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Dean Delving Into Family History |
| By
Kimyette Finley |
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Feb 26, 2002 |
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| Dr. Johnnie Early |
Dr. Johnnie Early, dean of The University of Toledo College of Pharmacy, has always been interested in old family photos and stories. Now he is on a mission to piece together his family tree.
“It’s hard for black people to trace their family history, but I’m starting to find things in bits and pieces. I would actually spend time and money to go look,” said Early, who hails from Macon, Ga.
The seed was planted long ago when he listened to stories as a young boy. “My daddy’s grandmamma had a lot to do with this. He’d make me say hello to her [after church]. He didn’t have to make me do it but a few times because she had a pleasing personality and she’d tell me stories,” Early said.
He remembered her telling him about her own mother being only 6 years old during the Emancipation Proclamation. “She said a man came riding on a horse, ringing a bell and said, ‘Lincoln freed the slaves.’ That kind of interaction is what got this going,” Early said.
Early and his wife, Diane, interim director of the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women, purchased the Family Tree Maker software. So far, based on information from his family, Early has traced details back five generations. Diane also is starting to trace her family history.
Early is trying to find bits and pieces from various sources. “I’ll go to a funeral and get a program. I can get information from that I may not get otherwise,” Early explained. He said the program could contain names of family members.
He’s also talking with family members. “I used a video camera, a tape recorder and still pictures to document some things. That way, I have a way to get things down that I can’t get all the time. The documents, pictures and items I have, I’m putting them on CD-ROM and a disk. I want to put them in a safe deposit box,” Early said.
Based on suggestions from the National Genealogical Society (NGS), Early is on the right track. The NGS suggests making a simple chart, beginning with you, your parents, grandparents and great grandparents. The organization also suggests searching for birth, marriage and death certificates, as well as other documents that might provide names, dates and locations. Collect photographs, letters and other family memorabilia. Contacting family members to find out about their lives and asking them to fill in the blanks also is recommended.
Early has discovered some interesting facts about his family. For example, he came across a photograph featuring several women. Beside each woman, a number was listed. When he turned the picture over, the women’s names were recorded next to the numbers to correspond with their places in the photograph. His father’s grandmother was listed as the secretary who recorded the information. The picture was taken around 1910, indicating she knew how to read and write during that time period in American history.
Although he began his quest around 1995, Early hasn’t had much time to gather and put all of the information together. “There are still big gaps. If I ever get the time, the search is on,” he said.
He plans to gather more information during his upcoming family reunion this June in Stone Mountain, Ga.
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