LINEAGE LOGS
RESEARCH

Meet 4 phenomenal, Black women who did the near impossible and became members of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Panelists: Karen Batchelor, Reisha Raney, Patricia Samuels, and Nikki Williams Host: Michelle Campbell

Free-born black Revolutionary War soldier Thomas Carney, who is credited for saving the life of General Perry Benson, the namesake of a Maryland eastern shore Daughters of the American Revolution chapter, was honored with the installation of a monument on Saturday, April 30 at 1:00 pm, at 109 Market St., Denton, Maryland. According to The Chestertown Spy, "Historians claim Thomas Carney, described in the 20th century as an African-American, actually was born free on the Eastern Shore of Maryland with Irish roots, and was described as a “light-skinned colored man” with white brothers. Thomas Carney enlisted as a private, but in short order was promoted to corporal after his transfer to Maryland’s 7th regiment. History claims only four African-American soldiers ever achieved that rank. There is no record of an African-American being promoted to sergeant or beyond until years later." The General Perry Benson chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution together with the NAACP Caroline County Branch hosted the ceremony. Descendants of Carney were in attendance.

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022 in Burlington, New Jersey, the New Jersey Daughters of the American Revolution placed a beautiful bronze historic marker tribute on Private Oliver Cromwell’s former home, with a community-wide crowd of more than 200 people on hand to celebrate. Best of all, more than 30 of his descendants joined the morning event! Cromwell was one of approximately 800 Patriots of color who fought during the Battle of Trenton. He also participated in many other significant battles, served for six years and had his discharge papers signed by General Washington. Video provided by Richard Timbers II. Be sure not to miss in the recording: 22:00 (twenty-two minutes): Reisha Raney speaks about Daughter Dialogues 51:25 (fifty one minutes, twenty-five seconds): Edward "Ned" Hector Re-enactor Noah Lewis's standing ovation performance!

April 16, 2022. Brookdale cemetery Dedham, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. Marker dedication ceremony by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) honoring black member Eunice Russ Ames Davis (1800 - 1901). Historian General Laura McCrillis Kessler and President General Denise Doring VanBuren. Mrs. Davis's parents were Prince and Eunice Russ Ames. Prince Ames’s mother was Narragansett Native American and African-American, his father was white. Eunice Russ Ames was bi- or tri-racial, with white and Penobscot Native ancestry. Her father Prince Ames served at Lexington, Concord and Bunker Hill. Mrs. Davis was a founding member of the Boston Female Anti-Slavery Society. When she died at 100 years old in 1901, she was the oldest living female abolitionist in the nation. She was also a woman's rights activist. Video courtesy of @Simran Noon 2022. https://blog.dar.org/honoring-remarkable-real-daughter-%E2%80%93-and-chapter%E2%80%99s-125th-anniversary

February 12, 2022 4:00 p.m. Marietta City Cemetary, Marietta, Georgia The Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) in collaboration with the Marietta History Museum discovered that Rev. Burris H. McCain was a Civil War Soldier. His pension record states he was enslaved by Robert McCain of Jacksonville, Calhoun County, Alabama. Burris joined his son Harrison McCain as his servant when the younger Harrison enlisted as a Confederate soldier. With the collapse of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, Burris was captured by the U.S. Army and taken to Chattanooga, Tennessee. From there he found his way into the Illinois Battery where he served as a cook. He later enlisted with the U.S. Colored Troops (USCT). After his service Rev. Burris returned to the "Old Place" for about two years , presumably the old McCain plantation in Calhoun County, Alabama. He married Mary Ryan in 1866. She died in 1872. Their union produced no children. In 1877 Burris married his second wife Amanda "Mandy" Strickland in Forsyth County, Georgia. They had nine children: Cathy, Maxwell, Almeda, Wilbur, Leo, Emma, Jesse, Willie and Lottie. In 1872 his family was living in Lithia Springs, Douglass County, Georgia. He joined the Methodist Episcopal church in 1877 and traveled the circuit as a preacher. In 1890 Burris McCain applied for his military pension in Fulton County, Georgia. In 1900 he applied for an increase due to additional disabilities. Despite his documented military service, Rev. McCain was not interred at Marietta National Cemetary. Instead is buried at nearby Marietta City Cemetary, on Confederate Blvd. Ceremony was attended by: Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War (DUVCW) Ladies of the Grand Army of the Republic, Inc. (LGR) Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). @LineageLogs 2023

July 10, 2021. Play that depicts stories from soldiers and nurses who endured the Battle of Marietta. From the conclusion of the play “It Could Be Me” written by Brad Quinlin performed on Saturday, July 10, 2021 at the historic Zion Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. Based on historical documents, the play captures stories of many men of African descent imbedded in the army of General William T. Sherman during the Atlanta Campaign of the #CivilWar in 1865. The play includes stories from Emma Stephenson, a black field hospital nurse from Kentucky who was freed from slavery and chose to travel with the Union army and attend wounded soldiers. She freely chose to help those who helped her. Emma Stephenson died of an unknown infectious disease in Marietta, Georgia on July 16, 1864. Pneumonia, typhoid, diarrhea/dysentery, and malaria were the predominant illnesses during the Civil War. Emma Stephenson is buried at Marietta National Cemetery with the men who were under her care. #21stOhioInfantry #HenryAckermanSmith #HuntsvilleBotanicalGarden #CivilWarLetters #Mizzou #UniversityofMissouriColumbia #DutyWellPerformed #USColoredTroop

July 11th, 2021. Memorial Service at Zion Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia to commemorate the ultimate sacrifice of an unknown U.S. Colored Troop (USCT) Union soldier. The remains of this unknown soldier and some of his personal military artifacts were found along the Chattahoochee river in 1951. He was an African-American soldier in the army of General William T. Sherman during the infamous Atlanta Campaign and the bloody Battle of Kennesaw Mountain. After 157 years this man was finally honored with a military funeral on July 11, 2021 and will be interred with his comrades at Marietta National Cemetary. Researcher Brad Quinlin narrowed down the possible identities for this soldier : 1) Part of the 110th United States Colored Troops who fought at the Battle of New Hope Church or Battle of Pickett's Mill or Battle of Dallas Georgia ; 2) A stretcher bearer sent into the field of battle to rescue wounded white officers or 3) In the Civil War Pioneer Brigade and protected a bridge over the Chattahoochee river. Update: As of March 9, 2022, this unknown soldier's remain are still in a box in the care of a private citizen and have not been interred at Marietta National Cemetery. @LineageLogs 2023

October 03, 2021. Old Darlington District Chapter (ODDC) Monthly Meeting of the South Carolina Genealogical Society (SCGS) Speaker: Nikki Williams Sebastian, Topic: The American Turf-Unique Source of Genealogical Records. @Nikki Williams Sebastian 2023