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Aw yeah, rabbit hole ahoy
Mar. 7th, 2023 13:51Aside from a really exhuberant, over active immune system reacting to the Covid booster shot (Moderna Bivalent booster) this last weekend (and a tooth deciding to go on me), recovery has been spent sleeping or camped on the couch, researching.
And I found what I was looking for.
My 4th great grandfather, on my paternal great grandmother's line, her own great grandfather and 2nd great granfather. Winborns, that line. Originating in Halifax and Northhampton Counties of North Carolina,in the Free Colored Persons communities since early Colonial days, mid 1700s.
"WINBORN FAMILY
1. Thomas1 Winborn, born say 1750, was head of a Halifax County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:65], and 2 in 1800 [NC:354]. He was probably identical to Thomas Winmon who was head of a household with his wife Patience, counted as "free molattows" in the Bertie County list of Josiah Harrell for William Vann's District, adjacent to Benjamin James in 1770 and 1771 and in the list of Samuel Granberry adjacent to Benjamin James in 1774 [CR 10.702.1, box 2]. Thomas Winborn was counted in the 1790 census for Halifax County living in a household nearby Benjamin James [NC:65]. He purchased 25 acres on Little Swamp in Halifax County on 2 March 1818 for $113 and 100 acres in Halifax County from Mark Murray on 15 May 1823 for $62 [DB 24:307; 26:203]. He left a 15 March 1829 Halifax County will, proved August 1829, by which he left 148 acres to his heirs who were his wife Easter, his brother David, his grandnephew John Henry Winborn (son of Thomas, Jr.) and Willie Winborne (son of Nancy Winborne) [WB 4:52]. His children may have been
i. William, born before 1776, head of a Halifax County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:170].
ii. Benjamin, born say 1785, married Sarah Jones, 26 May 1804 Bertie County bond, Frederick James surety, and was head of a Bertie County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:142].
2. David Winborn, born before 1776, was head of a Halifax County household of 11 "other free" in 1810 [NC:56] and 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:170]. He received 50 acres by the 15 November 1815 Halifax County will of (his mother-in-law?) Lucy Murray, proved in August 1816 [WB 3:587]. He may have been the father of
i. Thomas2, father of John Henry Winborne who was named in the will of Thomas1 Winborn.
The family moved to Ripley township, Rush County, Indiana, where John, Lewis, David, Hardy, and Benjamin B. Winborn were heads of "free colored" households in 1840."
- Free African Americans website
Me-->My dad--> His dad--> grandma Cora--> great grandma Jane(Winborn)--> 2nd great grandfather John Henry Winborn--> 3rd Great grandfather Thomas Winborn-->4th Great grandfather David Winborn...
Before 1840, the family relocated to Indiana with several other Free Colored Persons households of note.
1840 Census- Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana- family listed as 'Free Colored Persons', with David Winborn as head of household
1850 Census-Thomas listed as 'mulatto', moves to Van Buren County, Michigan by 1860.
1860 Census- Thomas and son, John Henry, both listed as 'mulatto'.
1870 Census- Thomas was listed as 'mulatto'.
Here's the fun part-
1875 Census in Van Buren County, Michigan- John is listed as 'White". In 1872, his daughter, Jane, marries William Stratton, a very old, very white New England family. ( I can trace that line of my family back to England, in 1592, when they came to the US, and back further in England.)
In the 1880 Census- Thomas is listed as 'Black'. His son John Henry, is listed as 'White'.
John's daughter, Jane, is listed as 'White'. His entire family is.
Apparently, Thomas' wife's heritage (Ireland born) had finally asserted itself enough in her son and grandchildren, that Census Takers of the time, classified them as light skin enough to pass.
That's right.
Census takers at the time determined your ethnicity/race, not you. To add to this, mulatto was/is derogative, and covered anyone of mixed heritage, be it Black or Native or any other ethnicity.
Unfortunately, I have no photos of Cora. I do have photos of Carl and his second wife, Jennie. Cora died when my grandfather, Algernon, was 2 yrs old.
I do have Devall family in Michigan, that I have limited contact with. I'm going to have to reach out and see if anyone has any photos of Cora they'd be willing to share.
In the meantime, back to researching the Free Colored Person Communities of North Carolina and Virginia.
And I found what I was looking for.
My 4th great grandfather, on my paternal great grandmother's line, her own great grandfather and 2nd great granfather. Winborns, that line. Originating in Halifax and Northhampton Counties of North Carolina,in the Free Colored Persons communities since early Colonial days, mid 1700s.
"WINBORN FAMILY
1. Thomas1 Winborn, born say 1750, was head of a Halifax County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:65], and 2 in 1800 [NC:354]. He was probably identical to Thomas Winmon who was head of a household with his wife Patience, counted as "free molattows" in the Bertie County list of Josiah Harrell for William Vann's District, adjacent to Benjamin James in 1770 and 1771 and in the list of Samuel Granberry adjacent to Benjamin James in 1774 [CR 10.702.1, box 2]. Thomas Winborn was counted in the 1790 census for Halifax County living in a household nearby Benjamin James [NC:65]. He purchased 25 acres on Little Swamp in Halifax County on 2 March 1818 for $113 and 100 acres in Halifax County from Mark Murray on 15 May 1823 for $62 [DB 24:307; 26:203]. He left a 15 March 1829 Halifax County will, proved August 1829, by which he left 148 acres to his heirs who were his wife Easter, his brother David, his grandnephew John Henry Winborn (son of Thomas, Jr.) and Willie Winborne (son of Nancy Winborne) [WB 4:52]. His children may have been
i. William, born before 1776, head of a Halifax County household of 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:170].
ii. Benjamin, born say 1785, married Sarah Jones, 26 May 1804 Bertie County bond, Frederick James surety, and was head of a Bertie County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:142].
2. David Winborn, born before 1776, was head of a Halifax County household of 11 "other free" in 1810 [NC:56] and 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:170]. He received 50 acres by the 15 November 1815 Halifax County will of (his mother-in-law?) Lucy Murray, proved in August 1816 [WB 3:587]. He may have been the father of
i. Thomas2, father of John Henry Winborne who was named in the will of Thomas1 Winborn.
The family moved to Ripley township, Rush County, Indiana, where John, Lewis, David, Hardy, and Benjamin B. Winborn were heads of "free colored" households in 1840."
- Free African Americans website
Me-->My dad--> His dad--> grandma Cora--> great grandma Jane(Winborn)--> 2nd great grandfather John Henry Winborn--> 3rd Great grandfather Thomas Winborn-->4th Great grandfather David Winborn...
Before 1840, the family relocated to Indiana with several other Free Colored Persons households of note.
1840 Census- Ripley Township, Rush County, Indiana- family listed as 'Free Colored Persons', with David Winborn as head of household
1850 Census-Thomas listed as 'mulatto', moves to Van Buren County, Michigan by 1860.
1860 Census- Thomas and son, John Henry, both listed as 'mulatto'.
1870 Census- Thomas was listed as 'mulatto'.
Here's the fun part-
1875 Census in Van Buren County, Michigan- John is listed as 'White". In 1872, his daughter, Jane, marries William Stratton, a very old, very white New England family. ( I can trace that line of my family back to England, in 1592, when they came to the US, and back further in England.)
In the 1880 Census- Thomas is listed as 'Black'. His son John Henry, is listed as 'White'.
John's daughter, Jane, is listed as 'White'. His entire family is.
Apparently, Thomas' wife's heritage (Ireland born) had finally asserted itself enough in her son and grandchildren, that Census Takers of the time, classified them as light skin enough to pass.
That's right.
Census takers at the time determined your ethnicity/race, not you. To add to this, mulatto was/is derogative, and covered anyone of mixed heritage, be it Black or Native or any other ethnicity.
Unfortunately, I have no photos of Cora. I do have photos of Carl and his second wife, Jennie. Cora died when my grandfather, Algernon, was 2 yrs old.
I do have Devall family in Michigan, that I have limited contact with. I'm going to have to reach out and see if anyone has any photos of Cora they'd be willing to share.
In the meantime, back to researching the Free Colored Person Communities of North Carolina and Virginia.