Handwritten Letter By Mrs. Willie M. (White) Winfrey

 Letter writing can be a challenge in the making and wonder in the waiting for a respond. I don’t hand write letters like I use to. But, I’ve learned to save the letters, especially the ones about my family connections. From time to time, I re read the letters.. Who knows, it’s possible I’ll find some new insight as I review some of those letters.

The crop photo letter was from Mrs. Willie Winfrey. She wrote it on Sunday, September 8, 1985. The actual letter was three pages long.

Willie, my cousin always had a greeting. This one was “How are all by now?” She said that she was ok at that present time. when she wrote the letter.

And that she went to visit her brother, ( Rev. Thomas A. White) in Brookfield, Missouri, a week or so ago. She asked him about their cousin, John Blake. Willie said that she was thinking that he was my grandfather (John Blakey Blakley.)

Willle’s brother told her “that this John was really a White because his father was one of his father’ s brother named Josh White and he passed away and another family raised him by the name of Blake.” Willie said we all know that the family was a large family. They are all died, now.

Willie mentioned that there might be one or two sisters living. I checked. John ‘s sister., Margaret D. “Maggie” (Blake) Valentine was living at the time of this letter. She passed in 1997.

Also, Willie said she wondered why we called him John Blake and all the others, Blakey.. At this time, cousin Willie was learning about the family connection: Blakey Blakley and WHITE. . She knew about some of the Blakeys. In this letter , she spoke of the first Blakey / White family family reunion that was held in Iowa in 1971.

Breakthrough Discoveries
In 2022. the mystery of John BLAKE was solved by clues from old newspapers. His death wasn’t recorded in the Missouri death certificate. His name was: John Henry BLAKE.

In May of 2024, I discovered John’s obituary in The Call a Kansas City news paper . He had a daughter named Miss Cora Mae Blake also known as Mrs. Margaret Cora Mae (Blake) Farmer ( 1915 – 1953). I have DNA matches with some of Margaret Cora’s descendants.

New insights from re reading this letter.
I was thinking about John Henry Blake (1880 – 1934). His mother was Mary Ann (Johnson) Blake. John had sisters. They had the same mother and their father was Louis Blake. Lewis Blake was John’s stepfather. On records, John was addressed as Lewis BLAKE’s son.

NOTE that Josh WHITE and Louis BLAKE were NOT the same person. Josh born in 1860 his year of death is unknown. Louis was born in 1863 and passed in 1932.. There is no Missouri death certificate on Louis Blake. But his death was recorded in the newspaper.

It’s something to discover how oral history can lead to uncover family mysteries. I’m thankful for those who corresponded with me over my lifetime and thankful for DNA matches. Thank You, Lord!

Thanks for reading
Hand Written Letter By Mrs. Willie M. (White) Winfrey

Willie was the daughter of Richard W. White and Jane (Ferguson) White. She was born on December 21, 1904. She was married to Ledrew Terrill and Harold Winfrey. She passed on December 14, 1994 at the age of 89. She was the mother of 4,

Cousin Willie’s father Richard W. White was the brother of my Great Grandfather Isaac White Blakey. Willie wanted to learn more about her family connections. I’m thankful that we connected along our journey.

R.I.P cousin Willie

God bless you
S.A.Blakley

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

Letter From Willie (WHITE) TERRILL WINFREY : January 25, 1985

Letter From Willie (WHITE) TERRILL WINFREY dated on Jan 25, 1985 page 2 ~ Willie was speaking of her Ferguson Grandparents etc. I'm thankful that cousin, Willie took the time to record what she knew about the Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections.