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Blackwell plantation in Lunenburg County in 1751.Tabb. of the second generation of the Blackwell family, married Jack lt;Odofo* and they had several children. Legend!sts say Tab kept her African heritage alive by giving one of her children an African name, for example.Sillar. '* «-Tabb’s husband Jack, came from the African Tribe Ashanti and he took Tab’s last name, Blackwell. He wastthe first known African paternal parent in America and was a 'plantation, preacher who traveled from house to house, preaching the gospel to both races.The American lineage has been traced to Lucy Black-well, offspring of Jack and Tab. She was bom in 1755 in Lunenburg County on the plantation of her master, Robert Blackwell. The certification of this fact is found in the Blackwell estate inventory of 1787. 'Lucy became a house servant. She married James III, whose mother was Phyllis, and father, James Jr., was a mulatto. It was said that James Jr. was the son of James Goodwin. Although James III. was from the Goodwin’s household he did not honor the surname Goodwin, but instead chose the name of his .mistress, Elizabeth Goodwin Blackwell, daughter of James I. She married Robert Blackwell, according to the will of JamesGoodwin in 1757.Lucy and her husband James III, were kept together until 1789 when the estate of Robert Blackwell was settled. He gave the, children of Lucy and James to members of his family. Although separated, the ancestral line was continued through their son, James IV. In the 1872 will of John Blackwell, James IV married a slave girl. Hannah. They had three children, James Blackwell V, George and Tony.James Blackwell V married. Nancy Bridgford. The records show that two of their children were named Tony and Sonk. Tony Blackwell took as his wife, Peggy Edmunds, who was freed by her master, Gary Edmunds. To this union tw’o children, Anthony Jr. and Jenny were5 at Walden Book Store. Walnut Mall, Petersburg, for Mrs. Martha Short Dance. At that timeJVlrs. Dance will be happy to meet and to talk with interested'persons.According to a bulletin, “Historical Reflection of the Blackwell Reunion;’* various kinds of “Gather-ins” and-or assemblies of the Blackwell kinfolks have always taken place in one form or another such as: pray-ins for freedom from slavery, funerals, marriages, births, . dinners, corn shuckings, harvesting, hog killings, house . .. and barn raisings and more recently baby showers. house warmings and others. ‘The first annual Blackwell Family Reunion was held in March 1952 during the dinner hour in Richmond jn the home of Mrs. Estelle Blackwell- It was held after the burial of her brother, Mai Woodrow Blackwell; At that time Mrs. Blackwell suggested the family gather once a year for a happy occasion. This has been done ever since.The 1976 Blackwell Family Reunion was more than a “Gather-in, according to Mrs. Dance, chairman of the Bicentennial committee of the Blackwell Family Reunion. She felt 14It was a cultural culmination/’Over 350 relatives attended the Reunion along with 30 guests and friends. The Bicentennial reception featured music by Mokossa Disco Band, the Anniversary Cake Cutting, viewing of exhibits, dancing and meeting new kinfolks.Blackwell relatives came from Connecticut. Georgia, New' Jersey, Maryland, Delaware. North Carolina, Ohio. Pennsylvania. New York, Washington. Tidewater. Southside Virginia, and Mississippi.The oldest Blackwell family member present w?as Ira Leon Blackwell of Vauxhall, N.J., 86.There were four generations present in the Lula Black-well Thomas Family. They included: Mrs. Lula Black-well Thomas, Mrs. Gladys Thomas Smith, Mrs. Dorothy Allen, and Miss Malisse Allen, all of Hopewell.It was announced the 25th Blackwell Familv of Virginia Reunion would be held in Lanham, Md.Tur\u t=.Speciol PhotosFamily Line On The 9x12 Foot Blackwell' Family Tree Is Pointed Out ByThelma Doswell, Genealogist And Family Historian
Newspaper Details
Petersburg Progress Index
Petersburg, Virginia, US
Sun, Feb 13, 1977
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Library O.
DC, USA 25 Jun 2022
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