I want to find any record of my ancestors that may have fought in the war or even had purchased land pre-1900.
I want to find any record of my ancestors that may have fought in the war or even had purchased land pre-1900.
Dear Ms. Martin,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
We suggest that you review the National Archives document Federal Records that Help Identify Former Slaves and Slave Owners and also search the Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers for possible information, since during the slavery period owners often advertised in newspapers about their runaway and fugitive slaves in hopes that citizens, or bounty hunters would would find and return their "property" usually for a reward.
We suggest that you review NARA’s African American Heritage website, especially the Archives Resources section, the Subject Portal, and the African American Records: Freedmen's Bureau web pages as well as NARA’s Rediscovering Black History blog and the History Hub response to How do I search for my family’s history?.
We suggest that you contact the State Archives to obtain any genealogical information about your ancestors from the state where they may have been born or lived.
Finally, we recommend that you contact the municipal government in the state where your ancestors resided to determine if they owned any property before 1900.
We hope this is helpful. Best of luck with your family research!