Ancestor Callings: Georgia and Mississippi Roots

Friday, January 13, 2023

A favorite photo with Granny -- Lucy Washington Brown

Evelyn Brown Williams (left), Sandra Ann Williams, Elizabeth Bonds (on lap),
Lucy Washington Brown (right); Buffalo NY, 1978

The above picture represents four-generations of my direct Washington family line.

Elijah Washington (born abt 1797)

Ned Washington (born Feb 10, 1825)

Peter Washington (born Dec 1872)

Lucy Washington Brown (born Nov 1,1904)

Evelyn Orthelia Brown Williams

Sandra Ann Williams

Elizabeth aka Libby

From the time my daughter was born, my mother wanted a four-generation picture with herself, her mother, me, and my daughter, so one Sunday we went to Granny's apartment after she came home from church. My brother, Raymond Williams, took our picture. Unfortunately, this is the only four-generation picture that we ever took, even though we had many other opportunities.

Lucy Washington was born in Lexington, Mississippi on November 1, 1904, to Peter Washington and Mary Barrett Washington. Her obituary (April 15, 1996) stated that she "united with the Church of God in Christ at an early age in Mississippi. Upon moving to Buffalo, she joined the Saints Home Church of God in Christ where she was a faithful member for many years. Later she transferred her membership to the Good Samaritan Church of God in Christ where she was happy to be made Church Mother."

Granny was among the millions of African Americans who migrated to the North from their rural Southern homes, starting with the Great Migration in 1916.

Monday, November 14, 2022

African American Veterans Monument -- Buffalo NY

On September 24, 2022, an unveiling and dedication ceremony was held for the African American Veterans Monument in Buffalo NY. The monument honors African Americans who served in the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines and the Coast Guard in twelve U.S. wars from the Revolutionary War to the current war on terrorism. This is the first (and only) such monument in the United States.

The monument was designed by the late artist Jonathan Casey. There are 12 black pillars: 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide placed in chronological order to represent the 12 U.S. wars with the spacing between pillars representing the times of peace between one war and the next.

There are pavers on the ground engraved with a veteran's name on a metal plate the shape of dog tags. Pavers are still available for the public throughout the country to purchase to honor a military veteran. In lovingly memory I purchased a paver for my father, Willis B. Williams, who served in the Army during the Korean Conflict and one for my uncle, Arthur Brown, who was a Military Police Sargent in the Army during World War II.

Arthur Brown, cira 1947

Willis B. Williams, cira 1951

Thank you to all who served!

Thank you to the African American Veterans Monument, Inc. for your vision!

Sunday, October 9, 2022

My Daddy's Shirts -- Holding On

My father, Willis B. Williams, made transition on March 31, 2011, in his adopted home of Buffalo NY where he lived for 70 years. He was brought to Buffalo in 1941 after the transition of his beloved mother, Florence Clay Button Burkette. During his time in Buffalo, he continued his primary education, joined the military, married, and raised a family.

One of the hardest tasks in the transition of a loved one is going through their earthly possessions. As the only girl -- aka, "Daddy's girl" -- I have an abundance of memories, but I wanted to hold on to something special. So, I had a quilt made of some of Daddy's shirts which is my watch-tv-on-the-couch-wrap providing me added comfort on chilly Buffalo nights.

Shirt quilt at my home, Buffalo NY

2014 Genealogy presentation at Buffalo Genealogical Society of the African Diaspora