*BlogTalkRadio for AAGSAR*!

                                        

Hello Family and Friends! and Most of all my Delightful Readers!

Just wanted to share "My True Roots!" with you again to reintroduce myself to the Genealogy Community and why I started!

This was my 1st Post which you can click on the Link to see my 1st start and Tribute.

 Threshold of Blogging! after much hesitation.

 I started it on November 7, 2012 and posted what was the time of Daddy's Death of 2:32.  My Father James Edward Lewis,  passed Saturday Morning in my childhood home in Oberlin Pennsylvania. Dauphin County. November 7, 2009.  With all his Children surrounding him.

Me and Daddy age 9, 1977.

I wanted to keep my Family History and Oral History alive.

Inspiration came from my "Ol'Slave Ike Ivery"!

 This is where you can learn all about my Sankofa for Granddaddy, in my Documentary to Granddaddy "Ike Ivery" all the way to Me!

I was encouraged by many people along the way on other Facebook Groups I had joined.

 Countless Friends and Family. Too many to mention who have been encouraging and cheering me on this Journey. So I'd like to take this time for "Thanking" everyone who has been so positive and uplifting. 

Later I joined AAGSAR!  This is my new HOME now. Please take a look at the work done by Luckie Daniels and all the "New Bloggers" who are pretty much seasoned and I proudly and Boastfully say this was a long time coming and much needed. 

"The Village"

With Luckie Daniels of Our Georgia Roots  supervision no words can express what she started for the African American Genealogy Community 14 years ago and took on the role and challenge of nurturing and getting us started. We can pass this on and take Charge now. "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child"......She has guided us by hand daily on showing us what our Work and Challenges are? Why we need to be a part of the Genealogy Community?

Now she is taking AAGSAR to another Level.....BlogTalkRadio! our 3rd Home and Why We Got Roots Too!

                    
This is where my development and integration of technology for my Work began. Daddy would be Proud of me for being with these Folks on the level we are taking our Work to Honor Our Ancestors Lives in the RadioSphere.

It has been way to long and much anticipated. I hope other's will join in not letting our Slave History get behind any longer.

 That is my Life Work as well.

 To keep reminding EVERYONE that we! My Ancestors! have a place in Ancestry and Beyond! with all the complexities of different nationalities and ethnicity's told within our DNA as well. 

This is part of mine: 23andMe making me U5b1c Maternally.

True's! DNA.

In this Work we call Genealogy and to Continually Tell Their Life Stories for the World so as not to be forgotten integrated with Technology.  My Unborn Readers and my Descendant's Hopefully will carry this body of work I have only begun to touch on.

I expect nothing less from all the GREAT New & Seasoned Genning Friends of  the Genealogy Community to support Me and my People as they become known to you, on my behalf and help them! Receive them! Support them as they come along, long after I have gone. 

So to Celebrate another milestone in my Ancestors lives and my Fellow Bloggers. New and Old. Come Support your Extended Genealogy Family. 



 I EXTEND my Hand and INVITE! and ask that you join us LIVE on Sunday March 2nd, 2014 6pm EST, as we Debut our Live BlogTalkRadio Show! @ BlogTalkRadio for AAGSAR!  And don't forget to CALL IN!  @ 347-838-8307

                                          Upcoming Events!

We have some great line-ups! You'll get to meet AAGSAR Members and Luckie Daniels and Myself and Fellow Bloggers and Experts in Technology, Family Research and Genning from the Larger Community?

Why We Have Roots Too!

AAGSAR African American Genealogy & Slave Ancestry Research

Visit AAGSAR You Got Roots? Yes we Do!



Post: Questions or Comments at the above link and get familiarized with our BlogTalkRadio page leading up to SUNDAY MARCH 2ND, 2014. 6 pm EST!  Pass the WORD around! Google+ "Twitter" Facebook and all the other Technology Engines you use and Groups too! We are so Excited! and We want YOU to be a PART of IT!

Bring your Coffee! and in my case my English Tea! A few snacks. Come TALK and Chat with us, or just Plain out HANG OUT! Join in the Experience and Celebrate with US on what we all so love in Genealogy and Technology. Keeping our Ancestral Work alive. 

                      See you on SUNDAY, MARCH   2ND, @ 6pm                                       Eastern Time in the US!  
                                       Call In: 347-838-8307
                                  for AAGSAR! You Got Roots!? Live Talk Show!
                                                    @ 
                            "BlogTalkRadio Channel"                                                   

See Ya Sunday, and My Best Regards!
True!

Lillian Mary Johnson Sweigard

Hello All!    it's FEBRUARY!  Time for 2# Post for WorldWide ~ A Genealogical Collaboration

It's me; True! again.

I'm going to make this Short and Sweet. I will be traveling to my "Ancestral Home" of Alabama to bury my Mother's Sister. My African American side. So please bear with me. I will add to this later.

It's very challenging when you are grieving and have to keep up your daily responsibilities. I haven't been much in the mood to write as of late. After I get past a few things in the next couple days. My tears will turn to joy and I will get up to task of writing again. I'm just in a lull right now.

I wanted to introduce you all to my Maternal Grandmother!

                                                      "LILLIAN MARY JOHNSON SWEIGARD" 

 Lillian Mary Johnson was born on Tuesday, October 3, 1905, in Newville, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Her  Father was, Joshua William Sharpe Johnson, he was 26. Her Mother, Cora Agnes Rebecca Watson, was 22. 

She was 1 out of 6 children. Her brother William Levi 1904, "Grandma Lillian" 1905, Russell Luther 1907, Dorothy "Aunt Dot" 1910, Rosanna Jane 1914, Viola Catherine 1917. 

She had one child with a man with the last name of  Carpenter in 1925. Geraldine. 

 She then married Harry Clayton Sweigard in 1932. My "Grandpa Harry". They had one child together in 1948.  My "Mother" Sharon. 

Grandma Lillian passed away on November 27, 1971, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at the age of 66.  I was 3 years old.

Lillian Mary Johnson Sweigard

In 1910, Lillie Johnson was 4 years old and lived in Newville, Pennsylvania with her father, mother, and 2 brothers. They are on LINE 22-26. Grandpa Sharpe was working on the railroad.

1910 Census of Lillian in Newville with Parents and Sibs

Newville is the kind of sleepy town full of Mom and Pop's stores. Where people know people. Mostly a Generational family type of town. Like the Walton's if you please. Grandma Lillian's line goes all the way back to William Watson from what I have researched. Watson's have been there since the Revolutionary War. This is my Irish Line. Her Mother Cora's family has been there as well. 

That line goes back to "My Patriot" Johann Nicholaus Barrick born August 2, 1761 in Cumberland County and died July 20th, 1844 in Cumberland County, Pa. He is my 5th Great Grandfather. 

 I only have his Father's name of Henry Berg/Berk. No Mother's name. He married Anna Maria Lambert/Lambertie.

I've only been told stories about Grandma Lillian. I still have to interview my Mother more while she is still in good health and good memory.

My African American Grandparents would tell me because the 60's were so rocky even in Pennsylvania. They would have to sneak and let Grandma Lillian see me. Grandpa Harry was still leary. My Paternal GrandParents would tell me how they would call her and let her know they were gonna be at Sears that day and what time. Sears was by Grandma Lillian's house. She would go and act as she would normally as to shopping. Then she would slowly come up to my Dad who would be holding me then. Strike a conversation about how Pretty of a baby you have Sir. Daddy said she would hold my little hand and gaze and coo at me and I would just look between her and him. 

I wish I could see her in my big eyes. I wish I could smell Grandma Lillian. No one knew I would only have 3 little years with her off and on. 

Mom would tell me also how she would sneak to call late at night or during the day when she could and ask Mrs. Lewis is there anything TrueAnn needs? No Ms. Sweigard she is doing fine. Don't worry and begin to tell her little things I might of been doing through the week. 

Mom said once she called about about  a white fur coat she wanted me to have and Mom talked her out of it saying I would get so many things on that. Your spoiling the child. They would laugh. I know Grandma Lillian wanted me to have the best. I still have the white lace dress with a pink bow after my Grandparents passed. They still kept dress for me to have as Woman now. Every time I would go home I would ask my Parents. Mom where is the dress Grandma Lillian gave me? "She'd say in the back closet", Go! Look at it. I'm still saving it for you! and her and Daddy did.

White Lace Dress

She was a tough lady with her Irish bit in her, she was sentimental. These are the accounts about her that I wish to talk to my Mom about. 

My other gift is her China punch bowl set in it's original box from Anchor Landing. I'm about to put it in a hutch now that I have a Home of my own now. That was saved for me as well. I love it. 

Also I have my most cherish gift which is my baby Rocking Chair.......Grandma Lillian bought that for my Grandma Lewis to rock me in. I have kept that chair in my baby room and then when I moved from my nursery that was through my Parents room and graduated to my Tween room it went with me down the hall. Well...I have that rocking chair in my Grandbaby's room at my House now. Mom always told me you take care of that chair, it was my job every Saturday to dust it down. Make sure nothing got on it or to break it. 

My baby Rocking Chair

This Spring I plan to meet my DNA cousins who are Grandchildren of Grandma Lillian's siblings. I hope my Mom will show me new pictures and I hope there is one of me and her together. My Aunt is suppose to give me her Bible and I wonder what treasures I'll find in there?

I'm so grateful My Grandparents saved those things for me.

 Grandma Lillian is part of who I am. My Grandparents kept her memory and presence near me. It's those little things that they did that they knew would make a world of a difference to me later in life.... So it has.

They say you can never miss something you never had. Well... I do miss my Grandma Lillian. I love my Grandma Lillian. 

See ya Soon!

Best Regards, 

True!

Dr.Rev Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

Me and Grandbaby Jai 2013

Today is the Day of Service for America. In Honor of Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. My contribution was to help donate funds for the Memorial and teach my Descendant's about his Life, Work, and Deeds. I had almost forgot these. They were on another camera after my cellphone lost it's power. It was such a learning lesson that day. So many questions from Jai. 

I always want to Honor his Life in any capacity big or small. I "Lived" one day before he was Assassinated. We will always be tied together in that moment. He was always my school project.

I will gladly pass this onto the rest of the babies in my family or any child who wants to know. 

"Who this man was".....

Thank You So Much Dr. King for helping us set "OURSELVES" FREE with your Guidance. Your Legacy will live on in so many hearts. As long as I live, I will Honor that. 

It's the least I can do for all that you have done for so many. I hope you are resting now. We miss you. One day we'll be together.

Happy Birthday!
Love, True Eddie Tyler Taylor and Puddin' aka Jai
                                                                         "And a CHILD shall Lead Them".

In Honor of Dr.King's Birthday 2014 ~ #DreamForward

Dedicated to Sandra Taliaferro and L.t. Lanier of the Family Griot who just passed yesterday. I Will continue to Dream Forward with our Ancestor Work.  

San encouraged me and read my Blog when I first started. I'll remember all the fiery conversations me and L.t. had. Such a lost to the Genealogy Community in whole. You will be Missed. 
Reblogged from the Taliaferro Project!

Click Link Below to read Sandra's STory! 

Ms. Sandra Taliaferro

Friend of Friends Lesson


The King Center for Observance Events

Worldwide Genealogy | A Genealogical Collaboration: A TrueKeeper....

Worldwide Genealogy ~ A Genealogical Collaboration: A TrueKeeper....: Hello All! My name is TRUE ! Yes!  that's really my NAME . I usually don't talk about ME. Just for this Post I will tell you a ...

Hello All! My name is TRUE!

Yes!  that's really my NAME.

I usually don't talk about ME. Just for this Post I will tell you a little about MYSELF which is hard to do. This is the 1st Time I have gotten really Personal.  I have been blogging since November 7, 2012. I choose that date in Remembrance of my Daddy who taught me the True meaning of Family History.  I  Reserve my Blog for my Ancestors.

I was born a day before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr died. April 3rd. In Harrisburg, Pa.
 When I was born my Father's Parents adopted and raised me. My Grandmother Tinnie named ME.
On April 4, 1968 when Dr.King was assassinated my Grandmother said "When One Life was Taken, Another was Given".

She always boastfully said. I was "Blessed" from the womb.

My Mother who is German and my Father who is African American.

My Mom, Me and 2nd child with Parents (Grandparents) 1989

 They were young, it was the 60's. The World was a tumultuous time. My Father was away at Vietnam he served 2 Tours and spent 28 years in the United States Marine Corps, and still Living today. Both are! I'm a retired Army Veteran as well. Serving in the Army has afforded me to be stationed and live all over the World and United States in ways I might not of ever experienced doing something else as a career. I live in the COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY! good Ol' US of A.

My Grandparents decided after much thought who were married for 25 years and all their children were Grown and Living away from home decided to "Keep Me"!  I was their Oldest Child's Firstborn.

I laugh now because I say they bought and got me for about 160 Bucks!

Receipt of my Adoption

This and my Original Birth Certificate and Letter from Lawyers is my only Documentation of my Original Birth. This has never been seen before. I only found it after my Grandparents passed away.  My Adoption Records from the State of Pennsylvania are Sealed. That is why I'm glad my Grandparents let me KNOW my Parents so I didn't have to Question who I was and Search for my Heritage. It was the Best thing for my Family to make all those decisions before I was born.

I'm so Grateful and Proud. I was meant to be with my Paternal Grandparents. They were the catalyst for the Wonderful Life I have been able to Live. I had the Luxury of having all of ME and my Heritage. No part of me was Denied. My Grandparents let me see both sides of my WORLD through my Birth Parents.

I've always felt International for the longest. So it's befitting that I'm participating in this WorldWide Genealogy Blog for I am Truly Worldwide. Through DNA testing I have learned about my English, Irish, Norwegian and African Roots. Some parts still Unknown. I'm a U5b1c Maternally and E1b1a7a Paternally through 23andMe.

Since I was a little girl. I knew I was gonna be the "TrueKeeper" of my Family's History. I've appreciated this Gift for a long time. It started when I was 9 and I didn't know it was called Genealogy or what Genealogy was?  I just always penned and kept Notes to Myself. Eventually as I grew into adulthood. It has it's True Meaning now.

Daddy and Me,  age 9.  1977

From this picture, it explains it all. I found this after my Parents passed away also. I remember those times. When Daddy would break out the pictures and I would ask so many questions and remembered Family Stories from Heart back then.

I'm so Grateful for them not shooing me away and answering my questions. I always loved to hear  My Family Stories and where I came from. I have deep roots in Cumberland County, Newville, Pennsylvania, my Mother's European family have been there since the Revolutionary War from England, Ireland, all over Europe.  All the way to Bullock County, Midway, Alabama with my Slave Family. It was always a joy learning about all the Relatives I had and what their Lives were like.
 They could of kept the old ways where a "Child should be Seen, and Not Heard". I loved hiding in the wings and behind doors to Listen to the Old Folks. I'm glad I got to stay with my Grandparents. I was Overwhelmed with Way too much LOVE for ONE person.

I get a little teary-eyed at times. I find solace in that they appreciated and knew what I was doing and they were so Glad and Grateful to tell THEIR stories and that someone was Passing it On.

So that is what I do at my blog: My True Roots!  ! I do African American Research intermixed with my European Heritage. Please stop and have a look around. We just might be Kin!

I'm a member of 3 Genealogical Societies. I'm also a part of African American Genealogy Slave Ancestor Research or AAGSAR.  I also TWEET.  That Girl! @MyTrueRoots .   I look forward to writing more on my Ancestors and tell you the STORY that Inspired me the MOST and hearing all of Yall's stories. Thank you to Julie Goucher of "Angler's Rest" for the Invite!

I have A Ol'Slave named Ike Ivery!  He is who began me on my Quest for being the......... TrueKeeper! of my Family History.

Are you the "TrueKeeper" of your Family?


Thank You to my Grandparents for all their Love and Everlasting Support. Simply the best!

Me with my "Parents" who are my Grandparents, 1997

See Ya soon!
Best Regards, True!

BlogFest2014! African American Bloggers ~ Family History Revealed

  Today is the DAY!  AAGSAR BlogFest 2014  has ARRIVED!

 

 Our Ancestors are SPEAKING! It's been a long tedious 4 months. Through our "Principal" Luckie Daniels she created AAGSAR after a Grievous and Sorrowful time when she lost her Mother she went offline for a bit. 

"I'm so Glad" she came back!  We are Celebrating and Finally through her have found Our Voice and made a HOME for Our ANCESTOR's to bear their TRUTH. 

I have been in many  Facebook Groups. Done many Internet Searches for my Genealogy and Family History.  I was sort of out in the Wild trying to find my place and didn't quite know what to do with my Work, only that I wanted other researchers to see it. I couldn't put two and two together. 

NEVER have I seen someone place the VALUE and MEANING on what our Work was suppose to do?  The Mentorship she has provided to us can't be matched. She has helped us grow into our Own. Even with myself she made me Think about what I Speak into the World and has helped me Grow in Confidence that I do know what I'm doing. 
She has also been our Cheerleader and Advocating for Years for our Voices to be at the Table.
 She has had more than her share of Heaping and Hauling, with us Grown Folks with our Hard Heads and Stubbornness.   Teaching us how TECHNOLOGY and Blogging can be integrated to put our Research out there and take us to the next level.

AAGSAR found ME! We have done 1:1 training. Been taught the meaning of our Work is IMPORTANT, we Do have a VOICE! Other's want to hear and read our Stories.  There are so many African American Family Histories. We finally found a PLACE where we can Commune together and get our Ancestors ONLINE and Out into the Community. We know what it means to be the Keeper of Records. What a HONOR it is to be the GRIOT, chosen to tell our Ancestors stories.

                     BlogFest2014 and AAGSAR have gotten us to the TABLE.

 Coming to the Table

This is a 1st! I'm so HUMBLED to be a part of so many new African American Bloggers! We are not in the shadows anymore. I look forward to hearing more of their stories. For up and coming New Bloggers who are hesitant?  Take the Leap of Faith and begin sharing your stories in Blogging!  You can do IT!   No more should we accept "Hoarding" our Family Histories. Keeping them in our Minds and Binders. 

Let Them Speak! Let your Ancestors Stories be Told! 



I'm so PROUD and PLEASED with Principal Daniels on your Leap Of Faith. For so many of us we had doubts and fears. 

Now we know what the TRUE meaning of our Work on behalf of Our Ancestors truly means.

 Do not DESPISE your PAST. Keep writing all the way from  your PHd Dr. to Preacher to Prisoner. Fully embrace all your family stories, let their Lives show their MEANING in Blogging.

This is a LIST of new African American Family Historian Bloggers being presented for BLOGFEST 2014! you can also follow US on Twitter @AAGSARFaceBook .

LINK FOR NEW BLOGGERS! :  

• BELLE SHEWMAKER-BROWN | Jewells In Dem Kentucky Hills
• GILLIE & LENA PETERS | Tracing My Peters Ancestry
• LAURA THOMPSON GREEN | Radiant Roots, Boricua Branches
• WILLIAM G. SHINAULT & MATHILDA CHRISTIAN | Shinault Family Genealogy
• WILLIAM T. BANKS SR. | Ancient Echos from the Past
• ANNIE ELIZABETH HUNTER NELLOMS-BARROW | Our Alabama & Georgia Ancestors
• LAURA ANN WARE | RootStories and More
• LOUISE OWENS WILSON | Wilson DNA
• HERBERT JACKSON II, HERBERT JACKSON III & MAUD OLIN HOGAN | My Genealogy Quest
• MAUDIE STERLING EDWARDS | Tracing Amy: My Ancestral Journey
• WALTER JAMES PORTER & BETTY MAE PETERS | The Ancestors Have Spoken
• HATTIE LUCILLE RIDDICK-STITT | A Rich Legacy Revealed
• REV. BEDFORD & ALICE THOMAS LUCK | Tracing Gardner’s Footprints
• SANDRA TALIAFERRO | The Taliaferro Project
• MOSES G. MCKISSICK | Geechee Moe’s Ancestry
• EUNICE SARAH FRANKLIN | Gathering Family
• WELTON FRANK | Ancestors In The Present
• META LEONA POSTELL | Retrograde Bloodlines
• GARFIELD CROSS | Railroads & Cotton
• MARY TELFLY GREEN | Alabama Heritage: Green, Wilson & RelateD
• RACHEL STARR  | Yancy to Yancy
•  JERRIE STEWART |  The Stewarts of Williamsport
• SANDRA WILLIAMS BUSH  | Ancestor Callings: Georgia and Mississippi Roots
• VALERIE LEWIS  | Georgia on my Mind: Milledgeville Borgus & Lewis Family

Enjoy!  Spread the Word. If you have family connections in anyway,  CONTACT and COMMUNE with them. Keep everyone Encouraged, do a Random Act of Kindness and SHARE INFO. 

We have already LOST so Much. Let's try to work through the HURT, PAIN and SHAME and work together. It only makes the Genealogy Community STRONGER! We will only come out on the other side Truthfully by Honoring Our Ancestors Stories. All of it.....

They say to OPEN a WINDOW after a Loved ones Passing, so their Soul Can Fly. I'll open a Window tonight in Honor of OUR Ancestors...... Let their Spirits SOAR on this Day of our BlogFest2014!

Ancestor Guidance

My Ancestors are PLEASED and BEAMING!  Ivery, Lewis, Miles, Daniel, Sweigard, Evans, Johnson, Watson, Heckman's and Barrick. North and South, even as far far away in hamlets and countrysides all over the World. They are SMILING!

Today we will Celebrate! Congratulations to all AAGSAR Tribe Member Bloggers! {{{Clapping}}}

 Our Sankofa Journey for Blogging has BEGUN! 

Today we "Bask in Our Ancestor's Light", for tomorrow the REAL WORK begins.......