52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks 2018 Edition: #11 My Lucky Find For Benjamin Ellison


Week 11: Lucky
Do you have an ancestor who was lucky at something? Lucky to be alive? Lucky at cards? Lucky in love? Maybe you have an ancestor with a name that reminds you of luck or fortune. There's always "luck of the Irish." Maybe you have a story of how luck played a role in finding an ancestor. Write about that this week.

A few years back, I was lucky enough to stumble across a letter on Ancestry.com written by my 4th great grandfather Benjamin Ellison of Snow Hill, Greene County, NC. The letter I found in a collection called Washington D.C., Ex-Slave Pension Correspondence and Case Files, 1892-1922. Prior to the Civil War, Benjamin had been a slave and the letter I came across mentioned who is owner had been. Before I reshare the letter, here's how I am connected to Benjamin Ellison. 


52 Ancestors In 52 Weeks 2018 Edition:  #11 My Lucky Find For Benjamin Ellison --How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey



Source Information: Ancestry.com. Washington D.C., Ex-Slave Pension Correspondence and Case Files, 1892-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

To the Secretary of the War department
                                                                                       Dear Sir,
We have heard that there has been has been made a provision to gives all of the old Slaves, Darkies a pension and wherein, I Benjamin Elerson am 72 years old and was born in 1826 and used to belonged to William Jno. Elerson, whom died in 1863, and my wife Matilda Elerson, age 60 years old and was born in 1838 and used to belonged to Jno. Harvey whom died in 1886 and Franklin Harvey, age 42 years old and was born in 1856. 
     Therefore, We has sent forward our Names to be placed on record to meet the Benefit of such provisions if such is a fact.

                                                                  Yours Respt,
P.O. Snow Hill                           }               Benjamin Elerson &
             N.C.                                               Matilda Elerson
                                                                    Franklin Harvey

One of these days I have to get back to researching my Ellison family line.  Knowing who owned my 4th great grandfather, will definitely help me with digging up more information on this branch of my family tree. 

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