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Mystery of My Paternal 2nd Great Grandfather James Cross' African American Mother Solved

 

I have been trying to find out the name of my paternal grandmother's maternal grandfather James Cross' African American mother who bore him with a European American man who was one of the sons of English American plantation/slaveowner Benjamin Cross of Gates County, North Carolina and his 3/4 Acadian wife Anastasia Bourgeois of Assumption Parish, Louisiana. Benjamin and Anastasia lived in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana.

I was told by my Aunt Carrie that James was a European American man. She thought he looked like one in a wall portrait. I was puzzled by what she told me because he was listed as black on all Censuses. 

He and his wife Mary Johnson were the parents of my paternal grandmother's mother Priscilla. 

1880 US Census shows James and Mary living with their children Louise, Laura, and Mary . All are recorded as being born in Louisiana.  They were living in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.

1900 US Record shows James and Mary living with their children James Jr, Joseph, Eliza, Clarence, Precilla, Dora, Edna, and Alice. They were living in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.  Alice's last name was recorded as Hall, and so she must have married before. 


My Aunt Carrie and I have an AncestryDNA match with Linda who happens to be a grand daughter of Laura Cross who was my great grandmother Priscilla's sister.   Therefore, She is 2nd cousins with Aunt Carrie and 2nd cousins, once removed with me.

According to AncestryDNA,  Aunt Carrie and Linda share

67 cM across 7 segments

Unweighted shared DNA: 83 cM

Longest segment: 21


According to Linda, James was the son of a European American man and an African American woman that was a slave.

She told me that she was married to a man with the last name Barrow.

She told me that her mother said that James had maternal half siblings by the names of Edmond Barrow, Charles Valentine Barrow, Wallace Barrow, and Melvina Barrow Green. 

She told me that she knew of Charles Barrow and that he was married to Louise. She told me that their children were Sylvester, Charles, Ivory, Ruth, Malley, Naomi, Amos, Bonnie, Laticia, and Julie Ann.  She told me that she is very familiar with quite a few of them and played with their children.


1880 US Census records shows Melvina with her husband Jerry and their son James. Her birthplace is recorded as Lafourche, Louisiana. Her father's birthplace is recorded as Louisiana. Her mother's birthplace is recorded as Virginia.

1900 US Census Record shows Melvina with her husband Jerry Green and their children Georgia, Charles, Hattie, Maseruie, Gertrude. Melvina's brother Charles Barrow is living with them. Her father's birthplace is recorded as Louisiana. Her mother's birthplace is recorded as Virginia.

1910 US Census Records show Melvina as being mulatto. 

There is Death Record of a Velvina Green. She died in Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana on August 4, 1951.  Her father was recorded as being Bonnie Barrow. Her mother was recorded as being Laura Barrow.  She was recorded as being born in Thibodaux, Louisiana in 1870.  Thibodaux is a city in Lafourche Parish.

1920 US Record shows Charles and his wife Louise living in  Ramos, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana with their children Sylvester, Charles, Ivory, Ruth, Malley, Naomi, Amor, and Bonnie. 

1930 US Record shows Charles and Louise living St. Mary Parish with their children Mallie, Naomi, Amer, Bonnie, Julia, Leticia, and Audrey. 

Death Record shows Charles died on June 12, 1956 in Morgan City, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana.  His father was recorded as being Bonnie Barrow. His mother was recorded as being Laura. He was recorded as being born in 1865 in Louisiana. 

I also found a Social Record index showing that he was born in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana in 1865.


I have come to a very reasonable conclusion that my 2nd Great Grandfather James' mother's name was Laura and that she was the wife of Bonnie Barrow. 

My 2nd Great Grandfather James named my cousin Linda's grandmother after his mother. 

His maternal half brother Charles named one of his sons after his father. 


1880 US Census Record of James Cross



1900 US Census Record of James Cross


1880 US Census Record of Melvina Green


1900 US Census Record of Melvina Green



1910 US Census Record of Melvina Green



  Death Record of Velvina Green 



 1920 US Census Record of Charles Barrow


1930 US Census Record of Charles Barrow



Death Record of Charles Barrow




Death Record Index of Charles V. Barrow









Aunt Carrie's AncestryDNA with Linda




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