Madness Monday - Grandpa Jasper and Grandma Jane Pierce (Part V)

Continuing the Hunt

A Possible Cousin Plus Another Lead?

I hope my readers didn’t think I had forgotten about my blogs, but June has been one of those months for me.

I started out the month with a sinus infection that began settling in during the Memorial Day weekend. I also learned about a few other health issues I have. (It was one of those doctor’s visits that became I know you didn’t come in here for this but we’ve been trying to get in touch with you to discuss the results of the blood work from your physical.)

The second week of June, Mom and I took a much-needed vacation, cruise, with our almost Martin cousins (we have a set of cousins in common). Yes, I was still dealing with the sinus infection, plus pricking my finger 4 times a day, but it was nice to get away and mom and I made some new friends in the process. We also discovered that “cousin” Louise and “cousin” Sarah know some of our Cousins who are from Walton County, GA.

The R&R from the vacation was short lived. While we were gone, daddy was admitted to the hospital. In addition, the week after our vacation, one of my first cousins, maternal side, lost her battle with cancer.

This past week, things slowly started returning to some semblance of normalcy. Daddy is out of the hospital, although the symptoms that sent him there have not abated. And, while I still haven’t fully caught up on everything, I’m slowly getting back on the Genealogy, which leads me to the upside of this post.

Before going on vacation, I noted that I still had not written Second Baptist Church in White Plains, GA in order to try to see if there was a possibility they had any information on my 2nd Great Grandparents, Jasper and Jane Pierce. Well, I wrote Second Baptist Church right before I went on vacation. Second Baptist received my contact information and forwarded it on to Mary H., who attends Second Baptist Church but no longer lives in White Plains. Mary had called and left a couple of messages while I was away on vacation.

Well, Mary is a Pierce descendant (her mother was a Pierce) and was born and raised in White Plains. However, we couldn’t determine a connection. She confirmed what I had already determined, that there are no more Pierces residing in White Plains. Mary and I had a good conversation and here are some of the highlights.

1. The first highlight is a bit strange but in a good way. Mary had recently run into some Pierces in Atlanta, GA. Their ancestry also goes back to White Plains, Greene County, GA. The man, George, which she talked to happen to mention that when he was a boy he had come to NC to live with his granddad for a while. Well turns out he lived in my hometown, the area my maternal grandparents settled in after leaving GA. I asked Mary to please pass my contact information along to George the next time she saw him. So, keep your fingers crossed that I’ve perhaps discovered another descendant / cousin.

2. But that’s not all. Mary also gave me the name of another church in White Plains to contact. Are you ready for the name of the church, Pierce Chapel AME. How cool is that?

I realize the name of the church may have no connection whatsoever to my Pierce Ancestors as the church more that likely was named for Rev. Lovick Pierce, a prominent minister from the area who was instrumental in organizing some of the black churches. But I think it’s a sign. I feel the ancestors stirring. I’ve not felt them doing that in awhile and true to form, both maternal and paternal seem to be stirring at the same time. So, I could be in for a very adventurous genealogical summer. I sure hope so!

Well, you know what I’ll be doing this week, contacting Pierce Chapel AME.

Until Next Time!