A Brayboy Challenge

One genealogical feature that I've come to enjoy recently is Chris Dunham's "Genealogical Challenge," which appears from time to time at The Genealogue. Chris challenges readers to find some interesting or obscure genealogical information about an historical or pop culture figure.

These challenges and their solutions serve to refine research skills and open up many sources that one might not ordinarily look into. [And the subjects of the challenges are always interesting!]

Since I'm a West Coast resident (and a late-rising one, at that!) I'm seldom among the first few to get the right answer. But I take the challenges on without looking at the solutions in the comments anyway!

It occurred to me that perhaps a "challenge" would be a way to have folks weigh in on a difficult actual research problem. Sooo, here we go . . . .

A few days ago, I heard from one of my New England Brayboy cousins. She was trying to figure out the paternal lineage of one Earley Brayboy, who was born in South Carolina on July 10, 1888, and died in July, 1956. He was born in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, and died in nearby Lake City in Florence County, South Carolina.

I've written about the Brayboys before. My Brayboy line originated in South Carolina on the Darlington plantation of Boykin Witherspoon. In 1854, Boykin Witherspoon re-located his family and slaves to De Soto Parish, Louisiana. In South Carolina there remain a large number of the Witherspoon family and the Brayboys. The descendants of some of the South Carolina Brayboys found their way to the Northeast.

Anyway, in the 1930 census of Williamsburg County, South Carolina, I found Earley "Braboy," age 43, with wife, 33 year-old Elma, living in the town of Sumter. Their children with them at that time were Vernell, 18; "Rolley," 16; Darby, 14; "Blanch," 12; Willie, 9; "Rush," 7; Harold, 5; "Cotell," 3; and "Earl," 2. [An issue researching the Brayboys is the shifting spelling of the surname].

The 1920 census of Williamsburg County shows "Early J. Braboy," age 31, with wife Elma, 22; and children, "Vernel," 8; "Raleigh," 6, "Darbie," 4; and "Blanche," 2.

Then I found the World War I draft card for Earley Brayboy. This document, dated June 5, 1917, indicates that Earley Brayboy had a wife and three children at that time. His occupation is listed as farmer.

After the draft card, records got tougher to find. I went to the SSDI and found death dates for six of Earley Brayboy's children. Then I went to a newspaper archive and found an obituary for Vernell Brayboy. The obit said that Vernell, the son of "Earl J." and Elma Montgomery Brayboy, was survived by six brothers, Harold, David, Willie, Darby, Earl, and Kotell; and two sisters, Blanche Burgess and Annie Laura Dupres. I found in the Connecticut marriage records that Annie Brayboy had married Dupres Branch. [Thus, the obit was in error as to her name.] Then I found in the SSDI death dates for Blanche Burgess and Annie Branch.

None of this was leading back to the main issue--the paternal lineage of Earley Brayboy. So I started going back through the census records. No Earley Brayboy turned up. But in the 1880 census, I found a Jacob Brayboy, age 39, in Williamsburg County, South Carolina. He was married to 23 year old Dora. The age of the children listed suggests that Dora was a second wife to Jacob. The children were: Jessie, 20; Ellis, 19; Billie, 18; George, 15; Margaret, 13; Betsy, 11; "Jennett," 8; "Lela," 7; "Sofronie," 6; and Martha, 1. There is also a step-daughter, Sarah Dinckins, age 7.

This Jacob Brayboy would be old enough to be the father of Earley Brayboy, born in 1888. A way to check if this is the right family is to go to the 1900 census, when Jacob would be 59 and Earley about 12 years old. Unfortunately, no Braboy or Brayboy on the 1900 census seems to match up with Jacob or Earley. And the disadvantage of not having an 1890 census becomes apparent right away.

Not only is Jacob old enough to be Earley's father; he's old enough to be Earley's grandfather. Additionally, in 1888, when Earley was born, Jessie would be 28, Ellis would be 27, Billie would be 26, and George would be 23. Thus any one of them might be Earley's father.

There is one potential hint: in the 1920 census of Williamsburg County, Earley's family lives next door to one James Braboy and family. James is either a year older or a year younger than Eraley. On the other side of Earley's house, Dora Braboy lives as a boarder. Then, in the 1930 census, Dora lives with a 32 year old Sam Braboy and is listed as his mother. In 1930, neither Earlery nor James is old enough to have a 32 year old son. So the suggestion here is that Dora is the mother of Sam, James, and Earley. This would make Jacob their father.

Now who is Jacob's father? The hint is that in the 1850 census, Jacob is listed as a seven year-old in a household headed by Mary Braboy, 52. Also in the household are Samuel Brayboy, 22; Martha Brayboy, 28; Margarett Brayboy, 9; William, 5; and Polly, 3. The 1870 census does not show relationships. There is a strong inference here that Mary is Sam's mother and that Sam and Martha are the parents of the children.

So with this information, one might surmise that Earley Brayboy's father was Jacob Brayboy and his grandfather was Samuel Brayboy.

Am I right? How would you bring this within the Genealogical Proof Standard?

UPDATE (10/06/07, 1:45 PM PDT): In the comments, Teresa says:

I think I've found your folks on the 1900 census in Williamsburg County, SC (HeritageQuest, Series: T623 Roll: 1544 Page: 286) - Jacob must have passed away by then, but Dora is listed as "Dora Braveboy", living with son Elliot. On the next page are: Lela Pendergrass, daughter; Samml B?boy, son; James B., son; Early, son; and Lila (or Lula?), daughter.

Thanks, Teresa! I have a couple of comments on the comment. First, I think Teresa is right. This appears to be the family of Early Brayboy. Second, let me eat some crow here. I certainly knew that "Braveboy" was an alternative name (some say it was the original name from which "Brayboy" and "Braboy" were derived). But I had gotten into the mindset of thinking that by about 1900, the spellings and names had somewhat stabilized and that it would be unusual for a family that had been "Brayboy" to go back to "Braveboy." So much for thinking how smart I am! Third, Ancestry.com does not index "Dora Braveboy" or any of her children on the 1900 census, although as Teresa says, HeritageQuest does!

Research Resource: National Register of Historic Places Nomination Forms

Many are familiar with the National Register of Historic Places. A good resource for research is the set of nomination forms for places on the Register. These are available from the National Park Service at the address on this page.

The Park Service hopes eventually to have all of the nomination forms online. But until then, a e-mail to the Park Service will get you the materials. They responded to my e-mail within a day or two and sent me materials in less than three weeks. I was not charged for the material.

So what does one get? Well, I sent for the nomination package for Buena Vista, the plantation in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, where my Brayboy, LeJay, and probably Gines, ancestors were held in bondage by the Boykin Witherspoon family. The nomination papers included a written statement of significance prepared by the nominator. This statement described the property and included an historical note that contained a transcription of the1859 contract to build the estate. There were also three pages of photographs and two pages of diagrams.

Information similar to this can be found in the nomination papers of any of the properties on the National Register. If your family had any connection to a National Register property, these papers may add to your understanding of the family.

Once Again, The Thrill of Discovery

In the post about the Brayboy surname, I rather blithely mentioned that I had found photographs of Buena Vista plantation in De Soto Parish, Louisiana, where my great-great-grandparents Brayboy (and likely LeJay) were enslaved. I glossed over my feelings about that discovery. I was very much surprised and thrilled! The discovery was so unexpected!

A few months ago, I had run into a previously unknown cousin at a genealogical workshop. I learned from her for the first time that the Brayboys (and likely the LeJays) were slaves of a man named Boykin Witherspoon, who had relocated his operations from South Carolina to Louisiana. This information was pretty exciting and set me off to discover all I could about the Witherspoon family. I ascertained the location of some primary sources and found other information. But what I didn't find was information about the plantation, strangely enough.

When I decided to do a piece on the Brayboy surname, I made a quick, and I thought, pro forma, Google search of the Witherspoon name--expecting to find nothing new. But there was a document that I did not recall having seen before. It turned out to be linked to the National Register information about Buena Vista. The document appears to be part of the National Register nomination package for Buena Vista. It includes the following contract between Boykin Witherspoon and M. Robbins:

State of Louisiana, Parish of DeSoto
Nov 29 1859

Memorandum of an agreement or contract this day made & entered into between M. Robbins of the one part & Boykin Witherspoon of the other part (both citizens domicitited [sic] in the State & Parish above written). Witnesseth that the said Robbins on his part agrees and binds himself to do the carpenters work in a workman like manner according to such plan and specifications as said Witherspoon may furnish or desire, the said Witherspoon on his part obligating himself to pay said Robbins one hundred dollars per month together with board & lodging for himself & horse and to pay monthly for the hands now in the employment of said Robbins or such of them as he may wish to keep, the same wages as he may have to pay the owners of said hands. The said Witherspoon having the right to put such of his own negroes as he may wish to work on said house under the direction & control of said Robbins.


B. Witherspoon
M. Robbins

Witness: C.A. Edwards


It shows once again that it's almost always worthwhile retrace your steps in this endeavor.