Coming to America

The term "Coming to America" for African-Americans has a whole different meaning than it does for other races.  As a white person, so far, my family came from England, of their own accord.  We all have seen the TV mini series, "Roots".  Most African-Americans want to find their "Kunta Kinte".  

Besides watching PBS' African American Lives, there are several books and CD's about the subject.  One such CD is entitled "The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade: A Database on CD-ROM" by David Eltis, David Richardson, Herbert S. Klein and Stephen D. Behrendt.  This database was published by Cambridge University Press.  Unfortunately, it is not cheap to obtain, costing more than $195.  It contains records of 25,000 trans-Atlantic slave-ship voyages made between 1595 and 1866 from all over Europe.  

Most African-American researchers can get back to the "brick wall".  This is the 1870 U.S. Census.  This is the first census that lists all black/colored/negro/mulatto people by name.  Prior to this, they were listed only on the Slave Schedules by their sex and age under a slaveowner's name.  There are two Slave Schedules, one in 1850 and one in 1860.  Getting beyond this brick wall requires much research.  After identifing where someone was born, one must look to the slaveowner's in the area and look at the Slave Schedules to find a slave listed as the same age.  Then probate records need to be searched for the slaveowner's will.  These documents usually list the slaves by name.

Once a slaveowner has been determined, looking at transactions concerning the buying and selling of his slaves may lead to the ship on which the slave was transported from Africa.  Newspapers would publish the arrival and departure of a slave ship.  Knowing when a slave was sold could lead to an article about the arrival of the ship and what country it came from.  Finding an actual name of the slave would be next to impossible in documents, only family stories usually have that kind of detail.   

According to census records, Joseph Bruton was born between 1850 and 1860.  In the 1900 Census, Joseph was born-Feb 1860, 1910-approx. 1850, 1920-approx. 1854, and 1930-approx. 1850.  Therefore, he possibly could be listed on either of the Slave Schedules.  There are listings for a Joseph Brewton in 1870 and 1880.  If this is indeed our Joseph, his parents would be Reubin and Tamer.  This would take us back to the "brick wall".  Since Joseph is a common name, looking in probate records for Reubin and Tamer would be easier.  Joseph may also be listed in the same household.  Reubin was born approx. 1826 in South Carolina.  Tamer was born approx. 1820 in South Carolina.  Probate records could then replace the census the further back you go, possibly naming Reubin and Tamer's parents.  Eventually taking you back to a purchase order for the original ancestor.

I hope to be able to do this research for the Bruton line.  If anyone else if interested in assisting me, I welcome the help.