Ancestorial Timeline

1770.   Mary Hill
      Born in North Carolina

1830. U.S. Census Records
      Census records list five families with the surname "Hatch" living in Mississippi in 1830.
      HATCH - the surname of the people who held my ancestors in bondage

1840. U.S. Census Records
      Census records list four families with the surname "Hatch" living in Mississippi in 1840.
      * - indicates possible location(s) of ancestors being held in bondage

1848. Patsy Hill
      

      1848 - December 3, 1927, Diana Hill(M), Godfrey Hill (F)
      

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      1850. U.S. Census Records
            Census records list eleven families with the surname "Hatch" living in Mississippi in 1850.
            * - indicates possible location(s) of ancestors being held in bondage

1850. AIS Mortality Schedule-Mississippi 1850 Index, page 17

HILL - the surname of my ancestors

1860. Mortality Schedule-Mississippi 1860

HATCH - the surname of the people who held my ancestors in bondage
HILL - the surname of my ancestors

1863. The Emancipation Proclamation - The Emancipation Proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not immediately free a single slave, it fundamentally transformed the character of the war. After January 1, 1863, every advance of federal troops expanded the domain of freedom. Moreover, the Proclamation announced the acceptance of black men into the Union Army and Navy, enabling the liberated to become liberators. By the end of the war, almost 200,000 black soldiers and sailors had fought for the Union and freedom.

1870. U.S. Census Records
      Godfrey Hill
      January 1870 - October 1935

      Patsy Hill - According to the 1870 Census Schedule Patsy is recorded as Patsy Davis a member of the Rufus Davis family. She has a 5 month old son, Godfrey Hill. The Davis family is living in Girard, Louisiana, a small farming town in Richland Parish. The 1870 census records indicate that Patsy was born in Mississippi.

1874. Mary D. Vivian Born 1874

1877. Patsy Hill - Patsy Hill married May Bracy November 29, 1877. (certificate) The minister was John Finley and the witnesses were James Ross, Rus Estis and Aaron Johnson.

1880. U.S. Census Records In the 1880 census schedule Patsy indicates that she was born in Mississippi and that her parents were born in North Carolina. Her son Godfrey is mistakenly listed as a 12 year old. She now has three other children, Darruis (?) Davis, age 7; Mary Davis, age 5; and Riny Bracy, age 1.

1892. Florence Hill
      May 1892 - October 1918, Mary D. Vivian (M), Godfrey Hill (F)
      

1894. Elbert Hill Born April 1894, Mary D. Vivian (M), Godfrey Hill (F)

1900. U.S. Census Records According to the 1900 census schedule Patsy Hill was married to James McGown. She had two addtional children Margie Bracy, age 15 living with her and Fretus Bracy, age 16 living with Godfrey Hill. Two grand children are listed as living in the McGown household, Florence Hill, age 8 and Elbert Hill, age 6.
      NOTE: James McGown is a founding trustees of Brightwater African Methodist Episcopal Church, est. 1896 in Alto, Louisiana.

1910. U.S. Census Records Patsy Hill is a 61 years old widow living with her son, Godfrey Hill. Other family member listed as living in the household include: Florence Hill, age 17; Elbert Hill, age 16; Rankin Hill, age 13; Lucy Hill, age 11; and Rina Jackson, age 6 (Patsy's g. daughter). The records indicate that Patsy Hill had 8 children and 3 are still alive.
      Florence Hill and Daniel Lark were married November 1910.

1911. Patty Lark-Johnson August 11, 1911 - November 14, 1974

1913. Josephine Lark-Staten April 12, 1913 - September 17, 1983

1914. World War I A global conflict involving the principal powers of the world, fought from 1914 - 1918.

1916. Dan Lark, Jr. May 6, 1916 - March 1981

1917. Mary Lark-Weatherspoon August 15, 1917 - January 13, 1997

1918. Elishar Lark October 1918 - January 8, 1919
      Great Spanish Influenza Epidemic
      In September of 1918, soldiers at an army base near Boston suddenly began to die. The cause of death was identified as influenza, but it was unlike any strain ever seen. As the killer virus spread across the country, hospitals overfilled, death carts roamed the streets and helpless city officials dug mass graves. It was the worst epidemic in American history, killing over 600,000-until it disappeared as mysteriously as it had begun.

1920. Patsy McDaniels - Patsy Hill is listed as Patsy McDaniels (may still be McGown) and she is 72 years old. Other family member living in the household incude; Isabella Hill; age 25; Dora Lee Johnson (Aunt Honey), age 9; and Patty Lark, age 7. The family suffered the loss of Florence Hill Lark, who died of influenza in 1918. The Hill and Lark families shared the responsibility of raising Dan and Florence's four children.

1939. World War II -
      A global conflict fought from 1939 - 1945.

1942. Willie Johnson, Jr. (B) - Willie and Patty Johnson's first child . November 22, 1942 - January 4, 1998

1944. Essie Johnson (B) - Known in the family as, the one to hit the road at the drop of a hat. At the age of 27 she packed three children and whatever else she could fit into a 1964 Chevy and taught herself to drive as she made her way from Louisiana to California. At her best she could drive from Oakland, California to Shreveport, Louisiana without sleep.

1946. Betty Johnson (B) - July 11, 1946 - December 19, 2004

1948. Rose Johnson (B)
      

1961. Jackie Johnson (B) - Born in Rayville, Louisiana. I spent the first thirteen years of my life in the Alto/Monroe, Louisiana area. After the death of my grandmother in 1974 my family moved to Oakland, California, then in 1980 we moved to St. Louis, Missouri.
      

1986. Antoinette Harper (B) - Born in St. Louis, Missouri. Antoinette is a freshmen in college.

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