Researching their grandparents records at the Tangipahoa Parish Clerk's Office

Conducting genealogy research
Tangipahoa Parish Clerk's Office

Did you ever wonder where to begin researching your family history? Dr. Valarie Richardson and her brother  Earl Scott Richardson, Jr.,  research their family history with genealogist and local historian Dr. Antoinette Harrell at the Tangipahoa Parish Clerk's Office. It was their  first time conducting genealogy research. 

The discovery of the marriage record of their great aunt Hattie Wheat intrigued them. My paternal great uncle Theodore Harrell married their  great aunt Rosa Wheat. Their marriage record was found, which was quite surprising to them. In the marriage index book, they found several of their great aunts on the Wheat side of their family. 

Richardson's Funeral Home was founded by their grandparents Supt. Alexander and Aunt Melissa Wheat Richardson. During the 1960s, their grandfather worked at Good Shepherd Funeral Home. In addition, we examined the records of Campbell Funeral Home, which was founded in the 1940s.

Doing our research we were joined Susan Roesgen, WGNO, New Anchor and her camera man. Susan watched us move around the courthouse finding hidden treasure in chattel books that feel like they weigh at least 25 pounds. By the end of the day my arms was sore from picking up the heave books. With the help of the clerk's employees, we had a successful research trip regardless of the bomb threat at the courthouse.