Hi family! I will be starting to blog only once a month instead of once a week. This week I will be writing about the Wideman ancestors. They are related to us by grandmother's (Ethel Ferguson Jones) father William Ferguson. William Ferguson's mother Delia Wideman Ferguson is related to the Wideman's. It was hard to find their slaveowners, but I believe they started as slaves in South Carolina around 1780. I was able to find Delia, my great great grandmother's mother Patsy on the 1870 census in Garden Valley, Smith county, Texas. Patsy lived near Delia who was in Garden Valley according to census in 1870. Garden Valley is near Tyler, Texas. It states on the 1870 census that Patsy is from Alabama. The research of most white Wideman slave owners show they were from North Carolina and South Carolina. I was able to verify that Patsy is Delia's mother with the Ancestry DNA match with a person who also had Amanda Wideman, Delia's sister on his family tree. Possibly Delia's grandparents were in South Carolina around 1780 because the African American Palmer's and Wideman's are both on the census for Abbeville, South Carolina in 1870. The 1870 census gave Patsy's (Delia's mother) last name as Wideman. It gives Amanda (Patsy's daughter) last name as Palmer. The DNA match and census are attached.

There were some white Wideman slave owners also in North Carolina. Leonard Wideman, slaveowner was born in Granville, North Carolina. He had a plantation called "Oak Grove" and was killed in 1831 by laves in an uprsing. Leonard Wideman, Jr. born in 1796, Abbeville, South Carolina died Dec. 10, 1847. He was murdered by slaves in an uprising. On Jan. 18th they sold the personal property: 109 Negroes, etc. Te slaves of James Watson killed him. Leonard Wideman's son Henry Wideman owned land in Georgia. He lived in Troup Couty, Georgia. Willaim Whitman/Wideman on the 1960 census in Chambers County, Alabama had slaves. That is where Delia and Madison were and had children starting in 1855 but the slave owner for them was Alfred Ferguson. So the Wideman slaves were possibly brought to Alabama from South Carolina or North Carolina and some were sold at that time. I had an Ancestry DNA match that shows I am related to the Middlestons who married a Wideman. They were both in South and died in South Carolina. James Middleton married Mary Louvenia Wideman. Mary was born in 1883. Her parents are Dorsey Wideman (born in 1865) and Janie Plummer (born in 1867) both born in South Carolina. Dorsey's parents are James Wideman (born in 1838) and Georgia Wells (born in 1842) in Edgefield, South Carolina. I have attached it. There is a Jacob Wideman on the 1870 census living close to Delia and he may be her brother. It states he was born in Alabama like Delia. Deeds of 1872 show that he bought 59 acres of land and paid in 3 equal payments of $149.52 that would total $448.00. So, it appears that our roots go very far! South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama and Texas.

Hi all! So happy to find new information related the Jones' family! I have been researching the Jones' family genealogy off and on since 2007. I never could find information related to who their parents were so I would know the other relatives related to the Jones. Frank Jones, Jr. was my grandfather. He was married to my grandmother, Ethel Ferguson Jones. Frank Jones' father was Frank Jones, Sr. (my great grandfather). He was born in Pinetucky, Alabama in 1855 during slavery. His parents were Sandy Jones, Sr. (my great great grandfather) born in Georgia and Peggy Williams Jones (my great great grandmother) born in South Carolina. Sandy Jones was born in Gerogia in 1815. His slaveowner, John C. Jones from Georgia brought him to Pinetucky, Alabama about 1845. The will of John C. Jones showed that he died by 1854 and was in debt. James Williams bought Sandy from John C. Jones before 1849 as he is not listed as one of the slaves sold. James Williams was the slaveowner of Peggy and he is from South Carolina.Peggy was born in 1820. James is now the slaveowner of Sandy who says on the 1880 census that he is from Alabama. According to the 1860 slave census Sandy, Peggy, his wife, Caesar, Hester, Sandy and Frank his children are listed on it. The 1860 slave census says there are 5 slave houses which means there were probably 5 different families living in them. I looked at the 1870 census after slavery that lists Sandy and his family who have moved to Gainestown in Clarke County,Alabama. It is 118 miles away from Pinetucky. I don't know if they walked or had a mule or horse. It shows they didn't want to stay anywhere near the plantation they had been made to pick cotton and work hard from sun up to sundown. I matched the ages of what they would have been in 1860 to identfy them since they are not listed by names using the 1870 census. The slave census is below.

The 1870 census lists Sandy Jones, Sr. 55 years old, Peggy, 50 years old, Sandy Jr., 21 years old, Hester, 17 years old and Frank, my great grandfather, 15 years old. The 1880 census has Sandy and Peggy living in Montgomery Hill, Baldwin County, Alabama which is 150 miles from Gainesville. The others listed are Amy, graddaughter, age 10 and Lou Williams, nephew, age 19. Also listed on the ame census in Montgomer Hill is Tena Williams, possibly Peggy's mother living about 4 blocks away. They may have moved there to take care of parents ad be close to relatives. Peggy has on the census that she was born in South Carolina and her parents are from South Carolina. Tena Williams states she is from South Carolina and her parents are from South Carolina. Tena is my great great great grandmother. On the the 1880 census Tena is 80 years old and caring for Jim Stapleton, grandson, who is 9 years old. There are a lot of Williams listed on the 1880 census in Montgomery Hills who may be relatives of Tena and Peggy. I cannot find anymore censuses with Tena listed so she probably died around 1890 and would have been 90 yeas old.

Frank Jones, Sr., my great grandfather born in Alabama, 22 years old is on the 1880 census married to Amanda (Mandy) Binder Pickett born in South Carolina and is 25 years old. Amanda is my great grandmother and after researching shows that Binder is actually Bynum. They are living in Uchee, Russell County, Alabama. That is 206 miles from Montgomery Hill. The census lists Nancy, their daughter, age 2 year and Frank, their son,(my grandfather) 3 mos. Their child Florence Jones, 8 years old is working as a servant in Gainesville, Alabama for a white farmer, J. H. Manley. Florence, Frank and Ethel Jones daughter, my aunt was named after Franks' sister. My grandmother Ethel, named me after Frank's sister Nancy. Gainesville is 200 miles away. I am sure that Frank's father must have been very, very poor for him to allow his 8 year old daughter Florence to be a servant. On the same census living in the same house are Amanda's brother Aaron, 21 yrs. and his wife Judy, 21 yrs. I found that these are her relatives yesterday when doing more research. On the same census living about 3 houses away are Amanda's father Gilbert Bynum born in South Carolina in 1810 and mother Sarah Pickett/Puckett Bynum born in South Carolina in 1830. Living about 8 houses away was Amanda's brother Moses Bynum, born in Alabama, 22 yrs. old and his wife Adeline 26 years old born in Alabama. They have a daughter Dora, 8 years old. Another brother of Amanda's, Ephraim Bynum lives about 7 houses away from Frank and Amanda. So now, I have relatives on the Jones' side of the family; they are Bynums, Williams, and Picket/Puckett. Our roots go back to South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and then Texas!! God is good! See census with Amanda and her parents below.

Hello everyone! I am giving the information that I have researched on the Ferguson side of the family. The Ferguson's are on Ethel Ferguson Jones, my grandmother's side. Ethel's grandparents were Madison and Delia Wideman Ferguson. Madison was born in 1819 a slave in Charles county,Port Tobacco, Maryland. He and his sister Mary Jane were slaves there, then sold to other Fergusons' in Georgia and Alabama. The last Ferguson slaveowner brought them to Smith county, Texas near Tyler as slaves around 1857. The first slaveowner of the Ferguson's was Robert Ferguson. He was from Scotland and had a tobacco company in Charles County, Maryland. Ferguson owned two plantations-- in Charles County called Nanjemoy and another named Mulberry Grove. He died in 1812 and gave the slaves in a will to his nephew John Fergusoon. John Ferguson died in 1826 an in the will he wanted Mary and William , slaves to be emancipated, but if the law said freed states had to leave the state, then they would not be emancipated. They would be allowed to work for themselves wherever they pleased. I believe this was possibly Madison's parents as our cousin Lonnie said he was told that Madison always said that he was freed before emancipation. Madison most likely said his parents were freed. Here is the will emancipating Mary.

John Ferguson died in 1847 and an inventory of his personal estate including the slaves were listed. They were still in Port Tobacco, Maryland. The slaves worked in the tobacco and corn fields, growing wheat and vegetables and tending to livestock It shows Madison 27 years old worth $600. and his sister Mary 19 years old worth $650. William, their parent may possibly be dead. The mother I don't see listed. Here is the inventory for February 1848.

It appears that by 1855, Madison and his sister Mary have been sold to a relative of slaveowner John Ferguson. They are now owned by Alfred Ferguson. It shows on the 1850 census in Chambers county, Alabama that he has 18 slaves. I know from the 1870 census that a child of Madison's was born in 1855 in Alabama. So Madison was there by 1855 and possibly the 1850 Slave census. I found a male 32 years old which may be Madison. Also a female 16 years old, that may be Delia his wife. There is a female 22 years old that may be Mary Jane, Madison's sister. See the attached slave census pg.1 &2.

Hi everyone! I sent the right document for the second page of the records inventory.

 Hello everyone! I have always wanted to share the information I have found on my ancestors. I have been  researching them since about 2003. I have found a lot of information about my ancestors  on my mother's side of the family who were enslaved. I found  information about the Battle/Bunkley ancestors all the way back to 1784 in North Carolina. The Ferguson and Jones family did not have as  much information. This is what I found on the Battle/Bunkley relatives from 1788 court record in Edgecombe county, North Carolina. It shows that Hannah and Charles, my great great great great great grandparents  were whipped but not why. Charles was jailed and whipped.  I have attached that record.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina Aug. 1789 court records

I have information from a  1784 will  that shows my great great great great grandparents Charles and Hannah were slaves of William Battle. When he died he willed the eight slaves to his children in Edgecombe county, North Carolina. The other slave relatives listed were Lucy, great great great grandmother and Jennie who was possibly her sister. This is the will.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina 1784 William Battle slaveowner's will

One of the slaveowners' children died and in 1785, the will is showing only two of the children inheriting the slaves. It appears that Hannah may have had another child during that time named Katie. See the record below.

Edgecombe county, North Carolina 1785 will of William Battle

I have also found a records inventory from slaveowner J. (Jessie) B. Bunkley. It lists the Bunkley ancestors who were enslaved and their value. Albert Bunkley married Selina Battle and she inherited the slaves when her father William S. Battle died in 1828 in Georgia. When Albert Bunkley died he willed them to his sons Jesse and William Bunkley. Our relatives listed are Stephen, Cato, Minerva and child Ailsie, Julia Ann and child Ben, Matilda. Stephen is Phoebe my great great grandmother's son. Cato is Phoebe's brother. Both of them are Lucy's children.  Minerva and child are Cato's wife and child. Julia Ann may be Lucy's child or Phoebe's child. Matilda may be Lucy's child and Phoebe and Cato's sister.  The inventory is attached.

Chambers county, Alabama 1863 records inventory J. B. Bunkley slaveowner

The second page of the inventory lists our relatives Allen, Eveline, Mariah, Milly, Francis and Phoebe. Allen, Eveline, Milly and Francis are Phoebe's children. Mariah is Allen's wife. Phoebe is an invalid and is given no value. Document is attached.

Chambers county, Alabama 1863 Inventory record of J. B. Bunkley slaveowner

Ethel Jones is  my grandmother. Her  mother is Lucy Bunkley. Lucy Bunkley lived in Chambers county, Alabama in 1880. She moved to Fannin county, Texas (Bonham) with her brother Stephen around 1890. Stephen is Stephen's son that was listed on the inventory. Stephen changed his name to Ike and married grandmother's father's sister Mary Jane. William Ferguson, grandmother's father married Lucy Bunkley in Bonham, Texas.

Here is a picture of Ike Bunkley, Lucy's brother. I have no picture of the others.

Ike (Isaiah) Bunkley