I am completely lost and could use some help. This should be a simple task but unfortunately it has not been. I know nothing about my fathers side of the family since my parents divorced when i was a baby. i have never met my paternal grandmother and my paternal grandfather passed before i was born. my grandfather legally changed his last name to "Stuart" from "Haywood" after he was released from a chain gang in Georgia. I dont know when he was born, died or changed his name. I dont even know his first name. my mom thinks it may of been James or John. I know when he married my grandmother, Elizabeth Pahl the change had already been made. where can i find a record of this name change? I cant seem to find many records on my grandmother either and i thought his name would be listed on her death or cemetary records but its not. can someone please help me or tell me where to look? I would appreciate this greatly.

You might check the Learning Center area to see what information is given on an SS-5, the application for a Social Security card. I believe one had to list his parents' names on the card.

thank you...i will try that. this has been very time consuming and i shouldn't hit a wall so soon in my research on my dad's side. :(

A possible source for Georgia name changes is "Georgia Black Book: Morbid, Macabre and Disgusting Records of Genealogical Value" by Robert S. Davis. It seems to be out of print but I've seen in in several genealogical libraries.

If I remember correctly, and I'm not going to guarantee that, the book included some name changes. There may also have been prison records in the book.

Hmm... if he went to prison there should be a record of that. You would probably qualify for the International Blacksheep Society of Genealogists http://www.ibssg.org/blacksheep/. They may be able to offer some more ideas on where to look.

Did you find your grandfather's Death Certificate? What are his parents names on that?

Have you found him with his parents on any census? Or are you stuck because you don't really know his first name?

The SSDI is a good place to begin a search for recent deaths, but not everyone appears in the SSDI. I'm not sure of the date their records begin, but I think it was sometime in the 1960's.

Rel@ively,
Patrice

i will definetly look for that book to see if it has the info i need. he passed away before i was born, (i was born in 1975), so i dont think my mom had ever met him when she was involved with my dad. i dont know his first name unfortunately...either john or james (of what my mom thinks anyway).i tried looking up info on my grandmother as well but all i can find is her obit. it lists only 1 son and 2 grandkids. she was born in 1916 and i cant find her on ANY census. i thought if i found her on a census that maybe i would find him after they were married. my dad was born in 1947 so there is no census yet to try to find the info that way. i will see if i can maybe get a copy of my dad's birth certificate and find the info that way. my dad hasn't been around since i was 2 yrs so there is no way to get any info from him unfortunately.

Hi,

I'm at the library, looking at Georgia's Black Book. I find several Haywoods, but no John or James. Most are black, one is mulatto.

The names found in volume 1 are Ike, Black; entered prison 30 Jan 1876, convicted in Lee County. I'll abbreviate the rest.

Tom, Bl, 29 Apr 1876, Sumter
Issac, Bl, 30 Jan 1876, Lee
Joseph, Bl, 15 Dec 1873, Cobb
Yook, Bl, 17 May 1877 Camden
Bosey, Y, 9 Feb 1875, Chatham
Ida, M, 8 May 1884, Chatham

Volume 2 has two Johns, a J.H. and a Josiah.

Bose is listed under prison deaths. No dates, but from Chatham.

Under requests for pardons/parole is:
J.H., Lamar County
John, Habersham
Pink, Banks
Robert, Fulton

In Chapter IX, Reports of Racial Violence, page 154
Petition of Lydia Braughton (black) for clemency for her son King Braughton, convicted of murdering Henry Screven (black) in Chatham County. It is signed by many, including John H. Haywood and Josiah Haywood.

There are more Haywoods in the book, but I think the John H. or Josiah could be what you are looking for.

At least it narrows your search to Chatham County, GA.

Good Luck! Do let us know what you find.

Rel@ivey,
Patrice