All Roots Lead to Brooklyn
Genealogy by Jahongir “Jhon” Usmanov. I feel a ring of truth in an old saying about every seventh American being able to trace his family roots back to Brooklyn. The journey to my own roots lies elsewhere, but while I am in Brooklyn I shall help others on their path. If in your search for your family’s history you found this blog, you are welcome to use anything you find here. And if you still have roadblocks in your research, you can write me for assistance.
Ship of the Line Pennsylvania
On August 11, 2017, when researching the story about Margaret Pine, I went to the the Archives and Manuscript Division of the NYPL, to review the papers of Wynant Van Zandt Jr. Within the Van Zandt’s collection, I found an interesting document; a description of a...
New Utrecht: Settlement & Slavery
Brooklyn in 1639 Readers are advised to visit the following link -- Digital Sources: Books -- for additional information regarding sources on this page. Chronology 1624—The first Dutch settlers arrive on the Noten Eylant (now Governor’s Island) 1625—The Dutch begin...
Digital Sources: Books
While writing histories of my hometown, I often find myself cluttering the text with my sources. To simplify the text, the authors whose works I use are listed here. It is a sort of bibliography, and I hope a mention of their names in future posts will be sufficient....
In Search of Margaret Pine: the Last Slave of New York State
On June 22, 2015, The Green-Wood Cemetery's historian published a blog post titled "New York's Last Slave." The story is about the discovery of the resting place of Margaret Pine, who was the last slave of New York State. The blog post tells the fascinating story of...
The Will of Jane Cummings: A Former Slave’s Bequeathals
Slaves Waiting for Sale: Richmond, Virginia by Eyre Crow (1824-1910) Often, when visiting my mother's grave in the Green-Wood Cemetery, I take my time and walk around the vicinity in meditation. Last year, on one of those walks, I happened upon...