Connecting Our Vining Family Genetic Through Ancestry DNA

Isaiah Vining
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

Several months ago my cousin Belinda Vining Trepagnier and I talked about having her father Isaiah Vining to take the Ancestry DNA and African Ancestry DNA test. We want to find out about our family history as much as possible. 

Isaiah is the descendant of Leon and Hattie Vining. He was born in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. He is one of six siblings; Leola, Eddie Lee, Johnny, Mary Lee, Rosedale, and Thomas. His father Leon as born about 1906 to the union of Benjamin and Annie Richardson Vining, he lived in Ward 3, in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. 

 Leon's sibling were;  Carrie, John, Leon and Luellea Vining.  I met cousin Luella over twenty years ago in New Orleans, La., She was in her eighties when I met her. I would often visit with her and talk with her about our family history. She talked about her mother Annie Richardson Vining every chance she got. She told me that her father Benajmin has contact the smallpox and had to be quaratine in a little shack in the woods. She remember going in the woods and placing food under a tree and leaving. He died in the woods due to the smallpox. No one couldn't come in contact with him. 

Cousin Luella spent a lot of time with her grandmother Amanda Breland Richardson and Thomas Richardson. At one time she and her family was living with her grandparents. She had a picture of her grandmother Amanda and her mother Annie hanging on her wall. Cousin Louella was a amputee and she spent a lot of time crocheting blankets, caps and baby items for the family. 

Thomas and Amanda Breland Richardson has five children; Annie, Thomas, Golene, Johnc and Sophia Richardson. Cousin Luella told me that her mother was accidently shot by her brother John. She said her mother died of lock jaw and the family didn't talk about that subject at all. Matter of fact, not to many people knew of Annie, not even my mother who was the family griot. Most of the people who would have known about Annie had died. Annie was my grandmother's Josephine Richardson Harrell's aunt. 

Cousin Isaiah is in his eighties and agreed to take the DNA test. Surrounding by his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and other family members as well as friends. Isaiah and his family get together every fouth Sunday of the month for fellowship, family fun, games and lots of home cooked food. 

I really enjoyed myself watching the family really enjoy each others company and having fun playing a game of spoon. Most of all, cousin Isaiah was right there playing with games with his children and grandchildren. They are planning to go on their annual cruise this years. Cousin Isaiah is truly patirach of his family. I'm happy that I met Leon's branch of the family.  Matter of fact Isaiah is double related to me on the Richardson and Vining side of my family.