I was searching for Christmas images and happened upon this image. It fit my search "Carolina Christmas," but it took me in and entirely different direction.  Source This Wake County cohabitation record issued in 1866, records that Seth Christmas and Sallie Christmas "if said County, lately slaves, but now emancipated, and acknowledged that they do cohabit together as man and wife, and that said cohabitation commenced the 11 day of Oct.,1855. " The record was recorded by J. J. Ferrell. I checked for more images but did not find them. This is a treasure indeed. Any Christmas descendants out there reading our blog?  If you would like to search for other similar documents, be to check the NC State Archives store where you may request a Cohabitation Bond and Record Lookup, 1866-1867 . NC residents may request a search for free and be invoiced if a record is found. Nonresidents must pay a $20 search fee either way.  The following information is required for the search: C...

Welcome to the last issue of   Wake Treasures   in 2022  In this issue Carla Stancil contines her vignettes on her Wake County ancestors, and shares the letters her father wrote while away from home in Marines.  You'll also read the Wake County Court Records (batch 6), Wake County Deaths in WW1, and the 1896 Tax List.   Look for continuation of the 1896 Tax Records, the Ferguson Family Ledger, and the Gertrude Weil Papers in the next issue.  Warm thanks again to Carla for sharing this piece of history with us. If you have any Wake County an ancestors or research,  Wake Treasures  would love to feature your work in a future issue.  We welcome submissions of research reports, narratives, and special articles.  If you have questions or want to learn more about being published in our award winning journal, feel free to contact me at  journal@wakecogen.org .   Please consider joining the journal team.  In order to make the...

Some things change, some stay the same. Santa Clause is still receiving a sleigh full of letters in early December. Here are some great examples from the NC Arcives Flicker photostream . Margaret wants a big ball, some galoshes, and doll clothes! source A. C. Allen decorated his request with this handdrawn picture of Santa! source This child was an artist and had great manners, too! source Wishing all a Merry Christmas!  Visit the Wake County Genealogical Society  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

Join members of Wakecogen for an in person meet up at the State Library of NC.  Learn what resources and services are available. G rab a library card.  Browse the collections.  Reconnect with friends at a lunch spot nearby.  We are looking forward to seeing you there! Free and open to all. Questions? Here is a sneak peek at their Genealogy and Family History offerings. What:  WCGS visits SLNC When: Dec.10, 10am - 12pm Where: 109 East Jones St. Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

OLLI is the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at NorthCarolina State University.   It is open to anyone age 50 or over; no affiliation with NCSU is required.  Membership is $50 per year and allows you to take classes, go on study trips, and attend Special Interest Groups. Barbara McGeachy is a longtime WCGS member, teacher and friend. She is my very knowledgeable go to person when I am stumped for a new research resource or technique. It is your great good fortune that she is teaching this  “Genealogy- Starting with the Basics”  class in a couple months. Her class begins in March 2023.  It's a six week, 90 minutes per session  class taught at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.  Registration is already open so sign up now if you are interested.  Here is a little bit more about the class from an OLLI email feature: Interested in exploring your family history?  OLLI has two perfect opportunities for you! First is our spring course  “G...

Thanksgiving as we know it was not celebrated in North Carolin until 1849. Read about the history and evolution of the traditions at this article from NCDNCR . source WCGS sends best wishes. May you have a bountiful and peaceful Thanksgiving where ever you are. Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

George Thomas is working his magic again with records and maps. Enjoy another Wake centric post as he tracks the westward migration of early Wake settlers. This time to parts in Cabarrus and Stanly counties. Read George's post here -  A RIDE DOWN PINE BLUFF IN CABARRUS COUNTY source Attention researchers for these families -  Reed  Keiser  Howell  Teeter  Barker  Byrd    Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

See Fold 3 Blog post for Details.  https://blog.fold3.com/75th-anniversary-of-the-first-veterans-day-celebration-and-free-access-to-fold3 Ends 13Nov. 2022 at 11:59pm MT. Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

The live event was held in October, if you missed it or want to revisit it, this is your opportunity. The Capitol will share the presentation virtually via Zoom. If interested please RSVP via the Eventbrite link below. From the NC State Capitol: The NC State Capitol is hosting a series of public listening sessions to unveil their new website focusing on the stories of enslaved people.   About this event This website, entitled "From Naming to Knowing: Uncovering Slavery at the North Carolina State Capitol" names over 130 enslaved workers who built and maintained the Capitol building in the 1800s. Most of the men worked on the Capitol's construction in the 1830s, either as laborers at the construction site or as quarry hands at the nearby State Quarry. The Capitol is dedicated to naming these individuals and telling their stories through this new publicly accessible website.   The public is invited to attend a listening session, learn about the website, and offer feedback ...

Who waits at the window with a candle against the darkness?? Are they watching for intruders or watching for a tardy loved one to finally return to them? The tiny two story house with the Dutch roof is a curiosity tucked in a corner of  Mordecai Historical Park. This is not its original home as it has been moved before calling the park home. Is this why the watcher eternally waits with a candle burning in the window?  The story is here along with the fascinating history of this early "tiny house." Who waits in the upstairs window? Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

Join us for the next Virtual Meeting from WCGS! Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 @ 6:30pm - Virtual (combined November-December) Topic :     Finding and Understanding NC Court Records Speaker:   David McCorkle Courts have always dealt with crimes and disputes, but in the past they also handled much more routine items that can be of great interest to your genealogical research.   These include many functions now performed by other government offices such as proving deeds, probate, petitions, taxes, appointment of local officials, licenses, bastardy, manumission – the list goes on.  To complicate things, the type of courts and what areas they were responsible for has changed over time. This discussion will help you know what you can find along with how and where to find it.    A North Carolina native, David is President and founder of NC Historical Records Online (NCHRO), with a mission to provide public online access to images of original records and other re...

This haunt specific to Oakwood cemetery is known by many names, including the ‘Spinning Angel of Oakwood’, ‘The Ratcliffe Angel’ or ‘The Guardian of Oakwood.’ This solid stone angel usually stands quietly in the corner of Oakwood Cemetery closest to Watauga Street. She is said to let the Halloween celebrations go to her head. Literally. Supposedly, every Halloween at midnight, her head spins exactly 12 times and then stops. Are you planning a visit to Oakwood on Halloween this year? Read more about the stone angel who stands vigil over the grave of Etta Rebecca White.   source Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

WCGS webmaster, Cynthia Gage received the Award for Excellence in Web Presence . Having worked on the backend of our website a good bit this year, I can tell you that the website mechanics are a bit fiddly at times and Cynthia always manages make her job look easy as she presents WCGS content in a very orderly and polished fashion. Congratulations to Cynthia. The two coordinators of the Wake Cemetery Survey c.1978 Digitization Project received Certificates of Appreciation . Cyndi Deal received a certificate for directing the digitization portion of the project.  Original Survey project director, Irene Kittinger received a certificate for her original role. Many more participants deserve recognition for their roles in the project both recently and in the past. WCGS considers that these certificates really represent the group effort. Visit the WCGS webpage and The Wake Cemetery Survey Project to see the results of all our hard work. Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Websi...

Gov. Daniel Fowle, first governor to reside in the Executive mansion and first to die in residence is apparently busy haunting the mansion!   At least two govenors and their families have had "encounters" with him and one would regularly wish him " Good Night ." Read more from the Association of Paranormal Study.   Gov. Danial Fowle Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Contact

" Looking deeper into the letter published by John Powers, all remembered Mary Locust as being an old lady of color who passed as free. Witnesses confirmed her children were as she had stated, and she was neither Black nor White as they had always heard her mother was “Indian.”  Lewis Barker stated that Mary Locust went from Wake County with his brother Thomas Barker to the Yadkin River, where he, Lewis Barker, saw her some other time.” People were clearly in motion."  -  George Thomas Today's guest post has George Thomas looking at the power of Reverend John Powers to sway the powerful Gov. John Sevier from far away Logan, Kentucky to do the right thing in regards to the Lucost/Locust family. The Locust family were formerly free people of color in Wake County, North Carolina and enslaved by Sevier at some point after they arrived in Tennessee.  John Powers was a Methodist preacher and, as it turns out, a member of the Barker Family. John was "the son of Mrs. Thomas ...

Unknown spirits  haunt the  old NC State Capitol building . Ghostly happenings reported by a night watchman and others included screams, doors slamming, books hitting the floor, keys jingling and footsteps on the stone floors.  More here . Did something happen in the Library! It feels spooky. source Stay Spooky! Visit Wake County Genealogical Society's Website  -  Homepage  |  WCGS Events  |  Join WCGS  |  Publications  |  Wake Cemetery Survey Images  | Digital Resources  |  History Resources  |  More Links and Resources  |  Wake Cemetery Survey c. 1978 online  |  Contact

Join Wake County Public Libraries for a virtual program series about all things North Carolina.  Haunted Carolina Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 6:30pm I Didn't Know That! Untold Stories of North Carolina Tuesday, November 1, 2022 at 6:30pm Raleigh's Hidden History: Exploring the Past in Front of You   Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 6:30pm The "Lost Colony" of Roanoke Was Never Lost Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2:00pm Understanding the People Who Dwelled in the Great Dismal Swamp Monday, November 7, 2022 at 6:30pm Staff Picks: North Carolina Authors Monday, November 14, 2022 at 6:30pm Appalachian Moonshiner Popcorn Sutton Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 6:30pm Vist this information page to register-  https://guides.wakegov.com/nchistory