Tag: Alexandria VA

Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article – “A Mother’s Unconditional Love”

Carolyn Phillips-McCrae
Foster daughter of Mrs. Jennie Bell-Cantey

Behind the scenes of the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on, “A Mother’s Unconditional Love”– dated May 2-8, 2019.

Mrs. Carolyn Phillips-McCrae was extremely lucky that her mother made a decision to hand her over to Mrs. Jennie Settle Travis-Bell Cantey. She had the ability to love so many children like they were her own. It is believed that Mrs. Jennie was not raised by her own mother but whatever her childhood situation was, she impacted the lives of 44-children in a positive way.

Mrs. Carolyn heard numerous stories from Mrs. Jennie “Mama” about Fauquier County, Virginia where Mrs. Carolyn thought that was where Mama was born. Through genealogical research, I found that Mama was born in Rappahannock, Virginia. On her marriage license to her first husband, she stated that she was born in Rappahannock, Virginia. She and her first husband married in Fauquier, VA where he was born.

Check out the article on “A Mother’s Unconditional Love”– dated May 2-8, 2019 in the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 12 at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/050119/Alexandria.pdf. Also you can read behind the scene of this article on my blog at http://www.theotheralexandria.com.

Alexandria, VA – Parker-Gray School’s Project

I am looking for people or/and their relatives who attended Alexandria, Virginia’s Parker-Gray School from 1920 – 1965. Please see my flyer for my contact information. Parker-GraySchool flyer3SocialMedia. Thanks.

Three Generations of Shoemakers: The Martin Family

For over 150-years, the Martin men were the shoemakers and shoe-repairmen in Alexandria, Virginia. Based on the 1850 and 1860 censuses, George Washington Martin’s parents were free people of colored in In the Rockville, Montgomery County, Maryland. Read George W. Martin’s story at http://connectionarchives.com/PDF/2019/040319/Alexandria.pdf on page 10. Also you can read other articles on Alexandria on my blog at http://www.theotheralexandria.com.

The Lives of Lewis H. Bailey and Annie B. Rose

Behind the scenes of the Alexandria Gazette Packet’s article on, “The Lives of Lewis H. Bailey and Annie B. Rose: Former slave established churches; his daughter was devoted to her community – dated March 14, 2019.

Over thirty years ago, I met an elderly woman in early April of 1989 coming into the Alexandria Black History Museum in Alexandria, Virginia where I volunteered my genealogical expertise to patrons. I had just returned to the United States from Sierra Leone, West African in March of 1989 when I was blessed with meeting Mrs. Annie B. Rose. At that time, I did not know how powerful this meeting was until many years later.

Mrs. Annie B. Rose died in the same month that I met her but I believe we were brought together for a reason. It took me thirty years to figure it out, that her life story has been my life time preparation in researching families who ancestors were slaves. Mrs. Rose was the daughter of a former slave. Her life and her father’s life have inspired many people who knew them. For me, it was ordained by a higher being that I meet such a lady before she made her spiritual journey.

You can read my article, “The Lives of Lewis H. Bailey and Annie B. Rose in the Alexandria Gazette Packet on page 11 at

Click to access Alexandria.pdf