I continue to discover clues here and there on the trail to learning more about my great grandfather, Lafayette Franklin Vance. I am so amazed that after so many years, I am still finding information. Even when I am only researching the holdings at a library or working on a completely different family line, I run across documentation on Lafayette.
As these clues fall into my lap, it seems as if he is right there helping me to uncover leads, directing me to a landmark, or inspiring someone to share information about him with me. I thought I had exhausted city directories in my search to document family members between census years. I used Columbia City Directories to locate him in the 1920's after he migrated from Greenwood County. I found him in the 1910 Census in Clinton (Laurens County), but only last week I discovered him in the 1917 Clinton City Directory.
He is listed with my great grandmother, Lula, and the directory revealed he was pastoring at Friendship AME Church in Clinton. I could not wait to locate this church. I even have other Vance families listed in the area to check out.
Very excited, I had just enough time to snap a few photos of the building. I did not see a cemetery. As I walked toward the building, a nice lady across the street asked if I needed help. She came over to talk to me, and I told her about finding the reference to my great grandfather. Before I knew it she had unlocked the building and presented me with the history of the church in a wonderful booklet.
"Friendship AME Founded in 1880"
I did manage to keep the tears back as we browsed the booklet, and she explained that there is another church in the area, Mount Pleasant AME which was considered my family's church. Another lead! Friendship AME has been around since 1880, and the church cemetery, located on the original site nearby, is where members who were former slaves are buried.
I cannot say enough about staying on the trail of your ancestor and conducting exhaustive research.
As these clues fall into my lap, it seems as if he is right there helping me to uncover leads, directing me to a landmark, or inspiring someone to share information about him with me. I thought I had exhausted city directories in my search to document family members between census years. I used Columbia City Directories to locate him in the 1920's after he migrated from Greenwood County. I found him in the 1910 Census in Clinton (Laurens County), but only last week I discovered him in the 1917 Clinton City Directory.
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| Rev. Lafayette Vance (Lula), pastor Friendship AME Ch, r 132 W Carolina Ave. |
He is listed with my great grandmother, Lula, and the directory revealed he was pastoring at Friendship AME Church in Clinton. I could not wait to locate this church. I even have other Vance families listed in the area to check out.
Very excited, I had just enough time to snap a few photos of the building. I did not see a cemetery. As I walked toward the building, a nice lady across the street asked if I needed help. She came over to talk to me, and I told her about finding the reference to my great grandfather. Before I knew it she had unlocked the building and presented me with the history of the church in a wonderful booklet.
I did manage to keep the tears back as we browsed the booklet, and she explained that there is another church in the area, Mount Pleasant AME which was considered my family's church. Another lead! Friendship AME has been around since 1880, and the church cemetery, located on the original site nearby, is where members who were former slaves are buried.
I cannot say enough about staying on the trail of your ancestor and conducting exhaustive research.
Wow! Robin, that is awesome! Are you on a research trip, or is this all right in the area where you live?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on all of this. Can't wait to read what comes next!
Renate
Thank you Renate! It is a little ways from me in SC. I do not see well enough to drive so I am so glad when my husband can break away to visit sites. I have been traveling around doing presentations in the Upstate quite a bit this year, and the spark to fit in my own research is ever bright as well. :)
DeleteThis is wonderful. And to find the church still there and in great shape too.
ReplyDeleteHi Kristin!
DeleteI cannot wait to go back and hunt down the cemetery on the old church site. :)