose last name was Chapman, first name unknown. They resided in Charlotte CO, Virginia. I knew the Chapman name from oral history. I recognized my gg/m's name, although she used "Lindsey" as did Nancy's other children, and then other names listed as "Free Mulattos" in the book, Charlotte County Rich Indeed, taken from three book of Free Negroes filed in the Clerk's Office of Charlotte County. The children were born in the 1830's, prior to the keeping of birth records, and I am certain that the parents were not legally married. No listings in the marriage books. I would REALLY like to know Mr. Chapman's given name. Can you help me? I have crossed referenced all the Chapman's in Mecklenberg, Lunenberg &Charlotte Co. during the period. I have found duplicate use of name, (like "Sally", my G/M.) There is another Sally in Mech. Co., almost the correct age. Hopefully waiting. Kay Smith Kay, Thank you so much for visiting our website and requesting my help. It seems you have looked in all the right places thus far. You state that you would like to know the name of "Mr. Chapman". I am certain that Nancy and Mr. Chapman lived near one another during the period that she was having children. After searching the census records I did find an Edward Chapman in the 1850 census for Charlotte County, VA. He is Mulatto, born in 1806 in Mecklenberg and is listed as age 43, single and a laborer. His age would fit your Mr. Chapman and the fact that he is single adds more intrigue to the fact that this could be him. Also, in the 1850 census for Charlotte there are quite a few African American/Mulatto Lindsey's listed. I suggest that you check to see if there is or was a marriage record for Edward Chapman in Charlotte County. Another hint is to go through the 1850 census and see who lived near him, you may find that your Lindsey family was close by. I am doubtful that there would be a marriage recorded between Nancy and Mr. Chapman due to their circumstances. Once you look into all the Single Chapman men in Charlotte that fit his age frame (there aren't many) then I suggest you research each one meaning their parents and their siblings. it is possible that at least one of Nancy and Mr. Chapmans children took on a name from his side of the family. Hopefully the pieces will come together for you. Good Luck! Christine Do you have a question for Christine? If you would like to submit your brick wall question, you can send Christine an email message at askchristine@africanaheritage.com! |
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