How Did I Get Here? My Amazing Genealogy Journey

Sidney Bryant Hester (1865--1966) Mott Hester (1867--1947) 2nd great grand aunt and uncle Sidney Bryant Hester's sister, Jonas, was the mother of my great grandfather Frank L. Bryant Bayview Cemetery  Morehead City, NC

Here's the next section of the Whitney/Harrison Family Bible. Last Monday, I featured the first part of the bible in the post titled:   Amanuensis Monday: The Whitney/Harrison Family Bible --Part one.   Page 12 George Keho died Dec 24, 1929 Julia Whitney baby born 1929 or 30 William Arthur Harrison  born Jan 29, 1934 Page 13 Sarah J Whitney died  Sep 12 1937 at 1:26 o'clock Carrie E. Harrison died  Aug 1st 1939 at 4:30 o'clock Bobby Harrison born  July 28 1939 at Good Shepard Hospital Page 14 of the bible I am choosing to keep private at this time. This page does document the death of my 2nd great grandmother Mary Williams Harrison who died Dec 28, 1943 at 11 o'clock. The death of her grandson Rudolph H. Harrison is noted on this page as well. It says that he died April 15--19, 1966 in New York City. Page 15 John T. Harrison Sr. (father) Died June 22, 1974 Buried June 26, 1974 (Greenwood Cemetery)...

On Sunday January 15, 2012,  I made a visit to an old African American cemetery located behind Mt Olive AME Zion Church to pay my respects to some of my ancestors. Last year a researcher friend from the New Bern area made the trek to this cemetery and sent pictures to me for which I am forever grateful for. Since I was in North Carolina for my Aunt Rosa's funeral, I made sure I took some time out to visit this special place. This land where this cemetery is located was I believe mentioned in my 3rd great grandfather Mortimer Mitchells deed for his land. In his deed it describes his land as "a certain parcel of  land situate in the and bounded and described as follows lying on the North West side of the meeting house branch beginning where the main road (crosses) said branch thence down the branch to the great branch and with the great branch to the said Vine A Tolsons Corner to a marked bay. Thence the said Tolsons live to the main road thence with said to the beginning. In ...

John T Harrison Sr. and Carrie Whitney Harrison My Great Grandparents.  New Bern, NC. On Sunday January 15, 2012, I had a lovely visit with my Aunt Carrie of New Bern, another of my grandfather Lemuel Harrison's siblings.  Apparently, I had met her before when I was a child but just couldn't remember for the life of me, what she looked like. Thanks to her I have a copy of this beautiful picture. Thanks Aunt Carrie!

The cover of the Whitney/Harrison Family Bible I tried on this recent trip to Morehead City and New Bern to pack in as much as possible to my visit and luckily I was able to connect with my mother's father's side of the family. Two of my grandfather Lemuel Richard Harrison's siblings are still alive. Amazing right. There was such a broad span of ages since there was a total of 13 children. My Uncle Bobby, the youngest of the siblings has the family bible and shared it with me during our visit. What a blessing he is. Glad to have had a chance to know him. I hear when he laughs my grandfather Lemuel, which I love because it keeps his memory and spirit alive for me. My grandfather died back on December 28, 1987. It has been awhile since I have heard his voice but when I hear Uncle Bobby, although not the same...the cadence and his laugh bring me right back to grandpa. Love it! So my Uncle Bobby, lives in Morehead City now and I am ever so grateful for having a chanc...

Some more reasons to be thankful for my recent trip to North Carolina. Here are pictures of my great grandparents Frank and Ophelia Bryant when they were a little older. The pictures were in the living room of my Aunt Rosa and Uncle Nat's house. So many wonderful pictures I got a chance to look at this past week. Here are three of them. The third picture is of my Aunt Eloise Bryant Grigsby when she was a young  lady. Amazing how much she looks like her mother Ophelia. Frank Bryant Ophelia Jones Bryant Eloise Bryant Grigsby

The word thankful to me can not fully describe how grateful I am for having the experience I just came back from on Tuesday. To catch everyone up with where I am now, I had two deaths in the family last week an uncle and an aunt. My Uncle Vincent Harrison, I did not get to know so well as a child because he was quite a bit older than me. He was my mother's half brother. My Grand Aunt Rosa however, was a different story. She took care of me during the day while my parents worked up until I went into kindergarten. We seemed to be always be over at Aunt Rosa's house whether it was for the holidays or family cook outs or whatever. She was a special lady. If you were on her good side she would show you the kindest heart and the best cooking you would ever taste in your life. If you were on her bad side, well...I would have to say I'm sorry for you because she would put you in your place. The lady had a terrific sense of humor and the prettiest smile. I will miss her. Rosa B...