Forgive my absence. I have been working for the past eight months on a project to document African Americans in Royal Oak Township from 1845-1870 and try to determine if any were freedom seekers or abolitionists. After combing through census, land, and probate records, newspapers, and city directories, as well as utilizing maps, I focused my attention on four individuals/families.
In the second paragraph, he emanicpates Daniel and Betsey Cason and their four children upon his death.
Joseph White came to Royal Oak around 1848 from Pike County, Kentucky. He and his wife, Elizabeth Coleman, had three sons, all born in Royal Oak. I discovered that Joseph was born free, as was his father, when I located their Certificates of Freedom in Pike County. After serving in the Civil War, Joseph returned home, and he and Elizabeth split up. While she and one of their sons stayed in the area, Joseph and his other two sons moved west.
Daniel Cason and his wife Betsey were born enslaved. While I still do not know much about Betsey (even when and where she died), the Cason family was emancipated in 1836 by their enslaver in his will. Twelve years later, Daniel purchased property in Royal Oak and he and his one son, Calvin, remained here until their deaths in 1888 and 1904 respectively. I’d like to find out (among other things)where Daniel was in that 12-year time period.
I discovered that Royal Oak had at least two Black abolitionists – William Dollarson (born enslaved and self-emancipated, he made his way to Detroit by 1836 and purchased property in Royal Oak in 1847) and Alexander Duncan III who was born free in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Alexander and his family, including his parents, migrated to Detroit around 1846, probably with the migration of free Blacks led by William DeBaptiste and Maria Louise Moore. Duncan’s father, Alexander Jr., was born enslaved and emancipated, along with his mother and siblings, by his father in 1808. Dollarson was active with the Second Baptist Church in Detroit and anti-slavery groups and helped shepherd many freedom seekers to safety in Canada.
This research has led me down some surprising paths – first, finding out that Royal Oak had an active abolitionist and Black community in the mid-19th century. Secondly, research (of course) does not happen in a vacuum – it includes correspondence and assistance from others be it a DNA genealogist, archivists, descendants, volunteers in local historical societies or local court clerks. And sharing these stories also helps flesh out not only their life stories but also contributes to local and social history.
I feel that I have only scratched the surface. Already, I have been part of two presentations related to the Underground Railroad. I do not know where my research will lead but I do know that I am not finished with telling these stories and more.
historicaresearch.com 