Help By Correspondence

 Welcome to the month of April

Thanks for reading.
April In Remembrance Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections

Blessings,
S.A. Blakley

I’m so thankful for all the wonderful correspondence who entered into my family connections journey with me through the years. Yes, this journey has felt like the LORD has been sending angels to assist me in this search. I thank God for all the discoveries. I truly appreciate correspondence.

During my early years, I began corresponding with family members and later on with helpful strangers who came along the way. I can’t remember how some of us got connected. I’m so thankful for those good Samaritans who were welling to help me in whatever way they could.

Family Connections Correspondence
On The Branch of Spencer Blakey Sr. and Lucinda Mary (Kinney) Blakey

Mary Jane Blakey Lighter (1941 – 2003)
She was the granddaughter of Spencer and L. Mary
Lucinda Mary (Kinney) Blakey, (1893 – 1985)
She was wife of Spencer Blakey Sr.

How did I come in contact with cousin, Mary Jane?
My sister Mary’s future sister in law, Terri knew Mary Jane.
I was able to receive Mary Jane’s addressed and to write her.
I was thankful that my sister Mary, cousin, Terri and cousin Mary Jane reached out to me.

This crop photo is part of the first letter from my cousin Mary Jane. It was dated in Sept of 1981,



Mary Jane and her Grandmother Mary were great help in sharing the family history.
They even spoke with other family members trying to find out about my Grandfather John Blakley.

This crop photo of the letter dated May of 1982 was from Mary Jane. She was speaking of our Great Grandpa Isaac Blakey. I didn’t know that Isaac Blakey was my Great Grandpa until Mary Jane told me.



As I re read Mary Jane’s letters, I was remained how she was sharing the family surname Blakey. She said that she was spelling her surname like I spell me. Her Grandpa Spencer. corrected her.

I’m thankful that my sister’s, her future husband, Roger and I made the journey to visit Terri, Mary Jane and their family in Oct of 1981. That was a journey of a lifetime to visit the places where my where our ancestors moved to.

Family Connections Correspondence.
On The Branch of Richard White Sr. and Jane (Ferguson) White Family Connections:

Willie (White) Winfrey (1904 – 1994)
She was the daughter of Richard Sr. and Jane.

How did I come in contact with cousin Willie.
I obtained her address from her son, Willie / William L. Terrill.
Willie shared what she knew about her side of the family.
She would speak of my Grandfather John as your, Uncle John. Though he was her cousin.
She said that there were other siblings of her father, Richard White.

The crop photo was written by Willie (White) Winfrey. She was sharing with me the story of what her son, William Terrill was telling her. And she added about how she and Ted Blakey were the first to gather the Blakey WHITE Family Reunion in August of 1971 in Sioux City, Iowa.



As I re read her letters, I learned more about cousin, Willie.
What she shared in her letters were about her relatives and herself.
She had a range of conversations. Out of all the correspondences she wrote the most.
I had the honor to have met cousin Willie (and her son William) at a family reunion.

Good Samaritans Correspondence Carolyn B.
Carolyn B. was a very helpful woman who knew about genealogy.
She made the discoveries about the Blakey WHITE Connections through documents.

I don’t know how I connected with Carolyn.
She explored probate records and spoke of some things that I didn’t know about.
I’m so thankful for Carolyn. She was so caring and wanting to assist with my journey.
At times, I go back over her letters. There’s so much there.
I believe she left me some clues I should be searching out.
The letter below was from Carolyn. She found the probate record about my relatives



Good Samaritans Correspondence : A librarian named Mark
Mark worked at the Missouri Historical Society and he read my letter..
He searched for my enslaved ancestors names in the newspapers.
This was what Carolyn was speaking about and Mark sent me the 1858 Ad in the paper.
Actually Mark sent me the copy of the whole page of the ad.
Mark was a caring person as well. I know it takes time to search through newspapers.

Glasgow Weekly Times: Glasgow, Missouri on 11 Feb 1858, Thu  •  Page 2

And with all this Ad,
I have DNA matches with the Isaac BLAKEY Sr. and Richard WHITE Sr. descendants.

Internet Correspondence: A hard cord searcher, cousin Jaz
Jaz was surfing the internet and found me.
He made the connections that we were related via photo.
He shared some of his family stories he heard from family members.
I’m so thankful for cousin Jaz persist in searching for his family connections.
Also Jaz made the discovery that our DNA matches.

In my lifetime, I have been blessed with many correspondences in regards to my family connections. There were people from courthouses, cemeteries, other family members, searchers via emails, and so forth through the communication on the internet or on paper.

Here are a few other family connections contacts who have helped me along the journey.
Mrs. T.A. White, Mrs. Mattie (Houston) Moore, Mr. Willie / William L. Terrill,
Mrs. Geneva (Lyle) Jones, Mr. Faris Lyle. Robert E. Blakley, Sr. Theodore Blakey Sr
May they rest in peace

There are other present day correspondence who are searching.
They have the leads that were past down.
Now, we hope that others would help in the search.
There are things left in the probate records yet to be discovered.

I googled the word HELP; for what does it mean?
And this was what I found. I put the words to make a statement.

Serve someone; The act of helping someone, Encourage , Support, Give assistant to
To be of use, Benefits

May we reach out and help someone. We may be holding the missing clue to what they are searching. I have reached out to many people over the coarse of my journey. I know that I have help many people out on their quest to discover more about their family connections. I pray that others will to.

It doesn’t take much to help someone. We can do as what we are able to do. We should at least encourage someone. That’s showing support and blessing the person as the continue to search. If you are at a brick wall on your search, keep searching on other people on your tree.

Believe that you cam be of some help to someone.
Be thankful for those who help you along your journey.
Think of ways to help others.
Keep asking others for help when others don’t show any interest.

Thanks for reading.
Help By Correspondence ~ Week 31 In 2022
This blog was a repost from another one of my blogs. 

God bless
S.A.Blakley

 Week 31: Help ~ Amy Johnson Crow ~ Generations Café #52Ancestors 52 Weeks ~ facebook group

When did an ancestor give or receive help? My first thought is of the neighbors who brought meals to my great-grandparents and their children while they were sick with the Spanish Flu. Another route you could take is when you’ve received help in your genealogy research. Who helped you and what did they help you discover? Feel free to post your links and stories in the comment

The Road Trip That Led Me Elsewhere

 

 I’ve been thinking about my very first road trip to Yankton, South Dakota. Why, did I go? It will be forty one years this October 31st since that journey. WOW!!

So far, I’ve been to Yankton twice; first in 1981 and the other time was in 1985. We traveled by car both times. The first time was the journey of a lifetime, for me. There’s something about the very first time when I do things. It’s very special. (The photo was taken in the hotel that we were staying in 1985.)

I was re reading some of my journal about that first trip. There were some things I completely forgot all about. It was my sister Mary Ruth who wanted to know more about the family history. Some of our South Dakota cousins are Native American. My sister wanted to know more about our Indian ancestors. And I did too.

My sister Mary contacted our cousin, Mary Jane (Blakey) Lightner who was a Native American Indian. And so was her Grandmother L. Mary (Kinney) Blakey. Mary Jane invited us to come to Yankton, so she and her Grandmother Mary could share some of the family history with us.

The journey was worth looking into. One thing led to another and before we knew it, we were heading to Yankton within a month or so. We traveled to Sioux City Iowa on October 30, 1981. The next day Yankton.

The journey itself was in all and all, in AWE. I was anxious to know more about my father David’s side of the family. My father didn’t know much about his family history. His parents passed when he was about 5 and 12. My father told me that his mother, Jennie told him that he was “a little Indian boy.”

The Family History
What our cousin Mary Jane and Great Aunt Mary said, excited something within me. Mary Jane, told us that our great grandfather was Isaac Blakey. I thought his brother John Blakey was. However, I knew that Isaac served in the Civil War. We were told that Isaac’s second wife, Rachel raised our Grandfather John Blakey Blakley. We saw a photo of Isaac and Rachel.

I’m thankful that Mary Jane reached out to us. I can’t imagine how our Grandfather John made the journey to and fro to Yankton and St. Joseph, Missouri in the teen years in the 1900’s. He was set to bring his family to Yankton, but he passed in July of 1918 in a covered wagon. His widow, Jennie and their children stayed in St. Joseph where Jennie’s siblings were.

Looking Back :
Where am I now since those road trips?
The first road trip and more so the second one were leading me elsewhere. I have gained a lot of information since those road trips. I have written to many relatives. I have searched and found documents on my family connections.

I’ve been compiling information on my ancestors and relatives. It’s been a challenge. I’ve contacted. Some relatives who helped me piece the puzzle together. I have come in contact with a lot more of relatives. I’ve been sharing with family and others some of my discoveries.

About the Native American side in my lineage:
I couldn’t find anything. I even did a DNA test. Still no trace of Native American. I do have 0.08 % of Southern Indian and Sir Lanka heritage according to 23 and Me. My Heritage.

I continue on my journey elsewhere. How interesting it is when we first start out on our family history search. In my case, I didn’t imagine that I would be where I am now. I’m overwhelmed.

In my beginning, I knew very little about my ancestors. I can trace back farther on my mother’s side all do to DNA matches. My father’s side has been match more of a challenge. I’m still searching.

Thanks for reading.
The Road Trip That Led Me Elsewhere ~ Week 39 In 2022

Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections: December In Remembrance
This blog was posted on September 30, 2022 by Susan Ann Blakley on wordpress. I added the In Remembrance: Family Connections

God bless
S.A.Blakley


Week 39 Amy Johnson Crow ~ Generations Café #52Ancestors 52 Weeks ~ facebook group

The theme for Week 39 is “Road Trip.” I love a good road trip! Have you ever taken an ancestral road trip? What did you discover? Maybe you have stories of an ancestor who took to the open road. Share the stories this week,

Letter From Mary Jane (BLAKEY) LIGTHNER: February 2, 1982

Letter From Mary Jane (BLAKEY) LIGTHNER dated February 2, 1982 ~ page 1. She was sharing some of the Blakey Family Connections.