General - Family History & Genealogy Message Board

Re: JOHNSON family from America to Liberia

blamotbrooks — 2013-04-16 08:53:46Z

My name is Blamo Brooks. He is the son of Weah Johnson who came from the americas to Cape Town South Africa. My Grandfather changed his surname to Brooks when he entered South Africa. I have a late uncle whose name was also Weah. My dad, who is in his 90's, often talks about his relatives in Liberia. Is there a connection here?

Re: Mississippi in Africa

SusanELindsey — 2013-01-02 00:20:03Z

There is a roll of emigrants to Liberia and an 1843 Liberian census -- both can be found online and are very helpful. Also, find a copy of Bell Wiley's book, Slaves No More, which has a lot of letters from freed slaves back to America.

Now my request for help: I'm looking for information on people with the last name Major (Majors, Mager, Magor, etc.) and Harland (Harlan). They arrived in Bassa Cove aboard the Luna in 1836. About half the party of 15 was dead by 1851 (not atypical). If anyone knows of descendants of either family or information or resources, please let me know. Thank you.

Re: Freed Mississippi slaves in Liberia

jeannette molson — 2012-10-12 22:16:05Z

I don't know if I was the one who sent the information, but on the list of passengers who went to Liberia in Jan/1848 are the names, Granville Woodson and Sarah Woodson who were emancipated. These names, and others, can be found in Immigrants to Liberia, by Robert T. Brown (1980). The Woodson's were on the ship, Nehemiah Rich.

Re: Freed Mississippi slaves in Liberia

RTSearching — 2012-10-12 01:34:59Z

Someone sent me some names on the Freed Slaves that was sent to Liberia with the surname.Granville Woodson and Sarah Woodson.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

RTSearching — 2012-10-12 01:22:52Z

Thak you so much for the info.
Keep in touch.

CURRENCE family in Liberia

pj10orion27 — 2012-10-10 15:02:00Z

Minor currence and his wife Mary, along with young children John and Mary Emma, migrated from York County SC to Liberia in 1871. Does anyone know any Currences in Liberia?

Looking for family of the late William Nathaniel ROSS II and the late Ida JOHNSON both from Liberia Maryland County

EvieBme — 2012-06-22 12:15:08Z

Looking for relatives of my grandfather William Nathaniel Ross II from Maryland County, Liberia. My grandfather was problably born somewhere around 1900-1910, my Matilda K. Ross was born 1953 in Maryland. I believe my Mom said grandpa Ross died when she was around 14 or 16, meaning grandpa Ross died around 1967 or 1969. My grandfather had a brother named Nathan Ross who died sometime after my mothers death in April of 1995.

Also, I am trying to locate relatives of my great-grandmother Ida Johnson, also from Maryland, Liberia. My great-grandma Ida had 5 kids: 3 has passed on Jeanie, Joesph, David and 2 living Anna(my grandma) and Pinkay.

If anyone has any information regarding these 2 families please contact me Evangeline Browne Jeffy @ eviebj@me.com
Also looking for my fathers family and ancestors Browne and Gibson family from Buchanan, Grand Bassa.

If you happen to know any information regarding my parents Eric T Browne and Matilda K Ross-Browne please email Evangeline Browne-Jeffy at eviebj@me.com.

Thank you and God Bless you and all our families. :)

Re: JOHNSON family from America to Liberia

EvieBme — 2012-06-21 15:21:39Z

My grandmother Anna Johnson Baker is from Maryland, Liberia. My great grandma is Ida Johnson, married to Rev. Weah Johnson

Re: kru people of liberia

michaeliantobias — 2012-03-22 22:43:23Z

My name is Michael Ian Guishard and I did a DNA test with African Ancestry which tells me that I am 100% Kru on my father side. I am trying to learn more about my people the Kru's. We are one of the few Kru's that was successfully captured and brought to the West Indies.

South Carolina to Liberia

barbgyles — 2012-03-16 13:11:10Z

My grandson Danny's other grandfather was Stephen Tolbert, finance minister of Liberia during his brother William's presidency. I'm very anxious to help Danny get to know his past. I know William and Stephen were descendants of the Charleston, SC Tolbert slaves. I'd love to go back geneologically as far as possible. And I'd like to bring Danny to a reunion. Any help out there?

Bimbah DIGGS from Liberia

stepheniercoonrod — 2012-01-13 13:52:16Z

Looking for information on the tree i have created on Bimbah diggs that is from Liberia or where i can access more information about his roots and where he was born certificates or so. Please message me if you have any information or know more about this family. THANKS.

LOGGINS, Illinois to Liberia, 1860

WilliamPowers99 — 2011-11-28 17:52:17Z

Looking for information on Francis Marion Loggins and wife Cynthia, from Shoal Creek Station, Clinton Co., IL, who went to Liberia with their children William, Francis, Mary, Jonsey, and John on the Mary Caroline Stevens in 1860. They settled in Sinoe.

Cynthia was the daughter of Susannah Cox, probable sister to my Nancy Bryant. They were in Walker Co., GA in 1840 and Southern IL by 1850.

Re: liberia Births deaths and marriages 1700,s

CSpragg66 — 2011-10-31 22:38:27Z

Did you ever get a reply to this query? If so, I would like to know the answer as I have a 2x gt grandmother who was supposed to have been born in Nimba, Liberia in 1824. Can you please reply to the following email address:

armstrong21@slingshot.co.nz

Thank you
Maureen E. Armstrong

Re: Mississippi in Africa

jessicafc — 2011-10-09 17:27:22Z

There are American and Mississippi Colonization Society records stating who among the Prospect Hill slaves & other Mississippi plantations boarded the Nehemiah Rich, the Renown & the Lime Rock bound for the Mississippi colony at the mouth of the Sinoe River in Sinoe County on the southeast coast in Liberia. There are also records regarding the specific settlement the Prospect Hill slaves went to as well as letters from some of the PH slaves back to former owners in Mississippi. So where in Africa they were is well documented and so are many of their names. Granville Woodson, Sarah Woodson, Mechia Ross,York Walker, Peter Ross, George Jones are some of those who wrote back to Mississippi.

Liberian Ancestors COKER, JOHNS

nanfocus1 — 2011-08-29 13:41:39Z

Looking for descendents of John Early, Sylvia Coker , DOB 1868 or Early Johns

Re: kru people of liberia

Teeferet — 2011-08-27 01:01:12Z

Hi:
I'm not a Harris either but I am DNA tested for Kru through my Parternal lineage. We have been traced to Liberia. My grandfather was given the name Gee and was called Gedie as a child. I initially used that information to see if it was an African name and discovered before I was told by a male relative that he had, had the test and found that we were of Kru descendant Liberia Africa. I also dicovered that my grandfather's name was infact a name related to Gedeh or Gee, both being counties in South Liberian. It just might be a connection.My ancestors lived in Spotsylvania,Virginia as well as Charles Parish, York Virginia and was own by John Chapman B 1702-1775, before one of his descendants came to Wayne County Mississippi bringing my 3x's grandfather parents, where he was born in 1828. I would like to communicate with other Kru's who might have information on the Kru people. I've already have found a rich ancient history related the Kru's to the Nile Valley, Sudan, Khemet and the 25th Dynasty of Kushite Pharoah's. I would like to know more about the migration to West Africa and more modern time information.
Warmest Regards,
Teeferet Daveed

JOHNSON family from America to Liberia

2011-08-01 15:01:21Z

Any Johnson family members out there. I would like to trace my root from America to Liberia. This Johnson family settled in Maryland, Liberia. My grandfather name was Gray Johnson. Thanks

Wiley BRUCE from Virginia to Liberia

yayabruce — 2011-08-01 14:52:19Z

In am searching for information on a freed slave name Wiley Bruce from Virginia who went to Liberia on the Ship MC Stevens in 1856. I think he was part of James Hunter Terrell's slave group??? I am searching for info on any Bruce, surname that went to Liberia and settle around crozerville or millsburg.

Re: Harris from America to Liberia, Grand Bassa County

rosaoharris — 2011-08-01 14:43:24Z

HI EVETTE I DO NOT HAVE ANY DATES OR IF MY HARRIS LEFT AMERICA FOR LIBERIA I DO NO MY DNA HAVE KURU TRIBE DNA MY GRT GRT GRAND NAME WILLIAM HARRIS WIFE WAS MEANDA HARRIS FROM VA.THEY WAS IN GA IN 1880

Daniel B. HARRIS from America to Liberia

2011-08-01 14:43:10Z

I am interesting in tracing my my root from America to Liberia. My grandfather name was Daniel B. Harris. His brothers are Paulus and James.

Pls. respond

ACKERS from MO/KS that went to Liberia in 1887

olgabutler1 — 2011-08-01 14:41:41Z

Looking for information on the Ackers that went to Liberia. They were from the Missouri and Kansas area. In particular William Acker and his daughters Mary and Martha. They left America in 1887 and settled in Cape Mount, Liberia. Any information would be helpful.

UREY of Liberia

2011-08-01 14:39:41Z

Any Urey family members out there. Please respond to this post. I am trying to trace my Urey roots from Liberia to slavery in America if applicable. Thanks

KNIGHT and DENNIS from Liberia

Bobbalinus — 2011-08-01 14:37:37Z

Looking for family members from Liberia last names. Knight and Dennis

Burials of John and Sarah BASTION, 1849 and 1850 , in Monrovia

DorisWaggoner — 2011-08-01 14:35:38Z

I am looking for the graves of the wife and son of my great great grandfather, N.S. Bastion, in Monrovia.

N.S. Bastion and his wife Sarah were white Methodist Missionaries in Monrovia, arriving in Sept. 1849 with their 19 month old son John Tenbrook Bastion. John died Oct. 31, 1849, of "African fever," which then was an umbrella term for all kinds of tropical diseases. According to records, John was buried in the cemetery next to an important white man whose last name was Cox. I can't remember whether Cox was an earlier missionary, or, more likely, a colonial official (Liberia had recently become independent).

N.S. Bastion left Monrovia in Jan. 1850 to report to the Methodist Mission Board in New York City, USA. His wife Sarah had intended to go too, but she had started the first mission school for girls after John's death, and at the last minute refused to leave it. Probably she also did not want to leave her only child's grave. The trip was delayed, and when Bastion finally reached Boston late in June, 1850, he learned Sarah had died March 15, 1850, also of African fever. He never returned to Liberia.

I have always wondered where Sarah was buried, and if it was next to her beloved son John. And I wonder if that cemetery and their graves still exist. If the cemetery still exists, the gravestone for Cox was apparently a rather fancy monument, so that would be a good place to start looking if the cemetery doesn't have records that far back. If the years have been kind, I would dearly love to have a photograph of the graves. Or even of Cox's monument. It can be sent to me in an attachment off-list at doriswaggoner@juno.com I can only receive .jpg, unfortunately. Even if it's not possible to take a picture, it would be helpful to know whether or not the cemetery exists, and/or their graves are there. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the cemetery, just that it's the old cemetery where Cox was buried--not a lot to go on, I'm afraid! But I will never get to Liberia to look for myself, so I thought perhaps someone who is there might be so kind as to look for me.

N.S. Bastion remarried, and I descend from his second marriage. I have his journal from his trip back to the US, and a letter he wrote on learning of Sarah's death. He was full of grief on losing his wife and child. So I have always been interested in them.

Thanks,
Doris Waggoner
Seattle, Washington, USA

kru people of liberia

rosaoharris — 2011-08-01 14:29:34Z

IS THERE ANY ONE OUT THERE NO ANY HARRIS FROM VA. THAT HAS KRU PEOPLE ANCESTRY MY NAME IS JESSIE JAME HARRIS SR.I HAD MY DNA DONE IT TRACED MY ANCESTERY BACK TO LIBERIA MY GRT GRT GRAND PA. WAS WILLIAM HARRIS FROM VA.

SEVIER family in Liberia

adlpadvocate — 2011-08-01 14:27:54Z

Trying to find the family of my great great grandfather Samuel S. Sevier (b. April 1861)in Marshall, Liberia (Bassa). He was brought to the US as part of the Presbyterian Mission to be educated. I am also trying to also determine if he is related to a family of emancipated slaves who emigrated from TN to Liberia on the Mariposa via the American Colonization Society in August 1842.

liberia Births deaths and marriages 1700,s

cheryl_pinchen — 2011-03-07 18:47:25Z

Can anyone tell me if there is such a research centre for births deaths and marriages which occurred in west nimba liberia in the 1700,s please

Re: kru people of liberia

HaemWilliams — 2011-01-11 15:54:12Z

Yes! I am originally from Levittown Pennsylavina and of Kru Descent. My father is from the Kru tribe and my mother is from the Grebo Tribe. They immigrated to America in the 80,s. The Kru tribe is actually very well known in West Africa. It also has the second complex tribal language in Africa. They also were very resistant to slavery and were known by the Europesn slave traders as difficult to capture. The reason for this is because they would kill and actually kill them selves to avoid capture. It is this reason that most kru people were not taken as slaves.

Re: kru people of liberia

constanceteage — 2010-12-23 20:57:56Z

Hello,
My name is Constance, I'm not a Harris, I'm a Teage/Bropleh, my Teage Ancestors are ex-slaves from Virginia, but my Bropleh side is a huge Kru family from Liberia. I was born in Liberia and raised in Liberia and America.

Freed Mississippi slaves in Liberia

sjoh873442 — 2010-12-15 18:28:57Z

Looking for any info or records with names of former slaves from Mississippi that sailed to Africa abt 1848. Particularly those with Woodson surname

Freed slaves in Liberia

RTSearching — 2010-12-15 18:27:27Z

Looking for descendants of Mississippi slaves of Prospect Hill Plantation in the United States.(Jefferson County,Miss) that were sent back home to Liberia. Their slaveowner promised his slaves that they will be set free to return home after his death.Issac Ross died in 1836 and his family contested the will. The court battle went on for years and finally after more than fifty years they sailed home to Liberia.Some families were left behind. Let me know if you have any info on the families.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

RTSearching — 2010-07-03 03:37:41Z

Doris I took your advice, and everything work out just right for me.
Thank you
RTSearching

Re: James and Kathryn Urey White-Dennis' Celebration

jeannette molson — 2010-06-30 15:04:34Z

Thank you so much for sending the pictures of the Thanksgiving Celebration. Even though I wasn't able to be there in person, I was able to see my family celebrate the honorees.

Jeannette L. Molson

Re: looking for family members

cyrusdennis1 — 2010-06-30 02:01:13Z

see these pictures, she just celebrated her birthday in Liberia:

http://www.tlcafrica.com/party2/party_1.htm

Re: Thomas Hyde – Left for Liberia in 1859 with John McDonough’s Slaves

hawkjmh — 2010-05-26 23:40:20Z

Hi there,

Since my original post I've uncovered a great deal of family history, but I'll definitely register with your site. Thanks much for sharing.

Re: looking for family members

jeannette molson — 2010-05-26 15:26:34Z

My cousin, from Liberia, Kathryn Urey-White married James Dennis in Minneapolis in May 2002. They now live in Tennessee. Her sister, Burdie Urey-Weeks, was once married to Henry Dennis. Their daughter, Alma, lives in Georgia.

Re: Thomas Hyde – Left for Liberia in 1859 with John McDonough’s Slaves

CPBurrowes1 — 2010-05-26 04:05:04Z

Try www.liberianrepatriates.com. Registration is required, but there is no charges

Re: Mississippi in Africa

CPBurrowes1 — 2010-05-26 03:56:57Z

For help with this, try www.liberianrepatriates.com. Registration is required, but there is no charge.

Re: Liberian Ureys

CPBurrowes1 — 2010-05-26 03:52:17Z

Would you be willing to share F. w. Ureh's will with others? If so, I could post it at a site I recently launched:www.liberianrepatriates.com. Visit when you can.

Re: looking for family members

CPBurrowes1 — 2010-05-26 03:47:03Z

Try www.liberianrepatriates.com. Registration is required, but there is no charge.

Re: looking for family members

cyrusdennis1 — 2010-05-15 20:21:36Z

I am from Liberia, looking US relatives with the last name Dennis.

Re: Liberian Ureys

shoppeone604 — 2010-03-20 13:53:27Z

I am very interested in F W Urey's information. Could you please send me all that you have on him. I am doing a family tree and I am stuck on F W Urey.
He is my 4th great grandfather.
Thank you for your help

Re: Mississippi in Africa

DorisWaggoner — 2009-08-14 04:42:17Z

I stand corrected. As I said, I know about early Liberian history, and make assumptions about more recent history.
Doris

Re: Mississippi in Africa

NormanRPeters — 2009-07-21 04:22:46Z

You are welcome. Good luck in finding your family connections. I have one here in the US which I have never gotten around to working on. Have all the US data, including a court trial with Abe Lincoln and the passage to Liberia. Well, one day!

Re: Mississippi in Africa

RTSearching — 2009-07-21 03:26:05Z

Thank you Norman for your info.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

RTSearching — 2009-07-21 03:25:00Z

Hello Doris, I found some info on the family that I was researching. Thank you very much for your help.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

NormanRPeters — 2009-06-28 01:23:47Z

"Even recent Liberian presidents have tended to have Western names like Doe, Taylor, etc. They are descendants of freed slaves."

Samuel Kanyan Doe was NOT the descendant of any freed slaves. He was an African - Liberian, born of Krahn parents in Grand Geddah County.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

DorisWaggoner — 2009-06-21 00:21:32Z

Do you have names of some of those who went from the plantation to Liberia? Start there and ask the list for help. Clearly some of them are in Liberia and might be able to help. I'm in the US and can't. Best of luck. Doris

Re: Mississippi in Africa

RTSearching — 2009-06-21 00:03:47Z

Hello Doris, Thank you for the information. You have filled in all the missing pieces to the puzzle. Now I understand why it is so complicated to trace African Ancestors. Keep up the great work.

Re: Mississippi in Africa

DorisWaggoner — 2009-06-19 23:55:43Z

In looking for the descendants of freed slaves who ended up in Liberia, it is important to understand that in most cases they had not originated there. Many came from some part of West Africa, or their ancestors had. Slave history was almost exclusively oral, and while often highly accurate, place names didn't always match Western names. Officials in the US who began the colony of Liberia simply used Liberia as a way of, literally, getting rid of freed slaves. They were often considered too dangerous to be left in the US, because it was feared they would foment rebellion among those still in slavery. If you research the early history of Liberia, you'll find that the black leaders there were freed slaves, who were the ones given education. Early missionary efforts focused on the freedmen, leaving the "natives" alone.

Even recent Liberian presidents have tended to have Western names like Doe, Taylor, etc. They are descendants of freed slaves. Civil unrest and war in Liberia is typically between the descendants of the returned slaves and the descendants of "natives," untouched by the US slave system, and for whom tribalism is still important. Slave owners who set their slaves free and sent them to Liberia, or made it possible for them to go to Liberia, were often kindhearted, but didn't know the political situation in Liberia.

One of my ancestors was a missionary in Liberia around 1850, and I've done quite a bit of research about Liberian history. Others on the list might set me straight, but I think in the absence of specific names of people who went there, hunting for their descendants in Liberia will be very hard. Fifty years after their owner's death, the freedmen (and women) would be at least two generations removed from Africa, so would have no memory at all of "home," whichever country it was. You'll need more than the name of the plantation they came from to find their descendants.

Sorry to be discouraging, and I hope that if you have some names, someone on the ground in Liberia can help you.

Doris