Wordless Wednesday - Antioch Baptist Church - Skippers, VA

The Choir March Tradition

During my youth and young adult years (1970s and 1980s), I was a church choir member. During this time, the tradition of my church was for the choir to march into the church down the aisle, and into the choir stand. As the choir marched in singing, while rocking or swaying from side-to-side, the congregation would stand up and look towards the back of the church to watch the choir processional.

When the senior choir in my childhood church sang and marched down the aisle, I would always look at their shoes and would pass judgment in my mind as to if the shoes were pretty or ugly. I think that most of the children in my church did the same thing. I did not realize how much I missed and valued the choir march tradition until last month when I visited a family church.

Since the early 1990s, I have not been a member of a church where the choir marched into the choir stand. Instead, these church choirs simply gather in the choir stand prior to the beginning of service and stand up together before the opening song. I have, however, visited churches since the early 1990s, who still do the choir march.

Last month, when I visited my father’s family church, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA, I realized how much I missed the choir march tradition. On that 4th Sunday in April, the youth choir marched into the church. As they marched in, a thought hit me as I watched and recalled that some churches, which formerly practiced the choir march tradition, no longer did this. I got excited as I watched these young people march and sing. For more on my 4th Sunday in April visit, click here.

In the second service that afternoon, the mass choir marched into the church. I was thrilled and excited by the upbeat music and their marching! I took several pictures instead of video, but later I wished that I had thought about my digital camera video instead. I promised myself that I would remember to videoe the next time I visited Antioch.

Yesterday, I visited Antioch again and the service was spiritually uplifting. This time I made sure to videotape the choir march. Some choirs sing as they march in; but the choir at Antioch marched in as the musicians played. They began singing when all the choir members got into the choir stand. Like some marching choirs, the Antioch choir was escorted in by an usher. (See portion of video below)

I do not know when or where the church march tradition began in churches, but I love it, not only because it is a reminder of the church traditions of my youth, but also because I believe that it sets the tone of worship as the choir enters the church singing praises to God.

Memory Monday - My Blog Gets Acknowledgement at Church Service

On the fourth Sunday in April 2009, I attended church services at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA which is about an hour and a half away from my home. When I arrived at the church, I sat in a certain section by myself. A minute later a cousin who had invited me to the service came over to tell me that she and other members of our family were sitting on the other side of the church. I moved to where they were and sat beside one of my aunts whose wheelchair was adjacent to a front pew.

The service was spiritually uplifting and there were many visitors there, including myself, who came to honor a former pastor of the church.

Since 1987, I have visited this church on several occasions for homecoming services and funerals of relatives in my father’s family. A few minutes before the benediction of the first service, the church pastor gave remarks. He was a new pastor of this church and not the same one whom I had met on previous visits.

I don’t remember the pastor’s exact words, but below is the gist of what I recall him saying and my reactions to his words.

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Pastor: “We have a special visitor here today…”

Me: I’m a visitor, I thought, but it’s probably not me—there’re a lot of visitors here today for this special service---I don’t think my cousin told him that I was coming.

Pastor: “And she has a website called “Find Your Folks.”

Me: Oh my God, Oh my God, I repeated in my mind. That’s me. I’m sure I was smiling from ear to ear by this time as my heart raced.

Pastor: She wrote on her site that she would be visiting here today and she is a member of the Robinson family. He was referring to the Church Homecoming article written on April 19, 2009. “And she goes by the name ‘Professor Dru’ on the Internet, the pastor announced.”

Me: I was still in shocked to learn that the new pastor of my family church was also one of my blog readers. Despite my feelings of shock and elation, I graciously stood up after Pastor Tatum revealed my Internet name, turned toward the congregation, and waved. I felt like a celebrity for the day.

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After the service ended, two ladies, who were sitting to my left on the front pew, introduced themselves and revealed that they part of the Robinson family. They said that they were descendants of Margaret. I knew from my research that their ancestor was a daughter of my great-great grandparents Joshua and Ersie Jane Providence Robinson.

Another lady sitting behind me asked which set of Robinsons I was from. I didn’t recognize the name of her father who was a Robinson. Finally, I pointed to my aunt who was sitting beside me, and asked the lady if she was kin to her. “Yes,” she replied. “So, I guess that makes us kin too,” I told her.

I was anxious to talk to the pastor after his grand announcement during his remarks. After meeting my three new cousins, I walked towards the pulpit which was just a few steps away.

Professor Dru of "Find Your Folks" blog and Pastor Tatum of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church

“How, did you find my blog?" I asked Pastor Tatum as I stood below the pulpit.

“I wanted to know about the history of this church after I became Pastor, so I searched the Internet,” he told me. I did recall posting an article which included the history of this church.

“When did you become pastor?” I asked. (The genealogist in me had to have a date or time frame.)

“March 2008,” he responded.

Pastor Tatum also mentioned several other postings on my blog such as a photo taken in the cemetery of the church during the 1950s. I did not remember this photo at first, but eventually recalled the photo of my grandmother Hattie Moore Pair at the graveside of her father Robert Moore. Read here-Robinson Family Cemetery

“You made my Day,” I told Pastor Tatum at the end of this conversation.

When I returned home later that evening, I searched my blog for the article mentioned by Pastor Tatum that included church history of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. I found that it was posted on Sunday, April 28, 2008, which was the month after he became pastor of this church. Read here-Sacred Sunday I had obtained a written copy of the history of the church after I wrote a letter to the previous pastor sometime in the late 1990s.

It has been over two weeks since I visited Antioch Missionary Baptist Church and I am still SMILING every time I think about the events of that WONDERFUL Sunday.

Using Date Calculator in Genealogy Software

Thanks to Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings for last Saturday’s night fun (April 25, 2009) on using the Date calculator in genealogy software. When I need to determine a birth year or some other genealogical calculation, I always create a formula in the Microsoft Excel software. Occasionally, I use a pocket calculator or the computer calculator located in the Accessories section in Windows. I did not know that genealogy software had a date calculator until last Saturday night.

Family Tree Maker Date Calculator
I use Family Tree Maker 2009 and I accessed the Date calculator by clicking on the Tools menu and the Date Calculator option.

Date Calculation Project
Since last Saturday night, I have been using the Date Calculator feature of my genealogy software to calculate various types of dates. Today, I pulled out data from the Greensville County, VA Free Negro Register, 1803-1832. I was focusing on the Ferguson family because Sandy Ferguson and his wife Susan are believed have deed land in the 1870s for the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. I do not think that I am directly kin to the Fergusons, but several members of this family have married into my Robinson and Greenway family in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA.

Henry and Allen Ferguson
In the register, the mother of Henry and Allen Ferguson is named as “Betty.” I had calculated their estimated birth years a long time ago and determined that they were born some time between 1797 and 1798.

The Two Bettys
Two Bettys were listed in the Free Negro Register and I had not calculated their estimated birth year because I wasn’t sure which Betty was the mother of Henry and Allen. Instead of using Microsoft Excel or a calculator, I used the Family Tree Maker Date Calculator.

Below, are the results along with the Free Negro Registration description on each Betty where I typed in the year they registered and age given on registration. The calculated birth year is in grey.

Betty #1
Betty, a free woman emancipated (as above*), about 47-years of age, 5' 4" high (in shoes), and has no material marks or scars on her head, face or hands perceivable. Registered August 23, 1814, Entry #44

*Note "by the last will and testament of Nathaniel Mabry, deceased, of record in my office" Indicated in Entry #43, the one above Betty's entry.

Betty #2
Betty, emancipated by Doct. Jessee A. Bonner, of a dark complexion, aged about 60-years, 5' 3-1/2 high (in shoes), a small scar or lump on her right arm, her fore teeth out, by occupation a Spinner. Registered December 29, 1820, Entry #81


Conclusion
Based on these estimated birth years, there is only a seven year difference between the two Bettys. Therefore, one could not possibly be the mother of the other one.

However, searching other documents and generating additional date calculations have provided an answer to this mother mystery.

Stay tuned tomorrow…

As You Are, So Once Was I

“As You Are, So Once Was I” is a series of videos of Pacific Northwest pioneer stories brought back to life. Each of the videos is set in Vancouver’s Old City Cemetery and begins with a shot of the grave marker of the deceased followed by an actor portraying the person. The videos are presented by the Vancouver Heritage Ambassadors, State of Washington.

What a creative idea for the Heritage Ambassadors to honor the deceased of this cemetery by portraying their stories on video. As I visited the cemetery at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA this past Sunday, I thought about the video. What if the deceased in this cemetery (Antioch) could have their story told, what would it say?

In the video series, “As You Are, So Once Was I,” each character explained how they came to the Pacific Northwest. What if the residents of the Antioch cemetery could tell their life story and their affiliation with Antioch church? What a powerful story this would be for me as a family historian, as well as the current members of this church.

“As You Are, So Once Was I” portrays the stories of five individuals: 1) Maria Hidden, 2) John Mickey, 3) Esther Short, 4) Sarah Jane Anderson, and 5) Jarius Harmer.

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Maria Hidden, 1847-1924
Pacific Northwest pioneer Maria Hidden comes back to life and recites a political stump speech she made as an early women's Suffrage Movement member in Vancouver, WA.

Maria Hidden Video

John Mickey 1834-1924
Pacific Northwest pioneer John Mickey comes back to life and shares his story as a "stump farmer" in Vancouver, WA in the mid-1800's. The

John Mickey Video

Esther Short, 1806-1862
Pacific Northwest pioneer Esther Short comes back to life to tell her story of settling in territory claimed by both the U.S. and Britain's Hudson's Bay Co.

Esther Short Video

Sarah Jane Anderson, 1837-1912
Pacific Northwest pioneer Sarah Jane Anderson comes back to life and tells of early community and medical developments in Vancouver, WA.

Sarah Jane Anderson Video

Jarius Harmer, 1843-1886
Pacific Northwest Civil War soldier Jarius Harmer recounts his time with the Union Army and eventual move to Vancouver, WA.

Jarious Harmer Video

Additional Information:

The Vancouver Educational Telecommunications Consortium

Church Homecomings

Next weekend, I plan to attend a church homecoming at Antioch Baptist Church in Skippers, VA which is located in the county of Greensville. This will not be my first time attending this church because I have attended other homecomings as well as family funerals. Antioch is the church once attended by my paternal grandmother Hattie Moore Pair (1902-1956) and her maternal ancestors the Robinsons of Skippers, VA. Several living family members are still members of this church and I look forwarding to seeing them as well as meeting new family members.

Success in Attending Church Reunions
I have had much genealogical success with attending church reunions because it has enabled me to connect with living descendants of my ancestors as well as others who knew them.

Visiting Family Cemetery
Besides meeting family, I hope to also have time to visit the Robinson Family Cemetery which is adjacent to the church where several of my family members are buried including my paternal grandparents Matthew and Hattie Moore Pair and Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore, who were the parents of my paternal grandmother.

Finding DNA Candidates
I also hope to find DNA candidates to test the 1) maternal and paternal ancestry of my great-great grandfather Joshua Robinson (abt. 1846-1935); and 2) maternal ancestry of Lucretia Providence Cook Greenway (abt. 1855-?)., who is believed to be a sister of my great-great grandmother, Ersie Jane Providence Robinson (abt. 1850-aft. 1900). Grandma Ersie’s maternal DNA has been tested twice; the results match the U6a1 Haplogroup, which is European.

DNA results from Grandpa Joshua’s maternal ancestry will provide more information into the heritage of his mother Maria Morgan Greenaway (abt. 1809-aft. 1900) and her mother, Lizzey Morgan, who was a slave freed in the will of Dr. James Greenway of Dinwiddie County, VA around 1795. As a result of her mother’s freedom by Dr. Greenway, Maria was born free in Virginia. At the time of Grandma Maria’s birth, if a mother was free, her children were born free. The status of the father did not matter according to this law.

Grandpa Joshua’s 1935 death certificate gives the name of his father as Moses Robinson. This is all I know about Grandpa Moses; therefore DNA results may give some clue as to his ethnicity. On several documents, Grandpa Joshua was listed as a “Mulatto.” Some of his grandchildren remember that he was very “light skinned’ in complexion. Therefore, it is possible that he had a European paternal ancestry.

If Grandma Ersie Jane Providence Robinson and Lucretia Providence Cook Greenway were sisters as was told to me by a granddaughter of Grandma Ersie, then the maternal DNA results should match. No written documentation has been found to indicate that these two women were sisters. They did, however, have the same maiden name, but Grandma Ersie’s marriage license does not name her parents. Lucretia’s marriage license names her parents as John and Eliza Providence.

Robinson Family Cemetery

Photo taken at the funeral of their father Robert Moore in April 1955.

Sitting on front row (left to right,) my grandparents, Matthew and Hattie Moore Pair and Grandma Hattie's brother Washington Moore and his wife Candace.

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The Robinson Family Cemetery is located adjacent to Antioch Baptist Church in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA. My first visit to this family cemetery was Saturday, May 23, 1987, when my paternal grandfather, Matthew Dennis “Mack” Pair (1897-1987) was buried.

Since my parents were separated much of my life, I did not spend much time as a child getting to know my father’s family. It was around 1986, after discovering that my grandfather lived in Richmond, VA, that I began to take interest in getting to know this side of the family. My sister Doretha moved to Richmond that year and so one day we decided to visit Grandpa Mack who was living with his daughter Liz. Aunt Liz introduced us to her father and we just spoke, but did not engage in a conversation. Grandpa Mack died the next year.

While at the Robinson Family Cemetery on the day of Grandpa Mack’s burial, my father pointed out the grave of his mother, Hattie Moore Pair (1902-1956.) This was the first time I even knew her name. Later, in 1994 after I began family history research, I went back to the cemetery with Grandma Hattie’s youngest brother, Channie. Uncle Channie pointed out additional graves which not only included my grandparents, but some of their children and their spouses, as well as some of the Robinson family members, who were his maternal family. Uncle Channie pointed out an unmarked grave, which he believed to be the grave of his maternal grandfather, Joshua Robinson (1846-1935).

Below is a list of my ROBINSON, MOORE, and PAIR family members buried in the Robinson Family Cemetery.

Burials - Robinson Family Cemetery,
Surname, First Name, Birth Year/Death Year, Relationship

• Green, Amos, Sr., 1921-1974, Husband of Sarah Pair Green
• Johnson Moore, Candis, 1903-1986, Wife of Washington Moore
• Jones Moore, Thelma, 1915-1979, Wife of John Marshall Moore
• Moore Robinson, Alice Virginia, 1926-1991, Daughter of Washington and Candace Moore
• Moore, Charlie Buster, 1911-2004, Son of Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Moore, Dale Bert, 1940-2005, Son of James Jefferson Moore and grandson of Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Moore Pair, Hattie Maude, 1902-1956, My paternal grandmother
• Moore, Robert, abt. 1869-1955, My great grandfather and husband of Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Moore, Samuel Bell, 1917-2003, Son of Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Moore Foster, Sarah Ann, 1906-1995, Daughter of Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Moore, Washington, 1900-1997, Son of Robert and Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Pair Green, Lucille, 1923-1983, Daughter of Matthew and Hattie Moore Pair
• Pair, Matthew Dennis, 1897-1987, My paternal grandfather
• Pair Green, Sarah, 1928-2007, Daughter of Matthew and Hattie Moore Pair
• Robinson, Charlie, 1891-1971, Son of Joshua and Ersie Jane Providence Robinson
• Robinson, Joshua, 1846-1935, My great-great grandfather and father of Mary Eliza Robinson Moore
• Robinson Moore, Mary Eliza, abt. 1880-1920, My great grandmother and wife of Robert Moore
• Robinson, Moses, 1893-1979, Son of Joshua and Ersie Jane Providence Robinson

Sacred Sunday

Antioch Baptist Church

Antioch Baptist Church located in the Skippers area of Greensville County, VA is the church where my paternal grandmother Hattie Moore Pair (1902-1956) and her siblings grew up. This was the church were their mother and grandparents attended: Mary Eliza Robinson Moore (1880-1920) and her parents Joshua Robinson (1846-1935) and Ersie Jane Providence Moore (1850-after 1905.)

According to the church history of Antioch Baptist Church, the church began in a Bush Arbor near the Saw Pond on the land owned by Sandy Ferguson, and his wife, Susan, around 1870. It is believed that some type of frame structure was built on the site, but it was destroyed by fire. There was a lot on intermarrying between the Ferguson, Greenaway, and Robinson families. Both Sandy Ferguson and my great-great grandfather Joshua Robinson were descendants of free blacks in Greensville County: Sandy Ferguson was the son of Henry Ferguson who was the son of Betty Ferguson. My ancestor Joshua Robinson was the son of Maria Morgan Greenaway (1809-after 1900,) a free woman of color.

By 1896, Antioch Baptist had expanded the church property with the acquisition of one acre of land purchased from Mr. Lewis H. Foster, a large landowner. A deed for the land was drawn up on January 13, 1896 by the following trustees: John J. Smith, Jesse Avent, Thomas Wright, William Edward Watson, and William Wright. The deed was recorded on March 6, 1899.

Today, there are descendants of Joshua and Ersie Jane Robinson who are members of Antioch Baptist Church.