Yesterday I didn't find out that I was responsible for doing obits until about noon. It was frustrating seeing as how I usually start them at 9 a.m. on the Saturday's that I work for Tiffany.
But as I started I ran across the name James R. Webb Jr., and I had to stop and take a deep breathe. The obit was submitted from a Little Rock funeral home but it said, that he was originally from Macon, Ga.
Growing up I've always felt as if a void existed in my life, from the lack of knowing about my family tree. Trice is my maiden last name, yet my knowledge of my grandfather's family is almost little or none. About three years ago I met some of my cousins, after we began the planning for an annual family reunion. I always wondered why after almost 20 years I had just met this people that I share a last name with.
My mom's side of the family isn't as bad. Every third Saturday in July for as long as I can remember has been our annual Cadwell/Burch Family Reunion. This has been the day that my family looks forward to, like a birthday or Christmas.
The Cadwell side comes from my mom's dad. His mother's maiden name was Cadwell, and it's a large part of who I know myself to be.
Getting back to the Webb Obit. I was named after my grandmother-my mom's mom. And her maiden name is Webb. The oldest living relative in her family is my grandmother's Uncle- James Webb Jr. So do you see why I was a little caught off guard? Thinking that I had just received an obit for my great-great uncle. That was a little distrubing.
As I read through it, names and cities started to match and I called my mom and really started to feel a little uneasy. After she spoke with my Aunt Eddie-my grandmother's sister, we had a little clarity.
My Great-Great Uncle James is the son of James Webb Sr., and he the son of my Great-Great-Great Grandfather who was a slave in Macon, Ga. and as was common, received his last name from his slave master.
I finally went to the funeral website and pulled up the picture of this man who I assumed was going to be tall, slender and with dark complexion. I was wrong. The picture of saw was of a 93-year-old bald white man, with a tan suite on.
I was a little relieved.But, we are sure that he is a member of the family that owned mine. Because of his age, he and my great-great grandfather would have known each other. He has children in Little Rock and I almost want to contact them. Just to sit down and learn more about my history.
But this made me wonder. Being in Arkansas everyone asks me if I'm related to these Trice's or those. I have no idea! My mommy can go back almost five generations on her father and mothers side. However, I don't even know where to look or begin.
I've asked my granddad at times about his brothers and sisters, and it's hard for him to name them all, due to deaths at a young age and just the effects of time.
I wonder sometimes, am I any less of a person, because I can not trace my roots back to even three generations?
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