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