Was Effie’s Delta blue?
Effie Wilson was my great grandmother. She was born in about 1875 and spent most of her life in the counties of Claiborne and Jefferson, MS, in the Delta. In 1920, she had 10 living children. They were Nancy, Willie, Lillie, Rachel, RT, Ibby/Abby, and Esther (later in life she would go by Estelle). They were all fathered by Willie Shorter. Her other children, Mariah, Frankie, and Fannie (my grandmother) were all fathered by Howard Pearl. Effie’s mother was Abby/Ibby Tilgman and Whylie Wilson, and her siblings were Wiley, Thomas, Robert, Whylie, Bettie, Jane, Henry, Lucy, Ibbie, Ida, Ollie, and Charley.
Effie, born a Wilson, became a Shorter, then a Pearl, a Shorter again, and a Smith (via Robert Smith). There may have been some other name changes along the way. Following Effie through the decades on the census was interesting. I always knew when I had found her because she was always with her kids. She had enough of them with her for me to know that I had the right person. In a few censuses, her mom was with her.
I have not heard any oral stories about Effie. In fact I did not know her name until I was 26. I have one picture of her, which I also saw when I was 26. Effie, you have not been forgotten. I hope your life was filled with joy and laughter.
What’s in the blood?
I started researching my family in 2012. I am one of twelve siblings on my mom’s side and one of seven on my dad’s side. I grew up only knowing my maternal siblings. I did not interact with extended family, alhough my mother hails from a big family from Shelby, Missississippi. My father hails from Lexington, Missississippi. The last that I saw him, I was five. My parents are both deceased now.
Here is my direct line lineage surnames and places:
Maternal: Wilson, Roberson, Pearl, Shorter, Tilman/Tilgman, Roberson, Robinson from the Mississippi counties of Bolivar, Claiborne, Leflore, and Jefferson
Paternal: Louie, Mohead/Morehead, Lott, Holman, and possibly Willis, Davis, and Howard. They are from the Mississippi counties of Holmes, Leflore, and Carroll.
Below are the results from a few DNA that myself and siblings have taken. It is what makes us us.
Shirese (me)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L3f1b3
Paternal haplogroup: R-M269/R-U106/R-Z306/R1b1a2a1a1a3a1(brother tested)
Ancestry.com DNA
Maternal haplogroup: does not offer
Paternal haplogroup: does not offer
Juvelle (paternal half brother)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L1b1a
Paternal haplogroup: R-M269/R-U106/R-Z306/R1b1a2a1a1a3a1
Ancestry.com DNA
Brenda (matenal half sister)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L3f1b3
Lynn (matenal half sister)
23andMe
Ruth (matenal half sister)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L3f1b3
Ruby (matenal half sister)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L3f1b3
Mildred (matenal half sister)
23andMe
Maternal haplogroup: L3f1b3
