Echoes of My Nola Past

I have been Researching my Louisiana Line for over a year now and have never posted the Surnames and the information that I have about each one.

So here goes:

Robertson: Ben Robertson born in GA about 1844. Married Mandy Bryan(t) around 1865 and had 11 children: Charity?, Henry, Georgia, Jennie?, Minerva, Thomas, Cornelius, Emma, Mary, Babe, Amanda, Martha, and Annie(Charity and Jennie are not for sure known children of Ben and Mandy, but show up on the census in the household in 1870), No known date of death for Ben.

Robinson: Not sure of the connection yet, but do know that some of the Robertson children used this Surname. (Rev Cornelius Robinson).

Bryan(t): Mandy Bryan(t) born in GA about 1850. Married Ben Robertson. No know siblings at this time. Mandy was found on 1920 census living with her son Cornelius and wife Angeline. No know date of death for Mandy.

Amos: James Manuel Amos born in Minden, Louisiana about 1870. Married my Great Grandmother Amanda Robertson about 1898 and had four children: James, Willie, Joseph, and Odessa(my Grandmother).

Bell: Martha Robertson married Robert B Bell February 8, 1900 and had 7 children: Alberta, David A, Dezeria, Jesse B, John B, Robert Jr., and Savannah.

Long: Emma Robertson married Sam Long sometime before 1910 and had 8 children: Martha, Cleveland, Paul, Albert, Carter, Coleman, Julia, and Central. Sam and Emma were members of Saint Peter Baptist Church and are buried there.

Banks: Odessa Amos(my grandmother) married Augustus Banks sometime around 1922 or 1923 and had 2 children: Earl Carey Banks(Carey is Augustus’s father first name) and Augustus Banks Jr. (My Uncles)

Randle: Martha Long married Garfield Randle sometime before 1930 and had 3 children: Margaret, Thomas, and Howard

Pyles: Savannah Bell married Charles Pyles sometime before 1930. No known children at this time.

Lewis: Minerva Robertson married J D Lewis(John) sometime before 1910 and had 2 children: Theleon(?) and Lizy.

Pierre: Georgia Robertson Robert Pierre about 1896 and had 1 known child: Evie E

Dennis: This Surname belongs to Sam Long half sisters and brothers: John, Louvella, Lannie, Jossie, and Nina Mae.

Harris: This Surname belongs to Sam Long half brother: Calvin Harris

Levingston: Charity Robertson(not sure if this was a child or sister of Ben Robertson) married Edmund Levingston about 1876 and had 6 children: Aurela, Emanuel, Mary, Ella, Hattie, and John. (Edmund is believed to have married my Great Grandmother Amanda Robertson sometime around 1917).

Hampton: Julia Long married Luther Hampton and had 1 known child: J C Hampton.

King: Central Long had 2 boys by someone with this Surname their names were: Ollie and Samuel.

James: James is the last nameof Annie Robertson 2 children: Mabel and Oliver James. They were found on the 1920 census living with Robert and Martha Bell.

If you know any of my family, please contact me and share. Thanks!!

Sources: Most of the information was found on Ancestry.com  and Clarene Long, Sam and Emma Long’s Granddaughter.

As everyone know I have been on the track of finding out who owned my ancestors Ben and Mandy ROBERTSON. I believe I have found him:  E W HODGES may have been the owner.

E W HODGES was born abt 1809 in Randolf, GA Twiggs County and died around 1867 in Webster Parish, LA. According to slave schedule of 1850 and 1860 LA the HODGES dominated the area of Bossier Parish, LA as slave owners. In 1860 E W owned 4 male slaves age 16 years old and Ben was born abt 1844. Then there was a John E HODGES owned one Mulatto female slave which was 10 years old and Mandy BRYANT was born abt 1850. John lived in Pine Woods Catahoula, LA. Not sure if Pine Woods was a Plantation or area in LA. One of my biggest questions was how did Ben and Mandy if born in GA end up in LA and  http://www.lcafricana.com/ gave me the answer.

There was land lottery in LA and the Hodges bided on land in LA. Obviously they won the lottery and moved to LA with their slaves and harvested on that land.

Although E W died in 1867 his son E W Jr and wife Gussey was living a couple houses away from the ROBERTSONS in the 1870 census. Even in the 1880 census the HODGES and the ROBERTSONS were still neighbors.

Once I viewed E W census record of 1860 on http://www.ancestry.com/,  there were 3 descendents that have attached his name to their tree. Two descendents I figured out his name was added because of marriage, but one really caught my eye: Hodges VA/NC/GA/AL… saved by thunder88.

This really interested me because E W’s father Matthew Hodges was born abt 1788 in Pitt County, N.C. Once I viewed the tree(we all know the detective kicked in at this point), I noticed that there were some ROBERTSONS from VA listed. Now this could explain why Ben was owned by HODGES and his surname was ROBERTSON. Hmm!!

Now I have a few areas of interest and still trying to put all the pieces together, but to me when you get to this point, this is what the research is really about. Really learning who you are and where you come from. Who owned your ancestors and how they lived? What kind of life they lived and what kind of owner did they have? Now I know some of those questions might not never be answered, but just the notion of possibly finding out makes everything worth while.
Felicia