What to do if you think you have come across a family member
I have been asked on occasions "what me you sure that you have met or come across a family member?" Well, before I began researching with DNA I composed some basic questions that fit the main area I was researching. Since the town my family comes from is not big like Texas and it had its on personal and unique historical challenges it was fairly easy to form questions that were pertinent to the area. In my family we have several different surnames. For a long time, my immediate family only knew for sure that outside of Yeldell’s there were Peterson's, Seniors and Ryan's, but 25 researching years later we can add over 200 surnames to our definite list of related cousins. Below is a list of questions I have asked while researching my family. You can cater these questions to fit your family and your area of research. These types of questions are great to ask before you start conducting a deep research if you are trying to connect a certain person to your family:
Where Is Your Family From?
This is the best first question to ask for any family. In my research I have learned that the family’s from the Edgefield area (Edgefield county, McCormick, Aiken, Greenwood etc…) are more connected than they even know. If you know where your beginnings are it is a good start with connecting your family to someone else.
What Are Your Grandparents Name?
Most African Americans that I have come across do not know beyond this point in their family. Possibly because of slavery and other events during history. In my family, both black and white Yeldells simply don't know. Originally, I used to think both sides were just very secretive. Now, I believe they may not have been being secretive, but safe. I don't think they didn't want someone to know that they had a black or white relative, but mainly because it may have been safer for them to just keep it to themselves.
What Are Some of Their Family Names?
This is important because it allows us to find out if a person is married into the family or an actual blood relatives. In my family learning other family names is mandatory. Why you ask because you maybe married into a family in one instance and find that you are a blood relative to the person you married later on in your research. We have several names that are both married and blood relatives. Here is how some of our names connect:
Ezra Adams and J Holloway are the parents to Katie Yeldell (my grandfather's mother)
Charles Peterson and Mollie Settles are the parents to Lula Peterson (my grandmother’s mother)
Wade Holloway and Isabella Settles are the parents to J. Holloway (Katie Yeldell's mother)
Edward Settles and Martha (last name unknown due to slavery) are the parents of Isabella Settles (Sister to Mollie Settles)...see the connection.
If your family comes from what we all know as a small town these three questions are very important to ask. As always keep your mind open to any and everything. Learn your history so you won't repeat it in the future.
