Sankofa's Genealogy

Sankofa's Adventures In Geneaolgy
A tribute to family, A quest for roots

BENNETT, CRAFT, CROWDER, EVANS, JEFFRIES, JONES, JORDAN, KNIGHT, MARTIN, MONIX, PITTMAN, QUIN, ROGAN, WILLIAMS

In addition to the Afrikan Slave Genealogy project, I am researching my own roots. These pages highlight the more challenging aspects of my research and are meant to serve as a source of new strategies for frustrated genealogists struggling through slave genealogy.

I have categorized my genealogy pages into "Chapters" by Surname. I have tried to make the pages easy and enjoyable to read. Records and notes that illustrate clever and helpful approaches to African ancestored genealogy are featured here. Enjoy.


KNIGHT
The Quest for Fugitive Slave Ancestors

Mississippi | North Carolina | Virginia

One of the first things that sparked my interest in genealogy was the oral history of my ggg-grandfather Tom Knight. My cousin, who had done a fair amount of genealogy herself, told me the story of Tom Knight, as originally told by Tom's daughter Grandma Abbie Knight Martin:

Tom Knight was a slave on the Newton Knight Plantation in Soso, MS. He had escaped, and took his wife with him. They had to hide in caves along the way. The conditions were so bad, Tom's wife lost a few of her toes. They finally made it to North Carolina where they settled and had several children.

This kind of information is a genealogical gem. I had made a huge leap all the way back to the plantation...or so I thought. In spite of the huge clue, this has been one of the most difficult lines I have researched. I have uncovered many descrepancies along the way, discovered new information previously unknown to the family, and struggled with biased histories and blindness to the past.

Knight Research: Continue reading for the rest of the story, tips, tricks, and results.
Photo Gallery: Knight family ancestors and descendants (Martin, Evans)




GOLDEN "Daddy Gold" MONIX
Aug. 14 1906 - June 1987

MONIX
The Monix Surname Mystery

Alabama | Mississippi | Missouri

 

The deepest Monix roots I ever had first-hand knowledge of was the Monix family of Mississippi. I was in grade school when my great-grandfather Golden "Daddy Gold" Monix passed away (1987). His wife, my great-grandmother, Carrie "Big Momma" Crowder Monix then came to live in St. Louis, MO with her daughter until her death (1996). No one really knows the origin of the Monix surname...and this has proven to be a major roadblock in attempts on tracing this line. My grandmother (Carrie's daughter) warned me that a cousin of mine tried to do "that internet genealogy stuff" on the Monix line before...only to wind up with some white family in Germany.

This didn't discourage me. It just tought me that I ought to be very careful in researching our Monix roots. I managed to dig up some information on the Monix's but the line seems to dead-end in Alabama, 1868. As far as the origin of the surname: I've heard it all. From German origins, to French, to "Island of Manx", to "Geechee". I still have a lot of work to do.

Photo Gallery: Monix family ancestors and descendants (Evans, Jones)


ROGAN
Tippah County MS Slave Ancestry

Alabama | Mississippi

Starting with my great-great-grandmother Willie Williams Evans, careful research has lead to the discovery of my great-great-great-great-grandparents Van and Ivey Rogan, the last slaves of my Rogan line. Van Rogan was born in Alabama, 1837. His wife Ivey (a South Carolina native) was born in 1844

Rogan Reasearch: Continue reading for the rest of the story, tips, tricks, and results.
Photo Gallery: Knight family ancestors and descendants (Evans, Williams) ... coming soon

 

Do you Have Connections? Need More How-To Info.?
Send me an e-mail at [email protected]