In this fifth episode of Season Nine, host Andrew Martin meets genealogist and author Robin R. Foster and hears about how she got hooked on researching her family history, her use of directories, Facebook Groups and Substack, and how she became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and found herself surrounded by sources….

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The Life Story – Beverley Vance

Robin has chosen to tell the life story of her maternal 2x Great Grandfather, Beverley Vance who was born circa 1832 in Abbeville County, South Carolina, USA.

Whilst trying to find records of her Great Grandfather – Reverend Lafayette Vance, over dial-up internet whilst doing the washing-up, Robin and her mother found Lafayette with his father – Beverley Vance. This was the first time she’d ever heard of him.

Robin then finds a record of him employed as a Constable, in a Senate testimony of 1868, where he is testifying to a Senator against the actions of the Democrats (who’d wanted to preserve slavery). This discovery led Robin to search further and find the identity of Beverley’s slave master, and a line of slave owners in South Carolina, and which was also the source of his Vance surname.

Robin then recalls how she visited the places where her ancestors had lived, and how her search continues to find Beverley’s burial place in 1899.

The Brick Wall – Matilda Vance

Robin’s choice of Brick Wall is actually her maternal 2x Great Grandmother Matilda Vance (born Matilda Dunlap) and she was the wife of her Life Story choice, Beverley.

Robin has found Matilda with Beverley on the 1880 census in Cokesbury, Abbeville County, South Carolina, and she has seen the couple abbreviated by their initials in the 1870 census, but where was Matilda before this?

Robin is unsure of Matilda’s parents and what becomes her, and so would therefore like to know;

• Did Matilda outlive her husband Beverley Vance (who died in 1899) and when did she die?
• Who were Matilda’s Dunlap parents?

If you think that you can offer Robin a research clue or idea, then you can send her a message via the email address that she gives in the episode, or alternatively, you can send us a message and we’ll pass that along to her.

Meanwhile, Robin accepts Andrew’s offer of help, but can he help get her some much needed answers?

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Episode Credits

• Andrew Martin – Host and Producer
• Robin R. Foster – Guest

Resources

A list of websites and resources referenced in this episode

• FamilySearch.org
• Genealogy Just Ask – Robin’s professional genealogy website
• Genealogy Just Ask – Robin – Robin’s Substack
• Genealogy! Just Ask – Robin’s Facebook Group
• Robin R. Foster – Amazon – Robin’s author page at Amazon.com