What This Story Means To Me: My Family Connections

 In the beginning, I didn’t know much about my father David’s ancestors. It wasn’t until someone gave me a copy of this article “Slavery Descendants to Have First Reunion” in the mid 1970’s. And I held on to that article. (The information in the article led me on a journey. I began a 12 part Blog Series to uncover what I could. )

Decades later, I discovered that the article was published on page 5 in The Sioux City Journal Sioux City, Iowa on Saturday, August 28, 1971. This was the day of the Blakey White Family reunion. The crop photo is from that article.

It’s horrible that my ancestors were enslaved and sold as property. Their names were place in a Glasgow, Missouri a 1858 advertisement . (Isaac Blakey went south and joined the Mississippi Union Army in 1863.)

I’m not for when the enslaved family had their first reunion after being separated. Isaac searched for his family. He located in New Orleans. The family moved to Forest Green, Missouri.

Still to this day, I wonder about the mother and her 5 children who came to New Orleans on a ship.  I did find a record of a  Julia White listed on a record in 1843. She came on a ship called Orleans from Petersburg to New Orleans. She was 23 years old, born about 1823.

Why did the article led me on a journey?
There were some things in the article that did match up with documents and records. I wasn’t out to disprove what was in the article. My aim was to verify what oral history stated. My first blog was posted on Tuesday, January 15, 2013 and ended on Friday, February 1, 2013.

I discovered more information by searching each of the names, places and dates..Example: Julia White and her six children, seven grandchildren and one daughter in law were listed in the same house on the 1880 Missouri census in Chariton County. (And Julia had other children.)

Since 2013, I have discovered more on my Blakey WHITE Family Connections, as well on my other family connections. Searching want to connect with their long lost relatives. I have had many searchers contacted me or I them via internet. (DNA is a good tool to use. )

Thank you for reading,
What This Story Means To Me: My Family Connections

My 2nd Great Julia (Finney) White was the wife of Andrew White. Both were from Virginia.
I’m one of their descendants. from the branch of Isaac Blakey and Martha (Scott) Blakey

God bless you,
S.A. .Blakley

Homestead: On My Blakey WHITE Family Connections

 Where Was The Homestead?

As I grew in years, I became curious about where my ancestors originated from. I asked some relatives. And they said, Africa, But still, I wondered even more.

Where did my ancestors come from?
It’s not known were my early ancestors they came from or traveled in their days in America.. Some ancestors on my 2nd great grandparents; on his father’s father’s side came from Virginia. They were the enslaved in the United States of America. They were later brought to Missouri. There were some ancestors were taken to Mississippi during the late 1858 to 1860’s .

Eventually, the family moved back to Chariton and Howard Counties in Missouri circa 1880’s where some family members were living. Some of the ancestors choose to remain in the Forest Green, Missouri area. While some of their descendants began to move northward and westward near and after the 1900’s. And some descendants moved throughout the United States as years and decades past.

I posted a blog series about the article: Slavery Descendants to Have First Reunion. This one I wrote January 23, 2013. It was part 6 in a series of 12 blogs. I have updated some of what I have discovered through the years.

They found worked on farms. And lived in Forest Green, Missouri area.
They kept their own surnames. White and Blakey.
They were employed and made their homes in Forest Green, MO.

Where did they work? As farmer or as farm hands?
Some owned their land. Some worked on a tobacco farm.

What names did each family member take?
The mother in this article was unknown but was found in 1989.
Her name was Julia.

What names did each family member take?

Andrew WHITE, the father wasn’t mentioned the the article. He was born around 1818 in VA.
His name was mentioned on three of son’s death certificates. And a enslaved Ad in 1858.

Julia (Finney) WHITE, the mother .She was born around 1820 in Virginia.
She was the mother of 11 or 12. She was said to have passed in Forest Green, Missouri.

Isaac BLAKEY, (1845 – 1917)
He passed in Shannondale, Missouri. He was married twice. He was the father of 20.

Spencer WHITE ( 1852 – 1929)
He moved to Moberly, Randolph Missouri and passed there. He was the father of 3.

John WHITE (1858 – 1918)
The article stated that John carried the Blakey surname. He passed in Salisbury, Missouri.
His surname was WHITE. He was the father of 11.

Josh WHITE He was born in 1860. It’s not known when he passed.
He had daughters and a son John BLAKE.

Martha “Matt” or “Mattie” WHITE (1862 – 1947)
She was said to have passed in Forest Green, Missouri. There is no death certificate of her in Missouri with the name Mattie / Martha White. She was the mother of 5.

Richard “Dick” WHITE (1866 – 1946)
He passed in Glasgow, Missouri,. He was the father of 13.

It appears that Isaac was the only one in this family that choose the BLAKEY surname. Why? Not for sure. Perhaps that was the name he used when he enlisted into the Civil War in 1863. Isaac kept the surname. However, Isaac did use the WHITE surname at some time.

Perhaps Isaac was with the BLAKEYs for a time; they may have helped him to his freedom. Two of the former slave owners gave affidavit of who Isaac was. Isaac applied for his pension records in 1890’s.

Also for the mother Julia, Did she have other children? Yes. She had about 11 or 12 children. Some of the children may have passed away before the turn of the century. Some of the family members may not have know about them.

The article states that “Matt” Martha WHITE never married. As I searched for Mattie White, I came up with her as a widow at 18 year old. She was the mother of 5 children. (It’s sad that this information was lost through the years.)

The big mystery to this part of the article:
Who was the great grandmother? Was the writer in this article speaking of Ted Blakey’s great grandmother? The mother of the enslaved  or the mother’s husband, Andrew’s mother?

The mother, Julia was believe to have passed and was buried in Forest Green, MO. Most those who passed this family were buried in Forest Green, MO and area. There are some descendants who still live in the Forest Green and Glasgow areas in Missouri.

It’s good if we have the opportunity to visit some of the places where our ancestors once lived. Perhaps, we should do some research to find where our family history began. We as their descendants are the story teller of our ancestors.

We are living out the family history. My family connections journey began during the mid 1970’s . And I continue to search as long as I can.

May we continue on the journey to know who our ancestors were. May we leave a legacy for the next generations to come May we see that what we do will impact our future.

Thanks for reading.
Homestead: On My Blakey WHITE Family Connections

I posted a blog like this on  April 24, 2020. I edited this one and made updates during August and September of 2024. I did take the DNA test. It was interesting: Nigeria!.

This blog was posted on one of my other sites. 
 I added the In Memory of some members in  Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections
to this blog. 

Peace be with you
God bless you.
S.A. Blakley

Week 39 ~ Amy Johnson Crow’s #52Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge in 2024

The theme for Week 39 is “Homestead.” Is there a home you think of when you think of your ancestors? For me, it’s my Grandma’s tiny post-WWII era house that somehow fit all of the extended family on Christmas. What does “homestead” make you think of?

Wondering While Stumbling Across Findings: Fast #52Ancestors Week 25 In 2023

 About 15 years ago, someone asked me if I knew that the Missouri Death Certificates were free online. I didn’t know that. So, I googled and found the Missouri Digital Heritage website. Back then, it was at 1910 – 1957. In 2023 the records are at 1910 – 1972. One year is release to the public each year.

My journey began as I typed in surnames and plugged in counties for all my Missouri family connections. And I made a lot new discoveries and continue to do so this day. Indeed, I was excited with my findings on my Blakey Blakley and WHITE Family Connections.

I came across people; I wasn’t for sure if they were connected. For example; there were two Spencer White’s. The older one who passed in 1929. He could have been the brother of my Grandfather, John Blakey Blakley. This Spencer wasn’t living in the area where my other Blakey WHITE family members were living; in Howard / Chariton Counties in Missouri. This Spencer passed in Moberly, Randolph County Missouri.

Oh, how I wanted this Spencer born in 1856 to be my Great Uncle Spencer. On his death certificate, his parents names were listed as Ander WHITE and Julia FINNEY, they were born in Missouri. I believe that he was he correct Spencer. However, a part of me was not sure. The Andrew White and Julia I was searching for were born in Virginia. I kept searching for proof .

I gathered all what I could and compared this Spencer with the other records of Spencer’ White’s findings. I was hoping to find an obituary. This would solve this matter. An so my quest continued. I started searching the newspapers.

It was about eight years ago on July 11, 2015 when I made the discovery of Spencer White’s obituary. This was the confirmation that connected him with the Blakey WHITE Family. His sister Martha “Mattie” WHITE and brother Richard “Dick” WHITE were listed on the obituary.

Moberly Monitor-Index ~ Moberly, Missouri • Thu, May 16, 1929 Page 12

I could have assumed that Spencer White was the correct one 15 years ago. I was looking for verification. And I found it. Note: Spencer White (1852 – 1929) The 1880 census states the Spencer was born in 1852. According to a 1858 enslaved advertisement, he was about 6.

In conclusion. I can assume that the people I come across are my family. However, through further searching, I discovered that it wasn’t the case. So far I have had a number of challenges to were there are people with the same names living in the same city. How to figure out who’s who? The city directories and census records helped out a lot.

Thanks for reading,
Wondering While Stumbling Across Findings: Fast #52Ancestors Week 25 In 2023

Blessings
S.A. Blakley

In Memory The Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections. 

July In Remembrance:
Richard WHITE Sr.'s  Spencer WHITE's and
Martha "Mattie" WHITE's  Family Connections

Isaac BLAKEY Sr.'s Family Connections

This blog is a repost from my blog on word press. 
Idea from Week 25 ~ Amy Johnson Crow’s #52Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge

The theme for Week 25 is “Fast.” I feel the need… the need for speed! (Yeah, the coffee has kicked in.) This theme might make you think of cars or horses, but it could also be an ancestor who didn’t take long to find. Don’t forget about names like Quick and Race! Have fun with this theme!

Update On Article : Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion on August 28, 1971

The Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Reunion was held on Saturday, August 28, 1971 at Riverside Park in Sioux City, Iowa. And  The article : "Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion:" appeared in the Sioux City Journal on  the day of the reunion. On the following day, August 29, 1971, another article entitled Slavery Descendents Gather." appeared in the paper. It included a photo.

Article: Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion 

I re read this article:
I have made more discoveries since I posted the blog series in 2013.
I have more questions.
When did Julia (Finney) White arrive in Missouri? Was the year 1843?
Did Julia have other children born in the 1830's before she came to Missouri?
When did she leave and return to Forest Green, Missouri?
How long did she (and her children) live in Natchez, Mississippi?
Did she have children born in Mississippi!

Julia had children born in Missouri in during the 1840's and to about 1866.

Part 1: Thoughts: Slavery Descendants to Have First Reunion

Some more thoughts:
With DNA matches, this lineage is connecting with relatives. There are some we don't know wher they connect on the family tree. There is a Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections group on facebook. We hope to connected with  more long lost relatives.

Part 2: Blakey - White Families: The Year 1843

Haven' located info on who the mother and her children who were on the ship from Africa. The ship may have came from Africa. It could have shipped slaves to parts of the South in America from the Northern parts of America. 

We can assume that Julia and her children came the route of a slave ship from VA to New Orleans. The year 1843 was the year on the article. The slave owner John BLAKEY. He passed in November of 1844. His wife was Frances (WHITE) BLAKEY.

There was an Isaac White, with a son, Andrew White listed on the 1880 census. They lived next door to Julia White and her children etc. I believe that Isaac White was related. There were others who carried the White surname living near Julia in 1880.

The Arrival And Names Taken ~ Article Part 3

The article states that there was a slave auction was in New Orleans, Louisiana. There was one in  Howard County Missouri.According to a 1858, slave ad, the slaves of John Blakey, deceased were to be sold in Roanoke, Missouri in March of 1858. 

According to Isaac Blakey's pension records,
Isaac and his mother were sold near the breaking out of the Civil War 1861. They went south. Haven't found records on who purchased  the enslaved family members.

The ages of Isaac, 12 and John, 10, don't match with Julia's sons in the article. Isaac Blakey would have been born in 1831 and John Blakey in 1833. Julia's sons, Isaac was born in Missouri about 1845 and John was born in Missouri about 1859.

Question: Could there have been an Isaac White born in 1831 and John Blakey born in 1833?

John  and Isaac Blakey: Civil War ~ Part 4

This John blakey was confused to be the John Blakley who moved to St. Joseph, Missouri.
 John Blakey's nephew was John Blakey Blakley, son of Isaac and Martha (Scott) Blakey who was born in 1871.

The article states that John Blakey was living in Forest Green, Missouri. Did John take the surname Blakey while he was enslaved? John went by John  White on the 1880 census and when he married Kate Estill in 1887. They had about 11 children and lived in Chariton County Missouri.

Can't locate the Blakey WHITE families on the 1870 census in Missouri or in Mississippi.Could they have lived in New Orleans area?

Isaac Blakey Reunites With Family ~ Part 5

 According to oral history, the mother, sons, Spencer, Dick, and a daughter, Matt were shipped to  Natchez, MS from New Orleans. Was Richard "Dick" born in  MS? Or was there another Dick? According to records Richard "Dick" White was born in Missouri? Or was Dick born before the Civil War ended? The other siblings were born in Missouri.

Isaac Blakey was in Mississippi. during the Civil War. as a soldier 1863 - 1866 and early 1870's. Don't know the year when Isaac arrived in MS. He started searching for his family... and had to return to MS, where he found them easily.

Isaac had to have connections to know where his family was. It could be that the family were sold to the slave owners relatives in Missouri and in Mississippi area.

Empolyment , Homeland And Surnames ~ Part 6

The early Blakey WHITE Families decided to live in Forest Green, Missouri area.
They were farmers, farmhands some owned homes and business.
According to Isaac Blakey's pension records.
He moved his family to Chariton County Missouri in March of 1880.
He was listed on the 1880 census dated, June 6, 1880.

On the 1880 MO census, there are Spencer White, John White and Dick White on a tobacco farm.
They were also listed on the 1880 census with their mother, Julia WHITE with son, Isaac White, Isaac's wife Rachel White and their children. Julia's children, John White, Spencer, White, Josh White, David White and Martha White and two of Julia's 2 other grandchildren with the surname WHITE.

There was a Dick / Richard White was listed with Daniel Boone White.
Note: Daniel was the brother of Frances White Blakey.
Daniel White lived near to Julia White.
Was Dick a servant to Daniel White while his family were in Mississippi?

Dick and Jane WHITE ~ Part 7

Where was the cafe that Richard "Dick" and Jane White operated in Forest Green, Missouri?
 Willie (White) Winfrey was the person who made the plans for the 1971 Reunion.
She had the desire to have the family to unite the family in reunions.

Blakey / Blakley Descendants ~ Article Part 8

This John Blakey Blakley was son of Isaac Blakey Sr. and Martha (Scott) Blakey.
John and his wife , Jennie changed their surname to Blakley sometime after they married in 1902.  They had 12 or 13 children. Some of the children surname were Blakey or Blakley on birth / death records to 1910.

Isaac and Rachel Blakey ~ Part 9

Rachel Jackson was Isaac's second wife. They married in Mississippi.
Oral history states that Rachel was the mother of 18 children.
Here' is Rachel Blakey's obituary with the list of her children.

Hope that Isaac Blakey had an obituary.

Isaac Blakey Jr. And Yankton, SD. Blakeys ~ Part 10

 About 13 of Isaac Blakey Sr's children came to Yankton, South Dakota.
They farmed the land and some made their homes there, while others moved onward.

Isaac Blakey Jr, worked as a farmer, dog catcher and a hunter.
He went hunting with Clark Gable.

Oldest Blakey Who Lived? ~ Part 11

The article was in the Sioux City Journal on Saturday, August 28, 1971.
Isaac Blakey was the 3rd oldest of Isaac Sr. and Rachel Blakey.
He passed in April of 1971 at the age of 98.
He would have been born about 1874.
Other records of his birth year was 1877.

On Find A Grave there are some memorials of the Blakey Blakley WHITE Family Connections.
Here is Lawhorn Blakey's grave site. His family connections are included.

Article Reflections: Slavery Descendants To Have First Reunion: Part 12

I believe that there is more information out there. Yes, I believe that it's there. The enslaved family members were separated between 1858 - to the breaking out of the Civil War. It's still a mystery where they were.... They could have been sold to relatives of the owners.

Thanks for those who are searching. One thing for sure, the Blakey / WHITE Families kept in touch through the years. I hope that more clues will come...And that the pieces to the puzzle will fall into place. May there be more family connections come forth in this lineage.

Thanks for reading.
God bless you.
S. A. Blakley

The Julia White Family Connections: Spencer White

This is a repost from another blog with corrections since October 1, 2012
The Andrew And Julia White Connections: Spencer White ( about 1856- ?)

What is known about Spencer White?

What I've discovered, came across from census records,

a slave advertisement, letters from relatives, family history booklets, City directories and obituaries.

 

According to the 1880 census 

Spencer was born about 1852 in Missouri.

On the 1900 census he was born about 1855.

The slave ad, he was born about 1852.
His death record
His tombstone states 1857

Spencer White was 6 years old in 1858 ad.

Spencer White married Miss Malinda Banks on July 15, 1887 in Glasgow, Howard, Missouri. They were married at City Hall. Malinda had at least one child, Ceola WHITE by Spencer. 

Spencer White had three daughters

Ceola WHITE REED (1885 - 1983)
Ceola was the wife of Victor "Vic" Reed. They had a son and a daughter.

Sallie WHITE KIRBY HUDSON (1887-  1920 ) I first came across a Sallie Kirby who visited her father Spencer White in Moberly, MO in March of 1915. This led me to more on Sallie. She married Orlando Kirby in Moberly, MO, on January 10, 1910.

Sallie wasn't listed on Spencer's obituary in May of 1929. I assumed that she passed.  Also Sallie was divorced. Here's an article mentioning Sallie's passing. Orlando was married to Lottie Ganaway in October 21, 1921 in Jackson County MO.

Obenatta CRAIG PEARL (1886 - 1973)
Obenatta was the wife of Vernon Pearl.  "Benetta's" mother was Dora (CASON) WHITE CRIAG

According to the 1900 census record Spencer was married to a Lou / Lu WASHINGTON who was born about 1865.  According to a census record they were married on October 10, 1895. Lou had no children.

The year of Spencer's death was on May 15, 1929 in Mobley, Missouri. Spencer was born a slave to Frances White Blakey and family. Spencer was a day laborer. He spoke English.

Spencer didn't live too far from one of his former slaveholder's son, Yelverster C. Blakey. Also Kelly and Jannie Reed lived on College St with the Whites. Perhaps Spencer's daughter, Ceola married one of the Reed's sons.

I came across a Missouri Death record on a Spencer White, a laborer was born July 15, 1856 in Missouri. This Spencer's parents were Ander White and Julia Finney, both from born in MO. Spencer's wife was Fannie. Spencer was buried in Mobley, Missouri in Oakland Cemetery.

I searched the 1910 census record in Randolph County Missouri. This Spencer's parents were born on Virginia. I don't know if Spencer remarried. This Spencer only married once. He was listed with  two daughters.

One daughter was Emely  (Emily) WHITE. She was born about 1880. I discovered that Emily Hannah married Louis DADE in July of 1907.  Emily was born in 1875.  Lucier (Lucile) White born 1901. Lucile ? perhaps a granddaughter.  Emily was a widow with one child.

When I blog my first post of Spencer, here was want I said on October 1, 2012.  On December I had confirmation that this Spencer WHITE has family connections. It could be that the Missouri death record of Spencer (WHITE) could  have been the son of Andrew White and Julia White. I don't know if Spencer was married to a Fannie. I hope that this is helpful to the descendants of Spencer White. "

I later had confirmation that Spencer was married Mrs. Fannie Brown. They married on November 17, 1906 in Randolph County Missouri. I'm not for sure if Spencer did have other off springs. Emily was listed as Spencer's daughter. Perhaps a descendant of Spencer WHITE may come across this blog.

 

Here is the tombstone of Spencer White in Oakland Cemetery. 
The birth year reads 1857.
Emily DADE was Spencer's wife Fannie's daughter.
Photo used with permission to share family history.

  

Thanks for reading.
 Susan Ann Blakley

Which Children of Andrew and Julia WHITE Family Had Children?

 I would like to thank all of you on the Blakey / WHITE Family Connections. There are a lot of us.  Thanks for your interest in our family history.

I've been updating some of the family history. There are times I have to make corrections. Please let me know if I need to make corrections on any family branch.

 I have been looking over the Blakey / White descendants.  I've come across members from the following branches on The Andrew White and Julia (Finney) White Family Connections.

An Unknown White sibling who was born in Virginia.
This sibling had a daughter named Rebecca White.
Rebecca was listed on the 1880 census as Julia White's granddaughter.

 Isaac BLAKEY was the father of ? children.
Oral history states that he had 18 children.
 I have come up with 21 or 23 children.
However, some of the names could have been nicknames.

Spencer White was the father of 3 daughters.
John White was the father of about 9 children.

 Josh / Joshua White was the father of about 3 daughters and a son.
The son's name was John BLAKE.

Martha / Mattie White was the mother of 4 daughters and a son.
Her son was killed in 1906.

Richard / Dick White was the father of 13 children.

There is no information of any off spring on the following family members.
Linda White
Mary White
Ben White
Andrew White
Lydia White
David White

I believe that the other siblings could have had children.
The White surname is hard to trace.
I hope that descendants on our family tree will somehow find one another.
I pray that some of the unknown relatives will make that discovery.

I believe that they are out there. I have come across two searches who believe that they are connected with our family. They don't know where the connection is.

Thanks for reading.
Susan Ann Blakley