Wake County Genealogical Society Blog: April 2023

Thursday, April 27, 2023

Reminder to register - Wendell Museum Meet Up. 8 Reasons to visit the Wendell Museum on May 13!

There is still time to register for our next in person MeetUp At the Wendell Museum. In case you need encouragement, scroll down for eight reasons to join us!

8 Reasons* to visit the Wendell Museum on May 13!

The Wendell Timeline - more than 200 photos and clippings of Wendell history
Wendell People - 11 notables highlighted for contributions far beyond Wendell in a variety of endeavors.
Wendell Business - 18 Businesses that shaped the town are highlighted
Agriculture - Tobacco, cotton and forestry put Wendell on the map.
Veterans - locals recognized for their roles in combat, peacekeeping, disaster relief, and humanatarian aid.
Schools - historic schools, Rosenwald schools, small rural schools, noted educators
Churches - 18 churches more than 60 years old
Civic clubs and organizations - clubs and club member contributions highlighted

Please, join us on May 13. Registration link below.

*per the Wendell Historical Society website

The community of Wendell in eastern Wake County is full of history and culture. Join us as we partner with the Wake County Historical Society to tour the Wendell Museum which tells the colorful story of Wendell’s past and has an extensive library of documents for researchers.

When: May 13, 2023 @ noon

Where: Wendell Museum, 122 West 2^nd Street, Wendell, NC 27591

How to register: Click here to let us know you're coming

Optional lunch to follow at Aubrey and Peedie’s Grill, 38 N Main St, Wendell, NC, United States, 27591. Dutch treat. Old fashioned soda fountain grill with sandwiches and burgers.

This event is free to all but donations to the Wendell Museum will be gratefully accepted.

Many thanks to the Wake County Historical Society for partnering with the Wake County Genealogical Society on this event!

Questions to President@wakecogen.org

See you in Wendell!

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Wake Wednesday - Oaky Grove Church

This lovely quaint old church figured heavily in the early history of the Mial family, Knightdale, and the communitly of Shotwell.

Enjoy the wonderful photos and write up about Oaky Grove Methodist Church near Knightdale.

source: Carolina Crossroads

Go to Carolina Crossroads blog. Thanks CC for this great post.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Wake Wednesday - The loss of the Original State Capitol Building in 1831

Fire gutted the original State Capitol building on June 21, 1831. How did a previous fire, an iron pot and zinc roof shingles factor into Raleigh's near demise as the center of our state government? How did this event seal Raleigh's place as Capital City in North Carolina history?

Read the terrifying and fascinating account in detail at NCPedia here:

The Fires of 1831: Fayetteville and Raleigh in Flames

The remodeled North Carolina State House about 1831 by W. Goodacre. - source
Looking not very much different from today with the exception of its wooden roof.

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Wake Wednesday - The Blue, The Gray & Reconstruction

The NC Civil War & Reconstruction History Center is a repository of accounts from the war and the reconstruction period that allows us access to study of this period without even leaving home.

Here are three of the sixteen accounts currently contained within the Wake County collection at the center.

The Blue - an account of Sherman's march through Wake County.

The Gray - "The Capture and Imprisonment of Luther Mills, 1865," a first hand account of a Confederate soldier's capture and captivity at Johnson Island Prison. (Note: Allow the page to scroll down to the photos of the account to start reading.)

Reconstruction - The State Convention of the Colored People of North Carolina at Raleigh, September 29, 1865

If you are studying your Civil War era ancestors, the NC Civil War & Reconstruction History Center is a source rich with historical context. Be sure you check out accounts from all NC counties.

Sunday, April 9, 2023

News and Events from Friends of Oberlin Village - April 2023

I received the following in an email from FoV this week:

Historic Oberlin Village celebrates 165 years with BBQ, jazz, tours

Historic Oberlin Village: Community built by enslaved and freed Black families celebrates 165 years in Raleigh

RALEIGH, NC – Learn about and help preserve Raleigh’s rich Black history right in your own backyard. On Saturday, April 29, Friends of Oberlin Village is hosting a family-friendly event including historic trolley tours, free jazz music, a marketplace for shopping local, a pop-up museum, a BBQ dinner and more.

This annual event celebrates the legacy of one of the last known surviving antebellum Black settlements in the entire state.

Explore Raleigh’s Black history on our trolley tours – running all evening during the event – to visit each of the historic landmarks within Oberlin Village, including:

• The 3-acre Oberlin Cemetery, established in 1873 soon after emancipation

• The site of the lost Latta University, a segregated college no longer standing today

• Wilson Temple United Methodist, one of the original congregations of historic Oberlin

• Multiple late Victorian homes belonging to early Oberlin families

Guests can also take part in a historic moment: The installation of an NC Civil Rights Marker honoring 41 students arrested at the former Cameron Village.

Date: Saturday, April 29

Time: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Location: 815 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, NC

Contact: Heather Doyle at friendsofoberlin@gmail.com

Tickets: $20 and available here - https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5745282

LaToya

Friends of Oberlin Village

friendsofoberlinvillage.org

RALEIGH, NC – Oberlin Village, one of the last known surviving antebellum Black settlements
founded by a free Black man in the state of North Carolina, is celebrating its 165th anniversary
by hosting a family-friendly event including historic trolley tours, free jazz music, a marketplace
for shopping local, a pop-up museum, BBQ dinner with dessert and more.
Friends of Oberlin invites you the 8th annual ‘Celebrate Oberlin’ barbecue. Come learn about
and help preserve Raleigh’s rich Black history right in your own backyard.
Trolley tours will take guests to see seven Raleigh Historic Landmark sites within the Historic
Overlay District of Oberlin Village, including the 3-acre Oberlin Cemetery, established in 1873,
which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Other sites include: the Latta
University site, Wilson Temple United Methodist, and multiple homes belonging to original
Oberlin families.
Friends of Oberlin and partner organizations, like the City of Raleigh, PreservationNC and
WakeMed, will host a pop-up museum with educational exhibits, featuring:
- Oberlin Cemetery
- Oberlin’s military service and medical pioneers
- The comprehensive plan for the Latta University Historic Park
- The Fields-Graves and Plummer T. Hall historic houses
- The NC Civil Rights Marker honoring 41 students arrested at the former Cameron
Village
A Friends of Oberlin marketplace will have limited edition notecards with renderings by local
artists and other merchandise. Jazz music will be performed by the band EPIC.
Dinner is catered by City Barbecue and includes a choice of pulled pork or pulled chicken, two
sides, a dessert and beverage. Curbside ordering and pickup service will also be available.
Arrive early and stay late, and make sure to bring a chair or blanket to spread out on the lawn.
Proceeds will benefit Friends of Oberlin’s preservation, awareness and educational initiatives.
Date: Saturday, April 29
Time: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Location: 815 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, NC
Contact: friendsofoberlin@gmail.com
Tickets: $20 and available here - https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5745282
— — — — — — —

The Friends of Oberlin Village (FOV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was
established in 2011. We invite you to visit FriendsOfOberlinVillage.org for additional
information.

Friday, April 7, 2023

Take advantage of free DNA Day webinars from FamilySearch on April 25

April 25 is DNA Day. It is a great day to take advantage of discounted kits from all the vendors and the free online learning event offered by the FamilySearch Library. Here are details and Zoom registration link. Note: Times listed are Mountain Time. All times are 2 hours later in Eastern time.

2023 DNA Day at the FamilySearch Library

Description

9:00 AM MST – DNA Basics: An Introduction to DNA and Genealogy (Beginner) – Have you heard your friends and fellow genealogists enthuse about DNA but don't know what it's all about? Wondering if a DNA test is right for you? Come learn about DNA, why it's valuable, which tests you can take, and how it might be helpful in your genealogy research.

10:15 AM MST – Why Oh Why Do Your Y-DNA? (Advanced) – Have you ever heard of a Y-DNA test or wondered if you should take one? This class will discuss the value of Y-DNA, who can take a Y-DNA test, and where to purchase a test. It will also discuss the different levels of testing (37, 111, and Big-Y), haplogroups, SNPs, STRs, and above all how to solve genealogical problems.

11:30 AM MST – Getting Started with atDNA Part 1: Clustering (45 minutes) (Intermediate) – The process of clustering or grouping your DNA matches into genetic networks is an essential part of using DNA for genealogy research. This class will introduce the concept of clustering and walk you through the process of grouping your own DNA matches.

1:00 PM MST – Getting Started with atDNA Part 2: Determining Relationships (45 minutes) (Intermediate) – Your DNA matches are probably your relatives. But a DNA test only suggests a relationship exists. This class will walk you through the process of determining the common ancestor between you and a DNA match or among a cluster of DNA matches.

2:00 PM MST – Double Trouble: Using DNA to Solve Two Generations of Adoptions (45 minutes) (Beginner) – Come see how DNA and traditional genealogical research were used to solve a case with two generations of adoptions.

3:00 PM MST – Finding an Unknown Father Using DNA: A Case Study (45 minutes) (Beginner) – Come see how DNA and genealogical research were used to identify an unknown father.

Time

Apr 25, 2023 09:00 AM in Mountain Time (US and Canada)

Register Here

Thursday, April 6, 2023

WCGS member seeks help locating long lost family members - Apex area Beckwith, Edwards, Green or Lanier

WCGS member, Tonya Lanier has requested assistance in locating family members that she has lost touch with. If you have any information that you can share or recognize the folks in the photo, please reach out to her directly. Thank you in advance.

From Tonya -

I am looking for members of my family. This photo was taken in the mid 1970’s. There is a lady named Florence and her husband J.T. Surnames include Beckwith, Edwards, Green or Lanier. There was a set of twins, a girl and a boy, named Antione and Antionette. They lived in the Raleigh/Apex area.

Please contact Tonya Lanier, sonshiners61@gmail.com - 336-470-1100. Thank you!

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Wake Wednesday - FamilySearch Wiki - Wake County

Have you used the FamilySearch.org wiki for Wake county in your research. It is a great place to check for resource locations and contact points. You will find info on church, land, military and probate records, as well as maps and county history and border changes. Check it out. There is a wealth of information there. It is a good place to start if you are just beginning your Wake County research.

source

Visit the wiki and be sure to scroll all the way down the page or you might miss something!

Return to the WakeCoGen Website

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