Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Calling All Rands!

I just finished watching a program, “Black in America,” on CNN. Tonight’s program was especially interesting to me as it featured the Rand family of Texas. They are black and are descendants of a white man, William Harrison Rand, who was born in Wake County, North Carolina, migrated south and then went to Texas. William Harrison Rand was the grandson of Walter Rand (1761 - 1812), who was the brother to my ancestor, William Rand, born before 1755 and died after April 1820 in Stokes County, North Carolina. What impressed me so much is the connection between the white and black Rands. That would not have been true just a few years ago.

I am also amazed at the number of descendants of William Harrison Rand. During my 35+ years of research, I have only found one other person who shares my Rand line. Surely there are more than just the two of us. I would dearly love to meet my Rand relatives - black or white.

2 comments:

Taneya said...

Very cool Brenda! I saw this too. How neat that you have a personal connection! Now you can add to your family tree :-)

Brenda Joyce Jerome said...

This is the neatest family, Taneya! They left all sorts of unusual records, including one son who hanged himself while in jail and my ancestor who is said to have died in the poorhouse because of his fondness for fast horses and likker! You gotta love those who left records.