A very good friend asked me to do some research on his family. As a black man he has brick walls everywhere. He knows this is a problem, and asked when I find interesting stories about his family to fill those out for him. Benjamin Kent was one of those stories. Michael did not know he had a great uncle who fought, and died, in World War I until I came across a record. One simple record lead me down a path neither of us could image. He gave me permission to share the research with you.
Michael knew Benjamin Kent was the son of Harry Kent and Julia Gantt, and older brother to Carrie Kent Young (the client’s maternal grandmother). According to Kent’s tombstone on Find-A-Grave[i] He was with the 808th Pioneer Infantry, from Maryland, died 19 October 1918, buried Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France. In addition to Find-A-Grave I had the the 1910 United States Census information, shown below, for the Kent family.
1910
United States Federal Census[ii]
|
|
Name
|
Benjamin
|
Relation
|
Son
|
Sex
|
Male
|
Colour
|
Black
|
Age
|
17
|
Marital Status
|
Single
|
Place of birth
|
MD
|
Father’s place of
birth
|
MD
|
Mother’s place of
birth
|
MD
|
Can speak English
|
Yes
|
Trade / profession
|
Sorter
|
Nature of Industry
|
Grocery store
|
Self / Wage earner
|
Wage
|
Out of work April 15th
|
No
|
Can read
|
Yes
|
Can write
|
Yes
|
Attended school last
year
|
No
|
The discovery of a family
members military connection to World War I was a timely find. Particularly as
we approach the 100th anniversary of the treaty of Versailles, which
ended the war. Benjamin Kent’s military
story, and the family members located through the subsequent research, are in
the attached report.
With research into any African
American family lineage, clients and researchers must be prepared to find limited
records and hit the dreaded “slavery brick wall” which stops any progress
backwards before the U.S. Civil War. These obstacles mean a researcher must look
at all lines of a family, direct and collateral, to locate as much information
for a lineage as possible.
 |
Topographical map of southern Maryland c. 1873 showing Calvert, Charles, and St. Marys counties. Martenet, Simon J. (1873) Topographical atlas of Maryland: counties of Calvert, Charles and St. Marys. p. 64-65. Baltimore: Stedman, Brown & Lyon. http://www.davidrumsey.com : accessed 28 February 2018 |
Over the next few posts I will tell you about Benjamin's family and his time in France. I hope you will read, learn, and remember with me.
[i] Monumental inscriptions. France. Meuse-Argonne
American Cemetery and Memorial in Meuse, Lorraine. 29 October 1918. KENT, Benjamin. Find A Grave
Memorial: 55993940. http://www.findagrave.com
: accessed 01 February 2018.
[ii] Census. 1910. United States. Baltimore (City),
Maryland. ED 276. p. 7B (written). http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 6
February 2018.[iii] The Maryland State Archives and The University of Maryland College Park (2007). A Guide to the History of Slavery in Maryland. http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/intromsa/pdf/slavery_pamphlet.pdf : accessed 26 February 2018.
[iv] Ibid.
[i] Monumental inscriptions. France. Meuse-Argonne
American Cemetery and Memorial in Meuse, Lorraine. 29 October 1918. KENT, Benjamin. Find A Grave
Memorial: 55993940. http://www.findagrave.com
: accessed 01 February 2018.
[ii] Census.
1910. United States. Baltimore (City), Maryland. ED 276. p. 7B (written). http://www.ancestry.com
: accessed 6 February 2018.
[iii] U.S.
Department of Commerce. United States
Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/ :
accessed 26 February 2018.
[iv] The U.S.
National Archives and Records Administration. Visit Us. https://www.archives.gov/locations : accessed 26 February 2018.
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