To interested Woolsey researchers: Some years ago, when I lived in the state of Washington, and made my annual summer trek to Salt Lake City to work in the Library, I was quite surprised to see a Black man working in the Library, doing genealogical research. Being intrigued by his presence in this formerly almost all-white domain, I introduced myself to him. He told me his name was Alex Haley and he was doing genealogical research on his ancestors and that he had interesting family traditions that had been handed down to him concerning his original ancestor who had been sold into slavery from Africa. I suggested some census records, and offered my opinion that he would probably not have much success in tracing his family tree!! because of the scarity of records and that little was done to document the lives of slaves. Well, you know how wrong that opinion was. But since the success of his book, one can see Afro-Americans in the Library in Salt Lake quite frequently now, and I now no longer question whether they will have success or not! Since beginning my research on the Woolsey family, I have found several Black families throughout the United States. These peoples' ancestors were uprooted from their native country, stripped of their freedom, their names and very identity and forced to come to this country as slaves. They were given names by their new owners as whatever pleased the owners. Upon emancipation, these slaves often took new names and frequently took the names of their former owners, especially if they had been well-treated by them, which may explain the name Woolsey as pertaining to these blacks. Even in the Northern states there had been slavery since very early times and we find Woolseys in New York owning slaves, and understandably we find black Woolseys in New York and Connecticut. Often the blacks who took on their owners' names were sons and daughters of a white owner and a black slave woman. However they got their name of Woolsey, I have found the following black Afro-Americans in the records. These are not all of them, I'm sure, but what I have found to date: 1850 Census Town of Woodbury, Litchfield Co., CT. 415-422. Uri Woolsey 36 m Black Day Laborer b CT Cloe " 37 f Black " June " 6 f Black " Julia " 3 f Black " Julia Jackson 44 f Black " John Jackson 5 m Black " Mary A. Jackson 17 f Black " 1860 Census Town of Huntington, Fairfield Co. CT. 1303-1375. Jane Woolsey 20 f Black Servant b CT Joihda " 6/12 m Black " 1850 Census So. Mulberry Ward, Philadelphia, PA. 232-275. Liddy Woolsey 40 f Black Domestic b. NJ 1850 Census No. Mulberry Ward, Philadelphia, PA. 1453-1620. Martha Woolsey 17 f Black b. PA 1870 Census Wood Co., Texas 155-157. Ann Woolsley 50? f color M(crossed out)Black GA Weslay 12 m Black Robt 11 m Black Elmira 7 f Black Lou 3/12 f Black 1870 Census Eatna Beat, Smith Co, Texas 149-149. Sarah Woolsey 14 f Black Texas 1880 Census Colorado Co, Texas Pct #3 187-210. Mat. Woolsey 37 m B Farm Laborer GA GA GA Harriet " 28 f B Wife kh TX TX TX Matilda " 15 f B Dau F.L. TX GA GA Ben " 13 m B Son " " Bettie " 11 f B Dau at home " George " 10 m B Son " " Clara " 4 f B Dau " " Lucy " b Feb B Dau " " ON-LINE: Ancestry.com - VIRGINIA DEATHS - Alexandria Co, VA 1865 - 1896. p. 109. Hall, George, race Black abt 31 Oct 1887, male, mother is Matilda Woolsey. 1870 Census Washington Co., Alabama. p. 7 William Woolsey 18 m Black b Alabama 1870 Census Champagnole PO, Franklin Twp, Union Co. Ark FHL# 545564. 13 Jun. p. 520. 61-61 John Woolsey 20 m Black Farm Laborer b Cherokee Nation. Can't read or write. 1870 Census Galesburg, Knox Co., ILL. FHL# 545749. 25 Jun p. 192 1677-1711. Eliza Woolsey 50 f Black kh VA Eliza Radill 24 f Mulatto kh ALA Jefferson 3 m Mulatto ah ALA If any one is interested or can add to this branch of the Woolsey family tree, I would be glad to hear from you. Sincerely, Wilford W. Whitaker