Archive for Census

Finding Green Stanford

8 May 2006 at 5:12 am · Filed under Author: S C Jordon, Barbour Co., Census, Obituaries, Stanford

I fell in love with Green Stanford the first time that I found him in the census records.  He was 74 and living in the 1930 household with his son Will Stanford.  Family members did not talk about him so his name was new to me.  What a cool name, Green.  Because of his unique name, I was able to find his father, William Stanford, and trace the family back to 1870.

Green StanfordMy second Green surprise was finding his picture on the internet, the day that I was flying to Birmingham, AL to attend IGHR.  My cousin, whom I have never met, published the picture on the family web site.  Finding a photo is an amazing thing, especially when it is unexpected.  The eyes of Green, my 3x great grandfather staring back at me. Read the rest of this entry »

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1870 Barbour County Dream Couples

9 April 2006 at 11:49 pm · Filed under Author: S C Jordon, Barbour Co., Burlong/Burling, Census, Craddock, Daniels, Hart, Stanford

My Alabama ancestry is deeply rooted in Barbour County, Alabama. Using census records I have traced these families to the 1870. As an African American researcher, getting over the 1870 wall is a daunting task. This is especially difficult without oral histories. But perservere we must.

Below are my 1870 dream couples. They are the couples that held it together, as slaves and as freed people I call them my dream couples because, if I could interview any group of people, living or dead, this would be my dream team. Often I wonder what they were like, their outlook on life, their dreams for their children, and so much more.

In my dream, as soon as they took their seats in the circle of chairs that I arranged for them, my first question would be, who were your slave owners. The next question would either be, who are your parents or do you have any history of your African past. I would hit them with the biggies first, as I do not know how long this dream would last. The alarm clock may awaken me or something and my chance would be blown. Read the rest of this entry »

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