Leland Ferguson

In the book "Uncommon Ground, Archaeology and Early African America 1630-1800" by Leland Ferguson it states on page 75: "As late as 1907, a scholar photographed an African styled house in Edgefield, South Carolina, that belonged to Tahro, a native Bakongo, one of the last slaves imported in to the United States. This small house has narrowly spaced walls supporting a thatched roof and siding tied to upright posts". [See rel="nofollow" target="_top">http://afrigeneas.com/forum-books/index.cgi?noframes;read=26 for more on this book]

There are illustrations and endnotes referencing John Michael Vlach (The Afro-American Tradition in Decorative Arts, Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio 1978) and Charles J. Montgomery (Survivors of the Cargo of the Slave Yacht Wanderer, American Anthropologist 10:611-623 1908).

This peaks my interest because I have Ancestors who lived in Edgefield County, SC. My great grandmother Louisa 'Calou' HANCOCK, nee Louisa CURRY or SCOTT, was said to be very dark skinned and from Africa. It was also said that she lived in a small house/hut on the edge of George Hancock's property (who she had eight mulatto kids by).

Could this line of research lead me to more information about Calou? Perhaps. What if I'm a descendent from one of the Africans on the Wanderer? That's exciting. Of course, this is pure speculation but you never know. I'm at that brick wall with Calou anyways; and what better way to get through it than by exploring the above mentioned publications.

The point I'm trying to make here, to us lay family historians, is that we should pick up and read books, magazines and journals in diverse fields like anthropology, archaeology, art and others to help us in our genealogical pursuits. We should also consider foreign publications. You never know where that elusive piece of information is going to come from.

Peace,
"Guided by the Ancestors"
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