I have researched my Maternal and Paternal lines of my Ancestry back to 1870.
Sometime we as African American Researchers can get stuck at this point because prior to 1870 our Ancestors was considered property.
I refused to be stuck and pressed on in pursuit of a Slaveowner for my Nola Ancestors.
I previously did a post asking was the “Hodges” my Ancestor’s Slaveowner. I assumed this to be so because I was going on the theory that they were considering they were the nearest White Family living next to my Ancestors on the 1870 census.
Keeping that theory in my head I recently made contact with an “Hodges” Descendant that shared some very interesting information and took my Research in a totally different direction that leads to more questions.
According to the information that I recieved in the early 1840′s John and David Hamiter and several other families(including Matthew Hodges and family which I am a descsendant from) moved to Louisiana. Altogether there were 30 Whites and about 200 Slaves. They departed Haynesville, Houston County, Georgia and arrived in Minden, LA on Christmas Day(the year is unknown).
By the time the 1850 Bossier Parish, LA 5th Ward Census was taken there were 11 Surnames listed that were from Georgia. They were: Hodges, Hortman, Carter, Codwell, Bryan(my Great Great Grandmother’s Surname), Cross, Lister, King, Boon, Wight, and McKine.
Then there was Edmund William Hodges son of Matthew Hodges that lived in Houston and Randolf Counties in GA. It is written that he invested all his available cash in 60 Slaves and moved with the Slaves, his Family, and Father to Cotton Valley Plantation, 20 miles North of Minden, LA. He arrived there February 1858.
It is written that Edmund William Hodges left Georgia because he was concerned about the potential for Civil War and did not want any part of it
By the time the 1860 Bossier Parish, LA Ward 6 Census was taken(this is the area that turned into Cotton Valley and where my Ancestors were found in 1870) there were 22 Surnames listed that were from Georgia. They were: Schesheir, Stanton, Sandlin, Robers, Dellafield, Mitchel, Lewis, Conutts, Cole, Okley, Hendricks, Martin, Mcdaniel, Jordan, Crownover, Bryan, Smith, Mathewes, Young, Jones, Tarey, and Hodges.
After I reviewed this information here are my questions:
1. What year did my Ancestors move to LA?
2. What are the connections that the Hodges have with my Ancestors or is there a connection?
3. Did all the Surnames from Georgia have Slaves?
4. Is there a listing of the names of the 200 slaves and who has it?
5. The Robers Surnames on the 1860 census is it short for Roberson and Robertson? Are those Ben’s Slaveowners?
6. Should my next step be to Research those GA counties or Bossier Parrish, LA?
7. Are the Bryans my Great Great Grandmother’s Slaveowners and do they have any connections with the Hodges or Robers?
I’m sure there are more questions that I need to list. I will not give up until all my questions are answered.
One thing I know for sure, my Ancestors were among one of the groups that traveled from GA to LA and their Slaveowners are among the Surnames that is listed. I feel that I am on the right track and the Ancestors have guided me this way and I have to go by their guideness. Thanks for Listening.
Source cited: All information obtained in this post about the Hodges was given to me by Ken Hodges Descendant of Edmund William Hodges. The Surnames were obtained from Ancestry.com 1850 and 1860 Census
Lori Says:
