Jeremy's ancestors called his name

Jeremy Taylor-Collins
Photo Credit:Antoinette Harrell

I have studied my maternal family history for decades. I met new relatives on my paternal side after my father passed away in 2019. One of them is Jeremey Taylor-Collins, whose passion for genealogy is deep. Through DNA, he connects with family members from all branches of his tree. His roots extend deep into Pike County, Mississippi and St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Jeremey enjoys traveling to St. Helena & Tangipahoa Parishes, Louisiana for genealogy research whenever he can. 

As part of this trip, he discussed the Louisiana State Archives for the first time with me. This was his first visit to the Louisiana State Archives.  There could not have been a better time!  At twelve noon, Bernice Alexander Bennett, author of "Black Homesteaders of the South," presented an overview of her book. Jeremy's ancestors were homesteaders in St. Helena Parish. Bernice pulled Jermey ancestors  Homestead  records at the National Archives. He was very excited to get those records. 

We planned to arrive early enough to give Jeremy a chance to gain some knowledge about researching death certificates. He was unstoppable once he learned how to use the new equipment to find the records. Some records was familiar to him because Jane Holiday, a genealogy treasure, posted thousands of records for many people in the Louisiana Florida Parishes. Jane's work in genealogy saved him a lot of time and helped him see how important Jane's work is. 

Our next stop was the St. Helena Parish Courthouse. He had visited the courthouse before. Last year, I taught him how to search for conveyance, successions, marriages, and wills documents. Among his ancestors were Solomon "Saul"  Taylor and America Mills Taylor, who both lived and died in St. Helena Parish. Their graves were located in the Black Creek AME Church Cemetery behind the church.  

Did the marriage take place in the parish? Were they landowners? What other Taylors are there? Who are they? Do any of the Taylors still reside in the parish. Did the marriage take place in the parish? Were they landowners? What other Taylors are there? Who are they? Do any of the Taylors still reside in the parish?

Researching at the St. Helena Parish Clerk's Office may have some answers for Jeremy.  After we

 Jeremy Taylor Collins researching the 
St. Helena Clerk's Office
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

finished researching at the Clerk's office for the day, we drove to Rocky Hill AME Church in St. Helena, Louisiana. He wasn't sure if he had relatives buried there, but we were too close not to check. We walked through the cemetery together. Jeremy recognized many surnames from public member trees and oral histories. A number of vaults and headstones were damaged by Hurricane Ida. To inform the departed family that vaults and headstones had been damaged, I posted the damaged headstones on my social media site. Jeremy visited other cemeteries in the area. On his social media he live streamed his visit to  Big Zion Cemetery in Roseland, Louisiana. He talked about the importance of maintaining those sacred burial grounds of our ancestors and I couldn't agree with him more. 

It wasn't quite the end of our day yet. In 1873, the first African American appointed as mayor in Ponchatoula, Louisiana was Rev. Arthur Tasker. I was scheduled to speak about placing a Historical Marker near his gravesite before the Ponchatoula Council. We ended our day with a meal and a cup of Jasmine tea. I felt as if I was passing the torch to a young man who is passionate about his family history. It seems likely that he will do more research and visit the places where his ancestors once lived to find out more about them. 

Rocky Hill AME Church Cemetery
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Harrell Researching at the Hill Memorial Library on LSU Campus

Research at the Hill Memorial Library
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr.

In the course of researching my paternal and maternal family history, I traveled to many research facilities with high hopes of finding new information and new leads.There have been many visits to the local libraries, the Louisiana State Archives, the Clerk's Office, Universities, and other research facilities in the area where my ancestors lived. My ancestors were enslave on plantation in the South, so I began looking for records on them. LSU has a very helpful finding aid that I found to be very helpful. 

The finding aids are descriptions of archival collections at LSU. They provide biographical or historical information about the creator. Details about what type of materials that can be found in the collection. It is always helpful when there is a finding aid. Believe it or not, there are records that doesn't provide a finding aid. Any research will tell you how it helps to have a finding aid. 

When there isn't a finding aid, it's a disappointment, because it means that you have to physically look through every document, and hope that you find find something which his helpful to your research. Also keep in mind that looking at the finding aid online can save you a lot of time when you get there. 

One thing to note is that LSU doesn't have many collection related to African-Americans. As a matter of fact, most of the research facilities that I have researched don't have many collections dedicated specifically to African-Americans. 

My primary reason for starting my collections was because of this very reason. It had been a very problemous process getting African Americans to donate their materials for preservation. In the future, I hope that I will be able to continue to educate and promote the importance of preserving our records outside of our homes for many reasons. 

Courthouse Genealogy Research in Sumner, Mississippi

Sumner Courthouse Peonage Research
Photo Credit: Walter C. Black, Sr. 

I've had the opportunity to travel to many courthouses throughout the Louisiana and Mississippi searching for my ancestors or helping someone else search for their ancestors. One thing is for sure the books can be  heavy to lift. Not to mention the dust on the outside of the books. "So if you suffer from respiratory problems, you may want to wear a mask to keep the dust from getting in your nose."

I strongly suggest that you wear comfortable clothing and shoes. You may find your subject in the index and may have to pull several books off the shelves. Be prepared to do a lot of bending down in search of the book you need. A magnifying glass can be helpful when you are reading scripted writting. Make sure you have enough time and not be in a big rush to leave. If you are taking someone along with you, be sure to let them know that you will be a couple of hours. 

The picture shows the amount of dust on the book. The book was at the very bottle of the shelf and it appeared to be untouched for a while. All the index keys were dusty too. This is not uncommon at all.  The points that I'm making is to be prepared for the research trip.

Harrell Family Papers Donated to the Amistad Research Center

Harrell donating family files: Photo Credit-Walter C. Black,Sr.

The Amistad Research Center is the nation's oldest, largest and most comprehensive independent archive specializing in the history of African Americans and other Ethnic Minorites. It was in the year of 2001 that I made the decision to donate my family papers to the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans, LA.

For the past two weeks I've been very busy preparing additional files to be donated for preservation. I getting stress how tedious that work is. I worked long hours organizing the files and going through every single sheet of paper, pictures and books. I have a long way to go yet

Harrell-Miller, Antoinette Family papers, 2000-2001 | Amistad Research Center

Scope and Contents: Antoinette Harrell-Miller of Amite, Louisiana, is a prolific activist who created a grassroots organization called Citizens for Change. Her papers consist of her book, You are My Shadow Gone But Not Forgotten: TheHarrell Family History with news clippings and family memorabilia that may have been used for her genealogical research and her book. The collection also contains photographs, leaflets, correspondence to local and state officials, and VHS videotapes.

Harrell-Miller, Antoinette Family papers 2004 addendum, 1939-2002 | Amistad Research Center

This addendum to the Harrell-Miller Family papers contains ledgers for the Petty AME Church in New Orleans, Louisiana, funeral books, and school books. The school books include a 1939 McDonogh High School autograph book and a 1976 St. Augustine High School yearbook. The church ledgers contain board and parishioner contact information, as well as financial records. The funeral books are for Isaac Stewart (1923-2002) and Michael Stewart (1958-1991).

Harrell-Miller, Antoinette Family papers 2005 addendum, 1925-2005 | Amistad Research Center

Scope and Contents: This addition to the Antoinette Harrell-Miller Family papers documents members of the Harrell and Stewart families of New Orleans. Prominent names include: Isaac Stewart, Juanita Stewart, Michael Stewart, Clarence Harrell, Minnie Harrell, and Edgar Harrell. Also included is documentation of Antoinette Harrell's activism on topics from affordable energy to reparation lawsuits, her work on African American genealogy, and information on Petty A.M.E. Church.  The collection contains correspondence; military, school, financial, voter registration, and property records; photographs; programs; flyers; news clippings, and other documents.

Harrell-Miller, Antoinette Family papers 2012 addendum, 1910-2011 | Amistad Research Center

This addition to the Antoinette Harrell-Miller Family papers documents members of the Harrell and Stewart families of New Orleans. Prominent names include: Isaac Stewart, Juanita Stewart, Michael Stewart, Clarence Harrell, Minnie Harrell, and Edgar Harrell. Also included is documentation of Antoinette Harrell's activism on topics from affordable energy to reparation lawsuits, her work on African American genealogy, and information on Petty A.M.E. Church and Fluker A.M.E. Church, both in Louisiana.  Of note are materials related to peonage cases in the South from the 1920s-1960s, information regarding Ballground Plantation (Mississippi) and Algodon Plantation (Madison Parish, LA), images of the Lawson family of Amite, Louisiana, and of Choctaw decent, and a 1910 letter regarding fundraising for the World’s Panama Exposition Company in Louisiana
The collection contains correspondence; military, school, financial, voter registration, and property records; photographs; programs; flyers; news clippings, and other documents.


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