Tell Me A Story

I have always loved to read. I love mysteries and true life stories among the many different genres I frequent. Maybe that is why genealogy appeals to me. It is like the ultimate mystery and it's been written so long ago. Take my great, great grandparents for instance. I know that they have been the subject of many a blog but they are who I am currently researching.

Henry own quite a bit of land in Mississippi if the records that I have found are truly him. It would have been considered significant back then (1899-1910) for anyone but especially for a black man and especially in the south. He marries had three girls and lives on this land for at least ten to twelve years. Yet somewhere between 1910 to 1930 he leaves his land and moves to Arkansas. Why would he do that? What happened that was so significant or even insignificant that prompted such an act?

I know that many black people during that time moved a lot for better jobs, opportunity, or to avoid lynchings but generally they moved north. They didn't move a couple of states over. Yet that is what my ancestor did. He didn't leave the south until he was sick and that was at the urging of his daughters that brought him to Missouri, if my information is correct.

This is a real mystery to me and one I might never solve. It's not like I can call him up and ask and my great grandmother who might have known the answer passed away years ago. I feel like I can research and research but census records won't tell me the why of the move they will just help me pinpoint a date or timeframe.

I love a good story but sometimes the story is too good. When you have a mystery infront of you and no answer in sight then what do you do?