Our Family History

Edmond Jones born into Slavery in 1834 in Virginia, both of Edmond's parents was slaves in Virginia and both were born in Virginia, they was mulatto and creole. Edmond was sold at the age 17 to the State of Alabama to the Jones plantation. He married Peggy Jackson, she was born into Slavery in1842 in the State of Alabama. She was one half Cherokee Indian, part Jamaican and African American, grandma Peggy's Ancestors came from Jamaica.   Peggy was taken from her family at an early age and sold at a public auction in the State of Alabama. Peggy was used as a household servant.   Family members like Cousin Norman Smith and his sister Beatrice Lamar, said that Grandma Peggy would always tell them and their siblings about slavery.   Norman said that Grandma Peggy said that she met her husband Edmond Jones at a plantation function. That's when slaves come together and fellowship with one another, and she says how Edmond would tell how the slave master would beat them for no reason.    Grandma Peggy said the slave master was so mean to the slaves, Edmond also was a soldier in the third colored troop in 1861. Grandma Peggy always knew how to care for her children whenever they was sick, she would go to the woods for herbs to make them well.   To the union of Edmond and Peggy Jackson Jones was born Laura Jones Davis, Mattie Jones Brown,  Wyatt[known as Walter], Louisa Jones Washington, Emma Jones Bates, Edmond Jr., Joseph C., John [known as Uncle Buddy], Isabella Jones, Edna Jones Howard smith, Edmond and Peggy raised their family in Sumter, Livingston Alabama.         Peggy relocated back to Mississippi, the old home place. Peggy would move in with her daughter Edna Jones Howard Smith. Peggy Jackson Jones lived to be 100 yrs. old.

  Living Life as Slaves

  in the 1800s

East African slaves taken aboard slave ship.

 

The Ojays Ship Ahoy

Artist rendition of a slave ship
 
Crew and captives alike were reduced to a brutish state during the crossing, all exposed to disease and death. The total disregard for human life is described in a report to the British House of Commons:
 
The Negroes were chained to each other hand and foot, and stowed so close that they were not allowed above a foot and a half for each in breadth. Thus rammed…like herring in a barrel, they contracted…fatal disorders; so that they who came to inspect them in the morning had…to pick up dead slaves out of their rows, and to unchain…[them] from the bodies of their wretched fellow-suffers….
 
Quoted in Louise Daniel Hutchinson, Out of Africa,
 

 

SLAVERY WAS A HORRIBLE INSTITUTION...not a kind favor to Blacks.

 

  

The FOUNDERS even put a clause in the original national CONSTITUTION ...proclaiming Black slaves as 3/5 of human. It has been reported by researchers that Washington and Jefferson had children by Black slave women -- and still did not seek to fight against this horrible institution, which put their own children in bondage.

 

 

 

slaves coming from Africa

 

Strange Fruit

Confederate bill
 

Slave Auction

When our ancestors and other slaves finally got off the ship ,they find themselves on a stand. they see people holding money and shouting something. Imagine your self as one of the ancestors, you wondering why they’re shouting numbers, but what for? Is something for sale? You look around and see nothing. When you finally find out that YOU were getting sold, you’re getting taken away. You are a slave now following commands living a miserable life.we thank God for the ancestors who have lead the way.

Slave Auction

Slave Receipts

Slaves List

Slave Cabins

Minnie Davis, former slave from Greene County, Georgia

The cooking was done in the kitchen in the yard. The fireplace was as wide as one end of this room . . . Heavy iron skillets with thick lids were much used for baking, and they had ovens of various sizes. I have seen my mother bake beautiful biscuits and cakes in those old skillets, and they were ideal for roasting meats. Mother's batter cakes would just melt in your mouth . . .

   

What slaves use to wash their clothes

The laundry was boiled in these huge iron pots, beaten to remove some of the soap, and then boiled again before being hung out to dry.

Slaves on Plantation

Mansfield plantation, Georgetown County, South Carolina

Some planters provided special buildings for Sunday services and even hired preachers, frequently white men, to lead the worship. Former slaves found these proceedings dull and reported that only when they returned to their quarters could they expect to hear some "real" preaching; that is, rhythmic chanted sermons backed up by inspiring gospel hymns.

Slaves Quilt

Let's  identify the quilt squares on the signboard and then look at the folklore codes associated with them.

In the above section of the signboard, reading left to right and top to bottom, are the following codes for the quilt squares.

FLYING GEESE -- time to go North.
MONKEY WRENCH -- pack up and get ready to leave
JACOBS LADDER -- an Underground Railroad symbol
SHOO-FLY -- nickname for Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman news article

Harriet Tubman with slaves in 1887

The Underground Railroad was a secret movement that consisted of a set of constantly changing trails and paths which southern slaves used to escape to freedom. In southern states, the African American slaves were pretty much on their own until they reached the northern anti-slave states. There they were assisted mainly by African Americans as well as some white abolitionists and Quakers to assimilate into the culture. Many slaves continued on to anti-slavery Canada to live. It was first and foremost a movement lead by African Americans.

Map

Underground Railroad

Freedom to Slaves

The Wilmington abolitionist who dared to turn the other cheek and make friends with his enemies gradually gets his due as a Delaware hero.

 First black President John Hanson

First black President John Hanson, before President Obama

President John Hanson on a two dollar bill

.

For some slaves, the first step out of bondage is to learn to see their lives with new eyes. Their reality is a social world where they have their place and some assurance of a subsistence Diet.Born into slavery, they cannot easily redefine their lives outside the frame of enslavement.

 

Fredrick Douglass

.

Change gonna come

I have a dream

.

Poem of Dedication in memory of Edmond and Peggy Jackson Jones, from ggranddaughter Jacqueline Wallace

who has sang Gods songs  who describes the swiffness of thy course  soaring through air to find the bright abode  the empyreal Palace of the thundering God  on thy opinion they have to surpass the wind and they leave the rolling Universe behind  from star to star  the mental optics roves measures the skies and range the rims above  there in one view they grasp the mighty whole  with a new world that amaze thier unbound souls.

 

written by a Black Slave Poet

                         HOW OUR ANCESTOR'S BECAME SLAVES IN AMERICA 

 Introduction is Enduring slavery in America,What Cause slavery?

Slavery was cause by European and African traders. Slavery began in 1618 through 1865 in the U.S. after the English colonist. African Americans were taken and were sold to European African traders. The Dutch were the first to sell African American slaves. Slavery began in West Africa, slaves were shipped to all parts of the country by ships in very small spaces that they barely could move. Most slaves did not survive the trip those that died were tossed over board. The slaves had no identity except the papers of the masters who sold them. When the slaves were brought to the plantation they had to build there living quarters which were called slave cabins. The slaves built them on the bases of their houses in Africa, they were never allowed to live inside the house where they were enslaved. Slaves were all located in a specific area of the plantation to live. Some slaves were never taught to read or write because the slave master wanted to keep them brainwashed with no knowledge and fearful of him. Slaves had there own way of communicating they would use word codes and sing songs. When it came to the slaves they knew how to communicate but most slave children were taught by the masters children and others who hid and taught them, because in the early part of slavery  era slaves were never allowed to learn or go to school in the Southern states. There were no schools for slaves in the North. The first free school was open in New York for African Americans in 1718 and then in 1834. Connecticut banned free schools by saying it is

illegal to provide free schooling for African Americans in the 19th century there was still no school for African Americans in the South, but soon after they started admitting African American children to there free public schools.  The slaves were given allowance to buy foods such as corn meal, salt herring, and 8 pounds of pork or fish, they were allowed to grow there own vegetables on the plantation. They also had a clothing allowance most of them barely had clothes to wear except on the days where they would have a function that was on the plantation. Slaves became free in Vermont in 1777 it had been band there first soon after other states followed, but slaves were not free in the southern states until the year of 1860. Most slaves had to learn how to live on    there own and not be fearful, because the plantation was all they knew. Most slaves stayed on the plantation because they were given land. There are many resources today in helping locate your family roots such as the  U.S. Census bureau, Microfilm Deeds

cemeteries and having DNA test done.we are descendants of slaves and when I researched some genealogy of our own family I was amazed how I was able to bring up the slave list and I was  also amazed to find our great grandfather Edmond Jones on that list. There were not only African American slaves on the list there were also Caucasian slaves and blind slaves my roots being  from Africa makes me wonder who are they and where were they taken from? Learning now how they lived was inhumane even though they were giving many resources to live all cultures have survived all kinds of walks of life. Today when I look back I have to say who am I and where do I come from?