Tag: Flowers Family
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A New Find: The Death Record of Nancy J. Sawyer
A few months ago, Pennsylvania released the state’s death records from 1906 to 1963. I must have overlooked the death record of Rachel’s mother, Nancy Sawyer, in my initial research…#iamafailure. This is a relatively short post, I just wanted you to see what I discovered about Nancy. 1. Her middle name–Throughout the majority of my research, I never had…
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A Race Against Time: The Quest for a Living Descendant
Vincent Flowers at Messiah Academy, Courtesy of Messiah College Archives Vincent Flowers, Rachel’s brother passed away in 2002. Edna Wiggins, Rachel’s sister-in-law, died in 2004. About seven years later, Paul Stevenson passed away in 2011. He was Rachel’s nephew. A great amount of history is lost with each death that occurs within the Flowers’ family. I…
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Slave Schedules, Take Three: Harry Flowers
What do we know about Harry? Well, he was born on February 23, 1845,at times I list his birth year as 1846 because of his Civil War enlistment record, but I need to start using the date from his death certificate completed by his daughter, Rachel, in 1928. For all other information, I use the 1880 United States Federal…
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History and Good Guessing: A Revisit of Harry Flowers’ Early Life in St. Augustine, Florida
Graduate school is coming along well. Today marks the end to my fourth week of classes. I amenrolled in three courses (one being online) this semester while working and hopefully securing an internship [crossing fingers] in the coming month. Sadly, I have placed research on the back burner at times in order to complete my weekly readings, essays,…
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The Beginning: The First International Students of Messiah College
One of the many perks of being overworked in college is learning how to say no, even when it comes to research. While completing the Flowers family history, I “met” Reverend Meshach Krikorian. Despite all of the great details I have found regarding Meshach’s life, I did not have the time to pursue his story, which…
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Where Have I Been?
Senior year has been busy. I had my multiple leadership roles, 15 credits of class, and my honors thesis. It has been a stressful, yet wonderful year that is finally wrapping up. I I just submitted in Roots of a Hidden Legacy: The Story of the Flowers Family to my research adviser. And I am also…
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Letters From Rachel
In Geraldine Wilson’s unprocessed collection, there are numerous letters between her and her Aunt Rachel. This is my first encounter with Rachel’s handwriting. Transcription: Dear Jerry, You had said over the phone that you would contact me when you returned to New York. I did not contact you because Harry told me you were…
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Rachel Flowers(s)
All of my finals are finished and I am now headed home with my friend Shung Li who is spending Christmas with my family. My family is a bit crazy and I haven’t seen them in a year besides my one sister for Thanksgiving, it will be interesting for both me and Shung Li. I…
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Rachel Flowers, a Philadelphia Black Socialite
Rachel was a well-known figure in the Black communities of Harrisburg and Philadelphia. In the City of Brotherly Love, she worked with a number of organizations including the Q.C. Charity Club, YWCA, Study of Negro Life and History, the Utopia Business and Professional Club, Las Buenas Amigas, and the Business and Professional Club. She also…
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Hilda Flowers
The Afro-American, January 4, 1936 Hilda Clifford Flowers was Harry and Nancy’s last child. Born around 1910, Hilda grew up on her family’s farm in Jacksonville, Florida. Following her parents’ separation, she moved with her father and siblings to Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. She may have attended Boiling Springs High School like her sister, Rachel.…
Diary of a Historian 