Mystery of Long-Lost Relative Solved

Yesterday, I created a post regarding having discovered a "missing link," i.e. great uncle by the name of Edward L. Hines who lived and died in Texas.

After speaking to an Aunt who is somewhat of an authority on our family history, we figured out that my Uncle Edward L. Hines is actually the same person as my Uncle Erascus Hines. However, Aunt Jane never knew him as Edward L.

We came to this conclusion based on the particulars surrounding his death. Please recall, his death certificate indicated that his occupation was a Radio Tech. My Aunt Jane remembered that her Uncle Erascus owned a TV/Radio repair shop in Houston, Texas, the same place where this Edward L. resided. Also, his age, parents and the circumstances and date of his death matched exactly.

Aunt Jane reminded me that I had actually viewed Edward L. (Erascus) tombstone when we were in the family cemetery in the Frierson/Gloster, LA area some years ago. However, his tombstone gives his name as Erascus Hines. Maybe, the Edward L. Hines was his formal given name but the family called him Erascus which by the way was the name of one of his uncles or he did not like Erascus and decided to change it to Edward L. I'm not sure but I am pretty sure that we are dealing with the same person.

I am glad though that I was able to locate his death certificate because up until now, I had very little information on him.

Found: Long Lost Relative!

Today, I made an amazing discovery on FamilySearch Labs. I located a long-lost relative, actually a great-uncle who had been missing from my family tree due to his early demise.

The subject in question is one, Edward L. Hines, who was the son of Isam and Cornelia Jefferson Hines, my great-grand-parents. Today, I found him hiding in the pages of death certificates in Houston, Texas. You see, he was born and raised in Friersen, Louisiana and up until now there was no prior information given to me putting him in Texas.

The way that I found him was I did a broad search under Texas Death certificates for individuals born in Frierson, LA who died in Texas. The search engine generated several names of other relatives mostly from my Brayboy line that also proved valuable. Although, I am grateful for those finds too, but at least I already knew that many of them had relocated to Houston. However, I did not know that Edward L. Hines, who was cousin to the Brayboys on his mother's maternal side, had followed them there. He was the stunner for the day!

His death certificate lists him as being born on August 20, 1903 in Frierson, LA and died on April 15, 1944 in Houston in route to Jefferson Davis Hospital of a ruptured esohageal vein with internal hemmorage and cirrosis of the liver. It says that he worked as a Radio Tech. At the time of his death, he had lived there for 8 years. The certificate indicates that he was the son of Isam Hines and Cornelia Jefferson of Louisiana. His sister Nelvin Hines signed the death certificate. His place of burial is listed as Shreveport.

I think he really wanted me to find him because up until now, I was beginning to doubt his existence. Now, I have proof the he lived through his death!

I am so elated! Now, I am going to be on a quest to find other records on him. I will let you know what I find!

Papa Isam and his Black Horse

My paternal great-grandfather was Isam (Isham)Hines. He was the son of David and Mariah Pressley Hines and father to my grandmother Bessie Hines.

He was born and raised in and around Frierson, Louisiania in DeSoto Parish. He was one of at least 9 children so he was surrounded by a lot of family. His siblings Arthur, Bell, Phillice, David, Maria, Maria(Mariah), Mary and Richard.

As well, he had a big extended family as the Hines in Desoto Parish were and still are plentiful since his father, David also came from a big family and they all resided in that same community.

His maternal grandparents, the Pressleys also lived there. They were Stephen and Phyllis Pressley.

He met and married, Cornelia Jefferson Hines, the daughter of Issac and Jane Brayboy Jefferson. By all accounts, she was a tall, beautiful and strong woman. The 2 had 6 children together. She and Isam eventually parted ways but remained friends.

I never met my great-grandpa Isam but heard a lot about him from my father and other relatives. He was described as a very smooth dark-skinned man with the genes of Mother Africa definitely flowing through his blood. He was the darkest shade of ebony. His wife on the other hand, was very fair because of her african/native american and caucasian genes.

Isam and Cornelia were the parents of Bessie Hines Burney, Nelvin Hines Fuller, Jane Hines, Moeis Hines, Edward L.(Erascus) Hines and Mary Hines. As well, Cornelia had another daughter, Viola Nickleberry Henderson.

He later married a woman by the name of Sicily (Cecily). They resided primarily in the Shreveport area. On the 1930 census, he is listed as a Cotton Farmer and his 9 year grandson, Tom Fuller, the son of his daughter, Nelvin was residing with them.

The story that sticks out the most about Papa Isam is that he loved to ride his black horse, often even after nightfall came. One relative, Eliza Martin recalled that as a young girl, she would often see my dark-skinned Papa riding that black horse, at night with black clothing sometimes with a bottle of moonshine in hand at the end of a hard-day's labor. She remembered looking out the window and only seeing a streak pass as he galloped across land. She also shared that after he passed on that she would still see him streak across the acres on his black horse and say to her parents, "I just seen Papa Isam on his black horse," while they assured her that it was only "a little girl's imagination."

He passed on to glory on April 30, 1947. As said before, I never got the chance to met him but his memory has lived on trhough his children, grandchildren and other relatives who lovingly remembered him.

To Papa Isam:

Strong Black Nubian Prince, perched upon his black horse
Ride, ride until the sun sets and you finish your course
Ride high, ride proud, until the Lord calls your name
And you prance away, prance away & victory's proclaimed

Love always, Your great-grand-daughter, Karen Burney

My Hines Family

These are my great-great grandparents on my father's mother's side. My grandma Bessie's father was **Isam Hines. This is an excerpt from the 1880 Federal census when they were living in the Frierson/Gloster area of DeSoto Parish.

David HINES Self M M B 45 SC Occ: Works On Farm Fa: SC Mo: SC

Maria HINES Wife F M B 36 SC Occ: Keeps House Fa: SC Mo: SC (Daughter of Rev. Stephen and Phyllis Pressley

Arther HINES Son M S B 15 LA Occ: Works Farm Fa: SC Mo: SC

Bell HINES Dau F S B 12 LA Occ: Works Farm Fa: SC Mo: SC

Phillice HINES Dau F S B 8 LA Fa: SC Mo: SC

Isam HINES Son M S B 6 LA Fa: SC Mo: SC (This was my great-grandfather; He was married to my Grandma Cornelia Jefferson Hines Nickleberry)

David HINES Son M S B 4 LA Fa: SC Mo: SC

Maria HINES Dau F S B 2 LA Fa: SC Mo: SC

Mary HINES Dau F S B 2 LA Fa: SC Mo: SC

Richard HINES Son M S B 2M LA Fa: SC Mo: SC