Ethnicity Inheritance Chart, courtesy of Ancestry.com
(Red-Ireland; Orange-Sweden and Denmark; Purple-Scotland)
“Well, our DNA proclaims loudly that we are a European people, a multicultural people, a people black as well as white. You might think of us as an Afro-Mulatto people, our genes recombined in that test tube called slavery.” -Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Dr. Gates further explains that “58% of African American people, according to geneticist Mark Shriver at Morehouse College, possess at least 12.5% European ancestry.” [25] This ancestry comes from the result of a white enslaver raping and impregnating a Black female they enslaved—genes that are henceforth passed down from generation to generation.
We saw evidence of this atrocity while researching Winnie Shipp, who was described as “mulatto” along with her children in the 1870 census. The ethnicity inheritance chart above shows that European ancestry exists on Kevin’s paternal line as well.
Final Thoughts | No More Rabbit Holes
“They were living, breathing, loving humans. But back then, slaves were seen as an afterthought. You made them living, breathing, loving humans again. Thank you.”
The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room policy for reference questions limits staff research time to two hours per patron. Admittedly, I spent more than two hours working with Kevin researching his family history. In fact, he made me promise to not go down any more rabbit holes.
As mentioned before, Black genealogy is a beast. Kevin faced tough questions and even tougher answers. Because of his courage to learn these truths, future generations of his family will now carry a piece of Wesley and Winnie Shipp, and George and Violet Graham with them forevermore.
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The Robinson-Spangler Carolina Room’s historical and genealogical collections heavily focuses on local and regional materials, providing access to family histories, county and state records, wills, land and vital records, war records, and Ancestry Library Edition. Although Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has access to genealogical databases at every branch, do not hesitate to contact the Carolina Room and speak with our genealogy experts.
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Citations
[1] Lincoln County, North Carolina Register of Deeds. Deed Book 42:204.
[2] Lincoln County, North Carolina Register of Deeds. Deed Book 42:628.
[3] Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Deaths, 1906-1930 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
[4] Year: 1830; Census Place: Lincoln, North Carolina; Series: M19; Roll: 122; Page: 206; Family History Library Film: 0018088
[5] Year: 1840; Census Place: Lower Regiment, Lincoln, North Carolina; Roll: 364; Family History Library Film: 0018095
[6] The National Archive in Washington DC; Washington, DC; NARA Microform Publication: M432; Title: Seventh Census Of The United States, 1850; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
[7] The National Archives in Washington DC; Washington DC, USA; Eighth Census of the United States 1860; Series Number: M653; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29
[8] Year: 1870; Census Place: Catawba Springs, Lincoln, North Carolina; Roll: M593_1146; Page: 136A
[9] National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), "The Emancipation Proclamation, NARA, Revised 2022-01-28, www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation">https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-procla..." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation">https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-procla...
[10] United States, Post Office Department. Rural delivery routes, Lincoln County, N.C. [Map]. 1:63,360, Washington, D.C.: Post Office Dept., c1910s. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/1799/rec/8" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/1799/rec/8
[11] Lincoln County, North Carolina Register of Deeds. Deed Book 49:99-100.
[12] Lincoln County, North Carolina Register of Deeds. Deed Book 42:628.
[13] Foard, Davyd Hood. National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Mount Welcome. Prepared January 28, 1991. Accessed July 2022. www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14623/Mount-Welcome?bidId=">http://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14623/Mount-Welcome?bidId=" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14623/Mount-Welcome?bidId=">http://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14623/Mount-Welcome?bidId=
[14] "Lincolnton; Thursday, March 30, 1848." Lincoln Courier (Lincoln County, North Carolina), Mar. 30, 1848.
[15] Fortenberry, Ken. “Historic Elmwood Plantation.” Lincoln County North Carolina History Facebook Group, 2010. www.facebook.com/750601628308901/photos/historic-elmwood-plantation-2010...">https://www.facebook.com/750601628308901/photos/historic-elmwood-plantat..." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/750601628308901/photos/historic-elmwood-plantation-2010...">https://www.facebook.com/750601628308901/photos/historic-elmwood-plantat...
[16] Ibid.
[17] Year: 1870; Census Place: Catawba Springs, Lincoln, North Carolina; Roll: M593_1146; Page: 157B
[18] Year: 1900; Census Place: Catawba Springs, Lincoln, North Carolina; Roll: 1203; Page: 6; Enumeration District: 0105; FHL microfilm: 1241203
[19] Year: 1880; Census Place: Catawba Springs, Lincoln, North Carolina; Roll: 970; Page: 257B; Enumeration District: 100
[20] Ibid.
[21] Burke, R.T. Avon, W. Edward Hearn, and Lonn Leland Brinkley. Soil Map, North Carolina, Lincoln County [map]. 1:62,500. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1914. https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/297/rec/10" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/ncmaps/id/297/rec/10
[22] Google Maps, 2022.
[23] Survey and Planning Unity Staff, State Department of Archives and History. National Register of Historic Places, Tucker's Grove Camp Meeting Ground. Prepared Feb. 17, 1972. www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14649/Tuckers-Grove-Camp-Meeti...">https://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14649/Tuckers-Grove-Ca..." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14649/Tuckers-Grove-Camp-Meeti...">https://www.lincolncounty.org/DocumentCenter/View/14649/Tuckers-Grove-Ca...
[24] Gates, Henry Louis, Jr. "Michelle's Great-Great Great-Grandaddy--and Yours." History News Network. Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, The George Washington University, Published Oct. 8, 2009. https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/118292" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/118292
[25] Ibid.
Bibliography
Davidson College Archive and Special Collections. "Elm Wood (Graham) Plantation." Under Lake Norman. Published 2015. Accessed July 2022. https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/community/und..." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/community/und...
Sherrill, William. Annals of Lincoln County North Carolina. Charlotte, NC: The Observer Printing House, Inc., 1937. (NCR 975.61 L56 S55a)
York, Maurice C. Our Enduring Past: A Survey of 235 Years of Life and Architecture in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Lincolnton, NC: Lincoln County Historic Properties Commission, 1986. (NCR 975.61 L56 B87m)