Bemis native fills gaps in family history

JACKSON, Tenn. — Up until recently, the farthest Greg Hammond from Bemis could trace his family’s history back was with the help of his grandfather who told him the story of his dad, Ransom Hammond, the son of a freed slave.

“I vividly remember being in elementary school, very young. Younger than fifth grade, on one particular Sunday, [my grandfather] takes us to the cemetery, and he points out his family members,” Hammond said.

When he became interested in genealogy, that was his starting point and that’s all it took to jump back all the way to the 1800s.

But he faced two problems.

“It’s difficult for any American to trace their family history because the 1890 census burned in a fire,” Hammond said. “It’s difficult for African-Americans to trace their history pre-Civil War because pre-war, the names of African-Americans aren’t really in government documents or official documents like census records.”

So far, he hasn’t been able to find much information before the Civil War because documentation on slaves was limited.

But slowly, he’s starting to fill in his family’s story.

“My father’s great-grandfather was born enslaved in Fayette County, Tennessee. So on my father’s side, the majority of my family is from Fayette County. I did not know that before doing this research,” Hammond said.

But, if you want to fill in the gaps of your history, the Jackson-Madison County Library’s Tennessee Room is a free resource that anyone can use.

“A lot of what you see today, if you trace it, goes back to the challenges that our ancestors faced,” Hammond said. “That’s going to do one of two things. It’s going to frustrate you or encourage you. I choose to be encouraged.”

And maybe you’ll be able to make connections to yourself in history.

“If you have the time and the patience, Jack, Evelyn, and the staff up here in the Tennessee Room can really help you expand your knowledge on your family history, and expand your knowledge on our country’s history, and even the environment we live in today. It’s all connected,” Hammond said.

The library is on a restricted opening right now due to the pandemic, but they have online resources to help you get started.