Black Family Research Organization Newsletter

The newsletters are now being added to the web, with the permission of Kathryn Black Morrow, editor. Use of website and converting and editing for the web courtesy of Joan Black Lund. More newsletters will be added as time permits.

Files may be copied, please cite sources, website and the BFRO.

JANUARY - MARCH 1998

EDITOR’S PAGE 

THANK YOU to all the members who sent in dues or inquiries, had their mail returned, then took the time to look up the new BFRO address. I don’t know why all the mail wasn’t forwarded. It is scary to think that I may never know what DIDN’T get through! In case some of you missed the change; Our New Address is  3710 Glenmeade Dr., Houston, TX 77059   

ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER 4 ISSUES A YEAR, Subscription rate $15.00/yr Deadlines for all advertisements and queries - JAN-MAR ISSUE - Dec. 15 prior; APRIL - JUNE ISSUE - Mar. 15; JULY -SEP ISSUE, June 15; OCT-DEC ISSUE, Sep 15. Later arrivals are not guaranteed to get in, but I will accept copy until the date of printing.     

State File Of the Month - DELAWARE  

In 1664, the English captured land from the Dutch which today comprises the State of Delaware. Many English settlers came soon thereafter from the surrounding states of Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York, and mingled with the Swedish and Dutch settlers already in the area. Some of the earliest families to come to America settled in Delaware. Boundary disputes over the next 30 years show families apparently migrating back and forth between Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, when they actually remained in one place.. Many northern Delaware families did migrate out to Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. Some early records are in the archives of New York and Pennsylvania, but the Bureau of Archives and Records has records from the Swedish colonial period, the Dutch settlement, the Duke of York Regime, and the William Penn Proprietorship. Delaware was the first of the thirteen original states, ratified in 1787. You will not find a 1790 census for the records were destroyed in 1812, but a reasonable substitute has been created from early tax lists. The following early records aid in establishing the presence of our early BLACK ancestors there.  

Delaware Census 1810

Calendar of Kent County, Delaware Probate Records 1680-1800, 
Public Archives Commission, State of Delaware, Dover DE 1944.

BLACK PAGE 

Ben 311,370,462,463,514 

Betsey 397 Magdalene MCKNIT, widow, will made Nov 12, 1784 mentions as heir, daughter Betsey BLACK. Book M, folio 163,164. (Editor’s note: There is a marriage for a Magdalena HOLTON to a John BLACK in Pennsylvania Mar 4, 1778. If they had a daughter, then John died, and she remarried a MCNIT, this could be her.) 

Catherine 201 

Ebenezer 319,427,458,467,489 

Eliezer 489 

Frances 319, 514 

Francis 370 

George 322 John HOLMES of Mispillion Hundred administration to George BLACK Aug 10, 1779. Also on pages 68, 319.

Hannah 370, 402 

James 46 James BLACK, Planter, administration to Jane BLACK.  Jul 5, 1724. Book D, folio 66 

Jane 68 Will of Lecky (Lakey) HENRY, a cordwainer, made Dec 22, 1732 lists as heir brother in law George BLACK, witness Jane BLACK probably Feb 15, 1732, Archive volume A29, p. 92,93. Book H, folio 46. 

John 33, Administration to Sc---DI---, Apr 5, 1709. Book B, folio 78. Page 38 : Administration to Jn. MANLOVE Aug 25 1720 Book D, folio 23. John also found on pages 319, 370, Page 417, 419 John BLACK administration to Elsbury BURT Nov 17, 1789. 

Martha 319 

Mary 340, 394, 419 

Naomy 393 Davis PETERKIN will made Apr 9 1787 lists as an heir, daughter Naomy BLACK. Probably recorded May 4, 1787 Book M, folio 139-140. 

Nicholas 370 

Priscilla 319, 494 

Rebecah 340 

Samuel 201 Yeoman, administration to Catherine BLACK, Aug 11, 1762 Book K folio also found on pages. 389.,462,514 

Samuel Spencer 408 

Stephen 88, Wm FINNEY will made Jul 19, 1740 list as heir Stephen BLACK probably Aug 13, 1740. Book I, folio 21. Page 331 Stephen BLACK  administration to Stephen BLACK May 29 1781. Book LL folio 229.. Page 340 Stephen BLACK, jr. administration to Mary BLACK Aug 30 1782 Book LL folio 231. Also Stephen administration to Rebecah BLACK Apr 30, 1782 same folio. 

Sussanah 489 

Thomas 301, Thomas PETERKIN will made Oct 10, 1775 names nephew Thomas BLACK. PETERKIN had a brother John whose wife was Rhoda(presumably BLACK).Also on page Page 382 Thomas BLACK to Ann BLACK Mar 30, 1786 Book MFp. 104,105. 

William 103,175 

CALENDAR OF DELAWARE WILLS 

These are abstracts. At this time, the courts themselves traveled to make “justice” available to the backcountry. The judge and officers set up court in various districts or headquarters, and complaintants came to them.

ALL NEWCASTLE COUNTY 

Page 77: William BLACK* N.C. Headquarters. Sep 7, 1774. Oct 2, 1774. Wife, Esther; Dau Ann; brother Richard; nephew John BLACK son of Richard**. Exec., wife Esther. 

Page 86: Thomas BLACK, West Clay Creek headquarters, Feb. 17, 1777. Aug 18, 1777. Sons, John BLACK and James BLACK; daughters Rebecah BLACK and Ann BLACK; brother Charles BLACK. Execs., sons John and James. *** 

Page 106: Mary, wife of James BLACK, Esq. listed as a daughter of Samuel PATTERSON, ESQ. West Clay Creek Hd., May 12, 1785. May 29, 1785. James BLACK was also and exec.

Page 134:  James BLACK Miller. Mill Creek Hd. Feb 27, 1792. Nov. 18, 1794. Daughters; Mary, Nancy, Sally, Catherine, JeanBLACK and Elizabeth WALLACE; Samuel PATTERSON, Jane RICE, James GLASKO, Dr. William McCREA. Exec., wife, Mary; sons,  James R. and George; son-in-law Dr. George WALLACE and Thomas Montgomery. 

Page 134: James BLACK Farmer. Jan 22, 1789. Mar 6, 1795. Sisters, Rebekah, Ann BLACK. Exec., brother, John BLACK, Robert MCANTAREN. *** 

EDITOR’S NOTES
*Marriage records for Maryland 1634-1777 lists a William BLACK of Baltimore County, married 22 Sep 1744, Esther BANNEKER. 

**This Richard may or may not be the same Richard on the 1790 Nicholas Co, KY census and the 1800 tax list. On my family group sheet, I have his father as William, mother Elizabeth. Researcher - Maynard Black, 1601 B. Neodesha, KS 66757, 

*** See “Research Tips” for more info.  

REGISTER OF DELAWARE WILLS 

Page 88 Book LIF21; Wm. FINNEY, heir of Stephen BLACK ( No date listed, other records are 1781). 

Page 201 Samuel BLACK, administrator to Catherine BLACK. Aug. 11, 1762, Book LK F 289. 

Page 301 Thomas BLACK, nephew of Thomas PETERKIN, 10 Oct. 1775. Book LLF 174,175. 

Page 331 Stephen BLACK, administrator to Stephen BLACK, May 29, 1781. Book LLF 229.

Page 382 Thomas BLACK to  Ann BLACK, Mar 30, 1786. Book LMF 104.105. 

Page 393 David PETERKIN will, Apr. 9, 1787, mentions daughter Naomy BLACK. Book LMF 139,140. 

Page 394 Thomas CRAMMER will  Mar 12, 1787 lists heirs, daughter, Mary BLACK. Mary then administrator to Thomas CRAMMER Dec. 8, 1789, mentions her son Thomas(BLACK?) Book LMF 211. Then, Stephen BLACK to Thomas CRAMMER DBN, Dec. 8 1789.

NOTES:  
In the Index of Revolutionary War pension Applications, there is one for a Richard BLACK of Delaware( BLWt. 1166-100) 

Adam BLACK is listed on a 1790 tax list in the “Cedar Creek hundred” in Sussex County

Benjamin BLACK is listed on a tax list for 1790, in the “Mispillion Hundred” in Kent County.

*Elizabeth BLACK is listed on a tax list for 1790, in the “Broadkill Hundred” in Sussex County.

James BLACK is listed on a tax list for 1790, in the “White Clay Creek Hundred” in New Castle County.

James BLACK is listed on a tax list for 1790, in the “Christiana Hundred” in New Castle County.

Adam BLACK is listed on the 1800 Sussex County census, with 3 people in his household.

 James BLACK is listed on the 1800 New Castle CO, census, with 5 children. 

* See “Marriages” below. In the Apr-Jun 1983 issue of the BFRO newsletter, page2, I find “Benjamin BLACK,born before 1754, wife Mary? On the 1790 Boone Co, KY census, 1799 tax list, and 1810 census age over 45. His son George Washington BLACK, born 1774 in Delaware married Sarah BRASHER born 1771 in New York...” Newsletter article goes on to outline the family of George Washington, Sarah and their descendants in in Boone County.. This Benjamin may or may not be the one who married Anna Ralston in Delaware and may have had children James, John, Samuel, George Washington Researcher, BFRO member Joel BLACK, 3314 Healy Dr. Winston Salem, NC 27103.

MARRIAGES 

All in Wilmington, New Castle County  

BLACK, Benjamin and Anna RALSTON, 20 Jun 1762. 

* BLACK, Catherine and Neil TOY, 25 July 1780. 

BLACK, Jane and John CARTER, -- Mar. 1746. 

BLACK, John and Martha STEWARD, 5 Nov. 1770. 

BLACK, Margaret and Ludwig SAYBOLT, 4 Apr 1763. 

BLACK, Mary and James BRUCKS, 1 Feb. 1740. 

BLACK, Mary and Edward HAGGORN, --Feb. 1746. 

BLACK, Rebecca and John HATTON, 23 Nov. 1758.    

FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS BLACKS 

A perfect example of why researchers in early American family lineages need to keep a broad perspective as far as the location and origins of their families go is the following lineage of John BLACK. The article is taken in part from the book, PIONEER PREACHER by long-time BFRO supporter and author Natalie BLACK. 

We are all familiar with the struggles of the Scots and Irish during the long years of religious war and persecution in England in the early part of the 18th century, when the first strong immigration of “Ulster Scots” to this country began. One of the foundation Scots lineages in America is the one that begins in Augusta County, Virginia, but has its roots first in New Castle, Delaware. Immigrant John BLACK first came to new Castle about 1734 and remained there on the forks of the Brandywine River ( Penns County, then Chester Co., PA) until about 1739, when he is found in Augusta County, VA. From his bible record we learn the following: James BLACK, a wool merchant who lived in County Down, Ireland, had four sons; James, John, Anthony and  Samuel. the youngest son, bachelor Samuel, age 35, landed at New Castle in 1735. Educated in Edinburgh, he was licensed to preach by the Armagh Presbytery in Ireland. He was listed as a member of the New Castle Presbytery, being “lately from Ireland” 4 Apr. 1735 and licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Donegal, PA on 27 Oct 1736. He was called to take charge of the congregation at the Brandywine Manor Presbyterian Church ( in what was then Delaware, now Chester Co, PA) Samuel was married, probably in Pennsylvania before 1740, to Catherine SHAW, and had the following children: Samuel, James, Margaret, Mary, Sarah, John, William. Natalie’s book has extensive genealogies of these families and their descendants, as well as the reference material she used to compile the data. the actual immigration date for father James and sons John, Samuel and Anthony can also be found in Michael J. Tepper’s books Passenger and Immigration Lists Index 1993 Supplement, p. 40. reference 9255.7, p.3.  

RESEARCH TIPS 

Let’s extract as much info as we can from some of the above records and construct a tentative family group or two . Paying attention to detail and making connections from disparate facts is how good researchers are able to make the leap across a gap in their data stream, pick up the trail on the other side, and  work backwards to tie the family together with good documentation.

For instance, from the “Calendar of Delaware Wills”, we can get some fairly straight forward family groups, no problem. But what else can we learn from the information? What about ages, where they may have come from, etc.? Look at the page 86 entry for Thomas BLACK. It lists four children; John, James, Rebekah and Ann, plus a brother Charles. What can we learn about Thomas age from this entry? Well, he is old enough to be married and have 4 children, so we can guess he is at least 25 in 1777- born by 1752. His sons are also listed as executors for his will, so they must be at least 21, born by 1756, pushing his age back at least twenty years to 1736. He could be older, but probably not much younger.  Now think about his daughters. They are listed as BLACK- no married names, so perhaps they are no yet old enough to marry- younger than 30. They could be very young, it’s true, but since their brothers are at least old enough to be executors, we can guess that they are not much different in age, maybe not more than 10 years younger- or older . We are only assembling some clues and leads now, so we don’t have to worry too much about exactness at this point. So, let's assume the girls are between 10 and 40, born 1737 to 1767. Since we know that the sons are almost certainly born before 1756, this begins to put a time frame on father Thomas, too. Now look at page 134 for James BLACK. I feel fairly certain, since he lists his sisters as Rebekah and Ann and  brother John, this is our James , son of Thomas. Does his will in anyway support our age theory? Yes and no. Once again, we know that he is old enough to sign a will and name an executor, and his brother John is old enough to be one, so in 1789 they are at least 21. What of the sisters? Still no married names, so still not married? What does this say? Maybe nothing. In my experience, it is unusual for a married daughter NOT to be referred to by her married name, but not impossible. It was not at ALL unusual for women and men to marry very late - in their 30’s, especially amongst Highland Scots families. James mentions no wife, either, or children, so maybe none of them married. Thomas mentioned no sons- in -law or grandchildren in his will. What about the Rebecca in the “Marriages” section, wed in 1758 to John HATTON? Well, could be. When the research raises more questions, then more research needs to be done.  At this point, we have lots of leads for where to do further research, and a fairly good time frame to look for them in. Of course, we know most of this research will not be in the records of the state of Delaware don’t we? ( If you don’t know that , re-read the opening paragraph of this newsletter to see why) 

OUR READER’S WRITE   

Barbara E. Lockhart (email address: TNWOM  @  AOL.com) Has had some major breakthroughs on her TN line of BLACKS, thanks in part to the Jul-Sep 1997 BFRO newsletter. She writes” I got a lot of good info on my line from your TN newsletter...Your newsletter really filled in some blanks and confirmed some other names and dates I had found from other sources. Thank you so much. I know this is very long, but maybe some of the info can help someone else who was stuck forever like I was. It is amazing how one name can open up so much more info...” She has put together extensive notes and updates on the lines of Joseph Onesimus BLACK and Mary Ann HAUN of Greene CO, TN. She has confirmed Joseph’s parents to be William BLACK and Elendor SPELLING also of Greene CO. She has located a family bible and has assembled family groups for these two generations, plus some of the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She has focused on William Minetery BLACK (the son of Joseph and Mary Ann) who married Sarah CARTWRIGHT, and his son Peter BLACK, b. 1840 who married Mary C. MOORE. Her results run two pages, so if anyone has any questions, I can copy the letter to you, or you can contact Barbara.   

QUERIES  

Charlotte Weidig, 2327 Grant St., Eugene, OR 97405 , PH: 541-687-6873, Email CAWeidig @  AOL.com Searching for parents and/or siblings of Elijah Alexander BLACK 1835-1885.  According to the census he was b. IN and his parents were b. KY. He married 4 times, had 11 children, lived in Pike Co IN from 1854 to 1885.  

Betty McGregor, 3910 Burning Tree Ln., Garland, TX 75042-5300, has the line of David Berry BLACK, b. 1851 in Fayette Co, GA, the son of John BLACK and Eliza HEAD.  Betty says her family always knew David as “Berry”, but it could be a nickname, as his marriage certificate says David A. BLACK. David and his family moved to Yalobusha CO, MS. We think his father John, b. 1826, is the son of the William BLACK b. 1762 NC, died 1841 Fayette Co, GA