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Family Tree Is UniqueThe Blackwell Family Of Virginia Qaims Largest►Known African-American Descendent FamilyBy POLLY LINDSEY Progress-Index Women's EditorFor many of the TV viewers who watched Alex'Haley’s Hoots” for eight consecutive evenings recently, feelings were mixed.However, members of the Blackwell Family of Virginia could identify with the story. Their family tree, according to Mrs. Martha Short Dance, is unique in its design, and is the largest known African-American descendent family tree in the world.Mrs. Dance of Petersburg, is the author of “Peabody High School — A History of the First Negro Public High School in Virginia.”« • »* * * ♦ # • • « •# ♦ * • ••• * *Polly jCinJuy - £dilorSunday, February 13, 1977 17Mrs. Thelma Short Doswell is a sister of Mrs. Dance. She is also a cousin of the 1975 Wimbledon Tennis4Champion. Arthur Ashe Jr. The family tree is her work as she is a certified genealogist and family historian.The family tree is a 9x12 foot oil painting with more than 3300 names.born. It appears that this family was kept together and Tony Blackwell prayed and thanked God for the blessing of his family’s togetherness.The ancestral line was continued through their daughter. Jenny Blackwell, of the seventh generation of the Blackwell family. She married Maka A. Sauk, an Indian. Their offsprings took Jenny’s maiden name. Blackwell. From this union Hamit Blackwell I was born in 1839. He was endowed with the gift of preaching. He founded and pastored the Gillfield Baptist Church.The Rev. Hamit Blackwell married twice. His first wife was Julia Tucker and his second wife was Laura Flower Otey. Record has it that from these wives Hamit fathered 26 children. The.Blackwell family lineage was somewhat divided here with offsprings of Laura Otey and offsprings of Julia Tucker.Mrs. Doswell's lineage was traced through Julia Tucker’s daughter. Sallie Blackwell Johnson Smith, of the ninth generation,Mrs. Smith was an active Church member, a strong matriarch who married Willie Johnson of Kenbridge. From this marriage 15 children were born. Ella Johnson Short, the oldest of the 10th generation, was ThelmaShort Doswell’s mother.Ella was a seamstress and school teacher who marriedCharlie E. Short of Brunswick County, a property owner, farmer and a respected citizen. To this couple four natural children were born and they had one adopted son.The, ancestral line was traced through the oldest daughter, Thelma Short Doswell, a special education teacher and genealogist, who.married Howard Doswell, a native of Blackstone. He is manager and owner ofDoswell Cleaners.*From this marriage one son, Cosby Marquis Doswell.*• *•«*»■rA.fViop*dp* * * •* •**•A-\ *rJ „r - *V■•y.-,V‘' V J V 5. l‘- 4lt;AV .-■» %, . •* •/lt;*‘KI : 'T*., ■ V w'rffi'A- a* v* . « . ./A-fl* V ..-V- A..!§§?J3iieas'v:.a\ V*-'f .» cA•v..'n-v* V\4^ V A *• ' * jL. 'f w. . ,• wiTWy * ' ' 4 ,^ 4 •** * ■ k' •' ' V • - •, I ’ V.. lt;m **«•J.*;■V'*/.vto\ -jr-^ I. V-* I” - •lt; P•It * 1+t\*c.L* A* .... -;r*4^ '* p» „Trl » _W3«»/*r. ■*• • ■ 1 ' I . .• ,v'x -iX;'*»/. i. r. .»•'
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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