Brenda, Thanks for sharing your experiences on your grandmother's birthday and your adventures that day. I am especially interested because my Pridgen list wants a reunion.We are a group of white and black researchers--all with the Pridgen/Pridgeon name. I think it will take at least a year to get all the activities planned that would make a good event. I was glad to hear that the mixed reunion worked well in your case. Carol At 06:52 AM 3/24/1999 EST, you wrote: >Devereux Descendants: Slave Owners and Slaves > >Thank you for all the help you gave me within the last few weeks. My Granny's >birthday celebration was great and very loving with a few surprises. We had >more family members to attend that was planned our that I knew about as being >a part of the family. As you can remember we are descendants of the Devereux >slaves. We even had a descendant of the Devereux slave owner to attend. My >Granny and Claire bonded instantly. My family really had a great time with her >and the whole thing was video taped for a documentary about the Devereux clan. >The video taping started at my grandmother's church Sunday morning. Granny is >a member of an Holiness church. I thought it would be different from anything >that Claire had ever been too, but she was just as excited as everyone else >and it seem as if she had always been with us. It seems as she and her son, >Victor, as a part of our family that had just went on a little vacation and or >just returning with their arm open and loving. I hope you understand what I >mean. It just that when you meet people for the first time there is this >bonding connection that you have always know each other and are the very best >of friends or family. > >Saturday we spent all day at Conneconara and Runeroi (plantations) in Halifax >and Bertie Counties. We went to unmarked slave gravesites non standing slave >quarters sites. I have never been so far back in the woods. I have never >thought of what might exist beyond the trees we see from the roads or >highways. It was about 12 or 13 of us. Elvatese and myself were there because >we were the descendants of the slaves. For us I think we had already boned >over the phone but when we finnaly met each other, I knew we were family. For >me it was a very emotional and overwhelming day. I never dreamed of such an >experience. I think each researcher and their family should make an attempt to >visit their ancestoral lands and dwellings (if still standing). I have never >felt more close to my past. It made me understand and see my ancestors more >clearly in their day to day life. It's one thing reading and writing about it >and it's another thing actually being there to touch the dirt, breathe and >cry. I learned more of my history from that group of people because everyone >was there bonding with a past that we each share. > >My grandmother wanted me to thank everyone that sent her card and email >wishes. She really enjoyed my book. All the cards and wishes were included as >pages in her book. I have a copy being copyrighted also. > >Thanks once again for all your help and please have a blessed day. > >Brenda > > Carol P. Martoccia 903 East Fifth Street Greenville, NC 27858 Pridgen Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/6297 Pridgen Archives: http://searches.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/listsearch.pl