Found Together: The Kingstree 435 Story

[00:00:00]T they got it >> and we are live.

[00:00:08]Happy Junth everyone that's out there watching today. I know we're a day early but we can still celebrate. I know I know lots of places are celebrating all week long all through the weekend all that stuff. Junth African-American Independence Day. um an awesome time to to gather as family and to reflect on our family and understand our family stories. My name is Tom Reid. I'm with Family Search program manager here at Family Search. And today I have brought to you some exciting guests. This is going to be exciting. I hope that that that's the word for me is exciting.

[00:00:46]hopefully inspiring and and and hopefully you walk away with something that makes your heart just feel good because we got a wonderful story to share with you today. Today's story uh we're calling it found together the King's Tree 435 story. You're going to understand what we mean by King's Tree 435.

[00:01:06]We're going to say it several times during here, but you'll you'll you'll understand more of what we're talking about here. And I've invited guests to be with me today. I'll have these guests introduce themselves and then I'll share kind of why we how this all came about.

[00:01:21]So today we have Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy with us. Uh Sharon Styles and Pastor David Hill. Shelley, will you introduce yourself to the folks out there so they know you know who you are, where you're from, and if you're watching, by the way, as you're joining us, please let us know where you're from. Post it in the comments. Whether you're watching this on YouTube or Facebook or or wherever, we want to know where this broadcast is reaching you today. So, please let us know where you're from. But Dr. Shelley, tell us a little bit about yourself.

[00:01:51]>> All right. I am Shelley Viola Murphy, born and raised in Michigan, living in central Virginia, just outside of Charlottesville right now. I am a professional genealogologist after a 25 year in real estate and so forth. And so this is what I do all the time is genealogy.

[00:02:13]So love it. Love it.

[00:02:15]>> The family tree girl. You kind of my I and I hope you take this as an endearment, but you are my one of my genealogy mamas.

[00:02:24]>> That work looking after me like teaching >> because you're you're about the age of my son or a couple years younger. So I'm right there. I'm right there. Sharon, >> thank you for having me. Thank you.

[00:02:36]>> Oh. Oh, it's always a pleasure, Sharon.

[00:02:39]Hi, my name is Sharon Styles. I'm in Sacramento, California. I have I've been serving as the Shaw family his as one of the Shaw family historians from Marlin, [snorts] Texas, co-founder of the uh Kingsree African-American Genealogy Group and a direct descendant of the 435 that we're going to be talking about today. So, if you are on the West Coast, give us a shout out. If you're a Shaw family from Marlin, give us a shout out.

[00:03:09]Let us know you're there.

[00:03:11]>> Yeah. Hopefully we're hearing, you know, as folks are putting where they're from in the chat. If they're from California, if they're from Virginia, we got all the time zones covered because Pastor [laughter] Hill, coming to us from Texas. Introduce yourself to us, Pastor Hill.

[00:03:26]>> Yeah, my name is uh Pastor David Hill. I am a lifelong Texas resident and uh a the I've been a local historian for my family for many years, but I'm also involved in a lot of local Houstonian history, black history, uh that work that we do in our nonprofit here in the city. Uh and I am also a direct descendant of one of the 435 uh that we've always had reunions in Marlin all my life and so so excited to uh be a part of this work and this journey with you guys.

[00:04:02]>> So so glad to have you. Thank you.

[00:04:04]Especially as descendants. Now so let and I as we were getting ready for this I was kind of debating on whether I tell kind of how the story came about this whole King Street 435. So, let and and I was telling Pastor Hill, you know, like how God kind of speaks to you at weird times and asks you to do unique things.

[00:04:22]I'm in a Toyota dealership getting the seat of my of my family's minivan fixed when the Lord said to call Shelley Murphy and ask her specifically has anyone made any remarkable discoveries that she's aware of during her Freriedman Bureau Friday program which we'll talk about a little bit later and and so I did I was obedient to the Lord. I called her right then and then this story unfolded. She told me about this group that had been found on the transportation record during a Freedman Bureau Friday broadcast and then uh how it was connected and she said it's connected, you know, Sharon Styles. I was like, "Oh, I know Sharon."

[00:05:04]And so I end up calling Sharon from the Toyota dealership to find out what she was about. [laughter] And this was months ago. This was I was I had been thinking about what to do because this year 2026 is the 10-year anniversary of the Freriedman's Bureau project. So that indexing project that we did kicked off on Junth 2015 so 11 years ago and ended on Junth 20 2016 and I was thinking what could we do to commemorate 10 years with the Freriedman Bureau. So that's why I called Shelley about a Freriedman Bureau record kind of, you know, discovery and voila, here this story unfolds and then get introduced to Pastor Hill and Vicky McIll and David Anthony Taylor's involved in it and and so many other folks are involved in this remarkable story of how these folks Well, let let let's let you tell the story. Can you tell the audience a little bit about the story of the of of all like how this happened? Like like Shelley, can you talk about kind of the historic go?

[00:06:06]Let's let go because it's really with her and Vicki and and folks. So, but Sharon, go ahead.

[00:06:15]>> Well, you want to know how we found it or just who they are?

[00:06:18]>> NO, HOW IT GOT STARTED BECAUSE YOU'RE REACHING OUT.

[00:06:21]>> YEAH. WELL, tell tell me the story of the people. What what what who who are we talking about this king?

[00:06:26]>> Okay, so what we're talking about is that um in 1867 435 freed men in Kings Tree, South Carolina signed a document or agreed to be transported from King's Tree to Marlin, Texas. So they left King's Tree likely by train. They went to Galveston, uh boarded the ship called Adele. They sailed around to Galveastston. They got off the ship there and got on a train and went most of the way and ended up in Marlin and surrounding counties and David, Pastor Hill and I are direct descendants of those people along with you know so many others but that was their story and it was sort of lost. I won't say lost but it was unknown for many >> forever really until we found until it was found by Karen Taylor. So it was a it was a beautiful beautiful thing to find it and just to me the beauty of it is that they had the courage to say let's go you know the let's do something different circumstances here are not optimum for us >> lots of things are happening and it takes courage to do that to go somewhere you've never been in hopes of a better life and so to me that's that's who they are that's that journey that story is amazing That's quite a distance. So Tom, I think you had a map to show.

[00:07:54]>> Yeah, I was going to say let let's let's throw up the map so people can get an idea of where Kings Tree, South Carolina is versus Marlin, Texas. And so you said these 435 individuals who were freed men and Shelley, you going to tell us a little bit more about Freriedman and the Freedman's Bureau records, but they were transported in this case that shows kind of as the crow flies, but I know that they didn't go over land. They actually went by boat out of Charleston. I think we have like a little thing that shows the map of from Charleston they go over to Galveastston and stuff like that, right? And so, um, Shelley, tell tell us a little bit about the context and the time period here in terms of, you know, especially for folks who are unfamiliar with like genealogy and genealogy records and many the myths that, you know, there's nothing for us past 18, you know, before 1870. Freriedman Bureau records have have proven that that's just not true. Right.

[00:08:53]>> And and this is only one collection. So the freedman's bureau the actually the proper name is the bureau of refugees freed men and abandoned lands and it basically comes about at the end of the civil war so March 3rd 1865.

[00:09:11]So what they did was they created these field offices throughout the south and it's set up as a um a agency run by the military and I'm saying some key words and it's federal also run by the military and what this is. for aid, comfort, education, help people with housing, transportation, which could also mean different things, which we can cover as we talk about this because here you heard one thing about transportation, but it could also be a situation of reuniting folks together.

[00:09:55]But the information on the records in this collection to my knowledge what I'm told there's over three million images that are available and they are online.

[00:10:06]People can access them and plus there's even transcription and indexing assistance that's out there. So, the bureau is a collection from 1865 to 1872, right at the end of the Civil War, which we know is chaotic. It's chaos. You have formerly enslaved people now told they're free. Refugees are white people.

[00:10:34]Remember, it's a federal collection. So everybody and anyone could access these field offices throughout the south to get assistance. And again, I'm going to just run through real quickly what type of assistance was offered. You heard transportation.

[00:10:54]You could file a complaint. So there's court hearings. You can also obtain rations. In other words, if you need help and food and things that was available that you could go apply for it, housing, education, uh medical assistance, and there's so much more that is in this collection. It actually is my favorite collection because not only are we seeing documents and hearing the voice, but we're also seeing what individuals are doing to once they hit freedom or or the beginnings of the reconstruction. It's what they're doing from their for themselves. So they're going to these field offices that are located all kind of ways all everywhere. And so people can look at different sites like Black Pearls of Genealogology. You could do the mapping the Freriedman's Veral site and look and find the locations of these field offices. And again, what's on these different record types within the collection is where the gold mine is at for what you find.

[00:12:07]>> Well, we we obviously uncovered a gold mine here with with this story.

[00:12:12]>> But but so uh I I'll let the audience understand. Thank you for that, Shelley.

[00:12:17]really kind of giving us some some background because these records are so vital and crucial in doing kind of slave ancestral research and and and a lot of people have been finding success, but the only reason they found success is because we did the Freedman's Bureau project. So, back in in in 2015, um you know, we we kicked it off with a nationwide call for people to come and help and look at these records that were given to Family Search and other organizations by the National Archives and to and to kind of take out the his the genealogically relevant information and make it searchable online. That was the big thing is that the we knew what the records had, but finding individuals in these records prior to 2016 was was a little more challenging, right? I wouldn't say impossible, but more challenging. And so there we had 25,550 people from around the world during the course of a year that actually looked at these images, pulled out the names, the dates, the places, and and helped create an index or a searchable database, right, for these records. And at the end of the project, there were 1,781,463 names that came out of this project. And these kings tree 435 are our our 435 of this 1,781,463.

[00:13:43]I think I I think we have like a graphic from the the when we finished the project that like I I kind of shared on social media that's like we did it. We were so excited and so happy that in 2016 that this had been accomplished. So much so that we had been working in concert with the National Museum of African-American History and Culture. So this is NDC, the the the Smithsonian's newest um installation there. And we actually gave those records on a database in a little lantern, you know, drive or whatever to to Lonnie Bunch, who was the founding director there in December of 2016 to celebrate the completion of the Freriedman's Bureau project. And they're continuing to look at these records. They're doing a full text transcription. For example, I know there's a there I think we have a link to where people if they want to continue to transcribe some of these documents.

[00:14:36]Some of these were letters and and correspondence between field offices that didn't have as much genealologically relevant data, but it's still worth transcribing. And so if you want to get involved even today, you can go to the Smithsonian and be involved in their transcription project with it there. But but we celebrated in 2016 and and we have been making these wonderful discoveries. So I want to ask the audience, were you one of the people who transcribed the Freeman Bureau records?

[00:15:07]Maybe it was you who actually transcribed this transportation record that tells this this fascinating story, right? And and so I want to go back I want to really help uh set the stage for the story of how this was found. So I can if we can bring Sharon and David back in on on screen, I'd love to kind of help uh uh help them kind of explain.

[00:15:32]Sharon, you you I think you were the catalyst of connecting with Shelly in Freriedman Bureau Friday and and and how all this happened. Can you kind of explain how did this record get found?

[00:15:44]Okay, I'll be more than happy to share that. And and before we go on, let me just say this is actually a Junth story because yes, the reason they were needed in Texas is June 19th, 1865, slavery ended in Texas. They got through the crop that year, but the next year they were in trouble and they needed workers.

[00:16:06]So these men went out looking for workers and that's how they ended up in King Street. So fast forward uh 2023, I am preparing for preparing for a research trip to King's Tree with the group and I sent an email to and uh left a voicemail message for at the new international museum in Charleston asking for help uh or actually asking for an appointment and Dr. Shelley responded to me and said, "What are you looking for?"

[00:16:37]So, I will pause right here and say I'm going to go back when I was a child.

[00:16:43]I would go places with my dad and he was very outgoing and talkative and I was very shy and I wouldn't say anything.

[00:16:50]So, when we got in the car, he said, "You got to learn how to talk to people.

[00:16:54]How can people help you if [laughter] they don't know what you need? Open up your mouth [clears throat] and say something." You know, great dads leave you with love and wisdom, and when they're gone, they're still here. And considering it's Father's Day this weekend, I'm thinking of him. But fast forward, Dr. Shelley says to me, "What do you need?" So, I hear my dad's voice just whispering there.

[00:17:19]>> Uh, how can people help you if they don't know what you need? So, I told her, I'm looking for these, uh, documents. I'm looking for transportation documents for my great-grandfather Harvey Shaw. And you know, that's what I was hoping to find.

[00:17:33]So then she responds and says, "Do you mind if I share this with my Freeman's Fridays group?" So by then I hear my dad saying full voice, "Open up your mouth and say something." So I go for it. I say, "I'm looking for Harvey Shaw. Here are his documents. Uh, I found information in uh the US Color Troop Pension File for Anthony Shaw. Uh, there's a book called Tomlinson Hill. It talks about them on this page. I think that they're in the 1870 census in Marlin. They're all living together. I give her everything I have. You know, I'm just bombarded.

[00:18:11]>> I thought, well, you know, you get one shot. Go for it. So, I gave her all that. And then that was on like August the 9th. So, fast forward August 18th, just nine days later, >> Vicky McIll is on the Freeman's Friday call, and she calls me and says, "I'm going to send you a link. Get on the call. They found something." So, naturally, it was good news and you share good news. So, I said, "Send the link to Angela Shaw Ross in New Mexico.

[00:18:40]Send the link to uh Pastor Hill in Houston. Send the link to Jackie Johnson in Houston." And I'm calling them all saying, "Get on the call. Get on the call. Get on the call." So, we all jump on to this call and um Dr. Shelley starts to scroll down the pages and we all start to see our ancestors.

[00:19:02]Angela says, "There's Anthony Shaw, my great great-grandfather and his father Joe." And Jackie says, "There's my Tisdale ancestors." And I think Pastor Hill was on the freeway in Houston and he said, "Where's [laughter] my Bradley Wood people?" and he said, "What is this document? What are we looking at?" You know, it's like, "What is this?" You know, and I see Harvey Shaw and we're just, you know, we're just aruck. It's just amazing. And that's how we And Karen Taylor is who found the document, but Dr. >> Taylor, yes, >> Karen Taylor found.

[00:19:34]I want to back up just a little bit.

[00:19:36]Freedman Barrel Friday is a open free place where people are learning about this collection and it's people from all over the country and so we come there we're learning but we're also sharing information every Friday at 7 o'clock and again it's us diving into this collection specifically. So, I knew that was a good place to throw that out, but I wanted to make sure that you know that we got what that is. So, it's on Zoom.

[00:20:07]It's open to everybody. And of course, everybody is welcome just like Sharon and everybody she connected and Vicky Miguel and talking about all of this. So again, every Friday, every Friday, somebody either makes a connection or they see something on a document and we go through that collection document by document. So I know uh Tom, you guys have a document that you can share of the transportation. Was that the one you were talking?

[00:20:40]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I want I want to see that document. I think everybody wants to see.

[00:20:44]>> Hopefully we can we can pull up that the transportation record from the freedoms bureau that has the list of all those names there. There there it is. This is just the first I think Sharon you when you sent it to me. It's like 14 p or I can't remember how many p nine pages. So there's 11 pages of names just like this. This was the document y'all.

[00:21:06]>> This is the gold mine. This is what someone indexed as part of took looked at the names, typed them on their computer, put them in our searchable database. This is and and then in 2000 what do you remember what day you said?

[00:21:20]August 9th you reached out but it was like was it the Friday after that or something days after that?

[00:21:26]>> Nine days later, Dr. Shelley shared it on that Friday Zoom call. I I don't know how long it took Karen to find it, but >> there people are in THE BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE GROUP JUST GOING OUT. WE THROW SOMETHING OUT there and saying, "Okay, let's look at transportation records this week." This, that, and other. And of course, folks are going to go look for where they're looking at.

[00:21:51]>> Right. Right.

[00:21:52]>> So Karen Taylor Zoom is this it?

[00:21:56]And that's it. That's it.

[00:21:58]>> And this is it. And so pas so Pastor Hill, you you were on that day when this when they showed this this image, right?

[00:22:08]They they showed that record with the 11 pages and all the names of those folks, right? Was that right? I think you're on mute. So I want to make sure we we take Pastor Hill off mute so we can hear him.

[00:22:20]>> Were you >> Were you on that day? Hopefully our back Okay, wait. Okay, wait. Hold on. Let's get you off mute.

[00:22:29]>> [laughter] >> We want to hear Pastor Hill. Let Oh, he popped off. Okay. Can we get him off mute real quick because I want to I want to get his reaction to what it was like finding this this record. Can we unmute Pastor Hill?

[00:22:47]It was on for a second. I don't know if you can hit the unmute. There we go.

[00:22:50]Pastor Hill, preach. [laughter] I think we can hear you now, Pastor Hill. Hopefully, you can hear us.

[00:23:00]Are you able to hear us, Pastor Hill?

[00:23:03]>> I don't think he can hear us right now, but So, Sharon, you you you were I mean, these were your people, right?

[00:23:11]>> Yes. [laughter] Yes.

[00:23:12]>> What What was that like seeing their names on there?

[00:23:18]>> You know what? It was so overwhelming because I had been looking for these document this document for 15 or 20 years. It was, you know, I I am not good with with the Freeman's Bureau documents. I'm just going to confess that. So, I have been trying to search it, but I'm not good at it. And I would listen in on presentations and try to find it. And I found a couple of things like on your family search. the two things that I uh did find, but I could never find this transportation document.

[00:23:51]And we would have reunions and people would say, "How did they get here?" And I >> I don't know how they got here. And it was a mystery.

[00:24:00]>> So, >> I think we can hear Pastor Hill now.

[00:24:03]Sorry, I meant Sorry, I didn't mean to cut. Pastor Hill, can you hear us now?

[00:24:12]Uh >> oh, we heard him.

[00:24:18]He's on audio only.

[00:24:20]>> He's He's [clears throat] gonna come back. We We're gonna get him back here real quick.

[00:24:25]>> Yes. But to finally to finally find this document after all the to see this document after all these years and to see this just the sheer number of people who were on this one document was astounding. And you know I tell you when we see when we did this every emotion you can imagine I was awe I was in just in awe that it was there I was dumb struck I was happy I was sad I was joyful I was everything I waited till after the call to do the genealogy happy dance but yes I did do [laughter] it you know because you know >> the genealogy happy dance >> I I did it I did it after the call but I was like oh thank god I Sometimes you think you're never going to find something, but you can and you know there it is. It's just proof of it. So it was it was so amazing and the number of people and the families and then it's almost like a transportation document and labor contract combined because it also gives the wor wages what their work is and then it has the children with their responsible adult and they're grouped by families. It was like a it's a gift that keeps on giving. I look at it and find something new all the time.

[00:25:39]It It's amazing. It's amazing.

[00:25:42]>> Wonderful.

[00:25:42]>> So, let's something for the audience.

[00:25:45]>> Yes, I'm here. Please.

[00:25:47]>> Okay. That 435 are the names of 435 individuals who are now free. And we are seeing their names and just as Sharon just described. So, I want folks to make sure they understand the power of seeing those names. And this is before 1870.

[00:26:11]>> So, don't listen to that myth that AfricanAmericans looking for their ancestors cannot find them prior to 1870. This is only one collection. And you heard it and you're seeing it on the screen. There's 11 pages, 435 names. And I also heard another clue here.

[00:26:35]You said groupings. So how that document was rent filled out, >> right, >> with family groupings.

[00:26:45]>> I can't even imagine. It's not even my family, but I was OVERWHELMED JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. We were all happy that the finding of that, but the names are so significant.

[00:26:57]>> So sign awesome.

[00:26:59]>> So, Pastor Hill, we we got you back.

[00:27:02]>> Yes.

[00:27:06]>> Can we hear you though?

[00:27:08]>> Sure. Can you hear me?

[00:27:09]>> I can hear him.

[00:27:11]>> Yes.

[00:27:13]>> Yes. Well, I know you we were talking about just kind of the historical weight of of of discovering these things.

[00:27:20][snorts] And you know, when I think about it, I it takes me back to a surreal moment that I had a few years ago on my first trip to Ghana. I was able to go to the Cape Coast and walk through these Amina slave castles. And I remember walking through there, obviously, it was very heavy and very weighty. And I remember thinking that man these were actual real people.

[00:27:46]>> Yes, >> this actually happened to real people.

[00:27:50]Uh and it was so overwhelming. But the question that lingered in my mind was were these my people >> right?

[00:27:58]>> Did my people pass through these particular places? Could am I stepping in grounds on places that my actual relatives? And there's no way to know that. But the beauty about this experience with the 435 is it's the same experience in that these were real people, real life circumstances, but there was one major difference for me.

[00:28:21]>> There is no question about whether these were my people or not.

[00:28:25]>> It's 100% sure, man. These were my people.

[00:28:30]>> These were the steps that they made. and to be able to go back and when we made that trip back to King's Tree, you know, it switched from an exploration historical trip >> to a homage.

[00:28:45]>> It it it was it was it was sacred ground. It was going back uh and and and it was a totally different experience, but it was beautiful to be able to experience it on both ends. uh the possibility of being in a place where my ancestors may have come through >> and then to be able to set ground and walk and say without a shadow of a doubt my two times greatgrandfather, three times great-grandfather, they were in this place.

[00:29:17]>> And uh it's just it's just a it's a powerful moment. And and I'm a firm believer. Yes, these people have lived their lives and they are long gone. And most of what is left behind is really for us. And so it was an honor >> honor to be able to have that experience and walk that journey.

[00:29:36]>> Yeah.

[00:29:36]>> Wow. Wow. So powerful. Those of you are watching, we're telling the story of the King's Tree 435 and how this historical document that you're seeing from the Freriedman's Bureau >> led to this discovery and this this connection and how it it really took folks working together. This year's theme at Roots Tech, you know, was about together and how we work together to accomplish this work. And you're seeing that now. And you're feeling the power of the moment when those names of their ancestors, their people. I remember hearing Lavar Burton standing on the stage of Ruse in 2017 pointing at the stream saying, "These are my people. He claimed them.

[00:30:20]>> They became real and they they were a part of him, right? And and it sounds the same that it was the same for you, pastor. This is just again a remarkable story. For those who are tuning in, we'd love to know, have you had these kind of moments? Just write yet, have you been touched as you've discovered a record and and connected with an ancestor that you thought was elusive or never knew that you had? We'd love to know what your experience was. So, please share your thoughts among each other in the chat. And and um and if you have questions along the line as we're doing this, too, we're going to get to some questions here in a little bit. We we'd love to take your questions as well, but we'd love to learn your experience as well. I want to turn now to the more I know Shelley, you got some stuff. We're going to go back to the record, but I want to turn now to the memorial >> to to what has happened since you found this record. And so what we're looking at now is the Black Pearls of Genealogy, which is David Anthony Taylor's website, has created a memorial page about the event that happened in King's Tree, South Carolina, where you it sounds like there was a monument that was unveiled listing the names of the 435 people who were on that transportation record. and Vicky McIll was the project manager for this event and and for the creation of the monument there and and and thanks to her, we have some good pictures of it. I want to show folks a picture of the memorial and then I want to get your feelings. So, here we are. You see Pastor Hill, you see Sharon, see other members of your family here. What was it like when you saw the memorial for the first time, Sharon? that to to see it unveiled like you saw the record but now yes here's something permanently in King's Tree >> your ancestors >> the memorial the the memorial that Black Pearls of Genealogy uh donated is is stunningly beautiful. The fact that it has the names inscribed on it is the most important part because when all else fades away, it is the name of the of our ancestors that we want to remember. So this memorial is stunning in its simplicity and the fact that it honors every single one of them. And in this photo next to Pastor Hill is Minister LJ Tisdale who lives there. But then there's me and then Angela Shaw Ross and Tony Kirk, the other two members of our Marlin committee that uh we all traveled so we could be there to recognize and honor our ancestors. And you know, it it's like Pastor Hill said, you see it and you think about it, but it is we came a long way to bear witness to their journey and to say thank you for for making the journey and just for doing everything they could to give us a better life. And the memorial being there and always being there is something that I treasure and I and I value and I, you know, share with family here. My family in California, they they don't know anything about Texas, let alone South Carolina. So, you know, it's a [laughter] constant push to get them there. But I'm sharing I'm like, you know, a voice crying in the wilderness.

[00:33:33]We This is the story. But, you know, it's beautiful to have it there. And I just I think it's amazing to h it's a beautiful monument. It's amazing.

[00:33:40]>> Yes.

[00:33:41]>> Your your feelings, Pastor Hill.

[00:33:44]>> Yeah. I echo what she said. You know, I I have made it a personal um point of mine. I travel the country.

[00:33:52]I just love history period. whether it's Civil War, Revolutionary War, you name it. I just love it. Uh and so I make it a point to travel the country and inevitably I will come to a location and there will be some effort to recapture or memorialize the black uh experience within whatever movement I'm looking at.

[00:34:14]And I can't tell you how many times I've been disappointed to see how it's been put together and displayed and and it's it's it's it's often not something that speaks to the dignity of who those people were and it certainly doesn't speak to the value of which we hold them today.

[00:34:33]>> But the thing I love about this monument is that from the very moment that it is was unveiled, it gave instant dignity to who those people were. And I think I would be proud for any of them to drop down in that moment and and we would be proud to say this is what was done in your name's sake. And we would be proud to say that. Uh and and it is the thing that has probably um marked me going forward that whatever we do and whatever I do, I wanted to I wanted to speak to these people. I want when people look at it, I want them to say, "Boy, somebody must have thought a lot about these people.

[00:35:11]Somebody must really thought these folks were special cuz look at what they put together for them. And this monument did that. I couldn't tell you. It was just remarkable. We were so proud to be around it and to take pictures. I flooded my timeline and pictures and images with my family. Uh you know, and so yeah, it was a it was just a beautiful moment and we look to have that moment again uh next month.

[00:35:36]>> Oh, sweet. Oh. Oh, go ahead, Shel. You said something.

[00:35:40]comment that. So the audience who's viewing this, this is one record and and you heard the family groupings, but transportation records could also include former residents like they know South Carolina and then they the folks go to Marlin, Texas. So, in my eyes, I'm thinking there's descendants in Texas trying to figure out why they got people from South Carolina in their ancestry.

[00:36:13]So, this connects former places, but it also connects >> possibly on some records it could list where they actually lived and who the former owner was of that individual. So this is where the genealogy comes in.

[00:36:32]And then also looking for the research.

[00:36:35]Think about the plantations in the area.

[00:36:38]Do all of these people come from the same plantations all in one area? So again, it gives much more for people to continue [clears throat] conducting research just as Sharon and their group has done because you got your base in Texas. Now you're going back in time. You know, we know what happened in Texas once they got there, but now they can look at King's Tree and figure out what was going on. Where are these people from? And it just gives more opportunity to tap into these individuals lives.

[00:37:16]>> Yeah. Yeah. There. So, just for the for the audience out there, we're putting up the list here of um the Black Pearls of Genealogy website you can go to and see this memorial. This was the event that was done in King's Tree, South Carolina, right? And and Pastor Hill said something about something else is coming. So, Sharon, will you will you share a little bit about what's what's coming next and and what's happening in Pastor Hill's neck of the woods?

[00:37:45][laughter] Well, the four of us, Pastor Hill, myself, Angela Sha Ross, and Tony Kirk, we are planning an unveiling of a sister memorial in Marlin, Texas on July the 11th, uh, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Central time. So, we have been working feverishly for the last year to bring it together. Pray for us. And so we're looking to uh unveil >> the exact same monument in Marlin that's in uh King's Tree. And so I think it's going to be beautiful. And u Pastor Hill can even add more to that. But we are excited about the possibility of honoring our ancestors where we knew them.

[00:38:28]>> You guys are doing it.

[00:38:30]>> This is awesome. Tell tell us more, Pastor Hill, about >> Well, let me let me just backtrack to what she was saying earlier, you know, about how this has expanded our relationships and our family even to South Carolina. You know, it made me I had to go back and and and rethink all of my thoughts about the people of South Carolina now that I'm one of them.

[00:38:51][laughter] I always view South Carolinians in in a certain light and then all of a sudden I found out well these my people [laughter] >> but but yes uh that we are so excited to be able to you know there are I told you about my travels and going to look at different monuments and I never forget being in Virginia part of the trans as transatlantic slave trade they have a monument there in Richmond Virginia there's one in London in in London England and Then there's one in Africa.

[00:39:23]All three kind of mark the pinpoints of the transatlantic slave trade. And so I just thought it was a wonderful idea that you got to have a book end to this.

[00:39:35]Uh and I hope it's my desire that people in our family or just just uh black uh historians in general, they would make it a point of a pilgrimage. What a wonderful what a wonderful idea to say, you know what, this summer we're going to start in South Carolina at this location. And uh we're going to make it a point to travel to Marlin to book in this trip and learn more about these 435. I I hope that becomes a pilgrimage of for family members and historians alike. Uh and so we we're really honored and privileged uh to bring this this element to Texas and I think it's going to be fantastic. That that is awesome.

[00:40:15]I'm so glad you're you're bookending it kind of, right? That that was the start of the story. Now you're you're telling the the end of the story and the story goes from there, right? You know, I I was um sharing with you all this week as we were preparing for this broadcast. I saw a name on the transportation record connected to a congressman in Utah [laughter] of all places. I had helped Burgess Owens is our congressman and he has an ancestor Silus Burgess who I helped back in 2017 2016 2017 find information on on Silus Burgess. I believe it's his second greatgrandfather who's in South Carolina at the time on a Freeman's Bureau record by the way. That's how we made that connection today. But I was able to share with him that that his ancestor, Silus Burgess, is one of the 435 that's on this memorial. And now, so it's not just South Carolina. It's not just Texas. Now it's Utah. So, Pastor Hill, you got to think of us in Utah in [laughter] a very favorable light now that you know you got family in Utah all connected to this. But this is just an amazing story. So I I want to show the folks if you want to learn more about what's happening in July in actually Marlin, Texas. The there's a a a Facebook group that's been created.

[00:41:37]Sharon, I think you're managing this Facebook group um that's going to be a part of or that's kind of talking and discussing and preparing for th this event that's going to happen in Marlin, Texas on July 11th. Here's the URL that you can go to to join that Facebook group and and and hear everything that's going on and be be a part of it. I've already seen some news outlets that are talking about, you know, what's going to happen on the 11th. I know that there's uh some folks that want to help you continue to raise funds for this and and and do whatever they can to honor these folks. Sharon, is there more that you'd tell us about this July 11th event?

[00:42:15]Well, so this Facebook page is where we're going to live stream the ceremony.

[00:42:21]So, we've set this up so that if someone is just watching, they can if they want to see the ceremony, they can go to this site and watch it from wherever they are. It's at 10:00 a.m. Central time.

[00:42:33]So, you figure wherever you are based on that. uh the the page that uh Black Pearls of Genealogy has with all of the information. We we shared a lot of our information with David Anthony Taylor and he has a really good information on his page so they can get it from there.

[00:42:50]And um you know, we're always looking for people and hopefully if you know, if you want to know more, maybe either reach out through the Black Pearls of Genealogy page or I'm not certain if you can put a post on our Facebook, but we can see. But either way, we want people to come and watch and see it on that morning. And that's what the purpose of that particular website is for. And u we just think it's going to be great. The people in King's Street were wonderful hosts. So, we are, you know, Texas wanting to do at least match.

[00:43:22]>> Everything's bigger in Texas.

[00:43:24]>> That's right. That's right. That's right.

[00:43:27]>> So much pressure. So much pressure.

[00:43:30]>> So, I have a quick question.

[00:43:32]>> And and I don't know if people in the audience will have the same type question, but King Street, is it the city or the county that allowed a memorial? did what was the little brief process that you had to get in order to put up a memorial if that makes sense.

[00:43:51]>> Yes, the the city of Kings Tree um they basically sponsored that whole thing.

[00:43:59]They it was a very wonderful thing. Uh Vicky McIll reached out to the city council and they approved it and then they they did basically did everything.

[00:44:08]It was wonderful. We on the other hand, we don't have that luxury.

[00:44:13]>> Yeah.

[00:44:13]>> So, they did everything and that was great as far as you know the setup and the refreshment. They did all those wonderful wonderful things.

[00:44:21]>> We on the other hand don't have that luxury. So, we're >> it's our monument is going on the courthouse grounds in Marlin. Marlin is the county seat of Falls County. So, it's a little different. We're sort of we're sort of doing a lot of things that we need to do to sort of make it happen, but we're excited to have it and we're looking forward to it.

[00:44:42]>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And and you see the names here. I know yours is Harvey Shaw. I don't know if folks who are watching right now can see if you can see the name Harvey Shaw. Type that in the chat. I see Harvey Shaw. Write that in the [laughter] in the comments.

[00:44:58]I can see him on here. I see uh Burgess family here, which is connected to to Burgess Owens, our congressman here. Um and and lots of other, you know, wonderful names, 435 that are on here.

[00:45:11]We're going to we're going to wrap up today. Um, and I just want to one of the things I want folks to to know and understand there there is this misconception really that that African-American genealogy is so hard that you can't do it that and and I want people to walk away from today feeling inspired and knowing that working together these discoveries can be made and these are joyful discoveries. I've seen the joy in Pastor Hill's face talking about this and sharing and and and I get excited, right? It's things are changing. You know, Family Search is doing a lot to make, you know, more records searchable and accessible using AI technology and things like that. A and and people are forming groups like Freriedman's Bureau Friday. I don't know if we can put up the graphic. And if people are interested in joining Freeman's Bureau Friday with Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy. Um 7 o'clock on Zoom. You can scan this QR code and get registered and join and work together with other folks to make these kind of discoveries to unearth this. I mean, just finding your family.

[00:46:21]It it just does something to you. It all of us can testify to that and and and I'm sure our audience can as well. But if if you're if just I want to leave with just maybe your thoughts on what people can do to get started. Pastor Hill, from your vantage point. If someone is new to this whole thing, what advice would you give to them to get started trying to trying to uncover their family and and hopefully making discoveries as as wonderful as yours?

[00:46:50]>> Yeah. Well, I would probably say one uh take a DNA test. Uh okay.

[00:46:55]>> That's a good that's always a good place. That's how I found a lot of these folks. Um, but I think, you know, talk to take the time and slow down and talk to the older people in your family.

[00:47:08]>> You know, so many times there have been so many jewels and so many things that I've discovered and I kick myself that why didn't I talk to these people sooner?

[00:47:18]>> Why I let years go by and I didn't know the questions to ask. And so I tell start gathering, recording conversations, talking to people, showing interest, and and and and just start where you start where you are.

[00:47:33]Don't let don't let the big puzzle um discourage you because uh you may start off I learned this, you start off searching after one person, there are no clues, but you stumble on somebody who has all the clues, >> right? And so you you you go as we say it as we say in my line of work, you go where the spirit leads you, >> right?

[00:47:55]>> And so you allow that to dictate where you go. Uh and and and and let that and let that lead you. And and lastly, I would just say this.

[00:48:05]My encouragement to people is we are all looking for answers in particularly in our culture today.

[00:48:12]And that's my automatic light going on.

[00:48:15]We're always looking for looking for answers for our culture today. And I'm telling you, a lot of the answers we're looking for, these people have left for us.

[00:48:24]>> Yes.

[00:48:25]>> They have left for us. If we just would if we would just do the work and take the time and listen to what they've said and look at what they've done. And so I just tell people, get started where you are. Talk to the people around you and your family. Get connected to groups who are actively doing this kind of work.

[00:48:44]And just, you know, when you have time, do it and then add a little bit more time and then pick up a little bit more time when you can. But it is well worth the effort.

[00:48:54]>> Awesome. Sharon, what would you say?

[00:48:56]Thank you, Pastor Hill.

[00:48:58]>> I would say collect the funeral programs. There's somebody in your family that has a drawer or a box of funeral programs. Get those funeral programs. Make copies and live by them.

[00:49:07]And I would also say accept your assignment. I always believe that God and the ancestors choose us to do this work. Not everybody is meant to do it.

[00:49:18]It's your assignment. Do not get upset with your family members because they don't do it. It's never their It was never their assignment. It's always been yours. Accept it. Do it. Study and learn and ask for help. And just go for it. I mean, sometimes you're discouraged.

[00:49:35]Sometimes you get happy, but just keep going. And before we run out of time, I want to say this one thing. This story is beautiful. There are 435 different angles to this story and I hope many people hear it in many places.

[00:49:50]But whenever you hear this story, if Dr. Shelley Murphy, Freriedman's Friday, Karen Taylor, and Direct Descendants are not included in the story, you're not going to get the full story. So, thank you, Tom, for bringing us on today and allowing us to tell this story in its fullness. and well a part of it in its fullness. Thank you for that.

[00:50:10]>> Absolutely. It's been a pleasure. Dr. Shellyley, leave us with some wise words to help those newbies that are out there getting started. What should they do?

[00:50:20]>> Well, the first thing, and I'm going to follow up with something that Pastor Hill said. He said, "Talk to the elders." I'm gonna expand that. talk to everybody >> because you could have siblings that heard >> something else that from that elder. It could have came different different environment. So get to those elders too.

[00:50:44]Don't forget those cousins and siblings and stuff because they could have heard the same story but might had something else in it that you didn't pick up >> and that might be the next lead.

[00:50:58]>> The other thing is to realize that we're all out here looking. It's a collaborative effort and it's networking. We have Family Search and other entities that are there, you know, at no cost. you join Freiedman's Friday, no cost. We are all looking out there and need help from all. Yes, there's going to be challenges, but you know what? We live dayto day with those challenges. So, as Martin Luther Martin Luther King said, we shall overcome and we're doing it. And this is a prime example of finding 435 names on a record, >> a federal record. So, thank you again Tom and Family Search for bringing this together because it is an example of what could be done and what could be found. So, thank you for that.

[00:51:50]>> Wow. Well, it's been a pleasure to have you. I'm looking at some of the chat and and the and the stuff that's been there.

[00:51:58]People saying they love the story and have ancestors in King's Tree and and you know, William Williamsburg County, South Carolina area. Um there is a question about are all 435 typed out somewhere?

[00:52:13]>> Yes, there is a typed list. Um >> I can share it with you uh Tom or we can post it on our um on that Facebook page and I believe it's also on the Black Pearls of Genealogy but yes there is a type list.

[00:52:30]>> Okay. So, so they can go to the Black Pearls of Genealogy Memorial and see the type list of all 435 names and see if you might be connected with with you might, you know, Sharon, you might find some more cousins out there, Pastor Hill. You know, [laughter] some other wait and let me just say this on Black Pearls of Genealogy on the Marlin page, there are the four of us, myself, Pastor Hill, Angela, and Tony.

[00:52:56]And if you click on it, it will show our email addresses. So, if you can't read, if you can't read what's on there, feel free to just email me and I will send you the typed version that I have. If you can't see it, if you can't find it, just email me and I'll be happy to share it.

[00:53:12]>> Hopefully, people will be able to after after this, they can come back and watch this. So, let everybody know that's watching now. You can share this with friends and family. They can watch today. They can go to some of the links.

[00:53:22]They can connect with you all. One of the things I love that's on the Black Pearls of Genealogy memorial page is actually the video from the the King's Tree um ceremony and saying their names.

[00:53:35]>> Yes.

[00:53:36]>> Saying their names. So, as I leave and and wrap things up today, I want to encourage all of you there, put in the chat the names of your ancestors. Speak their names. Bring them to memory.

[00:53:50]connect with your connect with them in so many ways. You know, every time I speak the names of my ancestor, I get tearary. I I'm starting to get tearary right now [laughter] thinking about the connection, you know, to my ancestors and their names. They're not forgotten. And when I was in Elmina Slave Castle in Ghana, Pastor Hill, >> I remember the Lord told me specifically, I'm doing this work so that those people would be remembered.

[00:54:17]>> Amen. and what what happened with this this King's Tree story and what happened with Freeman's Bureau Friday is just a testament to making sure that these names get remembered. You guys are doing a great job of memorializing them in King's Tree and then now in Marlin, Texas. So, thank you. Thank you for joining us today for found together the King's Tree 435 story. Please join us for other webinars in the month of June.

[00:54:43]We are so happy to share this Junth story with you, Shellyley, Pastor Hill, Sharon, such an honor to have you with us. Thank you for being with us and thank you audience for joining in with us today. Have a blessed and happy Junth y'all.

[00:54:59]>> Bye now.

[00:55:00]>> Thank you.

[00:55:01]>> Amen. Thank you.