Hi all After the Civil War how were slaves given their freedom in Irwin County? Was their a State of local County Proclamation freeing the slaves after the 13th Amendment? Was their an application process to obtain freedom by the owner or slave? Were slaves given property from the owner? Where would official documents be located for that County (Irwin/Burke)? What reference material would you recommend? If anyone has info on the Dorminey's, does "The Dorminy-Dorminey Book" mention anything about the people that lived on their property? Or any info on person property Tax for Slaves? Or any Slaves that were mentioned in Dorminy Estate/Wills? Or any previous slaves that were under contract after 1865. I am looking for documentation to trace my ancestor (Summer Gibbins/Givings/Givins/Givens) to his last slave owner. I have found his Amnesty Oath (Summer Gibbins, Aug 20, 1867) in 3rd/15th Senatorial District, Irwin County, Ga (GDAH). I have also found Summer and his family (Catherine "Katy"; Wilby; Eave; Rose; and James) living on/next to J. B. Dorminy in the 1870 Census for Irwin County, Georgia. J. B. Dorminy/Dormany/Dorminey was a wealthy business/land/slave owner(1850/60 Slave Schedule) and Senator and Representative from the 3rd/15th Congressional District in Irwin County, GA. He died 12/6/1878. I suspect that Katy (40) was a slave of J.B. or Mrs. Dorminey in 1860 Irwin County Slave Schedule. However, I have also found a "Summer, Sr. and Summer, Jr. in the Inventory and Appraisement of a wealthy land owner, Allen Inman (1806 - 1858) and Ave Murphree Inman Estate (Inman Homestead 2050 Acres, McGruder Place 3000 Acres, and Haislip Land 69 Acres) in Burke County, GA. Both, Summer Sr. and Summer Jr., was awarded to his youngest daughter, Indiana Inman (Jeremiah Inman and Malcolm Jones-Guardians), while other slaves were awarded to the wife, Ava, and to his married daughter and her husband, Virginia L. Inman Jones and Malcolm D. Jones (1/2 owner of McGruder Place) in the division of the Estate in 1861. Two entries for "Summer" (1851 and 1858) are also found the in the Afrogenias Slave Bills of Sale Collection- Slave Data website (Bark Camp Baptist Church Membership List, Burke County, GA). I can't seem to find the microfilm record for that Church so I can check the actual membership list. I have been unsuccessful in finding information on Dorminy and Inman Plantation holdings, but I have found the Dorminy and Inman family genealogy site; however, the family historians/custodians of those sites state that they have no interest in records containing slave holdings or plantation records. I know that the Freedman's Bureau provided transportation to some freemen to reunite family members, but I don't have any documentation on the Waynesboro or Ocilla Office (Augusta District Office) that transportation was provided to Summer to transport him from Burke to Irwin County, GA. Can anyone help me or point me in the right direction? Thanks, Gene Givens Abingdon, MD ggivens@earthlink.net Fax: (800) 627-8870 I Thanks Gene Givens Abingdon, MD