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Flipped the Script

Betty A. Burnett

Ancestral Roots Dug Up 9-29-2023

· After completing my assignment of the ancestry on both of my mother's parents, many years later I became interested in knowing more about my daddy’s side of the family. This one was a horse of a different color.


· This side of the family was quite different. I don’t know if it had to do with that mean looking grandfather of my father and his siblings, but this family was really like a horse of a different color. Since I am using “horse of a different color” the word color just might carry some weight.


· They were so messed up because of the color of their skin, they would marry cousins to keep that high-yellow or Caucasian complexion.


· History - When I visited the courthouse years ago doing a search on my mother’s father side of the family, it was so ironic that I also got my grandmother’s death certificate. But even then, there was a reason, because the Lord knew I would need it later. My father’s family and I had a good relationship.


· My father’s mother passed before I was born; his father passed when I was nine-years old, but I never met him. According to the records, my grandmother never married again, and she had two other children after the divorce. For many years, I thought the name she had changed to was because she married and had sons by the second husband.


· However, it was not until two days ago that I went through my documents again, and that’s when I realized that she used her surname the rest of her life. This was confusing and difficult to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but I was determined to get to the bottom of this.


· That proves even more that the family was divided. Years ago, I was in another county visiting a church, and the cemetery was full of people with the same name my grandfather had.

· From what had been told to me by other family members, he had similar features that the people in the church had. According to vital records, he was also from that county.


· A couple of years ago, a cousin was curious and she wanted to know the history of that side of the family. We put our heads and information together and went hunting. She went to Ancestry.com and we found some things out that were unknown to us. Then, there were photos, and one in particular was our grandmother standing tall and looking like a Caucasian mixed with?


· We found out who our grandmother’s father was (I have an image of him). He was definitely Caucasian. It took a while to understand who her mother was, since he was married to a Caucasian woman whose name was listed. A niece and I continued to process it and we came up with my great grandmother’s mother name; she was a slave.


· That clothes basket was so full of dirty laundry, you could smell the stench, but that’s the breaks. Do you know what? That dirty laundry got aired out and we still are proud of our heritage, and I encourage you to be proud of your heritage also. We cannot help where we came from, but with the help of The Lord, we can help where we are going.


· Having Knowledge of one’s ancestry is important, and knowledge of biblical history is especially important. Also, God wants those who belong to Him to be a united family, and be a light to others. This can only happen with knowledge and understanding.


Next week: Medical History ~ Cursed Because of Genetic Heredity?


~ Betty A. Burnett ~





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